christmas bake '09

my roomie and i spent an evening baking treats for a christmas potluck we were attending (photos from which will be up soon).. she chose to make a nummy chocolate cake and i went with a banana bread.

my b bread turned out quite well and so i've included the recipe at the very bottom.

the dough looked slightly turd-like

waiting impatiently for everything to bake

mmm.. chocolate drizzle.

nom nom

hello martha stewart:

hahaha i love you!

and here is my chocolate chip walnut banana bread recipe:

i took this recipe from recipezaar and altered it a little bit. you never need as much butter or sugar as they tell you!

ingredients:
1/3 c  oil
1/2 c  brown sugar
2 eggs
2 bananas
1 1/2 c  flour
1 t  baking soda
1/2 t  salt
1/2 t  vanilla extract
1/2 c  chocolate chips
1/4 c  chopped walnuts

steps:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease & flour a loaf pan. 
2. Using a fork, crush your bananas into a fine mush (like apple sauce/baby food).
3. Using the same fork (or a whisk or whatever you please), beat those eggs! Do this a seperate bowl from your bananas.
4. Stir together your oil and sugar in a large bowl until consistent.
5. Add both your eggs and banana mush into your oil/sugar bowl and stir well.
6. Sift in your flour, baking soda, and salt (really a pinch or two will do) and mix until combined.
7. Add your vanilla, chocolate chips, and walnuts (feel free to replace these with almonds, raisins, etc.) and mix until evenly distributed.
8. Pour into loaf pan.
9. Sprinkle a handful of walnuts on top.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
11. Before taking out your bread, check to make sure it's fully cooked! I like to use a chopstick (but you can use a fork, skewer, etc.) to give it a poke; if it comes out clean, it should be done and ready.
12. Let cool before taking it out of the pan.

happy baking!