Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

My favorite loaf pan manufacturer just started making the skinny Cocktail Loaf Pan that I’ve been searching for for years. Cocktail bread is traditionally rye or pumpernickel, but I like to use this pan for quick breads. One pan will make a long skinny loaf of quick bread that would normally fit in a 9x5 loaf pan. I absolutely love serving smaller slices from this size pan - perfect portion control. Here’s a recipe for chocolate chip banana bread with a touch of cinnamon and cardamom. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 3x14-inch tea or cocktail loaf pan https://amzn.to/3XW6CBV

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ELpRVX

• mini chocolate chips https://amzn.to/3ENvMtu

• ground cardamom https://amzn.to/3ENvFy4

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

makes one 3x14-inch cocktail loaf pan (or one 9x5 loaf pan)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1 teaspoon fine table salt

• 2-3 ripe bananas, mashed

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet), plus more for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F with rack in lower third of oven.

2. Prepare a tea or cocktail loaf pan (3x14-inch) with nonstick baking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt; set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, milk, pure vanilla extract; set aside.

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat both sugars and butter together until light and creamy, several minues.

6. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 20 second after each addition.

7. Beat in the mashed banana mixture.

8. Add the flour mixture just until no traces of dry ingredients remain.

9. Remove bowl from stand mixer and stir in the mini chocolate chips by hand (scrape side of bowl in the process).

10. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with additional mini chocolate chips if desired (looks great after baked).

11. Bake on lower rack for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

12. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely before serving. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

• If you don’t have a 3x14-inch tea/cocktail loaf pan, a 9x5-inch loaf pan can be substituted (increase baking time to 65-75 minutes).

• Alternately, batter can be mixed with a handheld mixer.

• The batter for a double recipe will fit in a 5-quart stand mixer.

• This banana bread is very heavy and can break in half when turning out of the pan. To avoid this, be sure loaf is completely supported by a cooling rack when unmolding. Don’t be tempted to unmold loaf into your hand like you might do with a standard sized loaf.

• Although the photos above show these pans wrapped with insulated baking strips, I’ve concluded doing so is unnecessary for this recipe.

adapted from allrecipes

Homemade Baby Food

As a new grandmother, I was thrilled when my daughter-in-law asked me to make my grandbaby’s first baby foods. I love knowing the baby foods I make are made with the highest quality ingredients. It’s really easy to do, and with commercial baby food costing anywhere from $1.20 to $4.30 for one 4-ounce jar, you can save a small fortune making your own.

Items used to make this homemade baby food:

(affiliate links)

• baby food jars https://amzn.to/3EKvkfq

• baby spoons https://amzn.to/3VkFhHv

• nutribullet https://amzn.to/3Ur2XZE

• label maker https://amzn.to/3OOEEDM

---

Homemade Baby Food (Stage 1 and 2)

make as much or as little as you like

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• steamed fruits and vegetables (see notes below)

• liquid of choice (water, formula, breast milk)

Directions

1. Steam or roast fruits or vegetables until soft (if needed - see notes below).

2. Puree in personal blender with water, formula, or breast milk until the desired consistency is reached (very thin for Stage !, thicker for Stage 2).

3. Pour into baby food jars leaving 1/2-inch head space, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Stage 1 Food Ideas: Start with easy to digest fruits and veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, green beans, peas, pumpkin, mango, apples, peaches, pears, bananas (no need to cook).

• Stage 2 Food Ideas: try thicker consistency combinations like blueberry/strawberry/apple, spinach/zucchini/peas, sweet corn/green beans, carrots/sweet corn, pumpkin, apple/pumpkin/cinnamon, etc. This is also a good time to start introducing small amounts of herbs and spices. Hold of on added sugar or salt until baby reaches 12 months of age.

• Thaw frozen baby food in the fridge overnight, and use within 72 hours. If you feed directly from container, don’t try to save leftovers (they will liquify). If the entire jar isn’t going to be used, I suggest dispensing into a separate bowl before feeding.

• Bananas should be pureed as needed as they do not store well once pureed.

• Organic fruits canned in water with no sugar added can be pureed straight out of the can.

• For sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and squash, I prefer to roast them rather than steam them.

• Garden fresh fruits and vegetables are wonderful, but frozen are an excellent option when fresh fruits and veggies are out of season.