Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

One of my favorite fruits are bananas.  But I don't like them when they are really yellow, with any brown spots.  They are too ripe for my by then.  So I always have bananas that sit on my counter too ripe for me to eat.  So I have to come up with some good ways to use them because I hate to waste food.  Banana bread is one of my most favoritist things ever!  I will eat a whole loaf by myself.  And then when you add chocolate chips.....YUM!!!!!  It is especially good in the fall....but I think that is because I add cinnamon to mine and cinnamon is totally a fall flavor.  I know everyone and their grandma has a banana bread recipe, but I thought I would share my favorite one.....which just so happens to be from my grandma. =)

1 c. sugar or honey (if you want a bit healthier, the honey works great!  I have also done half and half)
1/2 c shortening or oil (the oil make sit a bit more moist)
2 eggs
3 ripe mashed bananas
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 c. chocolate chips, nuts, peanut butter chips (my hubby loves those in)  (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.  I just throw my bananas in the mixer to be mashed, then add sugar, oil, and eggs.  Then add all the dry ingredients.  Once it is all well mixed, pour into greased bread pans.  The cooking time varies depending on the size of bread pans.  For the large loaves, it will be about an hour.  For the slightly smaller, it's about 45 minutes.  For the mini loaves it is 20-30 minutes.  I usually set my timer for about 10 minutes less than the time and then check by inserting a toothpick.  They are done when the toothpick comes out clean ( unless you happen to put it in  a chocolate chip, then it's not so clean =)  )

I have recently started making it with peanut butter chips.  My husband almost wolfed down a whole big loaf in the matter of minutes when I did that.  He is a huge fan of peanut butter and banana sandwiches so according to him, if you like them, you will love the bread with peanut butter chips.