Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

So after 2 days substituting a Kindergarten class, I have come down with a nasty cold. I could only stay in bed for about 15 minutes until I became disgustingly bored and sick of the SVU reruns that I've seen countless times (don't get me wrong, I LOVEEE my SVU!!!). I had a bowl full of ripe bananas and decided to make some chocolate chip banana bread. I was met with quite a difficult task, however, because I do not have an electric mixer. Why, you ask? While I LOVE to bake and cook, Grandma Joansie said I can't have one until I'm married, so I guess I will wait and continue to mix by hand. Hands are, though, a cooks best tools! AND, your house will smell INCREDIBLE!!! 

This is what you'll need:

3 large bowls
1 loaf pan (like this one, here)
3 ripe bananas (they're perfect when they get brown spots on them)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (I used Splenda)
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbs. milk (I used non-dairy creamer)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (come on, why not?!)

1. Preheat oven to 375*
2. Cream together the sugar and the butter until they are nice and fluffy.
3. Once fluffy, add the eggs, one by one.
4. In a separate bowl, peel and mash together the bananas and add milk and cinnamon.
5. In a 2nd bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
6. Add the banana mixture to the butter/egg/sugar mixture.
7. Once combined, add in the dry ingredients (the 2nd bowl) to the mixer, followed by the chocolate chips.

8. Use a cooking spray or butter a loaf pan and add everything.
9. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. ***MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THE BREAD BY STICKING A KNIFE OR PIN INTO THE MIDDLE TO SEE IF IT'S READY***
10. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before removing from pan (this will keep it from falling apart and sticking to the sides of the pan).

enjoy :)