banana bread with slivered almonds, topped with choc chips

the best ways to rid overripe bananas is to make banana bread. fact. 

i cannot believe i have not shared with you my go to banana bread recipe, considering how big of a staple it is in my baking repertoire. this one has a slight twist, both of which i think heightens the usual banana bread recipe: slivered almonds in the batter to give it some texture, with sprinkled choc chips on the top for a more guilty, gooey sweetness on top of the already sugary bananas. 

just thinking about banana bread makes me crave it, and it’s something that always makes the house smell more like a home. i’m currently writing this post during a family trip to vancouver bc, which is our first “big” family trip (* “big” as in out of the country) in a good while. it’s freezing, at least for us spoiled californians, with the temperature in the high 30’s/low 40’s. so i will gladly think of being in a warm room, cozied up with some thick and heavy blankets, and the smell of banana bread floating in the air. i can’t wait to make this again when i’m back in the states!! 

ingredients:

3 ripe bananas

1 cup slivered almonds (best if toasted)

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

a handful of choc chips (for sprinkling on top, or incorporate throughout if desired for a sweeter bite)

instructions:

1. preheat oven to 350F
2. combine oil, eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas.
3. in a separate bowl, combine baking soda and flour.
4. incorporate dry mixture slowly into wet mixture.
5. mix in slivered almonds
6. pour into greased pan, or loaf pan lined with parchment. 
7. sprinkle choc chips
8. bake for 1 hr and 20 mins, check at the 1 hr and 1 hr 10 min mark to adjust time as needed

i love this recipe because it allows for minimal cleanup, which is the worst part of baking. 

let me know how you like it when you try it! 

if you’re looking to fancy it up for the holidays, try some of these ideas:

* drizzle with chocolate 

* add more nuts! walnuts, pecans, etc

* before displaying, cut up into 1 inch or so loaf pieces, and dip half of it in melted chocolate