Glazed Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Loaf

It’s Valentine’s Day. I like it.

I like it because we’ve always kept it simple. I like it because we’ve always kept it easy. I like it because we’ve always kept it real. I like it because we’ve always shared it with the same person. I like it because we still love each other. I like because I love him.

I’ve been irritable this week. I haven’t been a joy to live with. My ears hurt, my throats raw and my neck won’t turn. I’ve done very little heart shaped baking.  I’ve been mean and not very Valentine like.

The picture below will even put proof to my words.  I put chocolate in the banana bread and even glazed the top with Cream Cheese Frosting and I liked it. I didn’t bake it today though.  That would have been cruel on Valentine’s day.  

As you know, my better half hates chocolate chips. I made him a boring loaf as well . . . without the chocolate . . .without the glaze. His loaf is gone and my loaf is still sitting around waiting for me to eat it.  Mine looked much prettier though.

It seems that I always have these speckled guys sitting around my kitchen.  I love eating almost green bananas, but as soon as they get spots . . . they quickly turn my stomach inside out.  Banana bread loaded with walnuts, is a staple in this house. It seems to be something that the fruit loving guy, that I love actually enjoys!  The recipe below is one of hundreds tried and found to be our most favorite. It’s even good minus the chocolate and minus the glaze, but it won’t look as pretty.

See that new Pear Logo up top?  I like it.  It’s simple like me.

I owe two people hugs for all their hard work and patience and over do’s and patience.

There is a sweet lady by the name of Jeanine Linder who does fabulous brand and Logo design. She lives in Switzerland. How lucky is that! I’ve admired her work and the simplicity of her designs. I’ve got to admit, that if I could start all over again, I certainly would choose a different blog name. It is . . . what it is though. Live and Learn.  It’s a hard name to design a Logo around. I gave her an idea of what my “crazy” mind was thinking and she sent me some fabulous work.

I think since I’m fifty something and hormonal, my mind just can’t stay on the same page for very long.  The design was close but not quite what my “vision” was.  I passed that vision onto one of my very talented daughters Chantri.  She merely said . . . “Let me see what I can do.”

She tossed things around, moved things up and down, pulled things out of her magical talented amazing, clever cap and WOWZA!

I hate eating pears, but I love looking at pears.  It’s clean, it’s simple . . . it’s me.  My vision was a white pear and I got something even better!

Thank you Chant.

Chantri Keele (known to her family as Chant) is a very talented photographer.

She has a partner in crime, another beauty by the name of Nicole Klingler.

They own a quaint, unique photography fashion studio unlike any other I’ve ever seen. True Atelier Fashion Photography.

“a-tell-yay”

definition:  an artist’s workroom or studio

Location: cozy historic downtown – 369 Shoup, Idaho Falls, ID.

Nicole & Chant are talented and on fire!  Ohhhh to be young again.  Make sure that you check out  True Atelier  if your walls, furniture, frames, etc. are in need of some beauty.

Thank you again Chant & Jeanine for all the hard work that went into helping create that new pear Logo.

Happy Valentine’s Day to my sweet half.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you who read & follow this silly blog and make me happy.

OUR FAVORITE BANANA BREAD

• 1/2 cup Crisco or Canola Oil
• 1 – 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 Tablespoons Buttermilk
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
• 4 large bananas, very ripe
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts (opt)
• 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (opt)

Directions:

Cream the oil and sugar together.  Next, mash the bananas and add to sugar and oil.  Add buttermilk and eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture.  Mix the flour and soda together and add to the sugar/banana mixture.  Stir in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into 2 large loaf pans sprayed with pam and dust lightly with flour. Sprinkle a few nuts and chocolate chips over the top of the batter. Bake at 375 degrees about 55 minutes or until done in the center, or bake about 45 minutes for smaller loaves.  Cover the top with a foil tent if they start to get to brown

(read note below)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

note:  I added a couple tablespoons of milk so that the consistency of the frosting was a bit thinner than normal frosting.  I wanted it to be more like a glaze.

Glazed Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Loaf

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After trying at least one hundred Banana Bread recipes, this has been chosen as the winner!

• Category: Breads & Rolls

Ingredients

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• FOR THE BANANA BREAD
• 1/2 cup Crisco or Canola Oil
• 1 – 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 Tablespoons Buttermilk
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
• 4 large bananas, very ripe
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts (opt)
• 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (opt)
• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
• 1  8-ounce package of Cream Cheese
• 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons) at room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoons of pure vanilla.

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Instructions

1. FOR THE BREAD:
2. Cream the oil and sugar together.
3. Mash the bananas and add to the sugar and oil.
4. Add buttermilk and eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture.
5. Mix the flour and soda together and add to the sugar/banana mixture.
6. Stir in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips.
7. Pour into 2 large loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray and dust lightly with flour. Sprinkle a few nuts and chocolate chips over the top of the batter.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 to 55 minutes or until done in the center, or bake about 45 minutes for smaller loaves.  Cover the top with a foil tent if they start to get too brown on the top.
9. (read note below)
10. FOR THE GLAZE:
11. Using a kitchen Aid or good hand mixer, whip the butter until it’s light in color.  Add the Cream cheese and whip again until very light.
12. Add the confectioners Sugar one cup at a time, beating continuously.
13. Add Vanilla and whip again.
14. (If you feel that it’s not quite the right consistency for you, add a bit of heavy Cream to thin it, or more confectioners sugar to thicken it.
15. You can also make this ahead of time, and keep in the fridge.  When you are ready use it, let it come to room temperature, and whip again.
16. note:  I added a couple tablespoons of milk so that the consistency of the frosting was a bit thinner than normal frosting.  I wanted it to be more like a glaze.