Banana (Choco-Bourbon) Nut Bread

A week away from home is not a terribly lengthy time. But it's long enough to make you miss certain things. Like a bed that smells like fresh detergent or pillows that put your head in that perfect little cradle. Not to mention the familiar hum of your home's individual noises, or a closet that has all of the shoes/dresses/skirts/earrings/anything you could want all in one place. And it's not so bad to come home to your S.O., especially after a week of small talk and chatting up strangers.

For a work trip, the week was actually quite nice! I got to spend some quality time in Baltimore, catching up with old friends included. And then I hopped on over to Minnesota for the ever-exciting Minnesota State Fair, don't you know! Fried food on a stick and good midwestern hospitality made the trip a true pleasure. 

Beautiful view for a lunchtime run

By the time I got back, I was itching to get my hands dirty in the kitchen. I've also been accused by a nameless someone that I only bake for other people, rather than baking for fun to keep around the house. I'm pretty sure my waistline is the reason for that, but nonetheless, I can't be developing any kind of reputation as a stingy baker! With a handful of overripe bananas staring me in the face, banana bread was the clear frontrunner. I decided to make this bread really decadent and throw in the leftover chocolate chips that were sitting in the pantry, as well as a dash of bourbon to make the bread feel a little rebellious. One slice is already gone...now let's see how long the rest of the bread sticks around!

Banana (Choco-Bourbon) Nut Bread

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice
Pinch of ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cup of flour

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the walnuts and set aside. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour and mix. Lastly, add the nuts and chocolate chips. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.