Among Friends

Do you have these cookbooks?

They are my absolute favorites. They make beautiful gifts, even for non cooks. Not only are they beautifully illustrated, I've never had a bad recipe from any of the books. Never.

You can find out more about them here.

Out of the Keeping Good Company book, I made the Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with the other bananas. Would you believe I still ended up throwing out two of them?

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Beat first six ingredients together until blended

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

1 1/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. mashed ripe bananas

Stir in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips until moistened

1 3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Put batter into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 - 50 minutes. Cool in pans for 15 minutes and them remove to rack to cool. Drizzle with chocolate glaze when completely cool.

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

3 Tb. butter

In a heavy zip-top bag, heat chocolate chips and butter together in microwave for 35 - 40 seconds. Knead bag until ingredients are well blended. Snip off bottom corner and drizzle over each loaf.

(Sad, little, lonely piece was the only thing left from the two loaves. Didn't even get a glaze.)