Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Another delicious recipe from How Sweet Eats - Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread.

My favorite breakfast is whole wheat toast, peanut butter, chopped bananas and dark chocolate shavings. Yum. This bread (toast it with some peanut butter) might be my new favorite breakfast food.

Yum.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Bread
(recipe adapted from How Sweet Eats. ingredients below reflect the changes I had to make due to not having all ingredients required on hand)
makes one loaf

~ingredients~

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature (I was out of butter so I used canola oil, though I would suggest not substituting unless necessary)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips
~instructions~

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Cream butter and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until combined. Add bananas and mix. 
4. Add dry ingredients slowly, mixing until just combined. 
5. Stir in milk, adding more one tablespoon at a time if batter is not wet enough. 
6. Fold in chocolate chips.
7. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and pour in batter. Bake for 50 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean. (it took over an hour for my bread)

Overnight French Toast Casserole

I've always liked french toast, but there is something about a crispy, sugary, browned french toast that beats any skillet egg-dipped bread in my book.

Ah - this casserole. More delicious than I could have imagined. It has the crispy, sugary taste that I love. I also love that it's an "overnight" recipe - meaning prepare, sit for 3-12 hours, bring to room temperature the next day and bake till crispy.

The original recipe I found was from Ezra Pound Cake. But I made a few changes, other than halving the recipe for just Josh & I.

Overnight French Toast Casserole
adapted from Ezra Pound Cake
serves 2-3

~ingredients~

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 + 1/8 cup firmly packed brown sugar
5 slices Texas Toast, cut into about 1" cubes (alternatives: brioche or challah)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt

topping

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 2 T brown sugar
• 2 T butter, melted

~instructions~

1. Combine the melted butter and 1/2 the brown sugar in a baking dish.
2. Toss the cubed bread with the remaining brown sugar, arrange at bottom of baking dish (they will overlap)
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Pour the mixture over the bread, and let it soak in
4. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 to 12 hours
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while the casserole sits at room temperature for about 20 minutes
6. While you wait, make the topping - chop the pecans and mix with the brown sugar and melted butter. Top the casserole with the pecan mixture.
7. Bake the casserole until it’s browned and set, 30 to 45 minutes. Let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Plate the casserole and finish with sifted confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup

I loved how the casserole was crispy on the top and almost bread-pudding-like on the bottom. The pecan-crunchy topping was such a great addition - I would have never thought to add the pecans if it weren't for the original recipe!! Monday morning I microwaved the leftovers then popped them in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes, and it was just as good as when it was freshly made!!

chocolate chip pancakes

This is a tried and true recipe my dad has been making for us since my sister and I were wee little girlies. Dad usually handled our breakfasts as he had a more flexible schedule and mom was always off bright and early to get to work during the school year. Though she was gone in the early hours of the morning, she was home by the time we were back from school and enjoyed the summers off with us.

Okay, so Dad didn't start putting in the chocolate chips...I think we did that as we got old enough to make these for ourselves. Don't judge these pancakes. This is nothing. Have you seen We Are Not Martha's S'mores Pancakes?? Yeah. Those look amazing. But my pancakes...have fruit.

I had the pleasure of Josh joining me for breakfast this Saturday morning. He usually sleeps in on Saturdays (until he has to get up for work), but he was up earlier and it was nice spending some time over breakfast with him since I would be gone all night shooting a wedding with my sister.

Anyway, here is the recipe! You can find this recipe all over the web, it's pretty well-used and it's the only recipe where I've memorized the measurements.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes
makes 4 large pancakes or 6-7 medium
 ~ingredients~
1 c flour
1 T sugar
1 1/2 T butter, melted (or veggie/canola oil)
3 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla (or more if you like)
1/4 tsp/pinch salt
1/2 c - 1 c milk (we use 1%; amount depends on how you prefer the consistency of your pancakes)
1/4 c chocolate chips (or more...)

~instructions~
(In case you don't know how to make pancakes...)
Whisk together all ingredients except chocolate chips. Adjust milk amount as preferred. Add chocolate chips. Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Add pancake batter, as much or as little as you want (again, depends on size/consistency of your pancakes). Once pancakes start bubbling on top, flip carefully. Cook a few more minutes until done. Repeat until all the batter is used. Serve with syrup, berries and whipped cream!

Of course you can substitute blueberries, white chocolate chips, peanut butter, etc. for the chocolate chips. If I make them plain, sometimes I'll add a little lemon juice to the batter instead of the vanilla. I also learned from my dad that warmed syrup on pancakes, french toast or waffles is the best. I suggest you try it!

I also love reheating leftover pancakes in the toaster oven the next day!