Bonus recipe included!

I've recently gone on a baking and cooking frenzy. I've never been one for trying new things - I have my dishes that I know I can cook, and I have stuck to them. Never venturing beyond what I know I can do.

For some reason, since the arrival of my Even Littler Monster (who ain't so little now!), I have become a little bit of a domestic goddess; especially in the kitchen.

I've downloaded the Taste.com.au app, and it has changed my (and Husbands!) culinary world. I've become more adventurous with dinners, and am ready to try pretty much anything in the kitchen.

But at the moment, I have a sweet tooth that cannot be denied. And so my time spent baking has increased ten-fold... Chocolate chip cookies, maple syrup muffins, scones (with lashings of jam and cream!)...

But last night (a huge thanks to Trishie at Under Lock and Key for the inspiration!), I made the most delicious banana choc-chip bread in the world...ever!!

I had some spare bananas lying around, and went on a "foodporn" odyssey on my favourite food website, Foodgawker, to find a recipe

After drooling my way through a number of recipes, I finally decided to use this one from Family Friendly Food.

Banana nut bread

Using 8-1/2 * 4-1/2 inch (21*11 cm) loaf pan.

1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 stick (115 grams) butter, room temperature
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
3 small (about 1 cup) bananas*, mashed
1/2 cup chocolate chips – optional
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease loaf pan with butter (place parchment paper on the bottom of the pan – optional).

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the sides. Add the eggs and milk, and beat until smooth. Scrape the sides again. On low speed, add the flour mixture and bananas alternately, beating until smooth.

Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Scatter the nuts on top.

Bake for 1 hour or until done. (Start checking after 45 minutes. I think I baked it for 45 minutes.) Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and remove to a platter to cool completely, that is if you can resist not eating it right away…

I made a little tweak of my own (no nuts - I'm not a fan), and it ended up cooking for 55 minutes in my oven.

Husband and I had a slice with vanilla ice cream for dessert ... and we both went back for seconds!! (Thank goodness for breast feeding; I can fool myself into thinking I can get away with such indulgences! hehehe)

If you do nothing else with your left over bananas today, try this recipe - you won't regret it!

Whats your favourite after dinner indulgence? Feel free to share the recipe with me!