October 2020: Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Swirls of creamy peanut butter and a smattering of chocolate chips turns this simple banana bread recipe into a decadent affair. I know the word “decadent” seems like a stretch of a description for the humble banana bread but you gotta trust me here. Warm chocolate and gooey peanut butter? Yeah… there’s not much more to say… You’re gonna want to make this recipe!

A close-up of all the gooey goody in this banana bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 overripe bananas
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil or melted butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and grease your bread pan and lay a piece of parchment paper inside.
2. In a large bowl, mash your bananas.
3. Then, add in the coconut oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla and combined.
4. Next add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix until the batter forms.
5. Gently fold in the chocolate distributing the chocolate chips throughout.
6. Using teaspoon size amounts, dollop 3/4th of the peanut butter into the batter and gently swirl it throughout.(Don't over mix. You want them swirls!)
7. Pour the batter into the prepped pan with parchment paper.
8. Dollop your remaining peanut butter on top and gently swirl it through the batter.
9. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until center is set being careful not to over cook. (Cover with foil if necessary.)
10. Remove the bread from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the pan.
11. Gently lift the bread with the parchment out of the pan and let cool for another 15 minutes on a wire rack before cutting into it.

5 Steps To A Better Breakfast Sandwich!

There are a few steps you can apply to greatly improve your breakfast game, especially in the sandwich department.  This one goes out to the restaurant I wont mention at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.  It was bad.  Real bad! And for the love of what should be an easy breakfast win for every kitchen everywhere, I am providing a few crucial steps to building better breakfast sandwiches.

1. Stop toasting the bread! Cover you bread, muffin, etc. with foil and heat it in the oven for a few minutes. It comes out warm and soft and steamy and all fresh baked like.  Toasting bread is for sandwiches that are exceptionally soft and creamy and in need of texture.  If you were scrambling your egg and just adding cheese or using bacon pate (is that a thing?) well, then toasting might be necessary.  It's all about the texture. And this rule applies to all sandwiches not just breakfast.  The texture profile is just as important as the flavor profile!
2.  Bake the bacon. It cooks more evenly and gives you more control over your ideal bacon crispness. No folding or cutting to fit it in your cast iron skillet. That's right! I am talking to you!! YOU know who you are...
3. When it comes to the eggs, keep them yokes runny! Does dipping sauce mean anything to you?!!!  A runny yoke is your breakfast sandwich au jus.  Sure, you can cook your yoke all the way through but when you do, you are changing the general moisture content of the sandwich.  A cooked yoke equals a drier sandwich so you might have to make some adjustments at Step 5.
4.  Keep the cheese traditional! This is not the place to pull out your world class stink.  A riff on an old classic still needs to hold up to classic expectations.  That means the cheese needs to melt!  Some cheeses just don't melt well and you really need the cheese to help hold this sucker together.  This is the glue that keeps every bite going into your mouth and not on your plate.  Do we need to discuss Feta right now?  I don't think so...
5. Lastly, you can glam up your breakfast sandwich with the extras. This is where you can add your signature touch and give your egg sandy some personality. The image above is pretty basic with avocado and hot sauce but this is where your plethora of condiments will shine.  Layer on some tomato slices and a little pesto or tapenade?  (Ugh... I can here you thinking Feta is a must for the Greek version but remember Step 4?!  Crumbly cheeses are a no! What you need is a white melty cheese.  Use Provolone and you get a mild cheese that won't distract from your Mediterranean flavor theme and does a good job holding your sandwich together).

Maybe I am too opinionated so feel free to shut me down here and tell me how you like yours.  I am open, I will listen, and I want to hear! What's your favorite combo?  What are your sandwich demands? Do you have a formula? Tell me, tell me!