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Banana bread is one of my go-to desserts.
The only way I could think of making it better was to add Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

1 stick butter
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup mashed banana, approximately 2 large bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
Melt the butter and set aside to cool.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add the vanilla extract to the bananas.
Beat the eggs and add to the banana mixture. Slowly add the cooled butter.
Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not over mix.
Fold the chocolate chips into the batter and pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack.
Makes one loaf.

This recipe freezes really well.
I usually bake this bread in three small loaf pans and freeze two for later, or give them away.
Bananas continue to ripen at room temperature once you purchase them, so they, unlike some fruits, are fine to purchase green.
It is acceptable to put bananas in the refrigerator once they are fully ripe. It will slow the ripening process, but will not stop it.
The peel will not be very appetizing since it will turn black, but the fruit will stay fresh for about a week. After that, it’s best to make bread or freeze them.
To freeze bananas, cut or mash them and portion them into zip top bags.
They are great for cooking or, my favorite, to use in smoothies.

Linda Murchison can be reached at 315-4431 or lmurchison@nwfdailynews.com. Write to Daily News, P.O. Box 2949, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549.