Homemade Pumpkin and Banana Breads

I was feeling very culinary when I woke up yesterday morning. Plus I knew I had to bake something for a brunch the next day.

I have modified my mother's original recipes for both of these sweet breads (cakes are a more fitting description). Instead of white flour I used whole wheat flour. Instead of milk, I used soy milk. Instead of candied Maraschino cherries, I used dried Goji berries (it was either those or dried currents). Everything else was more or less according to her recipes.

The result is a denser, less sickeningly sweet bread, though still sweet because of those chocolate chips that must go into the Banana Bread. Once you starting using chocolate chips, you'll never go back.

My sister modified the Banana Bread recipe by adding cocoa powder to it. It was different from my mom's, yet tasty, too!

[I'm tired and will post the recipes later.]

Banana Bread

This is a recipe that my mom has been making for years. I think it's really an excuse to keep all those old black bananas in the freezer. Anyway, it's delicious every time. What makes this recipe unique is the special ingredient of chocolate chips. I think she started doing that around the same time as making our pancakes with chocolate chips, too. My sister even added her own twist to it by putting cocoa powder in the mix.

Merrie's Banana Bread
Ingredients
3 ripe mashed bananas
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine (or 1/2 stick)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (I sometimes use whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1/2 cup milk, soured (add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar to the milk)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix well. In a separate bowl add the flower, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet mix along with the sour milk. Mix well. Add the nuts and chocolate chips.
Prepare 1 large bread pan (5 x 9) or 2 small bread pans (5 x 3) by buttering and flouring (or use a flour spray). Pour in the mix and tap lightly to smooth.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned on top and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before removing the bread from the pan to cool on baker's racks.

Enjoy! I like spreading some butter on the bread, but it's good plain, too.