Banana Bread (with Chocolate Chips)

I know it's been a while. It's been so long that I now have another baby! Amelia Francesca was born two weeks early on July 2, 2010. Note to other expectant moms: Try not to give birth on a Friday night at 9:41pm of a holiday weekend. You may be greeted at the front desk of the maternity ward by an eyes-glazed-over receptionist asking, "What are you here for?" Uh, well, let's see. I am standing here in the maternity ward swaying back in forth in pain and with what looks like a basketball under my shirt. What do you think?

Needless to say, it was quite a night, but all ended well. And now I feel inspired to cook again!

Then this morning, I had the rare treat of everyone sleeping in -- even new baby. I also had three ripe ripe bananas sitting around so I decided to make my family some fresh banana bread to wake up to. I looked up a few recipes and finally came up with this one of my own:

Banana Bread (with Chocolate Chips)

2 cups buckwheat flour*

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 ripe bananas

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup chocolate chips**

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees and prepare a loaf pan by coating with butter and dusting with flour.

Combine the four dry ingredients -- flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. I suppose you should sift them together, but who has time for that, right? Set aside.

Beat the sugar and brown sugar into the butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.

Mash the bananas with a fork and then add to the beaten eggs.

Add the egg and banana mixture to the sugar mixture. Slowly mix in the flour mixture until everything is evenly combined. Add the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. A toothpick or knife should come out clean when inserted.

*I used buckwheat flour because I didn't have enough regular white flour and, I have to say, it was a great choice. I really liked the flavor it added. I found the buckwheat flour at Whole Foods one day and had grand visions of making the kind of buckwheat crepes I have come to love at one of my favorite local spots -- A La Folie. Never happened.

**Of course, I made them dirtier by adding chocolate chips but they can easily be omitted. Or, you can substitute nuts if you'd prefer.

And of course, you can always make muffins instead. I haven't but I am sure it would work just fine. I just don't know how long you'd want to bake them.

So, that's it. My first post-baby #2 recipe. I hope you like it!