Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Anyone else struggling to find their calm in the midst of this tumultuous time?   My catering business has been anything but stable and reliable lately.  In all honesty, it's not unusual for my business to go through periods where orders trickle in slowly and times when I can barely keep up with customer requests.  I've owned my business long enough that I learned to anticipate the natural flow of the business.  To enjoy the rest in the quiet times and the thrill of being up to my ears in orders during my busiest weeks.  

I've had to deal with some very unusual circumstances in my business this year.  More than just the natural ebb and flow of the catering world.  Maybe this is the reason that I find myself having a much harder time "rolling with it" lately.  The reason that I seem to get more flustered when a curve ball gets thrown into my plans.  Or maybe it doesn't have anything at all to do with my inner peace.  Perhaps my lack of centered-ness is the result of the heightened emotions that everyone is experiencing during this pandemic.  

By definition, I am most definitely not a yogi. 🧘🏻‍♀️ Even though I enjoyed taking yoga classes, I attended a only handful classes every year for the past several years.  But with my emotions so all over the place this past month, I've taken quite a few classes and found more comfort in it than ever before.  Unfortunately, the yoga studio that I was attending, is closing its doors at the end of the month.  😢 So I will try take the calming principles that I learned in yoga and apply them.  😬

Since I don't have yoga classes to go to for relaxation anymore - I guess I'll just be a stress baker.  (Why couldn't I have been a stress cleaner?😂 That would've been much easier on my waistline.) I've always found peace and comfort in my kitchen.  I don't know why I find so much pleasure in the aroma of something sweet in the oven but for some reason, it soothes my soul.  🍞💁🏻‍♀️ So right now, we have a record number of loaves of banana bread in the freezer.  😅 It's probably not the best way for me to deal with my anxiety but it works for me.  🍌

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
4 bananas, mashed
1 cup brown sugar
10 Tablespoons butter
2 eggs
4 ounces dark chocolate chips
​2 Tablespoons sugar

Whisk together bananas, brown sugar, butter and eggs.  

Add flour, baking soda and salt. 

Fold in chocolate. 

Transfer batter to a greased loaf pan.  Sprinkle sugar over batter. 

Place pan on a baking sheet and bake 1 hour 10 minutes at 350.

Let cool 30 minutes in pan.  

Remove from pan and slice. ​

I'm so thankful that I have my faith in God to rely on when things start spinning out of control.  I can only imagine what kind of crazy person I would be if I didn't have that grounding force in my life. 🤣 I'm so grateful for the peace that He's put in my heart - despite my circumstances.  

​Ciao!

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