be mine

i've always said i dress to please myself, not men.

case in point:

 

watermelon sneakers and a tendency to munch on rooftop bricks aside...if you're like me, you turned down a date for valentine's day. reward your independence (yep, independence, that's my story and i'm sticking to it) by baking a loaf of something sweet. this recipe is pretty amazing--a great way to get rid of the mushy bruised bananas killing time on your kitchen counter, and if you don't think you can finish the whole thing within a few days, it freezes really well!

Banana Bread with Chocolate and Cinnamon Sugar (adapted from Orangette)

3 very ripe medium-to-large bananas
2 large eggs
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (preferably Guittard)

For topping:
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter or spray an 8-inch square pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas well with a fork or a potato masher. Add the eggs, and stir well to combine. Add the two kinds of flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and vanilla, and stir to mix. Add ¾ cup of the chocolate chips, and stir briefly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients (it'll seem like a ton of sugar, but use it all! the crunchy topping is key). Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan, and top with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.