Espresso Banana Bread

Its official summer! thank goodness! I have been waiting for summer I feel like since summer ended last year. around here in Oklahoma there have been some destruction. for instance; tornados, thunder storms, hail, rain that seems like it will never stop. So it doesn't really "feel" like summer even though its already June and Fourth of July things are already out at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is always in a hurry aren't they, Like right when the Fourth of July passes, they put out school supplies! I want to scream when I see them because its just a reminder that my summer is half way over.

So on this dreary/summer Oklahoma day all I feel like doing is making banana bread and watching Army Wives on Netflix (possibly the most addicting show and the bad part, there are 6 seasons... I'm already on season 4 and its only been a week. SCARY)

This recipe I found while scanning through my saved recipes. I got it out of a magazine, not sure which one because I ripped it out, but either way its was very good. Something different for a change. I always make my banana bread recipe which is my ALL time favorite, but I decided to mix it up a little bit. Hope you like it!

Espresso Banana Bread
found in my pile of recipes
makes 1 loaf

• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt, (yes 1 teaspoon)
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly copped, optional

Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter and flour one loaf tin and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg. In another bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. At this time you can add the chocolate chips an the walnuts. Of course this is optional but I added the chocolate, because why not...everything is better with chocolate.

Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for about 55 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes after taking out of the oven then invert into a wire rack to cool completely.