A new (albeit expensive) addiction

While having a "family day" out with my husband and son yesterday, we stumbled upon a small grocery store in Waterloo called "David's Gourmet" :::super drool:::

It's a gourmet (well, that was obvious)grocery that carries all kinds of delish spices, breads, condiments and *yum* desserts! I don't think we've ever seen such an enormous slice of German Apple Strudel as I have from this place! It was about as big as my son's head!

Another great thing about this place is that they carry my favourite brand of chocolate, Dolfin...devine, give it a try sometime. Go ahead...treat yourself.
And they have free samples of their fresh dips and other treats to try.

Chocolate banana bread/loaf/cake

Okay..so the recipe said "loaf" and didn't call for chocolate of any kind actually...but damn it, I felt like being in a chocolately mood and wanted it to be a cake rather than a loaf. So sue me and my mixer! (I'll introduce you all later)

I actually really love making banana bread and often look for different variations in the dessert (wait...it is a *dessert*, right?), especially after trying this incredible version at a coffee shop in Toronto, on Roncesvalles, called "Cherry Bomb". YUM! I don't know exactly what they do with theirs that makes it so drool worthy, but everytime my sister manages to score me a piece, I dissect it trying to figure out their secret. Incidently, their bread also pairs extremely well with their Americano coffee!

Chocolate Banana bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 large ones)
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of cooking oil or melted butter (I prefer butter)
3 tbsp of good cocoa powder (I use Fry's)

Grease a 9x5 or two loaf pans and set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in centre of mixture and set aside.

In another bowl combine eggs, bananas, sugar and butter. Add egg mixture all together to the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened, your batter should be lumpy). Spoon into prepared pan(s).

Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-60 mins or until a toothpick inserted near centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins on wire rack. Remove from pan to completely cool.
Best if you wrap and store it overnight before slicing...if you can wait that long :)

And so another blog begins...

Being off on a 1 yr maternity leave with my beautiful baby boy, Liam, has *sometimes* provided me the opportunity to experiment a little more with recipes both cooking and baking. Something I really enjoy doing.

I decided to start documenting my hits and misses while cooking in a blog...you can read along and either make fun of my deflated souffles or congratulate me on a moist and delicious chocolate banana bread (without nuts for the hubby, of course)!

So, follow along, enjoy the blog and feel free to provide your comments and/or suggestions.

Happy Eating!

*Disclaimer* - I am not a professional baker or chef by any stretch of the imagination, just someone who really loves to be in the kitchen to experiment and use her family and friends as guinea pigs.
I do not have fancy pots and pans, I don't own all the necessary tools of the trade, but I do my best with what I have.