One of those timeless recipes that almost everyone has a memory of enjoying, classic banana bread is a buttery, just-sweet-enough loaf that pairs perfectly with a morning cup of coffee or an after-dinner scoop of ice cream. The secret to making the best-tasting banana bread is using overly ripe bananas. You know those super-soft, dark-brown nanners that have been sitting on your counter for the last seven days? Use those — they’ll offer the most-concentrated banana flavor and ensure moist, rich bread. Check out Food Network’s roundup of its best five banana bread recipes, a mix of classic and creative loaves that your whole family will enjoy.

5. Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips and Chocolate Glaze – Food Network Magazine takes classic banana bread to the next level by adding to the batter decadent chocolate chips and covering the loaf with a shiny chocolate topping.

4. Mom’s Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips – Melissa d’Arabian’s mom adds a splash of fresh orange juice to her chocolate-studded bread, which delivers subtle citrus flavor and moisture.

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Every week I find myself flooded with overripe bananas since everyone in the house prefers to eat firm, barely ripe ones. The first sign of a brown spot, and they’re left to languish on the counter, eventually becoming so ripe the only purpose they serve is as incentive to bake some banana bread. I know, this doesn’t seem like a problem. Banana bread has a lot going for it. It’s easy to make because it’s a quick bread — it uses baking powder to rise, not yeast. It’s also the ultimate “waste not, want not” use of ingredients past their prime. But best of all, it can be a breakfast on the go, a tasty snack for school lunch and even play a pinch hitter come dessert time.

The real problem with having too many overripe bananas is I feel guilty making my favorite banana bread recipe twice a week. The recipe is great, but with one stick of butter in it, I decided my weekly banana bread infatuation needed some lightening up. The Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Banana Bread has been relegated to a once a month treat. What I needed was an “everyday” banana bread recipe, one I could feel better about making, and eating on a regular basis.

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