From Gwen Rodnick, Morton Grove
Makes 10 servings
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips
1. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in eggs and bananas; mix until combined. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Fold in cherries, pecans and chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or 3 (6-by-3 1/2-inch) mini loaf pans. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean, about 45 minutes for mini loaves and about 1 hour for a standard-size loaf.
4. Remove from oven. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely