Chocolate Chip Bread

Do you ever find that you get into food moods?  Every once in a while I definitely do and, lately, I've been in the mood for chocolate chips.  Snacking on them, baking with them, etc.  What's odd is that there is usually a bag of them in my freezer but it's only Brian that snacks on them.  Most of the time I'm content to let them be but, these days, they seem to be calling to me.

So I decided to bake a dessert that had chocolate chips inside as well as sprinkled over the top for a little extra "something."  Quick breads are so easy to put together and it was the perfect vehicle for the double hit of chocolate chips that I envisioned.  The result was so moist, with just the right amount of chocolate, and the topping I had in mind came out exactly as planned.  I also really wanted a chocolate chip that I loved eating on its own and for me that means milk chocolate.  I prefer the chips made by Guittard because they're larger than average and have a more natural taste but that's personal taste, of course.  Whatever your chip of choice, this recipe is definitely going into my 'make again soon' pile.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Stick unsalted butter
1 Cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
1 Egg
1 Cup milk
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup chocolate chips plus 2 tablespoons

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cup of sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk into the batter just until combined.  Fold in the cup of chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a buttered and floured loaf pan.  Combine the extra tablespoon of sugar and the extra 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips and sprinkle over the top of the batter.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 50 - 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Makes approximately 10 servings.