40ish & Beyond Parents

This sounds just too good to be true! Yum!

From our The Sweet Life board- http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-fdbaking&msg=8281.1&ctx=0

Red Gable Ranch Chocolate Banana Nut Bread

2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 beaten eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup applesauce
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts

Glaze

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
5 teaspoons water
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large mixing bowl, beat at medium speed until creamy. Add 1 cup melted chocolate chips, applesauce, mashed banana, egg and vanilla, mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add nuts and mix by hand. Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake until center crack is dry when touched, about 50 to 60 minutes.

Glaze: in saucepan combine 3 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon butter and water. Cook over low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Drizzle each warm loaf with glaze. Cool completely.