Eater's Notes - Tony's Mom's Banana Bread

     Yesterday, on the campus of the school where I teach, there was a charity 5K race to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  A student at our school -- we'll call him Tony -- is undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and his classmates wanted to have an event to encourage him in his fight against his cancer, and to help others suffering from the disease.  I'm particularly grateful, as well, because my father is a survivor of multiple myeloma, which falls into the blood cancers family.
     We raised money and had a wonderful event for the community, but most importantly we had the humbling example of Tony himself, who before the race, asked people not to think so much of him, but of the cancer patients who aren't as lucky as him and who don't have such a supportive community helping them in their own fights.  And, in the midst of his own treatment schedule, Tony didn't just show up for the 5K, he ran in the race.  And he didn't just run, he finished.  And he didn't just finish, he finished 14th in a field of hundreds of  runners.
    Runners like their carbs, and they like bananas, so in honor of Tony, I include his mother's recipe for banana bread.  I make to claim for the healing powers of this recipe, but you never know. I have the feeling Tony will be eating this bread for many many years to come.

Tony's Mom's Banana Bread
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 bananas)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350.  Mix flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt.  Beat eggs in small bowl, stir in bananas, oil, and water.  Add to flour mixture until moistened.  Batter will be lumpy.  Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips.  Pour into 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

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