Happy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread **from a mix**

I was feeling happy today and knew that I had to add some sprinkles to my life.  :)

The only bad thing about this is I am out of butter! As ashamed as I am to admit that, I have to improvise. I had a box mix sitting up in my pantry just waiting to be used. I wanted something sweet to put my sprinkles in that didn't need butter....some things are just meant to happen.

I have been fighting off a chest cold so I haven't been up for a marathon baking session, but still wanted to smell something heavenly wafting from my oven. Box mix is not my favorite but there is a time and place for everything. The funny thing is I can spend hours and hours in the kitchen working on a fabulous cake but the other half would still choose a box yellow cake with cool whip mixed with pineapple for frosting and banana slices sandwiched in the middle of two layers. It's what he grew up with as a boy, and his mom still makes it for gatherings to this day. When he takes a bite of that cake, not only is he enjoying the flavor but he is savoring the memories that he made over the years with his family while eating that cake. I realize that I can't compete with those beautiful memories he has, but I sure can make some new ones.

Enter happiness in a loaf pan......

Happy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

From a Mix :)

Ingredients 

1 pkg cake mix (french vanilla is what I had on hand)

3 lrg ripe bananas, mashed

2 lrg eggs

1/3 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup mixed chocolate chip (I used a mixture I had left over, white, milk, and dark chips)

2 capfuls rainbow nonpareils (or jimmies or your favorite sprinkle) 

*sprinkle tops with rainbow sanding sugar (optional) 

**would have added nuts but the other half got to them before I did. :)

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans. (13x9 would work fine also) 

2. Place bananas in bowl of stand mixer or large mixing bowl and mix on low to mash bananas. 

3. Add bananas, oil, and vanilla and mix until fluffy.

4. Add cake mix and mix on low for 30 seconds to moisten, and then raise speed to medium for about 1 minute until batter is light and fluffy.

5. Stir in chocolate chips, and rainbow sprinkles. Pour into prepared pans. Sprinkle with sanding sugar if using.

6. Bake in preheated oven 35 - 40 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool on baking rack.