Holiday Helper Smart & Final

​This post is a collaboration with Smart & Final, all opinions, grammatical errors and typos are my own.

This is the season to celebrate, but this year we need to celebrate different. So instead of big gatherings, let's celebrate each other by recognizing those that have helped us during the year. It can be a healthcare provider, the person that delivers your mail, or even a friend that picked up groceries for you. 

By now you probably know why we love shopping at Smart & Final. It is not only the prices and deals, but it is all the things they do for the community. We love their contest and I am happy to announce that all of you can enter their Holiday Helper sweepstakes right now.

We all know that one special person who helps us make the holidays happen! Go on social media and nominate your Holiday Helper by posting a photo using the hashtag #MySmartandFinal for the chance to win free groceries for a year! Visit https://mysmartandfinal.com for all the details

How to enter the contest:

1. Share your photo to the pinned comment on our Holiday Helper Sweepstakes Facebook post & tag it with #MySmartandFinal.
2. Follow @smartfinal on your public Instagram or Twitter account, and tag your photo with #MySmartandFinal
3. Enter via our Holiday Helper Sweepstakes form.

Pumpkin chocolate chip banana bread

To celebrate the holidays and just in time for Thanksgiving I am sharing one of my favorite and super easy recipes that you can make with your kids and let them be your helpers. Here it is the recipe for the Pumpkin chocolate chip bread. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips 
• cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
   
2. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour.
   
3. Mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.

• Add sugar, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
• Add 1 cup of the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon flour. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips over the top of the loaf.
• Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
  
• Let it cool for 10 minutes and transfer to the serving plate
• Enjoy!