Oh, definitely don't pitch them--brown is just when they've gotten good!

My friend converted this recipe from a cookie recipe to bars. I love them.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

3 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1½ t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 c. butter
¾ c. white sugar
½ c. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract (optional)
1 c. mashed bananas
1 12-oz. pkg. chocolate chips (I like GhirardelliÂs 60%)
Pinch of cardamom is optional (I've never used it, but I bet it'd be delicious)

Preheat oven to 350º.

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and set aside. Beat together butter and sugars. Add egg and extracts, beating well. Blend in bananas. Add dry ingredients, blending well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in a greased 9" x 13" pan. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.

If you have an ice cream maker, there's a great recipe for Roasted Banana Ice Cream in David Lebovitz's book The Perfect Scoop--I'll type it out if you say you're interested.

For sure don't pitch em.
If you're not in the mood to cook today, place them, unpeeled in a freezer bag and use sometime to make banana bread.

Just yesterday I used four bananas from the freezer to make a fantastic banana chocolate chip bread!

Cream

I freeze them whole too if I can't use them ASAP. They would be perfect for banana smoothies.

1 very ripe banana
1 carton banana yogurt
8 ice cubes made with banana nectar (I use Looza brand nectar)

I was going to suggest to freeze them too if it's a choice between that at tossing them. My bananas go bad every time I buy them. They are really good brown because they are so much sweeter. That is the best kind of banana to make smoothies with, though this probably isn't the time of year for that. A half cup of OJ, a handful of frozen strawberries and one really brown banana makes a perfect smoothie. You could still put them in the oatmeal.. just stir them up instead of slice them. The only difference is that they will taste better.

I'd slice them length wise, top with some butter and brown sugar and a little cinnamon, and bake them. Serve with ice cream, or yogurt or sour cream.

Forgive but I dont remember who's recipe this is.
BANANA SNACK CAKE

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup butter
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
* 3 mashed bananas
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup quick cooking oats
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 1/2 cup flaked coconut
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a medium bowl, mix flour, oats, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well with each addition. Mix in buttermilk, bananas and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix well. Finally, fold in the nuts, coconut and 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into a 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle top with remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

I have 3 recipes on my web page that I use.
Plus hubby loves Glenda AL's sourcream banana bundt cake. Maybe someone has it on their computer..all I have is a hard copy, and don't have time to type it at the moment.
It might be at the Recipe Exchange..

Here is a link that might be useful: My Island Kitchen

SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (2 medium)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour bottom only of a 9 X 5 loaf pan. In large bowl, beat together sugar and oil. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream and vanilla, blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. Add flour, baking soda and salt, stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely.

I make it in a bundt pan for hubby.

The banana bread that Teri just posted is the one I use and I'm here to tell ya that it is soooo moist and gets rave reviews from anyone I've shared it with. Try it.
I've frozen mashed bananas in a ziploc until I'm ready to use them also. They get a bit brownish, but they do that when baked anyway :)

I usually lurk here, but I must rave about the Sour Cream Banana Bread posted above. I made it today, and it was fantastic!

We use them in a recipe for chocolate banana bars

I had four overripe bananas yesterday so I made Fearlessem's Banana Oatmeal Muffins. They're really good! I made two batches, added a handful of frozen blueberries to one batch. MMMMMM

Banana Oat Walnut Muffins (makes 12)

3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (about two large bananas)
1 egg
2 Tbs canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup quick oats
1&1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbs chopped toasted walnuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375. Mix first six ingredients (buttermilk through sugar) together in a large bowl. Mix all other dry ingredients together in a small bowl, then add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Portion into muffin cups (I used muffin cup liners, otherwise grease the pan) so that cups are about 3/4 full... Bake 18-20 minutes, until browned on top and and a toothpick stuck in one comes out clean!

Posted March 08 by Fearlessem

Linda

What great suggestions! I ended up dicing & freezing those 4 bananas to use in smoothies because I got pressed for time. But I am clipping these recipes and looking forward to trying them.

jxbrown, the link for the banana bars took me to a site I had not visited before. I bought her cookbook last year and served the zuchinni w/ raspberry vinegar & goat cheese salad several times last summer. Her recipes are fresh & innovative without being kooky, and I usually have most ingredients on hand (though I had no almond butter for those banana bars..) Thanks for posting the link!

I love this recipe for banana bread:

Kona Inn Banana Bread
350o 50 to 60 mins
2 1/2 cup AF flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup veggie shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups ripe mashed bananas (6)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Stir together the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix together sugar, bananas, eggs and walnuts.
Add dry ingredients to wet stir until thoroughly blended.
Pour into pans. Bake until golden brown and knife comes out clean. Cool for 5 mins. before removing from the pans.

If I have over ripe bananas I pop them in the freezer and make the above banana bread when I have the time.

Linda

Linda, the Kona Inn Banana Bread recipe (Fannie Farmer Baking Book) is my all-time favorite banana bread recipe. Even better than my Grandma's which was pretty darn good!

Judi

I learned something today. I did not know you could use frozen bananas for banana bread. Must they be completely thawed first? Do you just thaw on the countertop, or is it better to put them in the fridge to thaw?

I always let them thaw before using them. The nice thing is that as they thaw, they mash themselves and you just have to squeeze them out of their skins. :)

Judi

I also freeze extra banana's, but I freeze them peeled already.

I'll put however many I have left, on a half-sheet tray, quick freeze, then put them all into a container. I take out however many I need for a specific recipe. Have had no problems, been doing it for years that way.

I put bananas in the freezer just as they are. No need to place then in a bag, and they take up much less space. They thaw in less than 5 minutes.

I do both. I have peeled in a ziploc for smoothies. And in the peel for baked goodies. I was freezing my fingers off peeling frozen bananas for th boys smoothies. LOL

Amck:
I guess I'm older than a lot of the other members but we used to make Banana Fritters and sprinkle them with Powdered Sugar.
If you still have them and they are not overripe give it a try.

Batter is easy:

1 egg beaten
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla or Banana Flavor
Italian pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of Baking powder
2 tablespoons of sugar
Start 1/2 cup of Flour + enough to make a batter.

Throw all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix with a hand mixer till smooth. Add enough flour to thicken.

Cut the Banana's in half both ways ( 4 pieces ).
Dip each piece in the batter and
into a heated frying pan with Oil.
Cook until a golden brown. When cooled sprinkle with Powdered Sugar.
Enjoy, and eat one for me.
Lou

Lou, my original bananas are frozen, but I'm so tempted by your recipe I may have to out and buy more!

Amck:
I also use this batter for Fish Bits.
Just leave out the Sugar and Vanilla Flavor.
Add
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Black Pepper
Old Bay Seasoning
Parsley Flakes

.

Cut the Flounder or whatever fish you like, into the size of a match book.

Dip and Fry - Poof !!!!!

A Platter full will disappear in minutes.
Lou

PS:
I don't think you are paying full attention to the recipe.
You didn't ask "what is an Italian pinch of salt"

Isn't an Italian pinch of salt where you pinch the salt on the butt???

I made the bannana oatmeal walnut muffins last night--they were soooo good! I had lost my bannana oatmeal muffin recipe so this will be a definate keeper. Thanks for posting it!

Maureen:
It is a regular pinch of salt and then you pinch whoever is helping you.
In my case, of Opposite sex.
Lou

Lou, I did miss that "ingredient." I'll start paying closer attention to your recipes - Learned something new today!

I'm glad you cleared that up, Lou. If we ever cook together, I'll make sure we have plenty of soft cushions to sit on afterward. ;o)

Banana pancakes (slice them into the pancakes as they're poured into the pan) are one of our favs. If the bananas get too ripe too fast, since I only make pancakes on the weekends, I put them in the refrig to 'hold' them.

I altered this banana bread recipe and we really like it:

Banana Pecan Bread with Yoghurt

1 stick softened butter
1 cup sugar or equivalent Splenda
2 large eggs
1-3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 small or 3 medium)
1 cup (8 oz) vanilla yoghurt, any kind
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Note: you can mash bananas in your stand mixer, then put them aside in another bowl as you continue with the recipe. You donÂt have to start with a clean mixer blade, just start creaming the butter and sugar.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter (or use the Pam Baking Spray) a 9x5x3" loaf pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
3. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. On slow speed, add half the flour.
4. Add the banana pulp, yoghurt, and vanilla; beat on lowest speed until almost mixed.
5. Add remaining flour; mix on slow speed till combined. Stir in nuts by hand.
6. Pour batter in pan. Bake approx 1 hr and 10 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
7. Remove from pan, invert on rack and cool completely.