Use up overripe bananas

photo by erix!

Don’t toss out overripe bananas. You can mash and freeze them or freeze with the peels still on. Once thawed, simply cut off an end and squeeze the banana out of the peel. Many people prefer using them right away. They’re delicious in muffins, bread, smoothies, pancakes, cookies, pudding, frozen yogurt and banana pops, cakes or simply spread on sandwiches with peanut butter. My community forums (www.frugalvillage.com/forums) have a section specifically on banana recipes. How do you use your overripe bananas?
Here are four tasty recipes to help you use them up.

Cream-Cheese Banana Bread

Bread

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium)
1 cup chopped pecan, toasted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Streusel

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar gradually, and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until blended. Gradually add flour and the next three ingredients to butter mixture, beating at low until just blended. Stir in bananas, pecans and vanilla. Spoon batter into two greased and floured 8-inch-by-4-inch loaf pans. Batter will be thick.
For streusel: Stir together 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly over batter in pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Bread may be shielded with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning of streusel. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool an additional 30 minutes before slicing. For perfect slices, cut with a serrated or electric knife after cooling. Makes two loaves. — Nancy, Virginia

Sour-Cream Banana Bundt Cake

1/3 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
powdered sugar, for dusting

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Stir in vanilla and bananas. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture alternately with sour cream. Stir in nuts. Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.
Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool, and then dust with powdered sugar before serving. — Nancy, Virginia

Banana Bars

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
frosting (homemade or 1 to 2 containers store-bought)
chopped nuts, for garnish

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture, and beat well. Pour into a greased 15-by-10-by-1-inch or 2 5-by-9-inch baking pan(s). Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes, or until bars test done. Cool. Frost. Add chopped nuts for garnish. — Kim, Alabama

Banana Frosting

2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Mix together bananas and lemon juice. In a separate bowl, beat butter until soft and creamy. Gradually and alternately add powdered sugar and banana mixture to butter, and beat until fluffy. — Kim S., Nebraska

Posted by Sara Noel on September 17 2009. Filed under Frugal Cooking.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook