Go bananas!

photo used by permission from Jen at BeantownBaker.com

Don’t toss overripe bananas away. They’re great in smoothies, pancakes, mixed into oatmeal or combined with yogurt and frozen for a refreshing treat. What is your favorite way to use them up? Here are four easy desserts.

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
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
cream cheese or vanilla frosting (homemade or 1 to 2 containers store-bought, depending on how thick you want the frosting)
chopped nuts (for garnish if desired).

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 with cream cheese or vanilla frosting and nuts. — Kim, Alabama

Banana Bread Trifle

1 loaf banana bread, prepared (homemade or box mix)
1 package vanilla instant pudding
2 cups milk
3 ripe bananas
1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping, thawed

Bake bread. Let cool. Split loaf in half and crumble half the loaf in bottom of a medium bowl. Then prepare pudding with the 2 cups of milk. Spread half of pudding over crumbled bread. Slice bananas and spread half over pudding. Top bananas with half of whipped topping. Repeat the same process in the same order over the top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8 large servings. — Olive, Texas

Easy Banana Cookies

3 bananas
2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1/3 cup applesauce
vanilla, optional

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mash bananas. In medium bowl, stir together mashed bananas, oatmeal, applesauce and if desired, a splash of vanilla. Mix well, and let sit for 15 minutes. Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheet. They will not spread like flour cookies. Push them flat with a fork (much like you do with peanut butter cookies). Bake for 20 minutes. You can also add dried fruit, such as raisins or chocolate chips, for added flavor. — Sarah, Illinois

Bananas Foster Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon brandy extract
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mashed banana
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a mixer bowl, cream butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar; add the eggs and extracts; beat well. Sift the flour, cream of tartar, salt and baking soda; add to butter mixture. Mix all ingredients thoroughly; add banana, and mix well. In small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon; stir to blend. Shape rounded teaspoonful of dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake near center of 400 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned; do not overbake. Let cool on wire rack and store in airtight container. — Cheryl, Washington

Posted by Sara Noel on March 31 2010. 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