Let's Talk Banana

C goes crazy for bananas, especially banana chips but also banana bread, banana cookies, and fresh bananas. When bananas are on sale or I can get the really ripe ones at a reduced price, I mash them and freeze them in one cup portions. When I'm baking with bananas, such as banana bread, I pull out a bag of the mashed bananas, thaw, and use it in the recipe. They really darken in the freezer, but the finished product is the same as usual, and I can maximize the sale plus not have to let my banana availability dictate whether or not we eat banana bread.

The other thing that we do a lot of is banana chips. I just slice and lay on my dehydrator trays (I have a Nesco professional that I *love*) then dry for 18-24 hours. They are still flexible and warm when I pull them off the trays and put them into mason/canning jars. As they cool, they turn into mostly crispy, slightly chewy banana chips. C can have a dozen chips with her PB&J for lunch, and that equals a whole banana, or she can have only a few chips, basically eat half a banana, but I don't have to figure out what to do with the other half of the banana!

Here is the banana bread recipe that I grew up with, the one that came from my grandmother, and now the one I make for my kids. The loaves or muffins freeze well too when well wrapped, so make a batch, eat some now, then freeze the rest! Make muffins and pop them frozen into lunch boxes; they'll be thawed by lunch!

Banana Bread
Beat together:
2/3 c. shortening
1/2 c. buttermilk
3 ripe bananas (1 c. mashed bananas)
Add and mix:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 c. buttermilk
2 large eggs (or 1/2 c. egg substitute)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans or 20-24 muffin cups (or use muffin papers for the muffin cups).
Pour the batter evenly into the pans.
Bake loaves for 45-60 minutes, muffins for 18-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean when they are done.