Chocolate Chip Banana Bars

 

"I'm getting so old, I don't even buy green bananas anymore."

- Chi Chi Rodriguez

If you like bananas, you'll know they're tasty and good for you, but they have a very limited shelf life. Unlike Chi Chi Rodriguez, I'm an optimist, so I buy bananas that are slightly green, knowing they'll be perfectly yellow the next time I need one for my cereal bowl.

My problem isn't that my bananas are too green but that they turn brown way too soon. Fortunately, after dealing with this problem for years, I've found several good recipes that use brown bananas. Today I'll share one with you: Chocolate Chip Banana Bars. 

This recipe is a great one because it's fast, easy and delicious, and everyone loves it. I found it in an old cookbook titled "Cookies." See if you like it, too!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

 

1/2 C margarine or butter, room temperature (one stick)

3/4 C firmly packed brown sugar

1 C mashed bananas (about two medium-size)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 C flour

1/2 C wheat germ

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 C chocolate chips

3/4 C chopped walnuts or pecans (or more chocolate chips)

Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on top

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and brown sugar together until creamy. Beat in bananas and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Add to butter mixture, beating well.

 

Stir in chocolate chips and half of the nuts. Spread mixture in a greased 9” x 13” baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining nuts if you are using nuts. (I omit the nuts and just use a total of 1 1/2 C chocolate chips.)

 

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar all over the top. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares. 

 

This recipe is from “Cookies,” 1980.