Banana-Chocolate Chip Bars

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Servings: 36
Prep Time: 20 min.
Bake Time: 25 min.
Total Time: 45 min.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
• 2/3 c. granulated sugar
• 2/3 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 c. mashed bananas (2 to 3 medium)
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 6-oz package (1 c.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter or margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat until combined. Beat in the egg, bananas, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour. Stir in the chocolate chips and, if desired, nuts.
2. Spread in the prepared baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 25 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Comments:

Did you know that Walmart sells more bananas than any other single item? It's true! Anyway, our little Wihongi family of four definitely contributes to that statistic. . .Kage inhales them, and it's the only fruit Dray will eat.

Anyway, despite our boys' high banana consumption, we still manage to have a few that reach over-ripe-ness. We make so much banana cake, banana bread, and banana muffins with these mushy, leftover bananas, I wanted to try something else. I never seem to go wrong with a recipe from my trusty Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, so I tried this one. Instant hit! The Peterson family (our cousins) loved these so much, Api and Hera actually asked for these bars for their birthday "cake"! So, after typing up the recipe for them, I figured it would be good to post here as well.