Ripe bananas? How about cookies?

Do you ever have bananas that look like these, and wonder what to do with them besides making quick breads or smoothies? Well, look no further. I have found a yummy cookie recipe that uses ripe bananas - the riper the better -  and it's a keeper. 

These cookies are bursting with banana flavor and loaded with chocolate chips and pecans. You can leave out the nuts if you wish, but I just happen to love nuts, especially pecans. I always use Ghirardelli chocolate chips. They are my favorite and always make everything taste better!

These cookies have more of a soft "cakey" texture, rather than crisp and chewy. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

Cream butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. 

Bake for approx. 10 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown on the bottom. 

Sit down with your cookies and a glass of milk... enjoy! 

(P.S. How the heck am I supposed to lose weight?)

NOT your Weight Watchers Recipe...

As you can probably imagine, my love of baking and my desire to lose weight as a Weight Watchers member are not always compatible. This weekend was one of those times... If I could exercise 10-12 hours a day, I might not have a problem. However, since that is totally undesirable and entirely impossible for me, I have to either wear a face mask (which I have actually done in the past) or hide the culprit items. Yesterday it was chocolate all day, and today it was cookies... not just your average cookies, but probably some of the best oatmeal cookies I have ever tasted. The cookie dough is to die for (ask me how I know). :) They are chewy, chunky, and soft-just the way I like. I have been looking for a really good oatmeal cookie recipe for quite some time-one that has other things added besides just oatmeal, and does not go flat at our altitude. I found this recipe, thanks to Pinterest and Lil' Luna, with a few tweaks on my part. Enjoy! And oh, if you're trying to lose weight, don't forget to hide them or give them away after one or two. 

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup coconut
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips ( I use dark chocolate)

Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients, coconut, cranberries, pecans, and chocolate chips together in separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Spoon or scoop onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I baked mine for 11 minutes. Every oven is different, so watch closely. Do not overbake. Let set on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes, and then remove to cooling rack. 

Note: I have been experimenting with my new oven. Just made these cookies again tonight, and baked them for only 9 minutes, so it really does depend on your oven. Watch them closely, and write down the perfect timing for you.

How to keep Home Teachers coming...COOKIES!

In our church, we have a couple of men who are assigned to visit certain families each month. They normally visit with us to see how we're doing and then give us a gospel message. I have found the best way to keep our home teachers coming each month. COOKIES! Yes, I bake fresh cookies right before they come to visit. They always make an appointment with us-usually on Sunday afternoon-so I bake cookies just before they come. Today I "killed two birds with one stone," or in other words, made cookies for the home teachers and another family as a thank you gift for helping Bruce with his pickup problems last week. Today's special cookies...Marbles! These have traditionally been the favorite cookie in the Leavitt home, even though some others are quick becoming favorites also...like the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie. Marbles are soft and chewy, mainly because of the sour cream that is added along with the eggs and vanilla. This recipe comes from Mrs. Fields Cookie Book. The cookies are baked at a lower temperature-300 degrees for a longer time-22 minutes, but the result is amazing! You've got to try these. I'm sure they will become one of your family favorites too.

Marbles

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup salted butter, softened

1 large egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (4 oz.) sour cream

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in medium mixing bowl. Set aside. Combine sugars in large mixer bowl at medium speed. Add butter and beat until grainy. Add sour cream, egg, and vanilla and mix on medium until light and fluffy, scraping bowl as needed. Add flour mixture and blend at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix. Melt chocolate chips in microwave or in double boiler, being careful not to burn. Cool slightly, and pour over batter. With wooden spoon or rubber scraper, lightly fold melted chocolate into the dough. Do not mix completely into dough, thus giving the dough a "marbled look." Drop by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart onto   parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake approx. 22 minutes. DO NOT BROWN. Quickly transfer cookies to cool surface. Makes approx. 2 doz.