Banana Bread Cookies AND Ever SO Moist Banana Cake with Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana Bread Cookies Banana Cake with Cream Cheese frosting I am bananas over bananas , especially when they turn a dark black color. There is so much you can do with them. Bananas are even a part of my morning weekday ritual. Are you wondering how? And no, they are not part of my ritual by slicing them and putting them on top of mine or my childrens cereal or oatmeal... Geez what a bunch of know-it-alls...., but in a totally different way. Let me explain. Each weekday morning, I get my 4 children ready for school and happily send them off on the bus. Then I breathe. I rush back inside from the bus stop, put on my gym clothes, rush off to my Jazzercise class. You're still wondering about the bananas. I'm getting there. After class, I frantically, maniacally head to MY supermarket. (Why is it that we all call the supermarket we frequent"my supermarket" as if we own it??) I find the closest parking space I can possibly find. I hurry, so quickly, like a lightning bolt, to the entrance, then I swiftly dart through the aisles toward, you got it, you know it,the reduced produce shelves!! As I do so , I hear people whispering,"Is it a bolt, is it a train, NO, It's the weirdo again.... !". My heart pounds, my head throbs, my pulse races, all with the thought and hopes of finding this: Score! Touchdown, Homerun, Bingo, Goal, Whatfreakingever! Yes, mine, all mine suckers. Outta my way all! I am meaning business here. I have the elbows of steel, don't fight me for my reduced produce.

I mean really wouldn't the idea of 5 pounds of bananas for .99 cents excite you? It excites me almost as much as the thought of my FFH cooking with his Firefighter boots on. Just think of the possibilities, NO NO NO, not the possibilities of my FFH with his boots on and hose out, think of all the things you can bake with 5 pounds of overly ripe rotting bananas:).. Oh, the visions that enter my head. Yes, that empty head of mine.

This time however, I was inspired by some posts from Debbie of Mocha Me. She posted about some banana nut cookies and a banana cake. I knew I would be making something along those lines, along with my chocolate chip banana bread for my FFH''s Captain Darryl. (Dear Lord, I still have more left over..YEAH!! It's the little things in life people, the little things..)

Down to the nitty gritty..

Let's start with the Banana Bread Cookies

You will need

1/2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar packed ** Just check out this nifty measuring cup.. Has a measurement for 3/4 cup.. and 2/3 cup how very convenient. It is from And no, I do not work for them, I just happen to really love some of their stuff, lots of their stuff, I find they're very high quality and affordable at the same time. Many items also come with lifetime guarantees. Geez, maybe I should work for them. Maybe I missed my calling.. 1/4 tsp each baking soda and salt 2 large eggs Get yourself a ripe banana, peel and slice the little darling.

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks

1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped coarsely.

I sooo love macadamia nuts, so Hawaiian like. Makes me think of beaches, Palm trees, fresh pineapples, and surfer dudes! Preheat your oven to 350. Beat your butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in your eggs, vanilla, and sliced banana until well blended and banana is mashed. On low speed, gradually add in the flour in 3 additions or until just blended. Onto the good part, stir in the chocolate and the nuts.. Drop rounded measuring tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake them for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and remove to rack to cool completely. **I did refrigerate dough a few hours prior to baking, I thought it was a tad soft.

This recipe is from Womans Day Magazine 11/04, and yields 40 cookies!

Little bits of pure banana bread bliss. I like it, I love it, I want some more of it. Are you ready, are you game, are you alive? This banana cake is by far the best I've ever had. It is soooo darned moist, and the LUSCIOUS, bodacious, thick yet creamy, cream cheese frosting, only adds to the pure indulgence of this tempting dessert!!!! The recipe can also be found here from Recipezaar. Banana Cake with Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting Preheat your oven to 275. Yes, 275. Grease and flour your 9 x 13 inch pan. **Do you use your unwrapped butter wrappers for anything? After my butter has been softened, I use them, sometimes, sometimes not, to grease my pans.. In a small bowl mix your mashed banana with the lemon juice, that you have freshly squeezed. Set that bowl aside. The more black the banana, I've discovered, the better it is for baked goods, IMVHO. Just make sure there are no fruit flies around. In a medium bowl, mix your flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cups butter and your sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in your eggs, 1 at a time, then stir in your 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in your flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in your banana mixture. Pour into your pan and bake for 1-1 /2 hours or until the toothpick test says its ok. HERE LIES The TRICKY PART... You must then place it directly into your freezer for 45 minutes as soon as it gets out of the oven. Sure, no problem, I thought. I'll place it in the freezer and forget about it for 45 minutes. I have 3 freezers, I'll just pick one. IDIOT!!!! Look at what I found when I opened my freezers. Holy Crap! You'd think there was 20 feet of snow outside my front door. What the heck! I had to make room for the cake. So word to you.. if you try this cake-- and I tell you you must, really, please make sure there is room in your freezer before hand. I really have to get my act together here. I need lessons from Katie of The Hyper Homemaker. Help Me! Organization is what I am lacking. Anyway, while your cake is in the freezer, start your frosting. For the frosting, cream your butter and cream cheese Until smooth. Beat in your vanilla and confectioners sugar. Beat on low speed until combined, then high speed until frosting is smooth. Want a lick?? Spread this absolutely ---mmmmm sooo good, frosting over the cooled cake. JUST LOOK!!! TRY, I double, no triple, dog dare you, not to eat more than one bite. **I think this tastes best when stored in the fridge.. What is your favorite recipe for overly ripe bananas... do tell. Inquiring minds want to know. OK, I want to know. Give it up! Pretty please with sugar on top? Ok if that doesn't work, how about pretty please with Kiefer Sutherland from 24 on top? Or you could be on top?