Banana Bars / Banana Bread Sheet Cake

Banana Bars Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons (57 g) salted butter, softened or even melted and cooled
• ¼ cup (53 g) lightly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (113 g) sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅔ – 1 cup mashed ripe bananas, (about 2 large bananas)
• 1 cup (142 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Browned Butter Frosting Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter
• 2 cups (228 g) powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan (see note) with cooking spray and set aside.

For the bars, in a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown and granulated sugars, sour cream, egg, and vanilla until well-mixed, 1-2 minutes.

Blend in the bananas and mix.

Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt and mix for just a minute or two until combined.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back to the touch.

While the bars are baking, make the frosting by melting the butter in a saucepan or stainless steel (not nonstick) skillet over medium heat (here’s a quick tutorial on browning butter). Bring the butter to a gentle simmer, turning the heat down if needed, until the solids lightly brown and the butter smells caramelly and fragrant. Immediately remove from the heat and add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, whisking until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if needed to achieve a thick but spreadable consistency.

Let the bars cool for 5-10 minutes and then dollop the frosting over the warm bars and spread in an even layer.

Cool the bars to room temperature. Cut into squares and serve. These keep well-covered for 1-2 days at room temp or refrigerated.

See: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/banana-bars-with-browned-butter-frosting/

Potbelly Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 ½ cups quick oats
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

• Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
• Next, add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, oats, salt, brown sugar, and white sugar) together in a large bowl. Stir well with a large spoon or spatula.
• Next, add in the wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla extract, and butter). Mix well with a hand mixer until everything is well combined.
• Stir in the chocolate chips with a large spoon or spatula.
• Form the dough into balls (about 2 ½ tablespoons) and place on parchment paper lined (not wax paper) or greased baking sheets.
• Bake for 12 to 14 minutes at 350 degrees. Edges should be golden brown.
• Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes after baking. The centers may look undone but they will finish baking on the sheet.

NOTES

• These cookies are pretty big, let them finish baking on your cookie sheet for at least 10 to 15 minutes after you take them out of the oven. The centers may not look done when you take them out but remember, they will finish on the baking sheet.
• Be sure to mix the dry ingredients together first. This ensures that no one gets a big bite of baking soda or salt.
• Let your butter soften to room temperature but do not melt the butter or your cookies will spread.

Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake

 Ingredients:

• Cook and serve chocolate pudding mix (3.4 oz box)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 chocolate cake mix (Heather likes Betty Cocker Triple Chocolate Fudge cake)
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat over to 350 degrees.
• Prepare pudding as on box directions (add 2 cups of milk to pudding in a mixing bowl and cook in microwave on high for 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes)
• Add chocolate cake mix to pudding. Stir batter together. Should be thick and fluffy.
• Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan.
• Sprinkle 1 cup of mini chocolate chips on top of cake batter.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350. 
• Serve with cool whip or whipped cream on top. Yum!