Foodie Finds: Tasty uses for brown bananas

What is it about overripe bananas that makes me grow so attached to them that I just can’t throw them away? There are so many sad, darkened bananas in my freezer right now along with bags of frozen, ripe banana slices I’m saving for a smoothie or banana bread. Maybe I’ve just answered my own question – frozen bananas can go into a myriad of different recipes and they end up going from sad to sublime.

I really don’t like eating raw bananas once they’ve started to turn even the slightest bit brown. I discovered in Korea and Japan they sell of packets of single bananas, each in a different stage of ripeness, from yellow (eat today) to bright green (eat later in the week). That is exactly what I need!

Improve classic banana bread

A loaf of banana bread is so much more than the sum of its parts. Start with your favorite banana bread recipe and try some add ins. Here are a few ideas:

• Soak 1 cup of chopped dried apricots and 2 Tablespoons of rum and let stand at least 10 minutes, then stir into the banana bread batter. Bake as directed.
• Try adding 6 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate to the batter and bake. You may want to add another 10 minutes or so to your baking time, just cover the bread the last 10 minutes in the oven with foil.
• Another of my favorites is adding 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter and bake as directed.
• I always add some sort of dried fruit into my batter – cherries, cranberries, figs, prunes, raisins. You’re bound to find a combo your family loves.

The Food Network Magazine April/May 2024 issue had a great article “For the Love of Banana Bread” with some yummy looking recipes, including a Banana Biscotti recipe I’m anxious to try. Check the library’s Flipster site/app to see the article. The world really is at your fingertips on the library website!

Banana desserts

I made a batch of Banana Bread Brownies with Browned Butter Frosting and have been asked to share the recipe so many times. It’s a great way to use up those overripe bananas. This treat almost makes me wish I always had too many ripe bananas in the fruit bowl.

I also tried this yummy recipe for cookies and although it did not call for a mashed banana, I added one. I also included a cup of crushed vanilla wafers to offset the added moisture and I used a combo of milk and white chocolate chips. My granddaughters gave this cookie a big thumbs up!

Finally, I’d like to introduce you to my all-time favorite banana recipe from the Magnolia Bakery in New York City. I tried their banana pudding when I was in NYC and was a huge fan right away. Luckily, the recipe is a snap to make. However, it uses 4 to 5 just ripe bananas instead of the overripe ones. This pudding is pure heaven in a cup. No cooking is required so it’s perfect for these hot temperatures.

Don’t let those sad bananas go to waste! Let them shine again in one of these recipes and clean out the freezer! And check out the fun books I found in our library about bananas!