Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Hi all! Thanks for letting me contribute to this blog!

I found this delicious recipe online. I love it because it’s a great way to use overly ripe bananas and neither the peanut butter nor banana flavors are overpowering – it’s a perfect balance. They also stay soft for days! I sometimes double the recipe to make more because everyone who has tried them LOVES them...they always ask for more. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup mashed banana (1 sm/med)
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (foil works too).
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together sugars and butter. Beat in egg until smooth, then mix in the peanut butter and mashed banana. Working by hand or with a mixer on low speed, blend dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture. Stir in the oats.

Shape dough into tablespoons and place on baking sheet, flattening each slightly with your fingers or a spoon.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies just begin to turn golden around the edges.

Makes approx 20 cookies

Oatmeal Cake: don't let the title fool you.

This is super duper delicious.

1 cup oatmeal
1 1/4 c boiling water
1/2 c butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 nutmeg

Heat oven to 350.
Put oatmeal in a medium bowl. Pout boiling water over oatmeal and cover. Let stand 10 minutes. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together. Add vanilla, eggs, softened oatmeal, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix. Pour batter into a sprayed or greased and floured 9 inch square pan.
Bake 50-55 minutes.

Frosting
1/4 c butter, melted
1/2 c brown sugar
3 tbsp half and half or evaporated milk
1/3 chopped nuts
3/4 c coconut

In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and half-and-half. Stir in nuts and coconut. Frost warm cake. Place cake under broiler and brown until bubbly, watching carefully so that it does not burn.

** My sister makes some very yummy modifications. She pours the cake mixture into a 9x13 pan and cuts the baking time in half until it's just barely done. Then she doubles the frosting. I tasted her product and it was heaven.**

Oatmeal Muffins

1 c oatmeal
1 c buttermilk (just add 1 Tbsp vinegar to 1 c milk)
1 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 c sugar
*Optional: raisins, chocolate chips or coconut.*

Combine oats and buttermilk. Sift flour with salt, baking powder and soda into oatmeal mixture. Add oil, sugar and egg mixing only enough to moisten. Spoon into muffin tins. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden.