Millie's Banana Bars

 What to do with ripe bananas? Make banana bars. This is a old recipe from the fifties that a friend of our folks gave me. The original recipe called for melting marshmallows on top of the baked bars and than frosting. This time I frosted them with a simple powdered sugar frosting using Rum as the flavoring. Lyle likes them frosted though Bettie and I think they are better plain. 
 Remember these are bars not cake so they are thiner. They are also very banana tasting as there is no other flavoring used. If you like bananas and have some ripe ones that need to be used up, this is a quick, simple, recipe to make. It does make a large pan but they freeze well or do as I do and give most of them away. Some one is always grateful for home baked treats. 
 So in honor of Millie who died at age 100, here is her recipe for banana bars.
Millie’s Banana Bars
1 cup sugar
1 ⅓ cup (3 large) mashed bananas
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter softened
1 egg
1 ½ cups flour.
 Mix softened butter, sugar and egg till combined. Stir in the dry ingredients and mashed bananas. Pour into a jelly roll pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, till golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center come out with just a few crumbs. 

 If using the marshmallows, sprinkle over top, cover with a towel and let stand 10 minutes. Spread marshmallows over top. You can than frost if desired. Plain or powdered sugar sprinkled over is also good and not as high in calories.

9 comments:

  1. Looks good! Not many ingredients that's good too.

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    1. Hi Amie, We think these are good and yes basic. Sometimes, just the basic ingredients are good. Our parents and grandparents often had the right idea when it came to getting things baked and cooked easily.

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    2. I agree. One thing is, they didn't have time for elaborate meals and in summer had to cook in a hot kitchen (even a "summer kitchen" on the back porch would be hot when it's in the 90s+). I found a product at the grocery store last week, Keebler's "Simply Made" cookies. They have natural ingredients without all the preservatives. In food history we went from simple food to complicated, over-processed and artificial-ingredients food, and now people are going back to the natural way!

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    3. Oh boy bananas. Our Hispanic stores always have 33¢ lb bananas which we can price match at Walmart.
      Sounds easy as I like. But stupid here again - do you do anything to the jelly roll pan before pouring it in? Like grease and/or flour?

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    4. HaroldS, Not a dumb question at all, I forgot to put it in. Lightly grease and flour or spray the pan with spray with flour.

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    5. Chuck, Yes, I can remember the warm! kitchens well. We did not have central air growing up and Southern Minnesota summers can get Hot!
      Canning was a real challenge back than but so worth it in the winter. The cookies sound good, I'll watch for them.

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  2. These are delicious! So much banana flavor. I didn't have marshmallows so I frosted with caramel icing. (I'd like to try with the marshmallows next time.) Thanks for including the specific amount for the bananas as I had several of different size. My favorite thing about the recipe? The story!

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    1. Hi Denise, Glad you liked them. Millie was a very good cook and could make the best coffee. She always had bars or cookies to have with the coffee.

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  3. Still enjoying your blog, Sue . . . and Millie's recipe!

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