# What have I gotten myself into???



## AllenOK (Dec 3, 2006)

One of the things that I keep my eyes out for when I'm grocery shopping is a store special on over-ripe bananas.  I can usually get bananas at 25 cent / pound on these specials.  I take them home, peel them, put 2 - 3 in a quart ziplock, mash them, squeeze the air out, and freeze.  I use these for banana pancakes and banana bread.  My kids go nuts for both.

When we moved to OK, PeppA, my other half, started working at an ice-cream / hamburger / grocery store.  I've worked for this company in the past, and like their products.

They started selling more "grocery" items in the past few years.  I'm not surprised that they sell bananas, as this company uses bananas for banana splits.

A few days ago, PeppA bought home a couple bunches of over-ripe bananas that she picked up on discount.  I did my usual and mashed/froze them, and have made a couple batches of banana pancakes, and even a loaf of banana bread a couple days ago.

PeppA must have bragged about the banana bread to her co-workers.  Yesterday, she came home with *14 POUNDS* of bananas!  I now have 11 qt-size ziplock baggies in the freezer, most with 3 bananas, so with 2.  I also have two orders for banana bread from her co-workers.

I just ran a search on the HDD for the laptop.  I came up with 53 recipes that call for bananas.  I guess I'm going to be doing some cooking today and tomorrow.


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## YT2095 (Dec 3, 2006)

well I don`t know about you, and you Seem quite sane, but Bagging and freezing all those would drive me bananas!

is that why you posted this in the Nuts section as well?


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## Shunka (Dec 3, 2006)

Allen, make up a huge batch of banana bread and freeze the loaves, they will do quite well. That way you won't be seeing all those bags of mashed 'naners!!


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## boufa06 (Dec 3, 2006)

I too love bananas which are plentiful in my hometown.  It's good that you are freezing ripe bananas especially during winter.  Besides making banana split, fritters, cakes, muffins, salad etc, you can also deep fry them in batter.


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## Half Baked (Dec 3, 2006)

I like bananas in my pina coladas and daiquiris....that's how I'd use them up.


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## boufa06 (Dec 3, 2006)

Yeh, and don't forget banana shake!  Yum!


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## Half Baked (Dec 3, 2006)

Mmmm, banana ice cream!


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## PeppA (Dec 3, 2006)

Hey there all. Yes I am the one who made Allen mash all those nanaers! lol.

But honesly they are the best. I can't complain about them not going to waist. They will get used. Specialy since we have 5 kids and a over grown one ( Allen ) lol 

Tis the holiday season with cooking.


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## StirBlue (Dec 3, 2006)

Banana and peanut butter sandwiches are great.  Making a grilled sandwich though, is tricky.


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## kitchenelf (Dec 3, 2006)

YT2095 said:
			
		

> well I don`t know about you, and you Seem quite sane, but Bagging and freezing all those would drive me bananas!
> 
> is that why you posted this in the Nuts section as well?









Oh Allen - LOL - good luck!


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## shpj4 (Dec 3, 2006)

I love all food that has bananas in it.  Ice cream, pies, cookies etc.  I also love to eat them when they are ripe and not green on top.


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## SierraCook (Dec 3, 2006)

PeppA said:
			
		

> Hey there all. Yes I am the one who made Allen mash all those nanaers! lol.
> 
> But honesly they are the best. I can't complain about them not going to waist. They will get used. Specialy since we have 5 kids and a over grown one ( Allen ) lol
> 
> Tis the holiday season with cooking.



PeppA, I think that the bananas will definitely be going to the waist in another form.  
   Allen, I glad that you had the fortitude to mash all those bananas.    I would have been paying a visit to the massage therapist for a shoulder massage after massing 14 lbs. of bananas.


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## StirBlue (Dec 3, 2006)

Let's see PeppA, 14 lbs of bananas is probably about 70.  And 3 bananas per bag is 20 something bags.  Did you mash them in the bag?  Can you mash them with a rolling pin after they are in the bag?  Did you label the ones that you are making banana bread with for friends?  Just wondering, sometimes they run bananas on sale and we all over buy.  Now I can just freeze them.  So glad.


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## AllenOK (Dec 3, 2006)

Actually, I'm not quite so sure about the weight, as that's what PeppA told me it was.  I didn't get a look at the receipt.

Remember, that's 14 lbs *before peeling*.  It was actually about 31 bananas that were mashed/frozen (the little ones probably ate 5 or 6 bananas before I could get to all of them).  11 bags total, most with 3 bananas, two bags with 2 bananas, one bag with 2 1/2 bananas.


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## JMediger (Dec 3, 2006)

I have a dumb question ... when you thaw them, do they brown quicker?  Do they become brown when they are frozen?  This is a great idea!


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## expatgirl (Dec 4, 2006)

I was ruined by a lazy banana bread freak who told me that all I had to do was throw the "freckled, overripe bananas" which I've been doing for years totally whole into the freezer.   No peeling, no mashing no putting into plastic bags. Have been using her "lazy" ways for years and have had nothing but success--not even aborbing "odors"  from the rest of the freezer.  Yes, when you finally thaw them you can at least take out the number of bananas that you need (most recipes call for 3-6 bananas so there is no guess work) involved and yes the thawed out bananas are squishy and brown when thawed but who cares if they're  for baking????  The peels also come off incredibly easy and the resulting banana is mostly mush to begin with.  EASY job to puree!!!  Using lazy friend's method I've used whole frozen bananas for over a year after throwing them in the freezer. Anywyay no one's ever died from my lazy friend's method and all want the recipe.  If you run out of freezer space you can always toss them one at a time instead of throwing out a ziploc full of mashed, frozen puree that you labored over.  When I take them out of the freezer I let the bananas set in a pie plate to thaw out--they do need a container to set in as they do give off some juices so you don't want to put them on your counter without having some sort of container for them.  Just one more way to use ripe bananas.  Good luck.


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## AllenOK (Dec 4, 2006)

JMediger said:
			
		

> I have a dumb question ... when you thaw them, do they brown quicker?  Do they become brown when they are frozen?  This is a great idea!



Yes, and yes.

I've found that the bananas will brown over time, even in the freezer.  Once they start to thaw, they will turn as well.  However, as was mentioned, since the bananas are going into banana bread, who cares?  I just love the taste.


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## Reanie525i (Dec 4, 2006)

You could make loaves of Banana bread as Christmas Gifts - If you have  leftover loaves you could send some to me!!!!


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## Uncle Bob (Dec 4, 2006)

Somewhere in there....there just has to be a banana pudding!!
The real deal mind you...not someting out of box!


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## Harborwitch (Dec 4, 2006)

I do the whole banana thing too.  Did find though that they can goo a bit even frozen so I do bag them and then freeze them.  A bit less messy.


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## goboenomo (Dec 4, 2006)

Make some banana pie. Eat bananas alone. Make grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches for yourself and the family. Freeze some bananas and make some banana bread with those later. Put banana in your cereal (mmmm). Make smoothies. Just a couple ideas.


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## JMediger (Dec 4, 2006)

expatgirl said:
			
		

> ...and yes the thawed out bananas are squishy and brown when thawed but who cares if they're for baking????...


 


			
				AllenOK said:
			
		

> ...who cares?...


 
Not to be overly sensitive and read too much into your responses but if I didn't care, would I have asked?  I was thinking of recipes that called for banana puree where the color does matter.  For example, in pudding, I don't want brown swirls or in my morning shake, I would prefer the color to be creamy,  not brown.  I realize the flavor doesn't change but in some cases, the appearance is just important to me.  And my question wasn't just about using them for baking but using frozen banana puree / smash.


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