What to do With All Those Bananas

In the United States when you want bananas you go to the grocery store, walk to the produce isle, pick out a nice bunch of 6 bananas, and call it a day.  Or, maybe you’re having company and you want to make banana bread later, so you get two bunches.  Wild and crazy, right?  I know.

In Costa Rica, people sell bananas on the side of the road like litters of puppies, “free to a good home.”  We get them from our neighbor’s trees by the bunch.   The caretaker brings us extras from his house.  And if we want more there’s always the grocery store.

Basically what I’m trying to say is, “Help me, I’m drowning in bananas!”  Not really.  Maybe a little.  I like bananas.  And I’m really only beginning to get a feel for how many we actually have in the house at this moment.  There’s the bag of mini bananas I have in the freezer for smoothies, and for Cassie to chew on.  There’s this bunch of 20 getting ripe.  And this other bunch of 30+ that are still green.  I think that very soon I may need an intervention.  Seriously, send help.

I’ve been doing my research though, and I’ve found some lots of recipes that I am going to try.   Oh yes.  Lots of recipes…  And don’t roll your eyes at me like that.  You know you like bananas too.   No?  Hmm, just me then? (Shrug) Ok.

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(cough)

BANANA PANCAKES!

These pancakes are sweet and chewy, and taste like banana bread.  And it uses 2 or 3 bananas!  (I wonder if I can quadruple it?)  Oh, and they freeze well.

(Adapted from this recipe: Banana Pancakes I)

Ingredients

·  1 cup all-purpose flour

·   1 teaspoon baking soda

·  1/4 teaspoon salt

·  1 tsp cinnamon

·  1 egg, beaten

·  1 cup buttermilk (I used milk + 1 tsp vinegar)

·  2 tablespoons vegetable oil

·  2 (or 3 if they’re small) ripe bananas, mashed

Directions

Mix milk, egg, oil, and bananas in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, stir dry ingredients together with a wisk.  Add dry to wet, and stir it all together.  It will be lumpy.  Scoop onto a hot griddle and brown on both sides.  Serve warm with syrup, and more banana slices on top, if you dare.