The Good, The Bad, & The Delicious

So here's the deal, I am infamous for making millions of blogs.  This being said, I am also infamous for never posting.  And as many times as I say, This time it's different! . . . Alas it never is.  That's why I'm starting this blog out on the premiss that, yes I am a terrible blogger, but you know what? It's ok!  Blogging, for me, isn't really to update the outside world, but to chronicle my doings in life.  The reason I justify the creation of this blog, is because a girlfriend's gotta keep all her recipes in one easy to find place!

So now you've heard the good and the bad (kindof).  Make room for the delicious!  After all, that is what this blog is about :)

Mrs. Fosson's Homemade Banana Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies

Disclaimer: this recipe is an adaptation from a multitude of blogs.  One of my best friend's has a secret family recipe for banana chocolate chip cookies and no matter how I begged, she would not give.  So I did the next best thing and googled my heart out!

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup to 1 cup mashed ripe bananas

2 whole eggs

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon banana flavoring (very optional)

2-1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate chips - add as many as you would like.  Everyone has a different chocolate preference.  I'm not a terribly chocolatey person, so I would stick to 3/4 cup max.  But for some people that is simply not enough!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or with one of those amazing silicone baking mats (literally one of the best inventions ever made).

1. In a kitchen-aid mixer, or in a bowl, cream butter and sugar until nice and fluffy.  
2. In a separate bowl combine baking soda, salt, and flour.  Tip on flour: take a fork to it!  Before scooping out your perfectly leveled 2.5 cups of flour, take a fork and mix it around in the bag or container.  This mixes air into the flour and "fluffs" it up.  This helps for lighter and fluffier baked goods.  Despite how important I know it is to sift flour, I typically just stick with this step.  Now if you want A++, jus take the time to not only pre-fluff, but sift as well.
3. Once the buttery-sugar mixture is soft and creamy, mix in the eggs one at a time until well mixed.  Then add the vanilla.  In the opinion of this little baker - you can always add more vanilla!  But that's just me :)  This would also be the step where you would add the banana flavoring.  Now, I didn't do it this time, but I have done it before.  Don't be afraid of extracts and flavorings!  They can make yummy things exceptionally yummy if you bake with certain flavors quite a bit.
4. Mix in the mashed bananas.  Now here is my little tip on this one -- don't mash the bananas until just before  you're ready to add them to the mixture!  Bananas turn brown quite rapidly after mashing and in order to keep the beautiful light yellow color you know you want to see, I recommend you leave the thorough mashing to moments before mixing :)
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients in parts until smooth.
6. STOP THE KITCHEN-AID.  Take your rubber spatula, and fold in the chocolate chips, being careful not to over-mix
7. Drop by spoonful onto the prepared cookie sheet (or two).
8. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden.
9. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool
10. ENJOY :)  These cookies are exceptionally good frozen as well -- just so you know!  In fact, I prefer them that way.  So maybe when you feel like eight cookies was too much to eat at once, but you can't seem to keep yourself cookie-free, take your tupperware fill it with cookies, and freeeeeeeeeeze.

Just take some time and enjoy these on a hot day.  You won't regret it, I promise :)

Thanks for stopping by!!

Love,

Mrs. Fosson