Holiday baking

I had a hankering to do some baking.

It's fall, it's holiday season, it's time to turn on the oven.

I had some bananas waiting in the freezer until I could find a proper use for them. I found the recipe I was looking for today, banana bars with a peanut butter-chocolate frosting. I have served them to some company before, they flew off the serving platter.

This holiday season I hope to keep any and all baking on a relatively healthy level. So, I will post as I bake to share a little healthier spin on my favorite tasty treats. For these bars, you replace half the butter traditionally in banana bars for applesauce.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend! Cheers!

Frosted Banana Bars

3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt


In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the bananas, applesauce and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture just until blended.

Transfer to a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Once cool, frost with chocolate-peanut butter frosting.

Chocolate Peanut Butter frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
2TBS cocoa
4TBS milk
2 TBS peanut butter
½ tsp vanilla

Beat together until creamy. You may need to add more milk to thin to preferred consistency.