Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

These are one of my favorite-- cannot be quicker-- "chocolate fix" snacks to make. Also good to make when you don't want to bother with the oven. When we were younger, my sister used to eat right out of the pot and never make them into cookies.

1/3 C cocoa
1/2 C butter or margarine
1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C sugar

Stir over medium heat until mixture reaches a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add:

1/2 tsp vanilla
3 C quick oats
1 C sweetened flake coconut

Scoop small amounts of mix, shape into balls and place on waxed paper to let firm up and cool. Enjoy.

Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

I'll admit it.

I've always been a little apprehensive

when it comes to biscuits.

I've made my fair share of "rocks" that were

suppose to be biscuits.

Yesterday I made Chicken Noodle Soup that was

screaming for

a nice, light and flaky biscuit.

I ran to my favorite website, Allrecipes and tried this one.

They turned out fantastic!

Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 T. sugar
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 c. butter, cold
1/2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 c. buttermilk

In a bowl (I used my food processor) combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cayenne. Pulse to combine. Add the cold butter 1 T. at a time, pulsing the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. (Since I used a food processor, my crumbs were finer.)

I poured the crumbs into a bowl and added the cheddar cheese to toss. Stir in the buttermilk until just moistened.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times. (Mine was a little too dry, so I added another 1-2 T. buttermilk so it would come together.)

This is where I deviated from the recipe. The original recipe says to: Pat or roll to 1 inch thickness; cut with a floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter.

Instead, I just took chunks of the dough, gently formed them into discs that were approximately 1 inch thick. That way there were no left over pieces to roll out later. They baked up beautifully!

Sorry, here's the rest of the recipe:

Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Chef's Note: Buttermilk is not something I have always had on hand, UNTIL I was told it could be frozen and used at a later date. Not rocket science I know, but I'd never thought about it. Buttermilk is insanely cheap. When I bought it yesterday it was .37 cents for 1 cup! I bought 5 and threw 4 in the freezer:)

Bon Appetit!

Death By Chocolate Cake

I MAY have gotten a little carried away with the chocolate ganache.

It's still up for debate.

This is a really easy, really really rich and really really really decadent

dessert that will leave you begging for milk!

Death By Chocolate Cake:

1 chocolate cake mix - I prefer Pillsbury since it has pudding in the mix

1 (3 oz) box of instant chocolate pudding

1/2 c. oil

1/4 c. water

4 eggs

1/2 c. sour cream

1 (12 oz) pkg of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a bundt pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the ingredients in the order listed. Combine well.

Spread the batter, which will be very thick into the bundt pan.

Bake for 55 mins. Remove from oven, turn the cake out onto a cake plate and let it cool.

Make the chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache: (You may 1/2 this recipe if you would like less chocolate...crazy suggestion, I know.)

1 c. heavy whipping cream

10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 T. strong coffee OR 1 t. vanilla extract

Place chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. On the stove, bring the whipping cream to a boil. Pour over the chocolate chips. Let them sit for a minute or so - add the coffee or vanilla - then stir until smooth. Let the ganache sit at room temperature while the cake cools.

Once everything is cooled and the ganache has thickened, pour it over the cake making sure you get every nook and cranny!

Bon Appetit!

Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes

Yet again, apologies for the bad photo...
I found this recipe in one of my old Cooking Light magazines. It is a really great--and tasty way to use up extra mashed potatoes. As an added bonus, they are even baked in the oven instead of fried like a lot of potato cakes are. I swapped turkey bacon and one diced shallot because I didn't have any green onions and I don't eat regular bacon but I will post the original recipe as it was written. Furthermore, I know I added more cheese than it called for because as my husband says, "you can never have too much cheese!" Look for the panko Japanese breadcrumbs for this recipe to get that really crispy crunch in contrast with the soft potato filling.


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1/2 C chopped green onions
2 C mashed potatoes, chilled
2 T shredded cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 center-cut bacon slice, cooked and crumbled
3/4 C panko bread crumbs

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray or a little oil. Add green onions to pan and cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Place mashed potatoes in a medium bowl. Stir in onions, cheese, salt and pepper, and bacon. Divide potato mixture in to 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2" thick patty. Dredge patties in panko. Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (or I just used Parchment paper). Bake for 12 minutes. Carefully turn patties over; bake an additional 12 minutes or until golden.
Bon appetit!

Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake

If you are craving chocolate...this cheesecake will not disappoint.

You can make this dessert up to 3 days in advance!

Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake:

Crust:
20 Oreo cookies, crushed
6 T. butter, melted

Filling:
11.5 oz semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate chips - use the best quality you can afford
4, 8oz packages cream cheese, room temp
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs

Topping:
3/4 c. whipping cream
6 oz. semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate chips
1 T. sugar

Chocolate curls for garnish

For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan with 3 inch sides. Process the Oreo cookies until they are finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and add melted butter. Mix until well combined. Press crumbs into the bottom only of the spring form pan. Bake just until set 5-8 mins. Cool while preparing filling.

For the filling: Melt the chocolate in the microwave using short bursts of power for 15-30 second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside. In the large bowl of a Kitchen Aid blend the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa. Mix until smooth. Blend in eggs 1 at a time. When smooth add melted chocolate and mix until combined. Pour the filling over the crust, smooth the top and bake until center is just set and top appears dry - about 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 mins. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Let the cheesecake cool to room temp. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

For the topping: One hour before serving (or up to 3 days ahead), stir cream and 6 oz chocolate and sugar in a heavy saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over the center of the cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks. Chill until the topping is set, about 1 hour.

It is preferable to let the cheesecake stand at room temp for 1-2 hours before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Gingerbread Cake

Apologies for the beyond bad photo. My sister is using the camera I usually use to photograph her new babies-- a lot more important than food pictures!

It has been a year since my Dad passed. I miss him so much and it helps to have so many amazing and fun memories that I can think and remember. One of those is going to a restaurant at Peggy's Cove called the Sou'Wester. They have this really good Gingerbread cake that they serve with lemon sauce or soft-serve vanilla ice cream. We'd see the lighthouse and the ocean, skip the gift shop and head straight for the cake. Good times. I think of him when I make and enjoy this cake. It rises really high and is moist and really yummy.


1/2 C butter or margarine
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C molasses
1/3 C applesauce
2 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 C hot water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix butter and sugar until smooth; beat in the egg. Add the molasses and the applesauce.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Whisk together and add to the molasses mixture. Mix well. Add the hot water and stir until combined. Scrape the batter into a greased and floured 9 X 9" pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool and serve with whipped cream, ice cream or lemon sauce. Bon Appetit!

Mummified Hot Dogs

I am a tad late to post a Hallowe'en recipe, but even though I make these year-round, they way the dough is wrapped really looks like little mummies. We had these for dinner the other night and my extremely picky son who has never eaten a hot dog actually consented to try and then eat and actually like a hot dog. (I know they aren't the best thing for you or anything, but it was quite an accomplishment for and 8 year-old who eats 1/2 a dozen things!) The dough is my friend Tami's quick and easy breadstick recipe that requires no kneading or no rising time when you use the dough this way. I usually stuff a bit of cheese inside before wrapping the dough.

1 T yeast
1 1/2 C warm water
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 C+ flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add more flour if dough is too sticky. Let rest 10 minutes.(There is quite a bit of dough so I usually cut it in half and put the other half in the freezer for later use.) Roll dough out on a floured surface and cut into strips. Wrap dough starting from one end all around the hot dog. Bake at 350 degrees on parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet. Bake until dough is golden and the hot dog begins to "sweat", about 12 to 15 minutes. Dot on some mustard eyes if you are so inclined ( :

Pumpkin Roll

Mmmmm.

Easy.

Impressive.

Festive.

Did I mention, Mmmmm?

Pumpkin Roll:

3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 t. lemon juice

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Cut out a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan, press into sprayed pan and then spray again. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine. Add lemon juice, followed by dry ingredients - pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and flour. Beat until combined.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Once you remove it from the oven turn the cake out onto another piece of parchment paper. Carefully roll up the cake in the parchment paper, lengthwise. Let it cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack.

While the cake is cooling make the frosting.

Place cream cheese and butter in bowl. Beat until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, beat until well blended.

Once cake has cooled, gently unroll it and spread with frosting. Immediately re-roll the cake, without the parchment and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. You may also freeze it at this point for up to 2 weeks.

Cut the cake into slices right before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Harvest Apple Cake

Big Chunks of Apples.

I wasn't sure how so many apples and so little batter would turn out,

but this might be my new favorite snack cake.

It Doesn't Need Frosting...

One more perk to this cake.

You can substitute applesauce for 1/2 of the oil.

The quantity of apples keep it beyond moist.

I found I was "trimming up the edges" as we say in our family TOO much.

It's THAT good.

Harvest Apple Cake:

2 eggs
1 c. oil - you can sub applesauce with great results
2 c. sugar
3 t. apple pie spice - which is just cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
4 c. apples, peeled, cored and seeded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil and sugar. Beat until light in color, about 2 minutes. Add spices, salt, vanilla and soda. Add apples and stir until incorporated. Add flour, stirring until just blended.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour. Mine took a bit longer - bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

You may garnish with whipping cream or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Bon Appetit!

***Chef's Note - I used canned apples, which come in a light juice. Somewhat hard to find, but I am sure fresh apples would work well also.

Pumpkin Cake

I've already made this cake several times in the last few weeks. It is really moist, yummy and flavorful -- a great fall-time treat.

3/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 C applesauce
2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 C pumpkin
4 eggs
2 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (or more)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
dash of cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine sugar and the oil. Blend in the vanilla, applesauce and the pumpkin. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Mix the dry ingredients together and beat into the pumpkin mixture until smooth.
Bake in a greased 9X13 pan or the batter makes great muffins or smaller size cakes too. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Cool then ice with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat 8 oz softened cream cheese with 1/4 C butter and 1/2 tsp vanilla until smooth. Add 3 to 4 cups of powdered confectioners sugar ( I like it sweeter and add 4 cups) -- beat for a few minutes until creamy.

Ginger Spice Cookies

I pretty much love everything about Fall.

The leaves changing, the temperatures falling,

picking out pumpkins, brisk walks, warm sweaters

AND

Ginger Spice Cookies!

Your house will smell divinely "fall" when you bake them.

Ginger Spice Cookies by Paula Deen:

1 1/2 c. butter flavored Crisco (don't try to substitute butter, they will be too flat)
2 c. sugar, plus more for rolling
2 large eggs
1/2 c. molasses
4 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. ginger
1 t. cloves
1 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl combine Crisco and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add eggs and molasses, beat until incorporated.
Next, add the spices, salt and baking soda. Lastly, add the flour one cup at a time to avoid a mess. Stir until combined.

Roll the dough into 1-2 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set around the edges and you see "crackling" on top.

Remove from cookie sheets and allow to cool.

Bon Appetit!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I started a bit early this year to insure I could make ALL of my

favorite pumpkin recipes before I move on to "holiday" treats.

My family always asks for these cookies - this year

I frosted some with cream cheese frosting

(my husband says it's overkill, but no one really asked:)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil (you can easily sub applesauce for 1/2 the oil)
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cloves
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. milk
1 T. vanilla extract
2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
3-4 drops orange food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and egg. Once combined add spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves), then add vanilla, milk and salt. Add flour, baking soda and baking powder - then lastly add the chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly.

Drop by spoonful on a greased cookie sheet and bake for approx. 10 mins.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

Combine cream cheese and butter until creamy - add vanilla and powdered sugar, mix well.

Once cookies are cooled, frost at will.

Bon Appetit!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These are one of my favorite cookies, hands down. Who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate anyway?


1 3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 butter, softened
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 T milk
40 mini-chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream together the butter, both sugars, peanut butter until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture and mix well.

Roll into 40 balls and place into ungreased mini muffin pans.

Bake for about 8 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven, press a peanut butter cup into each cookie. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

Pumpkin Torte

My favorite season is almost here.

I love baking with apples and pumpkin,

which leads me to my first "FALL" offering.

Pumpkin flavor is infused in both

the cake and frosting,

making this dessert super rich.

Pumpkin Torte:

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin, divided
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. oil
4 eggs
2 t. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat with success)
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 (16 oz) container Cool Whip (I used light and it worked fine)
1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping
1/3 c. toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of your Kitchen Aid, combine - cake mix, 1 c. pumpkin, milk, oil and eggs. Mix well then add 1 t. pumpkin pie spice. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then medium for 2 minutes. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans before removing to wire racks. Cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat cream cheese, sugar, remaining pumpkin and 1 t. pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
Split cake horizontally. Place a layer on a plate; spread with a fourth of filling. Repeat layers three times. Chill in fridge for 3 hours or until ready to serve.
Just before serving drizzle the torte with caramel topping and pecans.

Bon Appetit!

Bowtie Pasta Salad

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted anything! I think the whole back to school thing stresses me out too much to do anything fun like cooking and blogging.
This is a pasta salad Tamara gave me the recipe for last year when I was looking for food to make for my sister's baby shower. This was a popular one with everyone who was there and I have since made it a ton of times. It is really easy and versatile-- you could add some chopped, cooked chicken to make it more of a main course meal or vary what vegetables you add to it.
It tastes better if made the day (or at least a few hours) before. I reserve some of the coleslaw dressing and fold it in before serving to make sure the salad is moist. Also the cashews shouldn't be added until just before serving so they don't go soft.


1 454 g (1 lb) box of Farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1 lg bottle (2 cups) of Coleslaw salad dressing
1/2 C mayonnaise
4 stalks of celery, diced
2-3 cans of mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 C chopped green onions
1/2 C of red grapes, cut in half
1/2 C unsalted cashews (optional)
1/4 C Craisins (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Lemonade Cake

This is a glorified "cake mix" cake.

If that offends you, move on.

After reading the reviews about this cake I knew I would be trying it soon.

People were so critical that this cake uses a

cake mix as the base of the recipe,

they actually lowered their ratings!

I guess I'm not as easily offended:)

I thought it was really good.

I did exactly as the recipe stated and I loved

the punch of flavor that the lemonade glaze gave.

Lemonade Cake:

1 - 3 oz. package lemon flavored jello
3/4 c. boiling water
1 lemon cake mix
3/4 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
3/4 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt cake pan, set aside.
Dissolve lemon jello in boiling water and set aside.
Combine cake mix, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Add the jello, then beat for 5 minutes. Pour prepared batter into the pan.
Make the lemonade glaze by combining the lemonade concentrate and sugar in a small pan, cook long enough to dissolve the sugar.
Bake for 1 hour. While the cake is still warm (and still in the pan) - puncture the cake with a long knife to give the glaze somewhere to go, then pour the lemonade glaze over the cake.
Let the cake cool completely before removing to a decorative plate.

Bon Appetit!

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes - take horrible pictures.

Thankfully they taste SO MUCH BETTER than they photograph.

Here is a recipe I found on Allrecipes (a favorite website for recipe searches.)

I was looking for something simple, lower in fat than funeral potatoes or Au Gratin potatoes, and this is what I came up with.

Everyone loved them!

Scalloped Potatoes:

5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

3/4 c. chopped onion

3 T. butter

1/4 c. flour

1 3/4 c. chicken broth

2 T. mayo

3/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

Paprika

1/2 c. cheddar cheese (optional)

In a greased 2 1/2 qt. baking dish, layer potatoes and onion. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually add broth, mayo, s&p. Cook and stir for 2 mins or until thick and bubbly. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until tender.

Cook's Note: This recipe is quite forgiving. I used more than 5 potatoes...so I made slightly more sauce...but it wasn't enough to cover all the potatoes I'd peeled - so I opened a can of evaporated milk and poured the entire can over the potatoes. I then baked for 3 HOURS!!! I added cheddar cheese to the top of half of the pan at the last minute. There was plenty of sauce, and they were fantastic!

Bon Appetit!

Chicken Salad with Tarragon

This is one of my favorite sandwiches courtesy of Ina Garten. It has a lot of memories for me: one of my Dad's favorite spices was tarragon. It reminded him of his years in France, since that is a french favorite. We found Ina's recipe and made it for a church luncheon where people loved it and we have both enjoyed it many times after that. Tarragon really adds a wonderful flavor that is second to none in this recipe.

It makes for moister, tastier chicken to cook bone-in, skin-on breasts in the oven and then cool and chop the chicken, however, I usually use what I have on hand which is of the boneless, skinless variety.

3 to 4 cooked and cooled chicken breasts
1/2 C mayonnaise
1 1/2 T chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 C small-diced celery (2 stalks)
1/2 C to 1 C of green grapes, sliced in half
salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken into a 3/4-inch dice. Place in a bowl; add the mayonnaise, tarragon leaves, celery, grapes, salt and pepper and toss well. Serve as a salad, or fill up your favorite rolls.

Jen's Lemon Bars

This a recipe I got from my good

friend and neighbor Jen.

They are simple and fantastic all at the same time.

The crust has a shortbread quality to it and the filling is super lemony!

This is my go-to recipe, since I always have the ingredients on hand

and they just hit the spot.

Jen's Lemon Bars:

Crust:
2 c. flour
1 c. butter
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine until a dough forms. Spread dough (I use my hands) into a sheet cake pan, the one I use is 13x15, but larger would work too.
Bake crust for 13-15 minutes.

Filling:
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
4 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon extract (I added this because I like intense lemon flavor, it's optional)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 c. flour

Mix all ingredients for the filling together. When smooth, pour onto the hot crust and return to the oven for 20-25 minutes, until light brown and filling is set.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Bon Appetit!

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

If your house is anything like mine - you've got lots of banana's in need of use.

I make banana bread on a regular basis, along with banana muffins and smoothies...ho hum.

This recipe is a breath of fresh air for my

freezer full of bananas!

Since it incorporates a fruit, I consider it healthier than say, chocolate cake.

Add some cream cheese frosting and it is over the top!

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting:

Banana Bars:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. or 4 ripe bananas

1 (16 oz) container cream cheese frosting, or homemade cream cheese frosting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan (mine was 13x17 and worked just fine.)
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and eggs. Add the sour cream, bananas and vanilla. When incorporated, add the flour, baking soda and salt.
Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20-25 mins until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting.
Cut and enjoy!

***Chef's Note: I am always amazed at how many people don't know that you can freeze your over-ripe bananas. They work perfectly for banana bread, muffins, smoothies and this cake! I won't lie...they are ugly, but you can thaw them in the microwave and use them in any recipe calling for ripe bananas:)

Bon Appetit!