If you family is anything like mine there are weeks that they eat TONS of bananas and then times that they let them sit and all of a sudden you are faced with pounds and pounds of overripe bananas..

What do you do? Toss them?  Give them up to the fruit flies?  NOOOOOO!  Freeze them!

Here are instructions on how to freeze bananas for future use as well as great recipes to make and freeze...

How to freeze Bananas 

Suggestions.. 

• We blend them in smoothies to act as a "shake thickener" to give non frozen dairy smoothies an ice cream like taste and consistency. No need for ice either!  :o)
• We thaw them overnight in the fridge and add to oatmeal. This tastes really good!
• Place 1/2 c oatmeal( I prefer old fashioned) in a microwave safe bowl. Stir in a few pecans, cinnamon to taste, dash nutmeg, scant 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk, brown sugar or honey to taste, half a med. unfrozen banana, and 1 cup water.  Nuke on high 2 minutes. *** You can also make 2-4 weeks worth for your family by multiplying single serving amounts times your family members. Stir all DRY ingredients together and put in an air tight container with instructions taped to lid for hubby's who forget!  Keep "Instant Oatmeal" in a cool, dark place. Then keep bananas in the freezer labeled "For Oatmeal Only". Just add wet ingredients.
•  These bananas can liven up any pancake recipe just by slightly mashing one and throwing it in the batter before or after you pour them on the griddle. We have tried this in quick plain, buttermilk, and honey wheat. The pancakes can be cooled (don't stack while cooling), flash froze then put into freezer bags.  Reheat by microwaving in a single layer for 1 min or until not frozen in the center on 50% power. Then crisp up a bit in the toaster on pastry setting if desired.
• Add bananas to a compatible flavored yogurt about to expire with a bit of milk and honey to make frozen yogurt pops.

BANANA OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Recipe By     : Jacqueline Wilson (ToH Apr/May 96)
Serving Size  : 48

   1 1/2  cups          all-purpose flour
   1      cup           sugar
   1      teaspoon      salt
     1/2  teaspoon      baking soda
     1/2  teaspoon      ground cinnamon
     1/4  teaspoon      ground nutmeg
     3/4  cup           butter -- softened
   1                    egg
   1      cup           mashed ripe bananas -- about 2
   1 3/4  cups          quick cooking oats
   1      cup (6 oz)    semisweet chocolate chips
     1/2  cup           chopped walnuts

In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients; beat in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg, bananas and oats mix well. Stir in chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375F for 13 - 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Banana Crush

3 cups water
2 cups sugar
Bring to a boil and make simple syrup.  Cool.
Combine 3 ripe bananas, 1 1/2 cups orange juice and 1/2 can of frozen lemonade
concentrate (original recipe from my aunt called for 1/4 cup lemon juice... but
I don't have access to many lemons!) in a blender and blend till mixed.  Mix
blender mixture, cooled syrup, and a 46 oz. can pineapple juice together.
Freeze in large ziploc bags!  To use... remove from freezer about 1 - 2 hours
before serving... pour approx. 3 quarts of lemon lime or 7 up over mixture!  It is
a great punch!
 

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
recipe from: Bed and Breakfast Inns around the United States web site

One banana
1 cup frozen whole strawberries
1/2 cup milk (add more if needed to make it thin enough to drink)
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)
3 tsp. sugar (optional)

Put in blender and blend until well mixed.
 

Banana Peanut Butter Bread

   4      medium        extra ripe bananas,  peeled
      1/3  Cup            chunky peanut butter
     1/4  Cup             softened butter
   2                          eggs
   2      Cups             flour
     1/2  Cup             sugar
   1      Tsp.              baking soda
     1/4  Tsp.            salt

    1. Slice bananas into a blender. Puree until smooth.
    2. Beat peanut butter and butter together until smooth. Beat in eggs, then bananas until well blended.
    3. Combine all dry ingredients, then add to banana mixture, beating in a little at a time, until completely blended.
    4. Pour batter into nine-by-five-inch loaf pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven 50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into loaf comes out clean.
    5. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn onto wire rack to complete cooling. Makes one loaf.

Notes:
    Here is a terrific loaf of bread that tastes good throughout the entire meal-- including the dessert course, which it might well replace. It combines two flavors that go well together: peanut butter and bananas.
 

Banana Butterscotch Bread

Recipe By     : Lisa-Fabfood

   2                    eggs
     3/4  cup           sugar
                        blend together.
                        ***ADD***
   3                    ripe bananas mashed
                        ***ADD***
   2      cups          flour
   1      teaspoon      baking powder
     1/2  teaspoon      baking soda
     1/2  teaspoon      salt
     3/4  teaspoon      cinnamon
     1/8  teaspoon      nutmeg
                        mix
                        ***FOLD IN***
     3/4  cup           nestle butterscotch morsels
     1/2  cup           chopped walnuts -- (opt)

Pour into 2 greased bread pans Bake 350 degrees for 28 minutes - test with toothpick Variation: Omit cinnamon and nutmeg and substitute Nestle semi-sweet
mini morsels to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

note.. I used two pans like the directions say, but next time I think I'll try making it in one and increase the baking time.  The bread came out very nice, just very small (short) loaves.
 
 

Grandma Rhoda's Banana Bread

Recipe By     : Grandma Rhoda
Serving Size  : 16

   1      cup           sugar
     1/4  cup           margarine
   1                    egg
   4                    banana -- ripe, mashed
   1 1/2  cups          flour
   1      teaspoon      baking soda
     1/4  teaspoon      salt

Cream sugar and margarine; add egg, beat well. Add bananas. Mix well.
Add dry ingredients. Bake in slow oven for as long as it takes!:) Is
done when pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
 

Frozen Bananoids
re book: Kids Cooking-a slightly messy manual

6 oz chocolate chips
4-5 bananas
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 oz. coconut

Melt chocolate and milk in double boiler over low heat. Put the chopped
walnuts in a bowl and the coconut in another. Peel the bananas one at a
time, cut in thirds, and use tongs or fork to dip the banana in chocolate.
Roll dipped banana in nuts or coconuts or even both. You now have a
bananoid. Place on plate covered in waxed paper and repeat with the rest of
the bananas. Put the plates in the freezer and wait as long as you can stand
to.

    

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