Hick came home from Monday night's auction with four bunches of bananas. Two regular size for him, and two smaller ones for me. That was good, because Hick spent his own money on the bananas, and we were down to only two bananas. That was bad, because the bananas that Hick bought were already ripe.
"You know those won't last long. Maybe a day before they're all spotted."
"Yeah. But I only spent four dollars on the whole thing."
We each ate a banana on Tuesday morning. Then we went to the casino on Wednesday, so I skipped one. By Thursday, those bananas were looking rough.
"I don't know what to do with all those bananas."
"You can make banana bread!"
"Sure. Because I've never made it before, and don't have any idea how to do that. Maybe I could put it in muffin mix..."
"Yeah. That would work. And I like bananas in pudding."
"Which means I would have to make pudding. Of which I don't have a mix."
"You can put it in the already-made pudding. The little cups."
"I guess. But I never see banana flavor in the stores I go to."
"Vanilla is fine. I like vanilla."
"Would you want vanilla wafers in it? That's how they make banana pudding. With vanilla wafers on the bottom."
"Yeah. That would be good."
So... I went to town on Thursday, and bought vanilla pudding, and vanilla wafers, and banana nut muffin mix, along with milk required for the mix. So I can spend time creating desserts for sugar-challenged Hick, using his bargain bananas.
Isn't it funny how one thing leads to another and another. Ha! I ordered banana extract a few years ago off the internet because I wanted some banana popsicles and I couldn't find them anywhere. I bought one of those popsicle contraptions that we used to make kool-aid popsicles when we were kids. Well, guess what? I never got around to making those banana popsicles. At least I've used the banana extract to enhance some baked goodies:)
ReplyDeleteExactly! It's like that kids' book, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie."
DeleteI've bought several of those popsicle contraptions. I just tried to give one to The Pony last month, and he said, "Mom. I already have three of these." Heh, heh. Guess I bestowed such a gift on The Pony before! He used to love when my mom made frozen Coke popsicles.
You can save those bananas by freezing them for later. But, don't freeze them in the skin unless you like peeling snot later. I actually like spotted bananas. Sometimes, I mash an over ripe banana and stir it into chocolate milk.
ReplyDeleteI would forget I had them frozen. Or use it as an excuse NOT to make Hick's bread or muffins. You know, because there was no urgency, and I could get away with it!
DeleteI do understand that!
DeleteHeh, heh! Gotta take advantage when you can.
DeleteI have seen several handy tips that are supposed to delay the ripening of bananas. One is to cover the stem of a bunch with aluminium foil and one swears by the refridgerator. I have put mine in the fridge and it does delay ripening by a day or two. Banana bread is easy. cup of self rising flour, half cup sugar, quarter cup vegetable oil and milk. Mash two bananas and bake on 350 for about 30 minutes. I add vanilla and sometimes cinnamon, even nuts or coconut. I like experiments, you know. HeWho likes a handful of chocolate chips in his and you can always bake them as muffins, reduce baking time to 20 minutes. I always have baking supplies on hand, so a mix will work if you are not a big fan of baking from scratch. Even a plain yellow or white cake mix, oh, a chocolate for HeWho would be perfect. I think my mind might be racing again. I might just start laughing hysterically. While this may seem fun, I can assure you that HeWho looks terrified right now. That makes me feel powerful, you know, that I scare him!!
ReplyDeleteIs it wrong of me to appreciate the thought of HeWho being terrified?
DeleteI will consult this comment in the future, if I get the urge to bake something from scratch! Of course, I would have to buy sugar and flour, and not rely on my 10-year-old stash... I have a chocolate cake mix in the pantry, for future ripe bananas.
The bananas spotted with brown are the perfectly ripened ones and are perfect for eating being soft and sweet, easily digested, also great for mashing and feeding to babies. Sadly too many people now believe they are too old and going bad, preferring their bananas "crunchy". At least you are using those perfect bananas and not just throwing them out like some people I know.
ReplyDeleteSpotted bananas are not "perfect" for people who don't like soft bananas. Nor do we eat them crunchy. Like Goldilocks, we prefer our bananas "just right."
DeleteWith 16 of them, and us eating one each per day, they would have been liquified by the time we got around to eating all of them. The house would have been swarming with fruit flies!
There is a point where they are too soft and start going mushy, I wouldn't eat those either, usually when the brown "freckles" become blotches.
DeleteSometimes the bananas with brown spots are "slimy" when peeled. I don't like those. Hick has always preferred the slightly green version. I like to wait until they're yellow.
Delete10 year old flour?? ditch it.
ReplyDeleteI have not done carbon-dating to establish the exact age of the flour, but I know it has been many years since I used flour for anything. In fact, I have not even THOUGHT about flour. So I assume it remains sealed in a dark blue plastic canister, bothering no one, until I decide to toss it out.
DeleteSon guy on Shark Tank had a product to preserve bananas, I think he called it a banana hat or something. Basically a fancier cover than Kathy's foil suggestion. Apparently it does work based on something scientific...I think Mark Cuban invested.
ReplyDeleteWhy have I not heard of this??? It might save me from rushing out every 3 or 4 days, like a junkie with a habit, to buy fresh bananas.
DeleteYou can also plant that over-ripe banana in your garden for a slow release potassium. Tomato plants love this. Just kidding, I know you don't grow crops!
ReplyDeleteWe haven't grown crops since The Pony was a toddler. Borrowed my grandma's tiller, and planted a proper garden. The deer ate our corn and watermelons. Rabbits got a bunch of other stuff while our FIVE cats lay along the perimeter and watched. Tomato hornworms ruined our tomatoes. About all we got were some limp little carrots, and a couple of onions.
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