Pudding Cookies & Banana Bread

I found this Peanut Butter Pudding Cookie at Inside Brucrew Life - from Pinterest. It is a yummy recipe. I made them for our float trip last weekend. Plus when you go on a camping trip w/ cookies, they usually take a beating.

I now have cookie pieces which are perfect bite size & so many calories less than a full cookie. They are screaming for ice cream.

I love putting pudding in my cookies because they are just better. Plus my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe w/ pudding makes the perfect cookies to put in the freezer - I think this is because of the pudding.

Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 c. chocolate chips
• 1 c. reeses pieces
• 1 c. dried banana chips, broken (what? I used busted up pretzels)

Instructions

In a bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and honey and beat again. Slowly add the dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips, reeses, and banana chips by hand. (you can leave out the banana chips if you don't like those, or substitute pretzels or chips)

Drop by tablespoon onto a baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes. Cool on pan for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Store in a tightly covered container. Makes about 36 cookies.

Billie's Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

I have been making these cookies since my 4-H days. OMG - that was a long time ago... 

2 1/4c flour

1/2 t baking soda

1 c butter

3/4 c brown sugar

1/4c white sugar

1 small pkg instant pudding - can do any flavor

1 t vanilla

2 eggs

12 oz choc chips (I buy chocolate chips at Sam's club, so I use alot!)

Cream together butter & sugars. Add eggs, vanilla & pudding. Add in dry ingredients & taste batter. mmmm, good, taste it again! Add chocolate chips. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 min.

Banana Bread - Yep, have more bananas to use up. Gracie & Josey eat a 'nee nee' a day for the most part, but on those off days, we tend to have several in a row. I always grab the greenest bananas possible because I like them on the green side plus gives me a few extra days for the kids & Cooper to eat them. This recipe is from allrecipes.com.

I use a 4 loaf mini pan from Pampered Chef. I almost sold it in a garage sale, but so glad I kept it around!

Banana Banana Bread

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 mashed medium overripe bananas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. (My 9×5 pan is currently scratched out of commission and so I used two 8×5 pans which you can also do, but I prefer the one big 9×5 loaf.)
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten, do not over-mix. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.