Going BANANAS!!!!

Omgosh! The heat, the heat... is making me bananas! At least MY bananas are ripening so fast... well... that was before I found that handy little tip on Pinterest to separate them from the bunch to slow ripening...

Anyways, that's a whole 'nother story.

I hate to waste food. Yes, hate is a strong word, and I mean it here. I believe we should all use our resources wisely. But whey you have, literally, a bunch of bananas going soft fast, what's a person to do? Um... stop... think... FREEZE! No, I don't mean in position! I mean PUT THEM IN THE FREEZER!!!!

And since it's summertime, or anytime around here, it's the best way to have things pre-prepped for smoothies, cakes, muffins, breads, ice cream, etc.  Sometimes you may have to thaw them, but this way... they're a quickie thaw. Let's go!

First, you're going to have to shed the skin PEEL the bananas. Just peel off that skin (and throw it in your compost pile...), and put all the bananas into a nice big, flat-bottomed bowl. Trust me... It's the best way.  Now, take a POTATO MASHER, not a blender, a mixer, or a food processor, but an old-fashioned yes, mine's plastic POTATO MASHER. (If you don't have one... a fork will suffice, but it will take longer, and depending on the amount of bananas you have, make your arm more sore. Need a workout? Then by all means... USE A FORK!) And mash the bananas. See? I told you flat-bottomed would be best. We're not using the machines and stuff, because we still want them semi-chunky and not pulverized into it's liquid form which happens when we process it and process it and process it.

 Next, spoon the mashed bananas into an... ICE CUBE TRAY! (Don't have any? They're at your local Dollar-Type Store! and come in very handy for other things, too!)

Just so you know... in an average-size tray, 8 (eight) cubes equals one cup (8 cubes = 1c).

Cover the trays with plastic wrap, so the bottoms don't get all ooey-gooey, stack them up, and... FREEZE! (No... we're not done yet!)

When they're frozen, they should pretty much look like this, and be hard to the touch. They won't firm up as much as water (like you're used to) but will retain a slightly softer, spongier, feel.

 At this point, go ahead and pop them into your morning smoothie... no need to add ICE CUBES which add WATER to your drink and make it taste less than it should be. Simply put these in, blend it up (with whatever fruit and other things you're planning) and drink up!

But... if you're NOT going to use them right away... Run the UNDERSIDE of each tray under hot water (one tray at a time...), and twist them out into a bowl.

Label a bag for freezer use... (I generally put directions on the bags, to prevent my family from asking me questions, when I'm not there...)

And empty the bowl into the bag! Squeeze out the air, seal the bag, and slide back into your freezer for your convenience!

And that's a wrap unwrap, folks. Have a super happy SATURDAY!!!!