Banana Bars with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

Happy Mother's Day everyone! While in theory, it should be a day of rest for Moms, we know that is never the case. I made a dinner and some treats for Dude to take in to work, then made some treats for me to take in for my last day on light duty. We had a freeze on Saturday night and even though I covered my plants and took some into the garage, I'm waiting to see if they survive.

We are suppose to be leaving on our trip to Iceland soon, but that stupid volcano keeps erupting and shutting down the airport. I have been trying to reach the airline, but keep getting a busy signal. There is no information on our airport's website and the airline only has information about European flights. I have no luck if it ain't bad luck.

I had two bananas on the counter on the verge of demise, so while looking for a different recipe, I stumbled across this one. I like the community cookbooks as I have stated before, and I found one about 6 years ago called Hudson Memorial Cookbook from 1979. My great-grandmother was a resident there at the nursing home section at this time. I was even able to find one recipe from her-it really made my day. This isn't her recipe, but rather from Ann Rebholz. I only made one addition and that was walnuts as Dude loves nuts in his banana bread-and almost any other treats.

Banana Bars

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 cup mashed bananas

6 ounces chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream shortening, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and then blend in vanilla and bananas. Slowly add the flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spread batter into a 9x13 pan. Bake for 26 to 34 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar after bars have cooled if you wish.

The kitchen smelled so good when these were baking. I'll get the scoop after Dude gets off work.