Banana Oatmeal Chip Cookies

My grandmother(s) both were great bakers one doing so than the other. They were both farmers wives but one of them also worked outside of the house as a school bus driver. My Grandma S. would only bake in great amounts during the holidays, a time when we all looked forward to sharing lots of great goodies and all always tasted great. My Grandma H. baked nearly all the time, it was nothing for her to bake a fresh batch of cookies 3 to 4 times a week. One type of cookies that I remember eating at her house were the banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. While this is not her recipe it is one that still brought back great memories.

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium) 1
/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1 large egg
 5 3/5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
 2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
 Cooking spray


Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add egg; beat well. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to banana mixture in bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until golden. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

recipe source: My Recipes