I just got an invite (my first ever!) to a 'Sweet Treat Linky Party' by Lisa at Sweet As Sugar Cookies.  This is very cool for me.  I'm totally stoked, my first blogvite... how cool.  Check out Lisa's stuff, there is a lot there.  And... Thanks for the invite Lisa.

Also, I had a fab time last night with my BFF KT and Kid #1 (KT was gracious enough to include Kid #1 in our girlie movie night just this once but I gotta tell 'ya, it just wasn't the same for me.  I cannot compartmentalize parent/BFF very well and let's face I'm not chumming with my 10 yr old just yet - Thanks a million though KT, you're a doll.).  KT and her dude had this mondo tub of Kraft peanut butter  and I just kinda tripped out over it.  I don't buy kraft any more and when I taste it now it's just like candy.      Awesome.  KT ended up melting the peanut butter together with some corn syrup and then pouring in some crispy cereal.  Peanut butter treats, red wine (not for kid #1 though), Sushi and Salt... great movie night.  Great weekend!

On to the cookies.  These were going to be Chocolate cookies with white chocolate chunks.  Sounds good doesn't it?  Yeah... then I found these....


Gross.  Please take note of mold in various places.  Gross.
These were definitely in need of some immediate attention.

The thought of Banana Bread or Muffins just wasn't making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  So, I found this recipe in Martha's Cookie Book (Yeah, I guess we're on a first name basis by now) and got a little excited at the thought of trying something new.  I like the thrill of the unknown.
So, I cut out the molding, gross parts of the bananas and mashed up the rest.


I didn't have quite enough dark chocolate so I substituted with a little bit of milk chocolate.  Not that anyone in my house will care.  These cookies are cakey and nicely sweet.  It's like a banana bread cookie... that's what I'm going to call them now.


Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies  (Banana Bread Cookies)
adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies
makes about 3 doz.

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (could half and half with whole wheat)
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp.
1/2 sugar
1/2 brown sugar (I only had dark but light is fine too)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mashed banana (I used about 2/3 cup)
1 cup old fashioned oats, whizzed to a crumb
8 oz dark chocolate cut into chunks
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  Mix and set aside.
In another bowl combine the butter and both sugars.  Whisk or beat until light and fluffy.  Add in the egg and the vanilla and continue to whisk until well mixed.  Add in the banana and mix.
Add the flour to the banana mixture and stir until combined.
Add in the oatmeal that's been whizzed and stir until combined.
Add in the chocolate and the nuts and stir just until mixed.
Refridgerate for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Prepare a cookie sheet with a liner or parchment.
Drop the dough in tablespoons onto the cookie sheet.  Leave a little space for them to expand.
Bake for about 12 minutes.
Cool just a little on the cookie sheet and then remove to a cooling rack.