peanut butter banana blondies

this is my variation of a recipe from the fat witch brownies cookbook. if you love to bake brownies, this cookbook is a must have, it is so wonderful. it's also a great gift, all the brownies cook in a 9X9 inch square pan and the book is sized so that it fits perfectly in the pan. for this recipe be sure to use very ripe bananas, you can always stash the bananas in the freezer once they get ripe and save them for whenever you want to make this recipe. also, I find that these are great for breakfast. makes 12 to 16 brownies.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3-4 bananas)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or banana chips (optional)

1. grease a 9X9 inch baking pan with butter. dust with flour and tap out the excess. preheat the oven to 350.
2. in a bowl, mix the butter, vanilla, and sugar into the mashed banana with a fork. add the beaten eggs and continue mixing until everything is well combined.
3. measure the flour and salt and sift together directly into the banana batter and mix until will combined. stir in the peanut butter chips and the walnuts or banana chips, if desired.
4. pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 1 hour. cut just before serving.