Caribbean Brownies

Think of these when you have a couple of bananas that are over-ripe and you want chocolate, not banana bread. This recipe makes a dense, moist, rich brownie. Make 24 hours in advance so flavors can mellow, if possible. (That's if you can keep them from disappearing.) Many of us don't have macadamia nuts on hand so walnuts would work as well. If you don't normally frost your brownies leave out the chips and bake as usual. Adding the nuts to the batter is good, also, but put the batter in a bowl and fold nuts in. If you try adding them to the bater in the processor,the nuts will be ground too fine and disappear.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 9-12

Ingredients

• 5  ounces  unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 3  eggs
• 3⁄4 sugar
• 1⁄2 cup Splenda sugar substitute
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  bananas
• 1⁄3 cup  natural peanut butter (all peanuts, no additives)
• 1  cup  mini chocolate chip
• 1⁄2 cup  coarsely chopped  macadamia nuts

Directions

1. Place baking rack in upper 1/3 of oven.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Grease 8X8 or 9X9 baking pan.
4. Sprinkle nuts to cover bottom of pan.
5. Sprinkle mini-chips to cover nuts.
6. Melt chocolate and butter together (Melt in microwave 2 minutes on 70% power) Set aside chocolate to cool.
7. Set aside flour in measuring cup.
8. Place remaining ingredients in food processor and blend 2 minutes on high.
9. When chocolate mixture is cool add to food processor and blend until smooth.
10. Add flour as processor runs on low.
11. (Be quick and blend only until flour is in incorporated and no white streaks are visible.) Do not overbeat.
12. Pour mixture into pan.
13. Smooth batter to level and eliminate air pockets.
14. Bake 20-30 minutes.
15. Brownies are done if the top bounces back when touched with a finger.
16. Let stand 5 minutes.
17. Turn out onto cooling rack.
18. (The top becomes the bottom so the chips make a frosting.) Cut into squares with a sharp knife.