Banana-Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Makes 3 dozen.

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large ripe bananas, pureed or mashed (1 cup)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup peanut butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat together butter, shortening, 1 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in bananas, eggs and vanilla extract.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt until blended. Stir mixture into banana mixture until well blended.

Drop mixture by heaping rounded teaspoonsful onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Stir together remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle mixture over cookies. Flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass. Bake 9 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are set and light brown around the edges (cookie tops will not brown). Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

Spread bottoms of half the cookies with peanut butter; top with a second cookie (bottoms together). Store cookies in a tightly covered container.

Per Serving: 174 calories, 10g fat (4g sat. 4g mono.), 21mg cholesterol, 117mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 3g protein