Bananas Foster Banana Bread

If you've got some very ripe bananas - and I mean ripe, not just speckled - you need to try this decadent little number.  I had some very ripe bananas and I didn't want to do the same old banana bread I've been doing for years - I wanted something different.  I discovered this recipe on a food blog entitled Brown Eyed Baker and oh my goodness, it does not dissappoint.  If you love, love, love Bananas Foster, you need to try this recipe.

Bananas Foster Banana Bread
Yield: 1 loaf or 8" cake

For the Bread:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

For the Streusel Topping:

1½ cups chopped walnuts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter

For the Rum Glaze:

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter
2 tablespoons water
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup rum

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or an 8" springform pan.  Combine ingredients for streusel topping in a medium bowl and combine with fingers to create a crumbly topping with the butter evenly distributed. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl to combine. Set aside. On medium speed, beat the sugar and vegetable oil to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each until combined. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract; beat to combine. Alternatively add the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat just until the flour is incorporated and finish mixing with a spatula.  Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean, about 60 minutes.

To make the rum glaze, combine the butter, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Cool the cake on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, using a skewer poke holes all over the top of the loaf. Spoon about ¼ cup of the rum glaze all over the loaf. Let the cake sit for about 5 minutes and then spoon the remaining glaze over it, a little at a time, until it is all absorbed into the bread.

Printable Recipe

Kitchen Sink Cookies

My hubby doesn't ask me to make desserts for him very often.  Almost never if you want to know the truth; he just doesn't have a huge sweet tooth.  However, today, he asked me to make him some cookies; how could I possibly deny that?  I didn't really want to go to the store for ingredients so I rummaged through the pantry and decided to make these Kitchen Sink Cookies.  Loads of walnuts, chocolate chips, coconut and toffee chips all wrapped up in an oatmeal cookie.  Perfect with a glass of milk.

Kitchen Sink Cookies
Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies

1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all purpose
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup toffee chips

Preheat oven to 350.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutea. Add egg and beat until fully incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract and salt. With the mixer on it's lowest speed, slowly add the flour until almost incorporated.

Mix in oats, then with a rubber spatula fold in the walnuts, chocolate chips, coconut and toffee chips. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper (I used a small ice cream scoop that measures out 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of dough).

Bake one sheet at a time for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies still on the parchment paper to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Printable Recipe

Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles with Fresh Strawberry Syrup

Here's a lovely breakfast that you can serve for Mother's Day.  All you need is the waffle maker.  I love the cornmeal flavor in these waffles; it pairs beautifully with the ripe strawberries we have in season right now.

Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles with Fresh Strawberry Syrup
Serves 4

Waffles:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon oil
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Syrup:

1 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup fresh, sliced strawberries

Preheat waffle iron and brush with oil or spray with PAM.  In a bowl mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt; set aside.  Combine buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract; set aside.  With your mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Combine flour and buttermilk mixture until smooth; fold in egg whites.  Pour by the cupful onto a hot, greased waffle maker and cook according to manufacturers instructions.

For syrup, combine strawberries and maple syrup in a saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occassionally.  Serve with waffles.

Printable Recipe

Mixed Berry Jam and Almond Bars

A few days ago it terrible here in The Ham for weather.  Rain, tornados, and hail.  Thankfully, in my area, we only had one tornado warning the entire day.  But, we received loads of rain.   Not being able to go outside, what's a gal to do but make a treat.  I found these treats on a blog by a young lady who loves to bake that is called 17 and Baking.  They were the perfect thing to make on a rainy day and the hubby's office peeps reaped the benefits of all the rain.

Mixed Berry Jam and Almond Bars
Adapted from 17 and Baking
Makes a half sheet of bars

Bars:

1 cup (2 sticks or 224g) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups (380g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
4 eggs
3 cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup seedless mixed berry jam
Drizzle:

1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a half sheet (13″x18″ rimmed sheet) with butter or nonstick spray.

Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Add in vanilla and almond extract. Slowly add flour and salt, and mix until just incorporated.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Drop teaspoonfuls of jam evenly over the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown.

Allow to cool, then cut into squares. Whisk together the powdered sugar, cream, and almond extract, and drizzle over the bars.

Printable Recipe

Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad

I made this for dinner last night and it certainly did not disappoint.  I actually ended up having the leftovers for lunch today.  Chicken Milanese is basically breaded, sauteed chicken.  It is a super easy dinner to prepare and it looks beautiful topped with the lemony, peppery Arugula Salad.

Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and ground pepper, to taste 
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, for serving
6 ounces baby arugula
1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

Place chicken cutlets between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or bottom of a small heavy pan, pound until 1/2 inch thick. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, Coat chicken on both sides with flour (shaking off excess), then dip in eggs (allowing excess to drip off); dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to adhere.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side..

In a bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Add arugula and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and toss to combine. Top chicken with salad; serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Printable Recipe