In my preschool world the children often measure time by how many sleeps it is until an event. What an easy way to file it in their little minds, come to think of it-works well in my little mind as well!
So I had these bananas, that turned brown the minute I took them out of the bag from the store. Or so it would seem. I just threw 4 bananas away last week, and I was NOT going to let it happen to me again. I sampled a banana cake at work a couple of weeks ago, and I thought the flavor was excellente'. When I first looked at it, I'll admit I thought it was a spice cake and thought to myself, "yuk". Not my first love in cakes - obviously that would be something chocolate. After I passed by the cake for about the 10th time I sliced off the tiniest of slivers, to feed my curiosity as well as my grumbly tum. I was pleasantly surprised to taste 'nana. I love banana bread, banana muffins, so why not banana cake?!? I asked for the recipe and was again pleasantly surprised that it was only 4 ingredients and none of them were butter or oil. Hey, this might almost be healthy...except for the slab of cream cheese frosting on top. To help with that dilemma I dug bag to my carrot cake post on March 18th and found a frosting that I gave 4*'s.
I'm baking this cake even as we speak, I'm anxious for Mike to try it and give me his professional appraisal. He's getting pretty good at being a food critique! :-)
BANANA CAKE
1 yellow cake mix
1 cup mashed bananas
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
(I snuck in 1 tsp. vanilla extract)
Beat for 2 minutes with a hand mixer. Pour into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake @ 350* for 30 minutes (do the toothpick test) Cool and frost.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/4 cup butter
4 oz light cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup coconut
Cream together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in pecans and coconut, frost cooled cake.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Chewy, chewy, chewy, chewy, chewy, chewy, chewy baby!
Ohio Express, that's the name of the group that sang the song Chewy. I googled the lyrics and I could sing the whole thing! I thought maybe it was an Archie song or the Partridge Family ;-), but now I have the facts. Don't know how long ago that was, I was in grade school I think.
Speaking of chewy, I made some CHEWY granola bars that are fudgie tasting, and ohhh so good. I was telling Heather about them, and she requested I post it ASAP....so here goes.
CHEWY GRANOLA BARS
1 -10 1/2 oz bag mini marshmallows
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup butter - cubed
1/4 cup white corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
Microwave these 5 ingredients in microwave until blended.
Stir in remaining ingredients:
4 cups quick oats (I found whole grain quick oats)
1 cup Rice Krispies
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut (Heather will leave this out!)
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
2 Tbsp wheat germ-toasted
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Spread into a 9x13 pan that has been greased. Press down and bake @ 350* 15 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.
I lined my pan with parchment paper so I could lift it out to cut the bars. Also, I didn't have peanuts or wheat germ, still really good without it. I almost substituted another type of nut, but there seemed to be a lot in the recipe already. I would suggest having the last group of ingredients measured out, ready to go because it starts to set up and gets tough to stir. I cut my bars and put them in airtight containers to keep them fresh.
There's so gall-dern much humidity right now ya know..... (she said with her best Fargo, ND accent)
Speaking of chewy, I made some CHEWY granola bars that are fudgie tasting, and ohhh so good. I was telling Heather about them, and she requested I post it ASAP....so here goes.
CHEWY GRANOLA BARS
1 -10 1/2 oz bag mini marshmallows
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup butter - cubed
1/4 cup white corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
Microwave these 5 ingredients in microwave until blended.
Stir in remaining ingredients:
4 cups quick oats (I found whole grain quick oats)
1 cup Rice Krispies
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut (Heather will leave this out!)
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
2 Tbsp wheat germ-toasted
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Spread into a 9x13 pan that has been greased. Press down and bake @ 350* 15 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.
I lined my pan with parchment paper so I could lift it out to cut the bars. Also, I didn't have peanuts or wheat germ, still really good without it. I almost substituted another type of nut, but there seemed to be a lot in the recipe already. I would suggest having the last group of ingredients measured out, ready to go because it starts to set up and gets tough to stir. I cut my bars and put them in airtight containers to keep them fresh.
There's so gall-dern much humidity right now ya know..... (she said with her best Fargo, ND accent)
Friday, July 9, 2010
One more thing....
OK, so the original dip I wanted to make last weekend was totally forgotten. I made it today and I'll tell you it's to bad I missed it. VERY good for a fun little easy cheesy something to go with crackers and a cold glass of ______. If you try this one out give me some comments and tell me what you think.
BEER CHEESE DIP
2 8oz cream cheese - soften
1 package ranch dip powder
2 cups sharp grated cheddar cheese
2 green onions chopped, include some of the green top
1/2 cup beer
With a mixer combine cream cheese, ranch powder, cheddar cheese & onion. Slowly add the beer, scrape sides of bowl down with a spatula to thoroughly blend. Get those crackers ready to DIP! Store in the frig in a covered container.
BEER CHEESE DIP
2 8oz cream cheese - soften
1 package ranch dip powder
2 cups sharp grated cheddar cheese
2 green onions chopped, include some of the green top
1/2 cup beer
With a mixer combine cream cheese, ranch powder, cheddar cheese & onion. Slowly add the beer, scrape sides of bowl down with a spatula to thoroughly blend. Get those crackers ready to DIP! Store in the frig in a covered container.
BOOM!
The Independence Day celebration weekend was very very good. I think about how wonderful it is when you can have your children, and your parents all together at the same time. Doesn't happen often enough, that's for sure.
As I said earlier I spent some time paging through books looking for a few new offerings for the party. I had many on my list, and will only share with you those recipes I feel worth repeating. As usual I had my superb staff on hand to help me cook (thanks Nate, Heather & James) so it ended up going rather smoothly.
MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE
1 yellow cake mix
1 can mandarin oranges with juice
1/2 cup veg. oil
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients together approximately 2 minutes. Spray a 9x13 pan, then pour in cake batter. Bake 30-40 min. @ 350*. Cool completely and frost.
TOPPING
1 8oz cool whip-thawed
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
1 15oz crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup flaked coconut
Stir together with spatula and spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate.
next..............
3 CHEESE NACHO DIP
1 8oz sour cream
3 oz cream cheese, soften
1 can refried beans (I like the HyVee spicy brand)
1/2 cup picante
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
4 oz cheddar cheese grated
4 oz monterey jack cheese grated
Combine all ingredients and put in an oven safe dish to bake. I actually did mine in the microwave because I didn't want to heat up the kitchen - but I think it would be much prettier baked in the oven until heated through. 350* 1/2 hr maybe??? Serve with tortilla chips and big cold glass of _________.
next...........
UNION SQUARE BAR NUTS
18 oz unsalted mixed nuts
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp sea salt or Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. butter melted
Preheat oven to 350*. Spread the nuts onto a baking sheet and toast them in the preheated oven about 10 minutes until golden brown. Combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, salt and melted butter. When the nuts are finished roasting immediately toss them with the spiced butter and serve.
I actually liked them better a couple of days later, at room temp. This recipe is from a famous bar in New York City.
next.............
CRESCENT ROLLUPS
2 tubes crescent rolls
1 8 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese - shredded
1 green pepper, chopped fine
1 can mushrooms drain and chop
1 small can of chopped black olives
1 package sliced ham chopped
Mix all ingredients together except crescents. Roll out dough putting 2 triangles together to make rectangles. Pinch seams together before you spread cream cheese mixture on. Roll up starting with a short end, slice each roll into 6-8 pieces, depends on how big you want them. Lay each on parchment and bake @ 425* until golden, about 8 minutes. Serve warm.
As I said earlier I spent some time paging through books looking for a few new offerings for the party. I had many on my list, and will only share with you those recipes I feel worth repeating. As usual I had my superb staff on hand to help me cook (thanks Nate, Heather & James) so it ended up going rather smoothly.
MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE
1 yellow cake mix
1 can mandarin oranges with juice
1/2 cup veg. oil
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients together approximately 2 minutes. Spray a 9x13 pan, then pour in cake batter. Bake 30-40 min. @ 350*. Cool completely and frost.
TOPPING
1 8oz cool whip-thawed
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
1 15oz crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup flaked coconut
Stir together with spatula and spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate.
next..............
3 CHEESE NACHO DIP
1 8oz sour cream
3 oz cream cheese, soften
1 can refried beans (I like the HyVee spicy brand)
1/2 cup picante
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
4 oz cheddar cheese grated
4 oz monterey jack cheese grated
Combine all ingredients and put in an oven safe dish to bake. I actually did mine in the microwave because I didn't want to heat up the kitchen - but I think it would be much prettier baked in the oven until heated through. 350* 1/2 hr maybe??? Serve with tortilla chips and big cold glass of _________.
next...........
UNION SQUARE BAR NUTS
18 oz unsalted mixed nuts
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp sea salt or Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. butter melted
Preheat oven to 350*. Spread the nuts onto a baking sheet and toast them in the preheated oven about 10 minutes until golden brown. Combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, salt and melted butter. When the nuts are finished roasting immediately toss them with the spiced butter and serve.
I actually liked them better a couple of days later, at room temp. This recipe is from a famous bar in New York City.
next.............
CRESCENT ROLLUPS
2 tubes crescent rolls
1 8 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese - shredded
1 green pepper, chopped fine
1 can mushrooms drain and chop
1 small can of chopped black olives
1 package sliced ham chopped
Mix all ingredients together except crescents. Roll out dough putting 2 triangles together to make rectangles. Pinch seams together before you spread cream cheese mixture on. Roll up starting with a short end, slice each roll into 6-8 pieces, depends on how big you want them. Lay each on parchment and bake @ 425* until golden, about 8 minutes. Serve warm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)