Banana Bread Pudding

I made this Banana Bread Pudding today, and it was very yummy.  It is difficult to find recipes that my son will enjoy - he is extremely picky.  But, since he loves bread, bananas, and pudding, I had to try this.  He loved it, and ate two giant servings.  Here is the recipe:


Banana Bread Pudding ~Country Living

• 8 tablespoon(s) (1 stick) butter
• 4  bananas, sliced 1/3 inch thick
• 6 tablespoon(s) light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup(s) milk
• 1 cup(s) heavy cream
• 2  eggs
• 1  egg yolk
• 1/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon(s) granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
• 6 slice(s) firm white bread

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Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter (using 1 tablespoon) a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and one side of a 12-inch square of aluminum foil; set aside.
2. Cook bananas with 4 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook until sugar melts and coats bananas. Set aside.
3. Beat the milk, cream, eggs, yolk, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and remaining 4 tablespoons brown sugar together. Brush bread with the remaining butter, cut each slice in half, and layer in the pie dish. Tuck bananas between the slices. Pour in the milk mixture. Press to absorb the liquid. Cover with foil, bake for 30 minutes, remove foil, sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon granulated sugar, and bake uncovered until golden brown, about 25 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutmeg Cake

My Nutmeg Cake

While nutmeg adds a subtle note to many desserts, it claims center stage in this traditional spiced Armenian cake. We based this recipe on one in A World of Cake by Krystina Castella (Storey Publishing, 2010).
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for pan
3 cups flour, plus more for pan
4 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Heat oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 5" x 12" cake pan; set aside. In a food processor, combine flour, nutmeg, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until pea-size crumbs form. Add brown sugar, sour cream, milk, and eggs; process until smooth. Add walnuts; stir in with a rubber spatula. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 45–50 minutes. Transfer to a rack; let cool. To serve, unmold cake, top with a cake stencil, and dust top with confectioners' sugar. Remove stencil; cut into squares to serve.

SERVES 8–10


This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #134

I made this cake for Christmas Eve, as I like to incorporate Eastern European recipes during the holidays.  It was very good - everyone loved it.  However, I used a normal-sized cake pan, and am very glad I did.  I have to wonder if the 5 x 12 cake pan listed in the instructions is a typo.


Enjoy!

Banana Bread

Here is the banana bread I made tonight.  I try a new recipe almost every time I make banana bread.  This version reminds me of Debbie Field's recipe, which I also like.  It was very delicious - a keeper for sure.  I've never had cinnamon in banana bread - it added a little warmth.  The recipe is from the Joy of Baking website.  Click here for recipe.  Enjoy!

Chicken Chili

The photo is mine, but no, I didn't create this recipe, but I thought I'd share a good recipe every now and then.  Ya know, the ones I deem share-worthy!  :-)  This is from the Picky Palate website.  Click here to go to the link.  Enjoy!

Southwest Shredded Chicken 3 Bean Chili

4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 14 oz cans chicken broth

16 oz can black beans, drained

16 oz can red kidney beans, drained

16 oz can canelli beans, drained

15 oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

6 oz tomato paste

1 Tablespoon Tabasco hot sauce

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 heaping Tablespoons chili powder

1 heaping Tablespoon cumin

1 ¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and shredded chicken breast; cook for 1 minute then stir in chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, hot sauce, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes then reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.

Baked Shells with Pesto, Mozzarella, and Meat Sauce

I made this dish last week.  It is simple and easy to pull together on a school night.  Plus, it is yummers.  I used ground buffalo, instead of ground beef, and you couldn't tell.  If anything, I like the buffalo better.  Hope you enjoy this if you make it at home.

*From Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon(s) cooking oil
• 1   onion, chopped
• 1  pound(s) ground beef
• 2  cup(s) canned chopped tomatoes, drained (from one 28-ounce can)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 cup(s) store-bought or homemade pesto
• 3/4 pound(s) medium pasta shells
• 6  ounce(s) mozzarella, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan

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Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Oil a large baking dish (about 9 by 13 inches).
2. In a large stainless-steel frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until the meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.
3. Add the tomatoes and salt to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto.
4. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the shells until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain and toss with the sauce. Put half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish and top with half the mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining pasta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes.
5. Wine Recommendation: This robust dish with its meat and tomatoes calls for a gutsy red wine from Italy. A Chianti Classico Riserva's medium body, dried-cherry flavor, high acidity and moderate tannins will fill the bill perfectly.

Spiced Sweet-Potato Cake with Maple Brown Sugar Icing

This blog post should probably be titled, "Sift your powdered sugar like your momma taught you!"  For realz.  As you can tell...I did NOT.  I thought I could skip that step.  I mean, really...who sifts their sugar?  Apparently...everyone, lol.  OK, I will next time.  I hope you enjoy the recipe on this beautiful fall day.

 

*From November, 2000 Bon Appetit (but I made a couple adjustments)

 

Cake

• 4 8-ounce red-skinned sweet potatoes(yams)

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1/2 t cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon maple extract

Preparation

For cake:
Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray, then generously butter pan. Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes to equal 2 cups. Transfer to large bowl. Add sugar and oil to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Beat in vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to loosen cake. Turn out onto rack; cool completely.

For icing:
Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Stir brown sugar, whipping cream and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, occasionally stirring and swirling pan. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour brown sugar mixture over powdered sugar. Whisk icing until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Cool icing until lukewarm and icing falls in heavy ribbon from spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Spoon icing thickly over top of cake, allowing icing to drip down sides of cake. Let stand until icing is firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.)