Banana Chocolate Coffee Cake

This is the best banana bread/cake/anything ever!

This is the cake you want to make to sway a jury or win friends and favor.

The Best Ever.

It's heavy on the cake, light on the banana.

Perfect.

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Banana Chocolate Coffee Cake

Cake: 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate)

1 large or 2 small ripe bananas (1/2 cup banana puree)

3 large eggs

(I used 2 med tan, 1 med cream, 1 small blue- *hugs* to the chickens!)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup veg. oil

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

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Glaze: 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 Tbs butter

1/4 cup cream

1 Tbs light corn syrup

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Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10 inch bundt-style pan.

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Place chocolate chips in a med bowl and melt them in the microwave. Set aside. In another bowl, mash bananas and set aside.

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Place eggs in a large bowl and beat them on high until they are light and foamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the mixture is thick - about 5 mins on high speed.

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Gradually add the veg. oil to the egg mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat for another minute. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla.

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Fold in the dry ingredients. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the batter into the melted chocolate and gently mix until the chocolate and batter are well blended. Fold in mashed bananas.

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Pour half white batter into the prepared pan. Pour chocolate batter over this, top with remaining white batter. Swirl 2 batters together.

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Bake for 60 -70 mins. Until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool for at least 15 mins before removing from the pan. Glaze when completely cool.

Making glaze: Mix all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Melt. Stir together until the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool to slightly warm. Pour over cake.

White batters and chocolate batter.


Swirling batters together.

Baked and turned out on a pan to cool.

Partially sliced - to allow the chocolate glaze to run down inside and coat each slice.

Glazed.

Look at that!

Mmmm chocolate.

Best ever.... I'm just saying....why aren't you cooking this yet?

Mmmmm, I think I'll have another slice.......

Easiest Cauliflower and Cheese

This is the yummiest way to eat cheesy cauliflower.

It's quick and reheats amazingly.

Easiest Cauliflower and Cheese

2 cups chopped cauliflower

2/4 cups water

2 eggs

1 to 2 cups shredded cheese

2 Tbs milk

Boil/steam cauliflower covered in the 2/4 cups water until tender.

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In a small bowl whisk the 2 eggs.

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When the cauliflower is tender, reserve 1/4 cup water from the pan and then drain the cauliflower. Return the cauliflower to the pan.

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Add the milk to the whisked eggs and then add the 1/4 cup water.

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Stir to combine and then add to the cooked cauliflower.

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Stir to combine and add 1 cup cheese. Too soupy? Add a little more cheese. Too dry? Add a little milk

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Return to the stove and cook for 1-2 mins. Stirring continuously.

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Eat!

You may want to add a little salt and pepper.

Mmmm, very yummy.

Mexican Brownies

Fail, fail, fail! I do not like these brownies!

They are too soft and fudgey. They have a crisp crust.

Yuck! I like cakey brownies.

Mexican Brownies

6 oz chocolate (squares or chips)

12 Tbs butter (1 1/2 sticks)

5 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp chile powder

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

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Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.

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Beat the eggs, vanilla, salt, sugar, spices and corn syrup together until light and fluffy.

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Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan.

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Stir flour into the chocolate and butter mixture. Fold in the chocolate batter into the egg mixture, stir to combine.

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Spread the batter in the pan. Bake brownies for 35 mins. The top with be crisp, but a toothpick inserted in the center will come out coated with chocolate. Remove from oven and let cool for several hours before cutting into squares.

Top with whipped cream.


Hold onto your pancreas - 'cause these are sweet!

Robin Hood

I love, love, love Robin Hood!

If you don't know, it's a television show on BBC.

It's in its 3rd season. I haven't seen the 3rd season yet! I'm waiting for it to come out on DVD.

I love this show so much, that last year I took beginning archery lessons with a class of 8 and 9 year olds.

Then I discovered that I love, love, love archery!

It's a great sport.

Although, it can be frustratingly difficult.

League archery started tonight.

I practiced this morning and shot about 30 arrows.

Then tonight I did 60.

My arms and back really hurt....

I did get 321 points (out of a possible 600).

Hmmm, I need more practice.

Funny - it's very addictive.

I can't wait to shoot again, even though I'm in pain!

Sweet Mini Cake

I just had to share this cute little mini cake that my Mom baked for me!

Isn't it sweet?!?

It was so delicious!

It's a great way to start 2010

A cute little cake baked with love by my momma

Yum!

Mushroom Stroganoff

This is a nice quick winter dinner.

It's warm, creamy and mushroom meaty.

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3 Tbs butter

1 med onion - chopped

3 cup sliced mushrooms (I used a mix of fresh and canned)

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups sour cream (you can use less if you want to)

3 Tbs. flour

cooked egg noodles

salt/pepper

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Saute onion in butter until onion is transparent. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt. Cook mushrooms until all liquid is reduced. Mix in flour. Add vegetable broth and sour cream. Mix in cooked egg noodles. Flavor with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Baked Potato Soup

Before this I'd never tried baked potato soup, because it was always made with bacon and chicken broth.

When the cafeteria serves this soup at work everyone talks about it all day long!

Finally I got to try it!

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Baked Potato Soup

4 med baked potatoes

1 med onion - chopped

2 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs flour

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

salt/pepper

Saute onions in olive oil until transparent. Add flour and stir until oil is absorbed. Add vegetable broth and milk. Stir to combine with flour. Continue stirring over med heat until mixture thickens slightly (about 3 mins.). Add cheese, potatoes and sour cream. Stir to combine and add salt and pepper to taste. If soup is to thick add a little more milk.

Serve!

Garnish with chopped chives, baco bits or salsa.

Pulla - Finnish Cardamom Bread

I have been spelling cardamom wrong for the past month!

Since I love it so much, I should probably spell it correctly.

Cardamom is a rich and decadent spice.

It adds flavor depth.

mmmmmmm

Ok Recipe.

This recipe is from The Winter Vegetarian by Darra Goldstein.

It's a great book.

But I think there is something wrong with this recipe.

She says to add between 7 to 8 cups of flour and knead the dough.

I added 8 cups of flour and had batter.

There was no possible way to knead it - I tried.

I added some more flour, but it was still to soft to knead.

Which is fine!

Egg/milk bread shouldn't be kneaded.

But then how much flour is necessary?

Who knows!

Someday I want to work this recipe out, but for now here is the recipe from The Winter Vegetarian

Finnish Cardamom Bread - Pulla

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2 1/2 tsp. yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1 teaspoon plus 3/4 cup sugar

2 cups lukewarm milk

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cardamom

12 Tbs. butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted

4 eggs

7 to 8 cups flour

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1 egg white, lightly beaten

3 Tbs. pearl or colored sugar

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Dissolve the yeast in the water with 1 tsp. of sugar until bubbly. Stir in the milk, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, salt,cardamom, melted butter, eggs and 4 cups of the flour. Beat well. Gradually add just enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 mins. (Good luck with that!)

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Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and leave to rise until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough and let rise again until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.

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Divide dough into 3 pieces. Divided each piece into 3 balls of equal size. Roll each ball out between your hands into a rope about 12 in. long. Braid 3 ropes together, turning the ends under. Place the loaf on a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the loaves and leave them to rise until slightly puffy, 20 to 30 mins.

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Preheat the oven to 375 F. Brush the loaves with the beaten egg and sprinkle them with the sugar.

Bake for 25 to 30 mins.

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I obviously didn't braid them.

I made 4 round loaves instead.

Chocolate Snowflakes or Russian Lace

This is a very old recipe.

As old as chocolate and snow.

There are 2 ingredients: fresh snow and chocolate.

It's perfect for snowy days when everyone is bored, because it's edible art.

Everyone likes to eat art!

I live in Minnesota where winter is at least 9 months long.

Winter always includes tons of snow.

However, we don't always get beautiful fluffy snow. You want dry, fluffy snow for this recipe.

Be a snow connoisseur! Hold out for the good stuff.

Anyway.

Melt some chocolate in the microwave (or over a candle/woodstove/something hot).

Put the chocolate into a plastic ziploc bag.

Snip one corner - to make a mini pastry bag.

Doodle in the snow. Make a snowflake shape or a word or a heart.

I did one layer of milk chocolate (chips) and one layer of white chocolate.

I liked the mini ones the best.




The chocolate will freeze very quickly.

I found this recipe when I was snowed in for a week.

We had a drift over the front of our house that covered the entire first story.

The power went on and off, but we had a woodstove and candles to keep us warm.

It was a lot of fun!

We built a doll house and ate Russian Lace.

Once the chocolate is firm (a couple minutes) pick up the snowflakes and take them inside.

Eat them right away or freeze them.

They really dress up a cup of cocoa.

They would also look nice on a cake.

They prevent cabin fever!

Every snowflake falling outside is unique and every chocolate snowflake is unique too.