Chocolate & Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Makes a 9x5 Loaf

Filling
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter


For the filling, mix sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan.  Gradually stir in milk.  Cook until boiling.
Remove from heat.  Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.  Set aside.


Streusel
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c flour
1/4 c butter
1/4 c peanut butter


Mix sugar and flour.  Cut in butter and peanut butter.  Set aside.


Banana Batter
1 c sugar
1/4 c butter
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 medium bananas

2 c flour

Cream sugar with butter, soda, and salt, using a mixer.  Beat in eggs and vanilla, adding one at a time.  Mix in bananas.  Stir in flour.

2 or 3 bananas sliced thinly lengthwise

In a buttered 9"x5" pan, pour half of banana batter.  Pour over half of chocolate filling.  Top with other half of batter.  Then top with remaining chocolate filling.  Draw a knife through to swirl.  Cover top with sliced bananas.  Top with streusel.  Bake at 350F for 75 minutes.

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Makes 2 Dozen


Make Smitten Kitchen Bagel Dough


Before shaping, mix 1 T cinnamon
with 1 c sugar.  Cover 1 c raisins with water and microwave until boiling.  Drain raisins.  Add both of these things to dough and proceed with Smitten Kitchen recipe.


Before baking, add struessel topping:


Streusel Topping:
2 T butter
6 T sugar
4 T brown sugar
6 T flour
4 T rolled oats
2 tsp cinnamon


Bake as directed.

Witch Fingers

A Halloween necessity at our house.

Makes 3 to 4 Dozen

pretzel dough
green and yellow food coloring
large pot of boiling water
1/4 c honey
1 egg beaten with 1 T water
roasted pumpkin seeds
rosemary
salt

Add food coloring to pretzel recipe.  Let dough rise as directed.  Roll pretzel dough into long ropes.  Cut slightly longer than size of finger.  Squish dough in the spots for knuckles, twice in the middle and again at one end.  Add honey to boiling water.  Drop fingers in boiling water.  After fingers rise to the surface place on parchment lined cookie sheets.  Cut slits in knuckles.  Brush with egg wash.  Add seeds for finger nailes and rosemary for hair.  Sprinkle with salt.  Bake at 450F for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on finger size.

Pastry Pocket Dough

The filling should be cooked ahead of time so that it isn't too runny.
For these, I mixed apple slices with lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon and let sit close to an hour.
I drained and reserved the juice.  Sauteed the apples on the stove top.
Added the juice, mixed with corn starch.  Cooked until thick.
Then, I stirred in a little apple sauce and vanilla.
You could also make cherry pie filling or any other fruit filling.

Makes 12

8 oz cream cheese
16 oz unsalted butter
1 tsp kosher salt
3 c flour
1 egg white
1 T water

Cream cheese and butter with salt in mixer using paddle attachment.  Add flour and mix on low, just until combinded.  Chill in fridge for 4 or more hours.  Roll into a 8"x15" rectangle.  Fold top and bottom of rectangle over, like a letter.  Turn a quarter turn.  Roll again to 8"x15", fold, and rotate.  Do this 4 times, total.  Chill again for at least an hour.  Divide dough in half.  Roll out and cut 6 6" circles from each half.  Chill again for at least 30 minutes.  Fill with prepared pie filling.  Gather ends and tie with string.  Freeze for at least 30 minutes.  Mix egg white with water in a small bowl.  Dip tops and bottoms of pastries in wash or brush on.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 40 minutes on parchment lined cookie sheets for 40 minutes.  Tent tops with foil if browning too quickly.

Summer Vege Sandwich (Tian)

This is my favorite way to use garden zucchini and tomatoes.

These are as good cold on the second day
as they are straight out of the oven.

Ingredients
1 crusty loaf of bread
olive oil
caramelized onions
roasted red peppers
1 to 2 zucchini, sliced thin
3 to 4 tomatoes, sliced thin
sea salt
cracked pepper
thyme

Slice bread open.  Drizzle oil in a 9x13 pan or other of desired shape and size.
Pack bread slices, cut side up, very close together so they are touching but not on top of each other. Drizzle bread tops with more oil.  Top with caramelized onions.  Lay roasted peppers on top of onions.  (Or mix onions and peppers, if sliced, together and then top bread.)  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Layer zucchini and tomatoes on top, alternating, and being sure to keep a little of the outside of the bread slices showing. Drizzle with a little more olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt, cracked pepper, and thyme.  Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 1.5 hours.  Uncover and bake another 10 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 2 9x13 pans

Dough
4 1/1 tsp yeast
2 1/4 c milk, warmed
1 c 2 T sugar
2 c mashed potatoes
1/2 c butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
8 c a.p. flour

Filling
1/2 c butter, melted
2 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
3 T cinnamon

Icing
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter
1 tsp almond extact
1 tsp vanilla
4 c powdered sugar

Warm milk to 110F.  In a mixing bowl, whisk milk with yeast and 2 T sugar.  Let sit until foamy.  In a medium saucepan, warm 1 c sugar, potatoes, stick of butter, and salt just until butter melts.  Making sure the potato mixture is under 125F, add to yeast mix.  Add eggs and half of flour.  Using a dough hook, mix until smooth.  Add remaining flour and mix until a somewhat smooth dough is formed.  Grease a large bowl, empty dough into bowl, turn to cover all sides with oil, cover with plastic wrap or towel and let rise 1 to 2 hours.
Divide dough in half.  On a floured surface shape dough into two large rectanges.  Mix filling ingredients and spread evenly on top.  Roll and cut, placing rolls in two buttered 9x13 glass pans.
Let rise 45 minutes to an hour.  Bake at 350F for 29 minutes.  I like to check the center with a thermometer.  The dough should be 190F when it is done.  Immediately flip rolls onto a cookie sheet or serving dish.  While rolls are baking mix the icing ingredients until smooth.  Spread on rolls while they are still warm.

Nutella Cookies

Taken from sammyw.wordpress.com

Makes 2 dozen

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 t baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, salt, soda, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Stir in flour until dough is crumbly. Drizzle Nutella on top of the dough then swirl it through the dough with a butter knife. Chill dough 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll into balls by hand. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Using a fork, press down the balls to flatten slightly. Bake until edges are very lightly browned (about 7 to 10 minutes). Allow to rest 2 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.

Snickerdoodle Bars

These are really, really good.
Much easier than rolling and baking the cookies too.

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Makes a 9x13 pan

Dough
1 c unsalted butter
1 3/4 c sugar
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour

Filling
1 1/2 T cinnamon
2 T sugar

Glaze
1 1/4 c powdered sugar
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter with sugar and other ingredients through salt.  Beat in eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Stir in flour.  Spread half of dough in a greased 9x13 pan.  Mix sugar and cinnamon for filling and spread on top.  Drop remaining dough by spoonfuls on top.  Bake 30-35 minutes at 350F.  Bang pan when you take out to get rid of air.  Mix glaze ingredients and drizzle on top.

Bagel Dogs

Makes 10

Dough
1 1/2 c warm water
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 T honey
1 lg egg white
3 T oil
1 tsp malt powder (or brown sugar)
3 c white whole wheat flour
3 c a.p. flour

Water Bath
1/4 c honey

Additional
10 hot dogs
5 slices American cheese, halved
10 slices bacon
Salt, seeds, onion flakes

Mix dough ingredients with a dough hook until a smooth dough forms.  Let rise two+ hours.
Microwave bacon 2 minutes on high.
Using a paper towel, dry hot dog juice off hot dogs and cut deep slits down hot dogs. Fold cheese to fit into slits and stuff.
Preheat oven to 450F.
Fill a large pot 3/4 full of water.  Bring to a boil and add the 1/4 cup honey.
While you wait for the pot to boil, divide dough into 10 pieces.  Roll pieces into large enough rectangles to fit dogs in.  Wrap each dog in a piece of bacon and then roll dough around bacon dog to cover.  Pinch seams to hold.  Once all the dogs are wrapped and sealed.  Boil dogs for 1 1/2 minutes.  The water should be more of a simmer than full boil.  The dogs will pop up to the surface when they are ready to come out.
Place dogs on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and toppings.
Place dogs in oven.  Reduce heat to 425F and bake 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Pie Bars

This cuts up nicer and is a bit more portable than the normal pie.

Makes a 10"x15" Pan

Crust
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1/4 c milk

Filling
8 c fruit
sugar
flour/corn starch
lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract
butter

Glaze
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
milk
vanilla, almond extract

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.  Cut in butter to pea size.  Mix egg yolk with 1/4 c milk.  Blend in flour mix.  If dough isn't starting to come together, add more milk.  Wrap in two disks and chill 3+ hours.  Meanwhile combine fruit, sugar, flour or cornstarch in pan.  (Here, I used a combo of sour and sweet cherries, sugar, corn starch, and Amaretto.) Cook until thick and bubbly.  It should be thick like a pie filling if not add more thickening or liquid to get it right.  Add butter and flavorings as desired.  Let cool.  Roll one disk in a rectangle large enough to place in a jelly roll pan.  Put crust in pan.  Sprinkle with flour and sugar.  Top with filling.  Roll out second crust and place on top.  Bake 1 hour at 375F.
While still hot, mix powdered sugar with enough milk and flavorings to make a glaze.  Drizzle on top.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Jack ate these faster than noodles.

Makes 32 Cookies

1 c raisins
boiling water
2/3 c unsalted butter
1 1/3 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c molasses
1/2 c oil
1 c pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
4 c flour

Pour boiling water over raisins.  Let sit for a few minutes, then drain and cool.
Cream butter with sugar, soda, and spices through salt until fluffy.  Beat in molasses and oil.  Then beat in pumpkin and vanilla.  Stir in flour and raisins.  Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop balls on baking sheets.  Bake at 350F for 11 to 12 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely on cooling racks.

2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 T butter
1 T milk

Beat together, using more milk or sugar to make a spreadable frosting.  Frost.

Oatmeal Sandwiches

Modified from Martha Stewart Oatmeal Cream Pies

Makes 18 Sandwiches

• Cookie Ingredients
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup dark-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 T molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raisins

Cream salt, powder, soda, cinnamon, butter, and sugars until fluffy.  Beat in molasses, eggs one at a time, and vanilla.  Stir in flour, oats, and raisins.  Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough on prepared sheets.  Bake 11 minutes at 350F.  These will spread a lot.  Cool on racks.

Filling

3 T gelatin

1 1/2 c cool water, divided

3 c sugar

1/4 c corn syrup

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

In a mixing bowl, combine 3/4 c water with gelatin.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile combine remaining water, sugar, syrup, and salt in a medium sized saucepan.  Heat until soft ball stage.  Using a mixer whisk attachment, beating on low speed, pour hot syrup mixture in a steady stream.  Raise speed to high and beat until fluffy and cool.  Beat in vanilla and almond extract.  Using a greased spoon, scoop two tablespoons onto cookies and sandwich together.

Wrap individually and freeze if you don't eat them all right away.  They're good frozen too.

You will have lots leftover.  I poured the extra in a greased 9" square pan.  Will use for marshmallows, later.

Banana Bread

Rob has tried to eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Makes a 9"x5" Loaf

2 c old fashioned oats
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 medium bananas
1/4 c white whole wheat flour
1 c chocolate chips

Grind oats in a coffee grinder.
Using a mixer cream butter, sugar, powder, soda, and salt until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time.  Beat in bananas.  Stir in oats, flour, and chips.  Bake 1 hour at 350F.

Rhubarb Bread

Next time, I'll make two because this is all
that's left after everyone's breakfast.

Makes 1 Loaf

1 orange, zest only
2 1/2 c rhubarb, diced
1 1/4 c sugar
1/2 c oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour, a.p. or white whole wheat
1 c oats (or walnuts if your not in our house)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Microwave rhubarb until it is fully cooked and falling apart.  Cool.  Mix in zest, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs.  In a separate bowl, whisk flour, oats, soda, and salt.  Combine wet with dry and pour in a greased 9"x5" bread pan.  Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350F until baked through.  Let rest overnight, before eating.

Post Egg Hunt Magic Bars

Makes a 9x13 Pan

Preheat oven to 350F
Place 1 stick butter in a 9x13 dish.
Stick the dish in the oven until butter melts.
Stir in 2 c graham cracker crumbs and flatten.
In a separate bowl, mix 5 cups of chocolate, nuts, and coconut with ratios of your choice.  (I used 1 c M&Ms, 1 c chopped chocolate eggs, 1 c chopped peanut butter cups, 1 c white chips, and 1 c coconut.)
Spread all but 1/2 c of mixture over graham crackers.
Drizzle over 1 can sweetened condensed milk.
Sprinkle last bit of mix over top.
Press down on gently with palms.
Bake 25 minutes.

Homemade Oreos

Adapted from MyBakingAddiction

Next time, I might make a double batch of the cookie dough because I had way too much filling.  I used the extra filling with graham crackers.  Whatever you do, you have to use the filling right away.

I refuse to use Crisco or any other form of shortening.  So I came up with this filling recipe.  It has a very similar texture store bought.

Makes 24 Cookies

Cookie Dough
10 T unsalted butter

Charlie's reaction, "Wow!  These are my favorite thing ever!"

1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c cocoa powder
1 1/4 c flour


Using a mixer, cream butter, soda, powder, salt and sugar until light and fluffy on medium-high speed.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  With mixer on low, stir in cocoa powder, then flour.  Using rounded teaspoons of dough, roll in balls and place on baking sheets.  Bake 9 minutes at 350F.


Filling
10 T unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c powdered sugar
2 T cold water
1 1/4 tsp gelatin


Place 2 T water in a small metal measuring cup.  Sprinkle gelatin over and let sit 5 minutes.  Beat butter, salt, vanilla, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  If it is too dry, add a little more butter.  Place the measuring cup on a stove burner, gently stirring until the gelatin just melts.  Remove from heat and let the mixture cool back to room temp.  With mixer running, slowly pour gelatin into butter mixture.  Put in a piping bag and squeeze onto cookies, immediately sandwiching together.  

Corn Buns

These are light and soft. A really good sandwich bun.

Makes 18 Large Buns

1 can corn, drained
2 c milk
1 c corn meal
1/2 c warm water
2 T yeast
1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 c whole wheat flour
2 c white whole wheat flour
2 c ap flour

In a medium saucepan, cook corn meal with milk until it thickens.  Remove from heat.  Add butter, stir briefly to melt.

In a mixer bowl, combine yeast and warm water.  Let sit to bubble.

If you do not want whole corn kernels, add canned corn, sugar, salt, and eggs to the corn meal mixture.  Puree with a hand blender.  If you prefer whole kernels, skip the pureeing.  Add to the yeast mixture.

Using a dough hook, add flours and knead 5 to 8 minutes.  Let dough rise 2 hours.  Divide into 18 pieces.  On a floured surface roll pieces into ovals.  Place on baking sheets dusted with corn meal.  Cover with towels and let rise 30 to 40 minutes.  Bake 20 minutes at 350F.  Remove from sheets and cool on racks.

PW Strawberry Shortcake Cake

This is really good.  Click here for recipe.  I used to 8" pans because I didn't have one with high enough sides.

Chocolate Chip Bars

One bowl.  Very easy. Very good.  Enough said.

Makes a 9"x13" or 10"x15" Pan

2/3 c unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 c light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 T vanilla
2 1/2 baking powder
2 3/4 c flour

In a 2 quart pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Remove from stove.  Stir in salt and sugar.  Stir in eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Stir in baking powder, then flour.  Add chips.  Spread in preferred pan.  Bake 9"x13" for 35 to 40 minutes at 350F or jelly roll for 25 minutes.

Lemon Bars

Makes a 9" Square Pan

Crust
1 1/3 c cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 T powdered sugar
2 T granulated sugar
1/2 c unsalted butter
2 T half and half

Top
1 c lemon juice
1/4 c unsalted butter
2 T cream
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar, for decoration

Whisk dry crust ingredients.  Cut in 1/2 cup butter to pea size.  Stir in half and half.  Press in a 9" square pan.  Bake for 25 minutes at 350F.

While crust bakes, whisk juice, butter, cream, and salt in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk sugar and eggs in a separate bowl.  Whisk hot juice mix into eggs.  Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to thicken, 8 minutes.  Pour over crust and bake another 15 minutes.  Cool completely.  Dust with powdered sugar.