Banana Muffins

My neighbor in Payson gave this to me and it is my go-to recipe for ripe bananas.  I love a good banana bread - and these can even be made into mini-loaves - but I really like these muffins!

And, you can tell that my recipe is well-used. 

So, enough with the grossness of my recipe card and on to the full recipe:

You can also get creative and add other things, such as chocolate chips, nuts, etc.  My favorite is butterscotch chips.  I love butterscotch chips though, and have even added them to apple pie!  You can mix your add-ins with the whole batter or you can try a layering effect:

Yes, I know it’s blurry, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s yummy!

Divinity (Paula Deen's)

Yummy!

Ingredients

• 4 cups sugar
• 1 cup white corn syrup
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 2 cups chopped pecans (opt)

Directions

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage.

While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 250 degrees F, carefully pour a slow steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds its shape, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in pecans.

Using 2 spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using 1 spoon to push the candy off the other. This may take a little practice because the technique is to twirl the pushing spoon, making the candy look like the top of a soft serve ice cream. If the candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. You will need to work fast when making this type of candy. After you spoon the cooked sugar and nuts onto the waxed paper, you're done. Cool the candies on racks completely. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Fudge

4 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 can evaporated milk

Hard boil 4 min until soft ball stage. Then mix in:

2 small jars (7 oz) (or 1 large) of marshmallow creme*
1 bag of semisweet chocolate chips

Pour hot fudge onto cookie sheet (with tall sides, jelly roll pan) lined with wax paper. Let cool. Cut into squared before it cools completely.

* I used both marshmallow jars completely and it wasn't as chocoaltey as I was hoping for, so next time I'll probably use a bit less than the recipe calls for.

Muddy Buddies

Ingredients:

9 cups Corn Chex cereal (or Rice Chex, Chocolate Chex, or a combination)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup butter or margarine
1 t vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. (Or just leave it in the bowl, add powdered sugar & stir)

Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

* I didn’t store mine in the fridge, and it was fine.
* This recipe is from the Chex cereal box

Peanut Brittle

Really easy and really yummy!

Peanut Brittle

2 c. white sugar

1 c. white corn syrup

1/2 c. water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb raw peanuts 

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

Cook sugar, syrup, water & salt at a hard boil for 3 min. Add raw peanuts and continue cooking until syrup turns a light amber (stir often). Take off heat and add vanilla & baking soda. Pour on a buttered cookie sheet. Pull out thin with forks. (Spread it between 2 cookie sheets.) Let cool then break into pieces.

Super Simple Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 oz bag of white chocolate chips
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
5 candy canes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line cookie sheet with foil (sprayed) or parchment paper.

Pour a 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips in an even layer on the foil. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until chips are almost melted.

Remove from oven, smooth with spatula or knife into a 9x13 rectangle. Place in refrigerator until cold and firm, about 20 minutes.

Next melt a 12 oz bag of white chocolate chips in a double-boiler. (I melted mine in the microwave for just over 1 minute). Stir until completely melted, adding ½ teaspoon peppermint extract at the end.  Let cool one minute. Pour this over chocolate layer.

Place 5 candy canes into a Ziploc bag and crush into small pieces (a great job for kids). Sprinkle candy cane pieces on top of the still warm white chocolate layer, press very lightly to make sure candy canes are stuck on.

Chill until both layers are firm then cut or break into 1-2 inch pieces.

YUM!

Quick tips: Don’t make the layers too thin and take the bottom layer out of the fridge a few minutes prior to spreading the top layer; if bottom is too cold, the top will set but may not bond completely with the bottom.

I am going to add 1 tsp of peppermint extract to make it a little stronger next time...but if you experiment with this soon, let me know!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you cookies turn out FLAT, add flour.
Both these cookies came from the same batch of dough. But I added flour after I got these results.
I think I added over 1 cup EXTRA flour to get them to look like the first photo.
(And they taste SO good!)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

**I also added 1/8 cup ground flax seed and I substituted 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of wheat flour.

Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

§  2 sticks Plus 2 Tablespoons Salted Butter, Softened

§  1 cup Sugar

§  2 cups All-purpose Flour

§  1 cup (scant) Corn Starch

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together. Sift in flour and cornstarch and blend together using a pastry cutter until the ingredients all come together. (If mixture seems excessively dry, cut in 1 more tablespoon of butter—but only if you really need it.)

Form dough into a big ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 20 minutes.

Roll onto a lightly floured surface and cut into rounds. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat. Bake for 20 minutes. Do not allow shortbread to brown; the edges should have the faintest golden tinge*.

Check your oven sooner if it runs hot.

*My cookies never got a golden tinge and I overcooked them, they were really hard. Don't over cook them. I am planning on eating them with the Sweet Cream sauce, so they should be ok still.

Senate Bean Soup

I altered this recipe that I found to fit with the way that I cook. (I didn't want to use dry beans and ham with the bone in.) The recipe below is listed the way I made it and turned out really yummy!

Ingredients

4 small/medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cans great northern beans

1/2 pound ham (diced)

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, diced

2 stalk celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Bring water (maybe 10 cups? I just guessed here) salt, and potatoes to a boil in a large pan over medium-high heat, then add beans, ham and milk and reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and parsley and cook until the vegetables are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture to the soup, reduce the heat to low and cook, adding up to 2 more cups water if the soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Beef with Snow Peas

Ingredients

§  1-½ pound Flank Steak, Trimmed Of Fat And Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain

§  ½ cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce

§  3 Tablespoons Water

§  2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

§  2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

§  1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger

§  8 ounces, weight Fresh Snow Peas, Ends Trimmed

§  5 whole Scallions, Cut Into Haf-inch Pieces On The Diagonal

§  Salt As Needed (use Sparingly)

§  3 Tablespoons Peanut Or Olive Oil

§  Crushed Red Pepper, For Sprinkling

§  Jasmine Or Long Grain Rice, Cooked According To Package

Preparation Instructions

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, water, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Add sliced meat to bowl and toss with hands. Set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add snow peas and stir for 45 seconds. Remove to a separate plate. Set aside.

Allow pan to get very hot again. With tongs, add half the meat mixture, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl.

Add half the scallions. Spread out meat as you add it to pan, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.

Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the first plateful of meat, the rest of the marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Check seasonings and add salt only if it needs it. Mixture will thicken as it sits.

Serve immediately over rice. Sprinkle crushed red pepper over the top to give it some spice.

Yams & Apples

Ingredients:

2-3 yams
5 apples
1 stick of butter/margarine
1 tsp cinnamon
Raisins (to sprinkle on top – whatever amount you desire)
Brown sugar (to sprinkle on top – whatever amount you desire)

Directions:

Peel and dice the yams and apples put in 9x13 pan
Melt the whole stick of butter
Mix 1 teaspoon of cinnamon with butter and pour evenly on top of yams & apples
Sprinkle raisins and brown sugar on top
Cover with aluminum foil & place in pre-heated oven

Bake at 450 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes (until yams are tender, should easily slide off of fork)

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Okay, so I have never cooked with yams before…I don’t particularly like them, but I made this for a Relief Society dinner.

I did try some and it wasn’t too bad, but if you like yams, then I am sure they are the most delicious yams ever!!!

I tried to send the yams through my awesome chopper, but it wasn’t so awesome…actually the yams were too hard. But I did send the apples through the chopper and that was fast! So, I diced the yams with a knife and it took a while (I made two 9x13 pans) and I found out later that I didn’t need to dice them that small :) So do bigger chunks!

Carmel Apple White Chocolate Cheesecake

For those who have had the privilege of trying this, it was SO GOOD!  I got this recipe from KSL’s Studio 5 here.  You can go watch the video with instructions or just use the recipe here.  It was super easy and Oh, So Good!  But of course I really love cheesecake, and white chocolate, and caramel apples, so maybe that’s why I liked it so much.  But I wasn’t the only one! 

I didn’t think to get a picture until we had eaten more than half of it!

Ingredients:

• For the crust:
• 1 1/4 cups crushed shortbread cookies or graham crackers
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• For the filling:
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 3-4oz. good quality European white chocolate, chopped
• 3 8oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• For the topping:
• 1-2 small pink lady apples, or other apples of your choice, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Caramel Sauce
• ½ cup Butter
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Sour Cream

Method:

Melt butter over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add brown sugar and stir until sugar is light and bubbly. Remove from heat and whisk in Sour Cream until smooth.n 8 inch spring form pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 inch spring form pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
In a small bowl, toss together cookie crumbs and sugar. Add melted butterand stir with a fork until well blended. Pour into prepared pan, and press crumbs onto the bottom of the pan.
Bake crust for 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
While the crust is baking, heat cream in a small saucepan until almost a boil.
Add white chocolate. Remove from heat and let it rest for 2-3 minutes.
Stir until smooth. Cool to lukewarm.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Add sugar and beat well, scraping down the sides occasionally.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour in the white chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat until light and smooth.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust.
In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and sugar. Arrange apples over the top of the filling in a circular pattern, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Turn off the oven but leave the cake in with the door closed for 1 hour longer. Remove from oven and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.
Dust with confectioners sugar before serving if desired.
Makes one 8-inch cake; serves 10

Baked Lemon Pasta

 Ingredients

§  1 pound Thin Spaghetti

§  4 Tablespoons Salted Butter

§  2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

§  2 cloves Garlic, Minced

§  1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested

§  2 cups Sour Cream

§  ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste

§  Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese

§  Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped

§  Extra Lemon Juice

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.

Simmered Black Beans over Rice

Beans…rice…this recipe might not sound that good or even look that good (but that’s because my pic isn’t that pretty), but it is actually really tasty!  I shared this recipe with my mom a few weeks ago and the whole fam really liked it! 

1 Large Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Onion, diced
5 Cloves Garlic, pressed (I get the garlic that is ready to go from the store)
2 T. Olive Oil
2 Cans Black Beans, drained
1 Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Can Chicken Broth
3/4 tsp. Thyme
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
Cilantro to taste (I add about 2 T.)


Heat oil in a skillet and saute pepper, onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Add all other ingredients except cilantro and simmer for 30-45 minutes until it becomes like a thick soup. Discard bay leaf and add cilantro. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes and serve over hot, cooked rice. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

Recipe found on my friends food blog HERE

Sweet Cream

(This is not my photo, but I loved it, so I am posting it.)

This is so good! It is well worth the effort! (Found the recipe HERE.)

***I just had my leftovers with a sliced banana and it was to die for!!! And I'll probably throw a few walnuts on next time. :) *** 

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§  1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream

§  1 cup Sugar, Divided

§  10 whole Egg Yolks (save The Whites For Another Use)

§  2 teaspoons Good Vanilla Extract (or Vanilla Beans)

§  Fresh Berries

Combine cream with half the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a strong simmer, but don’t boil.

Whisk egg yolks in a bowl (I used my electric mixer w/ whisk attachment) with the other half of the sugar. Add vanilla extract. (If using vanilla bean instead, scrape caviar into cream/sugar mixture.)

After whisking on medium for a minute, begin slowly pouring in the hot cream; I use a metal measuring cup to scoop out small portions at a time.

After all cream is added, turn off mixer. Pour mixture into the top of a double boiler (or a glass bowl fitted over a saucepan). Cook in the double boiler over medium heat. Stir gently but constantly as the egg/cream mixture slowly thickens.

Watch the mixture: if it starts to really thicken up, remove it immediately from the heat. You want this to be more of a thick, pourable cream than a thick, heavy pudding texture. As soon as you remove the pan from the heat, strain it through a fine mesh strainer (to remove most of the foam), then immediately set the bottom of it in a bowl of ice to stop the cooking process (but be careful not to let ice or water drip over the edge of the pan.) Stir to cool. If you need to use the cream right away, keep it in the ice bath and stir to cool.

Ideally, you’ll transfer the cream to a container and refrigerate it for several hours.

Spoon generously (!) over fresh berries. You’ll love it!

The instructions that I printed off did not mention straining the foam off, but when I checked back online it said to.
This photo shows the foam mixed in, and it tastes fine. It separates in the fridge, so I'll probably go strain it now. :)

Polvorones/Mexican Wedding Cookies

 

These turned out really crumbly for me, but I think that is because I used finely ground almonds instead of actual almond flour. So if you don't have almond flour, just use another cup of all-purpose flour. 

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·         1 1/2 cups unsalted butter

·         1 cup superfine sugar

·         2 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 cup almond flour

·         1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         Sifted confectioner's sugar, for dusting

1. To clarify the butter, cut the butter into pieces and melt in a saucepan over low heat. Skim off any foam and discard. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes or so, until the remaining milk solids sink to the bottom. Gently strain the butter, making sure not to include the solids. Measure 1 cup.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

3. In a bowl, combine the warm butter with the sugar and refrigerate until it solidifies, about 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and whip until thickened (it'll look a bit like whipped cream). Stir in the all-purpose flour gradually, using a spoon or spatula, then add the almond flour and vanilla and combine. Knead, still in the bowl, with the palm of your hand until it starts to come together.

4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to about 1 inch thick, making sure the crumbly dough stays together. With a cookie cutter or glass, cut out 2-inch circles. They might crumble when you cut them as they are very fragile, so be gentle and patient, pressing the dough together as needed. Place on a baking sheet lined with a non-stick mat or parchment paper and bake until the edges are just starting to turn color (the tops should still be pale), 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Dust them with confectioner's sugar and carefully transfer them from the baking sheet with an offset spatula; avoid touching them at all unless you are going to eat them.

Note: ...if you don't want to use nuts, you can substitute 1 cup flour for the almond flour.

Ham and Broccoli Pinwheels

These turned out really yummy and they look great! BUT they take a lot of time to make. (More time than cinnamon rolls, which take a lot of time in my opinion.) They had great flavor, but not something I would want to take the time to make every couple of weeks. 


Found this recipe HERE.

1 roll recipe that makes 12-15 rolls.  (Use Butter Roll recipe, below)
Fresh Broccoli 
2 C. Diced Ham
5-6 Green Onions, sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, pressed
1 T. Olive Oil
Salt Pepper
Parmesan Cheese (about 4 oz.)  
1 8oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1/4 C. Butter, at room temperature

Make your bread dough.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle like you would for cinnamon rolls.  Using a hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese and butter.  Spread evenly over top of dough.  Chop broccoli pretty fine until you have about 2-2 1/2 cups.  Heat oil in a large skillet and add garlic.  Saute at medium heat 1-2 minutes then add broccoli, ham, green onions and salt/pepper.  Saute about 3 minutes until broccoli begins to get a little soft.  Spread evenly over the cream cheese.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top and roll up.  Cut into pinwheels using a sharp knife or dental floss like you would cut cinnamon rolls.  Place on a large cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place these apart from each other so they aren't touching when they bake, kind of like when you make cookies.  Sprinkle more parmesan cheese over top of each pinwheel.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Butter Rolls

2 3/4 C. Flour

2 tsp. Active Dry Yeast

2 T. Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 C. Warm Water

1 Egg

7/8 C. Milk

1/4 C. Melted Butter or Margarine

In a large bowl, combine sugar and warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, allow to soften. Add salt and egg and then the flour stirring well with spoon until well mixed. (May need a little extra flour to make it workable and not too sticky.)

If you are baking as regular rolls:

In a large bowl, combine sugar and warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, allow to soften. Add salt and egg and then the flour stirring well with spoon until well mixed. Then turn it out onto a floured counter and shape however you want.  Put the rolls onto a greased pan and Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes (until they are lightly browned on top).  Take them out of the oven and brush tops with butter.  Makes 12 rolls.