Spicy Banana Bread

6 years ago From The Kitchen

I usually put bananas that are starting to turn in the freezer.  When I’m ready to make banana bread, I simply thaw them or defrost in the microwave.  This is truly one of the best banana bread recipes I’ve ever come across.  I’ve been making it for years, so long so, that the page the recipe is on has turned brown!  It is dense and moist and keeps for days.

 

1/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup mashed bananas (approx. 2 bananas – this is what I usually use)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare a loaf pan by coating with non-stick spray.  Cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and spices.  Add alternately with bananas to the creamed mixture.  Stir in the nuts.  Pour batter into pan.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean.  Cool and remove from pan.  Makes 1 loaf.

Pretzel Balls

6 years ago From The Kitchen

 

1 pound store-bought pizza dough, thawed

1/4 cup marinara sauce

4 mozzarella cheese sticks

1/4 cup baking soda

1 egg (beaten)

1 tbsp. pretzel or course sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  On a floured surface, cut the dough into 16 even small balls.  Cut the mozzarella sticks into fourths for a total of 16 pieces.  Working with one ‘ball’ of dough at a time, press an indentation into the ball, spoon about a tsp. or less of marinara sauce into the indentation then press in a cheese cube.  Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the ends tightly together.  Place aside and repeat with the remaining dough balls.

Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.  Heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil.  Add the baking soda.  Boil the pretzel balls in small batches for about 30 seconds or until they float.  Transfer with a slotted spoon to the baking sheet.  Brush the tops of the boiled balls with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the salt.  Bake for approx. 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Be careful not to over-bake.  Cool slightly before serving.

Serving suggestion – serve with a mustard cheese dip or a nacho cheese dip!

 

French Toast Bake

6 years ago From The Kitchen

 

This is a recipe with a lot of wiggle room when it comes to the type of bread used.  I like to use a raisin cinnamon, but have also used a pumpkin spice.  Either way, this is a great breakfast for a weekend treat or on a cold morning.  Plus to up the ‘easy factor’, it is assembled the night before, then just pop into the oven in the morning.

1 loaf of Pepperidge Farm (or your favorite brand) raisin cinnamon bread

3 cups 2% milk

8 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. sugar

Cube the bread and place in a greased casserole dish.  Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the bread cubes.  Be sure to coat completely.  Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.  Bake in a 350F oven for 45-50 minutes.  The bread will puff up.  Bake is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Optional – sprinkle 3 tbsp. sugar mixed with 2 tsp. cinnamon over the top before serving.  Serve with maple syrup.

Decorate Cookies!

6 years ago From The Kitchen

All kids love to bake and/or decorate cookies – yes, I have a boy and he’s usually all in as well – or at least until 2 or 3 of his cookies become huge disasters and he gets the usual critical abuse from his sisters! Regardless, truth be told, for kids – there really is nothing as fun as making cut-outs (or as messy!).  In this busy season, you’re probably thinking “who has time for cookies and especially after school?!”  I agree heartily, however, I also am a huge believer in memory making.  Here is how I handle it.  First of all, make the dough ahead of time when the kids are in school or even a day or two ahead, it has to chill anyway and you can make it in a ‘down’ moment.   Have the frosting colors pre-mixed and in separate bowls.  Set aside a section of counter and have it ready for rolling out the dough and such.  Just simple preparedness makes everything run smoothly.  Have fun!

Salt Potatoes

7 years ago From The Kitchen
Hinerwadels is a Syracuse establishment famous for their clam bakes....and their salt potatoes!

Hinerwadels is a Syracuse establishment famous for their clam bakes….and their salt potatoes!

Salt potatoes are a true native dish to the upstate New York area in the summer.  I never realized this until friends that had moved away requested them when they came to visit.  My sister-in-law actually saw someone in the airport with 4 bags of them in their carry-on!! Served in the summertime, they are a staple at a clam bake, or back yard barbeque. They are small potatoes that are more dense than most potatoes when cooked.  They are traditionally boiled with a good amount of salt which forms a salty crust when they are drained and allowed to cool slightly.  They are served with melted butter either on the side or poured over the potatoes.  There really isn’t much of a recipe, other than to put the desired amount of potatoes in a large pot (to prevent boil-over) an enough salt to create a briny water.  Bring to a boil and cook until tender.  Pour off the water and allow to cool slightly.  Enjoy!

This picture is from 'This Old Gal.com'. She gives a bit more history behind the origin of the salt potato.

This picture is from ‘This Old Gal.com’. She gives a bit more history behind the origin of the salt potato.

Individual Guacamole Salads

7 years ago From The Kitchen

This is another recipe from Risa, our boat charter chef.  These are wonderful as an appetizer or even fun for a party as the avocado shells serve as the bowls and are easy to hold.

3-4 medium ripe avacados

2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

2-3 tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 mangos finely diced

1/2 medium red onion finely diced

2 tomatoes seeded and finely diced

sour cream – optional

Cut the avacados lengthwise, gently remove the pit and the pulp from the hull. Coarsely chop the pulp with a fork. Stir in 2 tbsp. of the cilantro, lime juice and add salt and pepper to taste.  Mix together the mango and red onion.  Assemble the “bowls”.  Place desired amount of the guacamole in the shell, add some tomato and then the mango/onion mixture.  Repeat with the remaining shells.  Arrange on a platter. Garnish with the remaining cilantro.  Serve with a side of sour cream if desired.

Crawfish Stack Salad

7 years ago From The Kitchen

We recently took the family on a boat charter through the British Virgin Islands.  We were on a beautiful catamaran with a captain and chef.  Our chef, Risa, was a pint-sized dynamo in the galley!  This is one of her recipes.  It is absolutely delicious and perfect for a luncheon or a light dinner.  This recipe is meant to be prepared as individual servings.  I suggest serving it with a dry Riesling.

4 cups crawfish tails, shelled

3 bay leaves

2 stalks celery and 2 carrots, finely chopped

3 tbsp. sour cream

salt and course ground pepper to taste

1 med. package imitation crab meat, thawed and shredded

1 tbsp. black sesame seeds

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 head lettuce thinly sliced (romaine or iceberg)

6 kiwis finely diced

3 mangos thinly diced

coriander chutney – optional (can be purchased through the link below)

Boil the crawfish in lightly salted water with the bay leaves.  Boil for about 10 minutes.  Strain and set aside.  Once cooled, mix the crawfish with the vegetables and sour cream.  Add salt and pepper, set aside.

Mix the crab meat, sesame seeds soy sauce and sesame oil together well.  Set aside to chill.

Assemble the salad.  Using a food ring form (see link below to purchase), layer the mango, the crawfish, kiwi, then the crab.  Press down lightly and remove the form carefully.  Arrange the lettuce partially around the stack salad. Garnish with sesame seeds and drizzle with the coriander chutney.

Fresh Pea and Cucumber Salad

7 years ago From The Kitchen

Experimenting in the kitchen, I came up with this very fresh summer salad.  The key here is to use the freshest ingredients possible.

1 – 2 cups fresh peas, blanched and cooled

1 cup chopped cucumber

Chopped fresh mint, chives and thyme – approx. a few springs of each

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

4 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar*

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

sea salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together and chill before serving.

*white balsamic vinegar can be found at specialty olive oil stores. It has a delicate flavor and a bit of a thicker texture than regular vinegars which helps to coat the peas.

Asparagus Season in Germany! Spargelzeit!

7 years ago From The Kitchen

While on our trip along the Rhine this past June, we discovered that it was asparagus season, particularly white asparagus.  There are special “Asparagus” menus placed inside the regular menu in most restaurants.  The white asparagus are large and thick and ever so delicate in flavor and texture.  We decided to have them everywhere they were offered!  Here they are served quite fancy with cod, chanterelles, polenta, green asparagus and the creamiest of hollandaise sauces.  We found them also served very simply in small cafes with a side of small boiled yellow potatoes, this was the most traditional way of having them, but always with creamy hollandaise.  The season starts in mid-april (depending on weather) and running through the end of June.  Spargelzeit!

At the market, note all the white asparagus, and green as well.

At the market, note all the white asparagus, and green as well.

Mixed Berry Cake with Almond Cream Frosting

7 years ago From The Kitchen

This cake has gorgeous presentation appeal for sure, but the texture and flavor are sure to win anyone over.

CAKE

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 large eggs, separated

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2 tsps. grated lemon peel

1 cup raspberry preserves

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter and flour two 9″ diameter cake pans with 2″ high sides.   Mix flour, 3/4 cups sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup lukewarm water into the dry ingredients, beat in the oil, egg yolks, both extracts and peel.  Set aside.  Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar beating until stiff but not dry.  Gently fold the whites into the batter.  Spread evenly between the two cake pans.  Bake until tester inserted comes out clean, about 25 minutes.  Cool and turn out onto racks to cool completely.

ALMOND CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 1/2 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

3/4 tsp. almond extract

Assorted fresh berries – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries

Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and extracts in a large bowl until smooth.

Assemble the cake – Spread raspberry preserves on one of the cake halves, place the other half on top.  Frost the top and sides evenly building the rim on the sides at the top up a bit to hold in the berries.  Mound the berries on top of the cake.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired and garnish with mint or basil leaves.  Can be made 1 day ahead, just cover and chill.