Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Makes 24 regular muffins or about 7-8 dozen mini muffins
I had the privilege of having this recipe included in an innkeepers’ cookbook –
Chocolate for Breakfast and Tea. As much as I love chocolate, I’m not always fond of chocolate
muffins or breads—this is one exception. They are rich and moist, and our guests gobble them up.
½ cup butter, softened
1-1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1-1/3
cups sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
¼ cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or
line muffin pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix butter,
sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa,
baking powder, baking soda and salt all at once. Mix
just until ingredients are blended. Stir in mashed
banana, chocolate chips and walnuts.
3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 to ¾ full.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out
clean—be careful not to hit a melted chocolate chip!
Cool for 5 minutes; then remove muffins from tins, and
place them on a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room
temperature.
SWEET 'N SOUR RED CABBAGE
4-5 servings
Add this to your Oktoberfest menu!
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
4 cups red cabbage, shredded
2 cups apples, cut into cubes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
dash pepper
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
1/4 cup water
1. Heat drippings in skillet, add remaining ingredients. Cook
covered over low heat; stir occasionally.
2. For crisp cabbage, cook 15-20 minutes; for tender, cook
25-30 minutes.
Apricot Walnut Tarts
Makes 8-12 servings
8-12 3-inch tart shells, pre-baked or 2 boxes miniature
filo or tart shells (about 30)
3 egg whites
½ cup sugar
¾ cup dried apricots
½ cup sugar
1 cup cracker crumbs ( Ritz, club, saltines)(about ½ sleeve)
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped cream
and chopped walnuts for garnish
-
Beat together egg whites
and ½ cup sugar until mixture is creamy. Do not beat to
stiff peaks.
-
In a food processor, chop
apricots with ½ cup sugar until apricots are finely
chopped, but not pureed.
-
Add apricots, cracker
crumbs, walnuts and vanilla to egg white mixture. Place
batter in tart shells and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes,
until top is very lightly browned. Remove from oven and
allow to cool.
-
Serve with whipped cream
and finely chopped walnuts. These are chewy, tart &
fruity.
Italian Potato-Tomato Pie
Makes 6-8 servings
2 Pound Potatoes - peeled
¼ Cup Butter - softened
½ Cup Sour cream
½ Cup Chives
Seasoned Salt & Pepper, to taste
12 Ounce Mozzarella – sliced or shredded
3 Medium Tomatoes - peeled and sliced
½ Teaspoon Basil
½ Teaspoon Oregano
½ Teaspoon garlic powder
½ Cup Parmesan Cheese
¼ Cup Melted butter
-
Cover the potatoes
with salted water and boil till tender. Drain and mash. Stir in
softened butter, sour cream, chives, seasoned salt and pepper.
-
Butter or grease a 9
1/2" deep pie plate or 9x13 baking pan. Spread in mashed
potatoes over bottom.
-
Arrange half of
Mozzarella cheese on potatoes. Top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with
basil and oregano & garlic.
-
Top with remaining
Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and melted butter.
-
Bake at 400 degrees
for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese if melted and lightly
browned. Cool slightly before cutting.
A-Z BREAD
(makes 2 large loaves)
This "basic" recipe allows you to make whatever
type of bread you want. Experiment and have fun.
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
2 cups brown or white sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups fruit or vegetables, mashed or grated
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup dates or raisins
1. Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease and
flour 2 large loaf pans.
2. Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda
and salt; set aside. Beat together eggs, sugar and oil. Stir
in fruit or vegetables and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture,
nuts and raisins/dates. Pour batter in prepared pans.
Bake 50Ä60 minutes until center of loaf tests done. Cool on rack.
3. From apples to zucchini: apples,
applesauce, avocados, apricots, bananas, berries (pureed or whole),
ground oranges, peaches, pears, crushed pineapple, pumpkin,
rhubarb (cooked), zucchini. What are you waiting for?
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP (6-8 servings)
1 butternut squash, peeled, cubed
3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups strong chicken stock
2 cups apple juice
1 cup heavy cream
salt & white pepper
1. In heavy saucepan sauté onions & garlic in
butter and vegetable oil. Sauté 3-5 minutes until opaque.
Add curry powder and sauté for another minute. Add apples,
squash, chicken stock and apple juice. Cook over low to medium heat
until squash is tender, about 25-30 minutes.
2. Carefully puree soup (in small batches) in
food processor or through sieve. Return to pot and add cream,
salt & white pepper. Simmer another 15 minutes until flavors
blend. If too thick add additional stock or apple juice. If
too thin, simmer an additional 15-30 minutes.
Banana Crème Cake
(Makes 12-15
servings)
Cake:
1 package
yellow or white cake mix
1 small
package instant banana cream pudding mix
2 ripe
bananas, mashed
4 eggs
¼ cup oil
1 cup water
Frosting:
2 packages
dream whip topping mix
1 small
package instant banana cream pudding mix
1½
cups milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 . Grease and flour a Bundt pan or tube pan.
2. Cake:
Add all cake ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared. Bake for
50-60 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool 10 minutes then remove
from pan. Cool completely.
3.
Frosting:
Mix all ingredients until thick and fluffy. Frost top and sides of
cake. If you want two or three layers, cut cake horizontally; spread
some frosting on each layer, then frost top and sides. Serve cold;
keep cake well covered and refrigerated.
Tuscan White Bean Dip
(Makes about 2 cups)
2 cans Cannellini Beans -- drained
and rinsed (you can substitute Great Northern beans, if desired)
2 Tablespoons Roasted Garlic
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar -- (white if available)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ teaspoon dried sage – or more to taste
Salt And Pepper -- to taste
- Process all
ingredients except seasonings until smooth.
- Stir in seasonings
and mix together
Serve near room temperature with crackers, toasted bread slices or chips.
Make this for your Valentine!
Chockahlua Cheesecake
(Yield: 10-14 servings)
Crust
1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
or graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
2 T sugar
Filling
2 pounds cream cheese--softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup Kahlua
4 large eggs
9 ounces dark chocolate (or milk chocolate)
¼ cup heavy cream
Topping
1-1/4 cups dark or milk chocolate
¼ cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoons Kahlua
- Crust: Mix crumbs,
butter, and sugar. Press onto bottom and up sides partway of a 10"
cheesecake or spring form pan. Freeze 5 minutes, then bake at 350
degrees for 10 minutes and allow to cool.
- Filling: Melt
chocolate and ¼ cup cream – allow to cool. In a food processor or
mixer, combine the cream cheese and sugar until smooth; stir in Kahlua.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in
chocolate and pour into prepared crust.
- Bake at 350 for about
45-55 minutes until cheesecake is set and center barely jiggles. Allow
to cool.
Topping: Melt
chocolate and whipping cream; stir until smooth. Stir in Kahlua and
spread on top of cake. Refrigerate about 6 hours or until set.
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