My co workers gave this rave reviews when I took it into the office last week! Delicious swirls of cinnamon make this the best banana bread you've ever had. Use ripe (not over-ripe) bananas and bake in a glass bread pan for best results. My co workers gave this rave reviews last week when I took it into the office!
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 c mashed banana
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c oil
Swirl Mixture:
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 Tbsp margarine
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large mixing bowl, stir together egg, banana, sugar, and oil. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture just until moistened. Spray and 8x4 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Spread batter in prepared pan. Combine Swirl Mixture and microwave for 15-20 seconds, stir. Spoon mixture over top of batter. Use toothpick to create marble effect.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool bread for 10 minutes in pan, then cool on wire rack.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Spicy Red Pepper Hummus & Pita Chips
We just served this as an appetizer at my brother's rehearsal dinner. It got rave reviews--especially when you consider that all of my cousins polished off the pita chips! The pita chips are so easy and super cheap when you compare them to what's out there on the market! Don't forget to make this a day ahead--you'll want all of the flavors to mix.
Spicy Red Pepper Hummus
Hints: Look for Tahini on the Jewish/Greek foods aisle. Look for chile paste with garlic on the Asian foods aisle.
1 red bell pepper
1 tsp chile paste with garlic (sambal oelek)
1/4 tsp paprika
pinch of ground red pepper
1 can (15.5 oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 c water
1/8 c tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 and 1/2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Cut red bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined backing sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes.
Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until chopped. Add 1/4 c water and remaining ingredients; pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer to serving bowl.
Peel and cut cooked pepper into strips. Combine bell pepper, chile paste with garlic, paprika, and ground red pepper in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Combine bell pepper mixture with bean mixture.
Spicy Baked Pita Chips
6 (6-inch) pitas
Cooking spray
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Cut each pita into 8 wedges; separate each wedge into 2 pieces. Arrange wedges in a single layer on 2 jelly-roll pans coated with cooking spray.. Lightly coat wedges with cooking spray. Combine salt and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle wedges evenly with spice mixture. Bake at 350 for 13 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Yield: 96 chips
Spicy Red Pepper Hummus
Hints: Look for Tahini on the Jewish/Greek foods aisle. Look for chile paste with garlic on the Asian foods aisle.
1 red bell pepper
1 tsp chile paste with garlic (sambal oelek)
1/4 tsp paprika
pinch of ground red pepper
1 can (15.5 oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 c water
1/8 c tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 and 1/2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Cut red bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined backing sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes.
Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until chopped. Add 1/4 c water and remaining ingredients; pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer to serving bowl.
Peel and cut cooked pepper into strips. Combine bell pepper, chile paste with garlic, paprika, and ground red pepper in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Combine bell pepper mixture with bean mixture.
Spicy Baked Pita Chips
6 (6-inch) pitas
Cooking spray
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Cut each pita into 8 wedges; separate each wedge into 2 pieces. Arrange wedges in a single layer on 2 jelly-roll pans coated with cooking spray.. Lightly coat wedges with cooking spray. Combine salt and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle wedges evenly with spice mixture. Bake at 350 for 13 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Yield: 96 chips
Good to Be Back
Well, it's been quite some time since my last posting. Just a few weeks after I started this blog, I got a job! So, I've been getting used to having a schedule again but here I am with some well-tested recipes.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Fiery Carne Asada Tacos with Avocado Pico de Gallo
*These very well may be the best tacos we've ever had. They left a little kick behind and were very easy. The recipe is overall spicy, but you could tame it down or kick it up no matter how hot you like it!
Marinate the meat up to 8 hours and no less than 3 hours ahead. For the budget conscious, you can certainly use a less expensive cut and marinate longer for tenderness. If you don't have kosher salt, you can use regular table salt.
Marinade
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 medium)
1 (1 lb) skirt-steak, trimmed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
Pico de Gallo
1 cup diced seeded tomato
1/4 cup diced onion
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp diced seeded jalapeno pepper (we like it extra spicy so I leave the seeds in)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium avocado, diced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
8 corn tortillas
Cooking spray
Combine 1/4 cup lime juice and steak in shallow dish (not metal). Sprinkle cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and red pepper over both sides of steak. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 3 hours.
Preheat grill. Add steak to grill and cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Cut steak into 1/2 inch pieces.
Combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a bowl. Gently stir in avocado and 1/4 tsp salt.
Heat tortillas in a nonstick skillet sprayed with a little cooking spray. Be sure to evenly coat the pan each time you add new tortillas to the pan...this will insure even toasting.
Divide steak evenly among tortillas and top with pico. Yield: 4 servings (2 steak-filled tortillas and 1/4 cup pico de gallo).
Calories 372 Fat 15.8g (sat 4.1g, mono 8.4g, poly 1.6g) Protein 27.6g Carb 32.6g Fiber 5g Chol 50mg Iron 4mg Sodium 505mg Calc 115mg
Marinate the meat up to 8 hours and no less than 3 hours ahead. For the budget conscious, you can certainly use a less expensive cut and marinate longer for tenderness. If you don't have kosher salt, you can use regular table salt.
Marinade
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 medium)
1 (1 lb) skirt-steak, trimmed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
Pico de Gallo
1 cup diced seeded tomato
1/4 cup diced onion
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp diced seeded jalapeno pepper (we like it extra spicy so I leave the seeds in)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium avocado, diced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
8 corn tortillas
Cooking spray
Combine 1/4 cup lime juice and steak in shallow dish (not metal). Sprinkle cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and red pepper over both sides of steak. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 3 hours.
Preheat grill. Add steak to grill and cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Cut steak into 1/2 inch pieces.
Combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a bowl. Gently stir in avocado and 1/4 tsp salt.
Heat tortillas in a nonstick skillet sprayed with a little cooking spray. Be sure to evenly coat the pan each time you add new tortillas to the pan...this will insure even toasting.
Divide steak evenly among tortillas and top with pico. Yield: 4 servings (2 steak-filled tortillas and 1/4 cup pico de gallo).
Calories 372 Fat 15.8g (sat 4.1g, mono 8.4g, poly 1.6g) Protein 27.6g Carb 32.6g Fiber 5g Chol 50mg Iron 4mg Sodium 505mg Calc 115mg
Mojitos
*Our signature drink at our wedding in July was the Mojito. We remembered our wedding night last night with a tasty nightcap.
Add sugar to cocktail glass. Add rum, lime juice and mint leaves, and muddle. Add soda water and garnish with mint leaves and lime, if desired.
We thought this concoction was perfectly limey, minty and fizzy. Enjoy!
1 oz white rum
12 mint leaves
1 tbsp sugar (I recommend turbinado....sugar in its raw form, found in the baking aisle)
0.5 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
2 oz club soda
12 mint leaves
1 tbsp sugar (I recommend turbinado....sugar in its raw form, found in the baking aisle)
0.5 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
2 oz club soda
Add sugar to cocktail glass. Add rum, lime juice and mint leaves, and muddle. Add soda water and garnish with mint leaves and lime, if desired.
We thought this concoction was perfectly limey, minty and fizzy. Enjoy!
Welcome!
My friends have convinced me I should do this. I love cooking and I love sharing my yummy creations. Check back often for fresh new ideas and my newest creations. Happy eating!
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