Banana Bread

This is the banana bread I've always made and I love it. It is a recipe straight from my Betty Crocker cook book that I've had forever.

1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of two 8-inch loaf pans.

Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Stir in bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until just moistened.

Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for about 1 hour. (I usually pull mine out at 45 minutes and they are perfect, so watch the time near the end of baking.) Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack.

Loosen sides of loaves from pans and remove from pans to continue cooling on wire rack. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days, refrigerated up to 10 days.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Melissa Brown brought these to us after Logan was born and I immediately asked her for the recipe, which she was gracious enough to share. These are yummy enough to be dessert and are also perfect for a breakfast sweet bread.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole -wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

1 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 cups chocolate chips

Mix wet and dry separate then combine. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Variatons:
*you can add a couple of tablespoons ground flax seed if you want the extra fiber and heart health
*you can use canned mashed sweet potatoes instead of the pumpkin

Monkey Bread

1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cans large refrigerated biscuits, homestyle
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a fluted tube pan with shortening or cooking spray. In a large gallon-size baggie, mix white sugar and cinnamon.

Separate dough into 16 biscuits and then cut each into quarters. Shake pieces in bag to coat with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Arrange in pan, adding walnuts among the pieces.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter then pour over biscuits.

Bake for 28-32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn upside down onto serving plate. Pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

Banana Bread

1 cup sugar (I use 1/2 cup white & 1/2 cup brown)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
3 bananas mashed
2 eggs well beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1 TB hot water
2 cups flour
1/2 cup nuts (chopped) - optional
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Cream sugar, salt & shortening well. Add mashed bananas, beaten eggs & soda dissolved in hot water. Add flour until mixed. Add nuts last. Pour into greased baking dish. I find this recipe bakes better in a casserole bake dish or 9 x 11 dish than in a loaf pan. Loaf pan (at least 40 min) Casserole dish (30 min) 9 x 11 dish (20 min). Just check with a toothpick.

Mom's Date Nut Bread

Preheat oven 325 degrees. This recipe makes two loaves.

2 TB shortening
4 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 TB vanilla
2 eggs
Base mixture:
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup pecans
1 cup dates (chopped)
2 cups boiling water

Combine dates, nuts & soda, then cover with boiling water. Let stand until cool.

Beat together sugar & eggs. Add vanilla. Melt shortening, then add to sugar & eggs. Add flour alternating with date nut mixture until all is mixed. Stir well, place in greased loaf pans.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes (test with toothpick)

Garlic and Romano Crostini

24 (1/3 inch thick) baguette slices
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
5 large garlic cloves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange bread slices in one layer on a large baking sheet and brush tops with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.

Stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, cheese, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Top each slice with the cheese mixture, mounding it slightly.

Bake until topping just starts to melt, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve warm.

Party Bread

Easiest Recipe Ever!

1 8oz. Cream Cheese brick
1lb. Spicey Sausage Roll
2 cans Refigerated Crescent Rolls

Brown sausage (feel free to add some garlic for extra flavor); drain
Add softened cream cheese to pan; stir until well mixed
On baking sheet, layout one can of crescent rolls in on long sheet (do not pull apart); push seams together
Add sausage mixture
Layout the other sheet of crescent rolls over top of mixture & mash sides together

Bake 15-20 minutes @ 350 degrees

Buttermilk Cornbread

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 pound butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
2. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Bread

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts, if desired (I leave them out)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of two 8" loaf pans.

Mix pumkin, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts. Then stir in nuts if desired. Divide batter evenly between pans.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pans on wire rack. Then, loosen sides of loaves with a knife and remove from pans. Place on a wire rack to cook completely.

Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days. Refrigerate for up to 10 days.

Olive Cheese Bread

This recipe comes from the Pioneer Woman's recipes.

1 regular can whole black (ripe) olives
1 6-oz jar pimiento-stuffed olives
2 green onions
3/4 pound Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1 stick butter, softened
1 loaf French bread

Roughly chop black and green olives. Slice green onions and give them a rough chop. Combine green onions and olives with the softened butter, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and grated Monterey Jack cheese. Mix thoroughly. Slice French bread in half lengthwise, then spread mixture evenly over the halves.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, or until thoroughly melted and starting to turn light brown and bubbly. Cut into diagonal slices and serve with salad, with soup, with spaghetti, or as a yummy appetizer.

Make-ahead tips: You can make the cheese mixture up to two days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Or, you can spread the mixture on the bread and freeze the bread, unbaked, for several months.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Muffins

I think I made these also for that first dinner. I got this recipe from Sherry Null a long time ago.
The original recipe makes 2 dozen, so I always half it. Most of the measurements half easily, but there is one tricky one.
(Just to be clear- the ingredients below are already halved from the original recipe and will make one dozen.)

One Dozen

1 3/4 cups flour
half of 1/3 cup of sugar. (that is the tricky one. I just eyeball it.)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 TBS dill
1 tsp. salt
1 cup grated unpeeled zucchini
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely shredded cheese (cheddar or Colby-jack)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese for sprinkling tops.

In large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. Add zucchini, stir until well coated. Combine egg, milk, oil and stir into zucchini mixture till just moistened. Add cheddar. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes. Cool 5 mins before removing to wire racks.