banana Bread French Toast

I was driving home from work about a week ago when I suddenly had a food epiphany. Honestly I love it when that happens. I'll be milling ideas around in my head about what I might want to make when I get home and then suddenly something strikes me. That's how I came up with s'mores bark and I'm excited to say that I have a few more food epiphany recopies coming your way. In any case I think this one turned out great. The banana bread is made with healthy ingredients so when you slather it in butter and syrup you don't have to feel so bad. Enjoy!

Banan Bread French Toast

Banana Bread
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup hot water
Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together.
Add eggs, and mix well.
Stir in bananas and vanilla, then stir in flour, salt and cinnamon.
Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then add to batter. (Does anyone know why you add the baking soda to hot water? I’m curious.)
Spread batter into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.
Sprinkle with cinnamon, and swirl with a toothpick for a pretty marbled effect.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Be sure to check that the bread is done baking by inserting a toothpick in the top. It should come out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 1/2 hour before slicing.

French Toast Batter

1 cup half-and-half
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together in a shallow casserole dish. Slice the banana bread into half inch slices and dredge in the batter. Melt a pat of butter in a frying pan and place the bread in the pan. Fry until golden brown on the outside and then flip and repeat. Top French toast with maple syrup, whipped cream, and sliced bananas.

Italian Sausage Ragu and I'm an Idiot

You'll notice that this post has not picture that is because I'm an idiot. I made Italian sausage ragu with penne pasta for my family last night. My mom cleaned up the kitchen and put away the left over last night. I came home after work today with a very grumbly tummy. I took out a container of my left over pasta and devoured it. I thought that there was a second container of pasta in the fridge but I was wrong. I ate all the evidence of the delicious meal so you have no picture but, this pasta was so delicious and easy that I have to share it any way. So, do me a favor and picture a big white china plate topped with a heaping serving of penna tossed with thick luscious tomato sauce with chunks of tomatoes and little bit of Italian sausage, sprinkled with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. After you're done picturing that please proceed to make this pasta.

Italian Sausage Ragu

1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 Italian-style pork sausages (about 500g), casings removed
1 tblsp rosemary leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup red wine
1 tblsp tomato paste
400g can chopped tomatoes
1lb. short pasta, such as fusilli or penne
Parmesan cheese, to serve

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until softened.
Add the sausage meat, rosemary and garlic, breaking up the sausage. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the meat is browned.
Add the wine to the pan and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes, until reduced slightly.
Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, stir, then increase heat and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the mixture is reduced.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta.
Toss the drained pasta with the ragu and top with parmesan cheese.

Asparagus, pasta, and chicken bake

My mission to clean out our pantry though cooking continues with this recipe. Somehow my family managed to accumulate four boxes of spaghetti, that's a lot of pasta. Luckily the pioneer woman's community page, tasty kitchen, came to the rescue with this recipe. I love this recipe its quick, easy, and delicious plus it makes a good sized batch. I served it with garlic bread and a side of veg all casserole. This is one yummy week night meal.

Cheesy Asparagus, chicken, and pasta bake
½ cups Chopped Onion
3 cloves Garlic, Chopped Finely Or Pressed
½ cups Reduced-sodium, Fat-free Chicken Broth
1 can Healthy Request Cream Of Chicken Soup, 10 Ounce Can
¼ teaspoons Salt
⅛ teaspoons Black Pepper, Or More To Taste
1 cup Pre-cooked Chicken Breast, Chopped
12 spears Asparagus, Cut Into 2-3 Inch Pieces
4 ounces, weight Whole-wheat Spaghetti, Uncooked
½ cups Cheese, Your Favorite Kind

Preheat oven to 350F and coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Combine onion, garlic, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk until completely combined, then add chicken breast and asparagus spears.
Break uncooked spaghetti into 2-inch pieces and add to chicken mixture, mixing slowly to make sure all spaghetti pieces are covered so they absorb moisture.
Put mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese evenly over top. Cover with foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes until bubbly.

Hello all

I hope your'e all having a lovely relaxing Sunday. I just wanted to let you all know that I'll probably be changing my name here in the next week or so. I'll probably be going with baking down by the bay. I just don't really feel like hippie hippie bakes suits me. I'm gonna give the name some more thought before I change it but I just figured I would let everyone know.

Kahlua cheesecake

I have to admit I am a thrifter to the bone. I've gotten all kinds of great stuff at thrift stores for example a blue delphite Fire King chili bowl for 5o cents, a The Sak purse for $10, and 6 Glasbake milk glass mugs. I'm very proud of my thrifting finds. When ever I find something good I sort of feel like a treasure hunter. I got a spring form pan from the thrift store a few weeks ago and I've been dying to make a cheesecake ever since. I figured Easter was as good an excuse as any to whip one up. I'm glad I finally did it. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be and I'm really proud of the way that it turned out. My little $2.99 spring form pan also preformed beautifully.

crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

cheesecake:
3 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon liqueur (I used Kahlua)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.

Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and alcohol and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

Pumpkin bread

I have a confession to make, my weakness in this world is anything pumpkin flavored. I've tried every thing from lattes, to granola, to cheesecake. I get so excited when fall rolls around every year and places start carrying pumpkin spice things but after the holidays it's back to the same old same old. A few weeks ago I was craving something pumpkin once again so I decided to roll up my sleeves and do it myself. I'm glad I did because anything home made is always better than something cranked out of a commercial oven. Not to mention this recipe is fast and simple. This delicious bread reignited my love of pumpkin, so I'll be here, pining away until September comes and I can once again fill my Styrofoam Royal Farms cup with creamy pumpkin latte.

Pumpkin Bread

4 egg yolks
1 cup oil
2/3 cup water
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix egg yolks, water, oil, and pumpkin puree.

Add sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and flour and mix until just combined.

Pour into three medium loaf pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Wrap in saran wrap while warm.

White Chicken Enchilads

The weather here is currently amazing as in sun shining, flowers blooming, and perfect temperature. I love it, but it's making studying and all things school related look even less appealing than normal. It's also causing my allergies to go crazy. On the other hand it's making me look forward to the blue berry picking, fresh strawberries, and local lima beans that will no doubt lead to lots of good dishes this summer. In any case I'm glad it's getting warm and I hope the thermometer creeps up for you all too.
White chicken Enchiladas
adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
2-½ cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
2 cups chicken broth
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
3 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Sour Cream
2-½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften not to brown or crisp. Place the tortillas on a stack of paper towels to drain.
Heat oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for,just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.
In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.