If you like pina coladas...and gettin' caught in the rain...
If you're a child of the 80s, you'll remember that song. It came to mind as I was reading the recipe for this bread. If you've been following along, you have noticed that I like banana bread and I have several recipes on here for it. Not sure why I have never thought to try coconut in it. This recipe actually calls for pecans too so there will no swapping only enjoying!
1 C. butter, melted
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. rum extract
2 C. ripe bananas, mashed
2 3/4 C. all purpose flour
1 1/4 baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
6 squares, 1 oz. each white baking chocolate coarsely chopped
1 C. flaked coconut
1 C. chopped pecans
In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar and mix well. Add eggs and extracts; beat on high speed until thickened. Stir in bananas. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to banana mixture. Fold in the chocolate, coconut and pecans.
Transfer to 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 70-75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Chocolate Nut Bread
This is going to be on my Christmas baking list. I love making mini loaves for my co-workers. I will most likely swap out the walnuts for pecans but then I usually do. I just like the taste of pecans better.
1 C. butter, softened
2 C. sugar
5 eggs
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. buttermilk
1 C. chopped walnuts, optional
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts if desired.
Pour into four mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
1 C. butter, softened
2 C. sugar
5 eggs
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. buttermilk
1 C. chopped walnuts, optional
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts if desired.
Pour into four mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Herbed Tomato Cheese Bread
I may try this for work. It will be a switch from the beer bread that I make from time to time. I do love to bake when the weather turns cold. It adds a coziness to the house.
3 C. all purpose flour
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. crumbled blue cheese
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. each dried basil, thyme, and rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 1/2 C. buttermilk
1/4 vegetable oil
2 tbsp. tomato paste
In a bowl, combine the flour, cheeses, baking powder, baking soda, and seasonings. In another bowl, beat the egg, buttermilk, oil and tomato paste. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Transfer to a greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.
3 C. all purpose flour
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. crumbled blue cheese
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. each dried basil, thyme, and rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 1/2 C. buttermilk
1/4 vegetable oil
2 tbsp. tomato paste
In a bowl, combine the flour, cheeses, baking powder, baking soda, and seasonings. In another bowl, beat the egg, buttermilk, oil and tomato paste. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Transfer to a greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.
Citrus Punch
I saw this in a holiday recipe book and could see this for a brunch or for a nice spiked sparkler on New Year's with some Tito's Handmade Vodka.
2 C. orange juice
1 C. grapefruit juice
2 C. pineapple juice
1 C. lemonade
2 C. ginger ale
Chill all ingredients. Mix gently in a pitcher or punch bowl. Add alcohol if desired. ;-)
2 C. orange juice
1 C. grapefruit juice
2 C. pineapple juice
1 C. lemonade
2 C. ginger ale
Chill all ingredients. Mix gently in a pitcher or punch bowl. Add alcohol if desired. ;-)
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Almond Apricot Logs
I found this in a holiday cookbook. I plan to try it for the holidays and I am guessing it will either be the centerpiece of my holiday spread this year or it will make me completely insane. I always make such grandiose plan and then life gets in the way and I get in a time crunch. I wonder if I should try these beforehand and see what I am getting myself into.
Truth be told, this recipe jumped out at me because of my love of apricots and almonds. When your mouth starts to water by simply reading a recipe you know you have to try it!
2 pkgs. (1/4oz. each) active dry yeast
1/3 C. warm water
1 1/2 C. warm milk
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
5 to 5 1/2 C. all purpose flour
1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped dried apricots
1 C. chopped almonds
Glaze:
1 1/2 C. confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 tbsp. milk
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, oil, sugar, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and 2 C. flour. Beat until smooth. Add apricots and almonds. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled; 1 1/2 hours.
Punch dough down; let rest 10 minutes. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15x12 inch rectangle. Cut into 3 inch by 1 inch strips. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove to wire racks.
For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Brush over warm logs.
Makes 5 dozen.
Truth be told, this recipe jumped out at me because of my love of apricots and almonds. When your mouth starts to water by simply reading a recipe you know you have to try it!
2 pkgs. (1/4oz. each) active dry yeast
1/3 C. warm water
1 1/2 C. warm milk
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
5 to 5 1/2 C. all purpose flour
1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped dried apricots
1 C. chopped almonds
Glaze:
1 1/2 C. confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 tbsp. milk
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, oil, sugar, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and 2 C. flour. Beat until smooth. Add apricots and almonds. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled; 1 1/2 hours.
Punch dough down; let rest 10 minutes. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15x12 inch rectangle. Cut into 3 inch by 1 inch strips. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove to wire racks.
For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Brush over warm logs.
Makes 5 dozen.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Mexican White Bean Soup
I see this becoming a winter staple in my house. I am glad Chris is pretty flexible when it comes to dinner. If he was a "meat and potatoes" every night guy...he'd just have to starve. Sometimes I like soup and bread for dinner; even if I had soup and bread for lunch. I have soup to thank for the fact that I like more and more veggies all the time and things like navy beans and lentils. Good grief...I am eating all kinds of stuff I swore I wouldn't ever like when I was young. That must mean I am getting OLD! Ah well, it happens to the best of us and it sure beats the alternative.
8oz. dried navy beans (1 1/4 C.)
1 large onion, chopped (1 C.)
2 stalks celery, sliced (1 C.)
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 C.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 14.5oz. can vegetable broth or reduced sodium chicken broth
1 orange
1 C. salsa verde
Rinse beans. In a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven combine beans and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain, rinse beans.
In the Dutch oven, cook onion, celery, carrots and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add broth, beans and 2 C. water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
Using a handheld immersion blender, blend mixture slightly. Return to pan. Finely shred 1 tsp. orange peel, then juice the orange. Stir in juice, orange peel and salsa verde into soup. Heat through.
Serve with cilantro, sour cream and cayenne pepper, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.
203 calories, 4g. fat, 0mg. cholesterol, 653mg. sodium, 34g. carbs, 12g. fiber, 10g. protein per serving
8oz. dried navy beans (1 1/4 C.)
1 large onion, chopped (1 C.)
2 stalks celery, sliced (1 C.)
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 C.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 14.5oz. can vegetable broth or reduced sodium chicken broth
1 orange
1 C. salsa verde
Rinse beans. In a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven combine beans and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain, rinse beans.
In the Dutch oven, cook onion, celery, carrots and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add broth, beans and 2 C. water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
Using a handheld immersion blender, blend mixture slightly. Return to pan. Finely shred 1 tsp. orange peel, then juice the orange. Stir in juice, orange peel and salsa verde into soup. Heat through.
Serve with cilantro, sour cream and cayenne pepper, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.
203 calories, 4g. fat, 0mg. cholesterol, 653mg. sodium, 34g. carbs, 12g. fiber, 10g. protein per serving
Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes
There are a couple of schools of thought in my family when it comes to holiday meals. Some of us are purists. DO NOT put oysters or fruit or nuts in my stuffing. I am not even sure I want sausage in my stuffing. I grew up with bread cubes, onions, celery, butter and broth and I can eat my body weight in stuffing if challenged to the task. I can remember the first time I made Thanksgiving dinner and I called my Grandma because she made the best stuffing ever and asked for her "secret" recipe. Without any fanfare, she told me to buy a bag or two of Pepperidge Farm sage and onion stuffing cubes and follow the recipe on the bag. REALLY?!?!? That's it?!?!? Yep, that's it.
Sweet potatoes though are different, at least to some of us in the family. Sure, you can candy yams or roast them, bake them. I have made chipotle sweets and taken them to Thanksgiving. Some people raved...others were not impressed. This recipe is making me want to volunteer to make the sweets this year. If no one is impressed, I will eat them myself. LOL
Simmer 3lbs. peeled and cubed sweet potatoes until tender; drain. Heat 1/2 C. half and half and 1/4 C. butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave 1 minute. Mash into potatoes. Stir in 2oz. goat cheese. Toast 1/2 C. pistachios with butter and salt in a skillet. Sprinkle pistachios, additional goat cheese and fresh sage over potatoes.
Sweet potatoes though are different, at least to some of us in the family. Sure, you can candy yams or roast them, bake them. I have made chipotle sweets and taken them to Thanksgiving. Some people raved...others were not impressed. This recipe is making me want to volunteer to make the sweets this year. If no one is impressed, I will eat them myself. LOL
Simmer 3lbs. peeled and cubed sweet potatoes until tender; drain. Heat 1/2 C. half and half and 1/4 C. butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave 1 minute. Mash into potatoes. Stir in 2oz. goat cheese. Toast 1/2 C. pistachios with butter and salt in a skillet. Sprinkle pistachios, additional goat cheese and fresh sage over potatoes.
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