Banana Pancakes

I had just finished a great workout and was cooling down with a little "Jack Johnson" banana pancakes. I took a look at the ripe bananas on my counter and decided to make these today . These are extremely light and fluffy. A great way to use those ripe bananas.

Banana Pancakes

Printable Version

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon white sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 ripe bananas, mashed

Directions:

1.	Combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and bananas.
2.	Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy.
3.	Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

Tres Leches Cake

My son was recently called to serve in the Honduran mission for our church. We have been trying a few dishes to help him get an idea for the types of food he may be eating. This dessert recipe was a big hit. I opted for making it in cake form and serving it in small bowls. I will definitely be doing the cupcake version next.  Enjoy!

Tres Leches Cupcakes

(Printable version)

Recipe by Our Best Bites

24 white cupcakes (I used a white cake mix that I substituted buttermilk for the water)

8 oz. evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint whipping cream, divided

3-4 Tbsp. Hershey's Caramel Syrup

Sliced fresh fruit (like strawberries, mangoes, and kiwis, optional)

Juice of 1 lime (optional)

Bake cupcakes according to recipe directions in FOIL LINERS. This is extremely important because it helps contain the milk mixture.

After cupcakes have cooled, use a bamboo skewer to poke several holes in each cupcake. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and 3/4 c. of whipping cream. Use a ladle to pour the milk mixture over each cupcake. There might be some runover. Such is life with tres leches cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

 

When ready to serve, beat the remaining 1 1/4 c. of whipping cream until medium peaks form. Gently fold in the caramel syrup and pipe or dollop the whipped cream on each of the cupcakes. If desired, toss the sliced fruit with the lime juice and top the cupcakes with the sliced fruit. Serve on a small plate with a dessert spoon.

Baseball Sugar Cookies

Looking for a treat for your favorite baseball/softball team ? Try these!! Parker was assigned treats for his game last week and this is what I made. The boys loved them. Here is a link to the sugar cookie recipe I used. It is the same recipe I made at Easter. Enjoy!!

Grilled Island Chicken

I marinated this chicken to grill for Mother's Day . It had great flavor and was a perfect addition to our Mother's Day meal. This is definitely going to stay on the grilling menu.


Grilled Island Chicken from My Kitchen Cafe
(printable Version)

1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours (I would suggest marinading for at least 3 hours at the minimum).

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side (depending on how thick the chicken breasts are), until the chicken is no longer pink in the center (if you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should register 165 degrees). Tent with foil and let the chicken rest for about five minutes before serving.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked using the following directions:
When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them. Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Costco had some great tasting strawberries , so we made freezer jam. I just used the recipe from the Sure-Jell box.

Strawberry Freezer Jam
Recipe from the Sure Jell box (printable version)

1 qt. (2 c. crushed) ripe strawberries, washed and stemmed
4 c. sugar
1 package fruit pectin
3/4 c. water
5 8-oz. freezer-safe containers

Wash and dry the freezer-safe containers and set aside.

With a potato masher or in a food processor, mash the berries, leaving some chunks. Measure out 2 c. of berries into a large bowl. Stir in exactly 4 c. sugar and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

While the berries and sugar are co-mingling, whisk the pectin into 3/4 c. water in a small saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir into strawberry mixture for 3 minutes or until sugar is almost entirely dissolved.

Ladle the jam into the prepared containers, leaving about 1/2" at the top for expansion. Top with lids and allow to stand for 24 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for 1 year. Makes 5 8-oz. containers.

Crepes

 

"No need to be intimidated -crepes are surprisingly easy. Mix simple, everyday ingredients -milk, egg, flour and the like -swirl the mix in a lightly oiled pan and fill with sweet or savory delights."

  Basic Crepes 

  (printable version)

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1.	In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
2.	Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3.	Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

This is the best chicken tortilla casserole ever. It has great flavor and is sure to be a hit with everyone. Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you...this is a super easy recipe. Thanks Melanie for another awesome recipe .

Chicken Tortilla Casserole from My Kitchen Cafe
(Printable Version )

*Melanies Notes: Keep the corn tortillas wrapped in plastic or covered with a damp kitchen towel until ready to use – they will dry out quickly. The casserole can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days. To bake, cover tightly with foil. Bake about 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until cheese has browned, about 10 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes.
*Serves 6
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced medium
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
¾ teaspoon salt
3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped with 2 teaspoons sauce (decrease the amount of sauce to 1 teaspoon if you want it less spicy)
2 (15.5 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed of fat and cut into bite-size pieces
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
18 (6-inch) round corn tortillas
Vegetable cooking spray
6 ounces cheddar cheese shredded (about 2 cups)
6 ounces Monterey jack cheese shredded (about 2 cups)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell peppers, cumin, chili powder, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chipotles with adobo sauce, beans, and tomatoes; simmer until the flavors have blended about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup cilantro, the lime juice and pepper.

Place a damp paper towel on the bottom and top of the corn tortilla stack. Microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute until they are soft and pliable.

Toss the cheeses together in a medium bowl. Spread 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture in a lightly greased 9X13 inch dish. Layer 6 tortillas on top of the filling, overlapping as needed, and sprinkle with 1 ½ cups of the cheese. Repeat the process to form a second layer.

Spread the remaining filling in the baking dish. Cut the remaining 6 tortillas into quarters and arrange over the top and finish off with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro before serving. Serve with additional accompaniments, such as salsa, diced avocado, sour cream or sliced green onions. The casserole can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days. To bake, cover tightly with foil. Bake about 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until cheese has browned, about 10 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes.

Brownies for a Big Crowd

I made these brownies today and they turned out great. I have another recipe posted here for brownies for a crowd so I'll called these brownies for a big crowd. This version is thicker and denser but both recipes are great and feed a crowd.

Brownies for a Crowd as seen at Real mom Kitchen
(printable version)

• 8 eggs
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups of butter , melted
• 1 1/2 cups Hershey’s cocoa
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups flour

1. Beat eggs with a mixer in a large bowl.  Then add sugar, salt, vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
2. Add melted butter and blend.  In another bowl, mix flour and cocoa with a whisk until well blended,
3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until well combined.
4. Spread onto a greased jelly roll pan (12 x 17) and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes and spread with frosting.

Frosting

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• milk

Blend powdered sugar, butter, and cocoa along with enough milk to make the frosting a spreadable consistency.  Spread over the brownies after they had cooled for 15 minutes.  Keep spreading as the frosting melts making it nice and even on the brownies.  Allow brownies to continue to cool.  Makes 30 good sized brownies.

Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Do you ever find yourself with  really ripe bananas but not in the mood for banana bread? So today I made this great cake instead ...... It is very moist and the Chocolate Frosting takes it over the top. Enjoy!

Banana Cake with Chocolate Icing

AS SEEN ON … Lick the Bowl good

(Printable Version)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened

1½ cups sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk*

1½ cups mashed ripe banana

Chocolate Frosting

½ cup (1 stick) butter

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup evaporated milk or half-an-half

4 cups sifted confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

* If you don’t have buttermilk you can make your own by stirring 1½ teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice into ½ cup of milk and leaving for 10 minutes.

To make the cake, heat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and stir with a fork to combine well.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat well, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one by one, and then the vanilla. Beat well for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally until you have a smooth batter.

Using a large spoon, stir in half the flour just until it disappears into the batter. Stir in the buttermilk and then the remaining flour the same way. Quickly and gently fold in the mashed banana and then divide the batter between the 2 cake pans.

Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes until the cakes are golden brown, spring back when touched lightly in the centre, and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pans on wire racks. Then turn out onto the racks to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the butter, cocoa and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes, until the cocoa dissolves into a dark shiny essence. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioners sugar and vanilla. Beat with a mixer at low speed until you have a thick smooth frosting.

To complete the cake, place one layer, top side down, on a cake plate and spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly over the top. Cover with the second layer placed top side up. Spread the rest of the frosting evenly first over the sides and then covering the top of the cake.

Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

My soon to be 8 year old daughter Alex loves poppyseed muffins. I knew when I saw this recipe that she would beg me to make them.  Well she did and I am glad we made them. They are a slightly chewy sugar cookie with a lemon poppyseed twist. 

Lemon Poppy Seed Sugar Cookies
from Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe
(Printable Version)
*Makes about 2 1/2 - 3 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
zest of one lemon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and poppy seeds. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and lemon zest and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mix well.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set. The cookies should be puffy and fairly light in color when they are finished baking. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet. Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.