I've Gone Bananas and Nuts

It's fall's first rainy, cold night and that always makes me want to bake.  The decision to make banana nut bread was easy, my quickly browning bananas on the counter begged not to be wasted. 

 I also got to use those sweet banana and monkey baking cups I bought a couple months ago, so that was another bonus.  I pinned this recipe from Sugar & Spice by Celeste, who posted the recipe that was published in Southern Living Magazine.  I was hooked when I saw cream cheese in the title because cream cream makes everything taste good.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread***Makes 2 loaves***

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

 

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4 inch loaf pans.

Babboo only had one loaf pan, so I made muffins. The muffins took about 25 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. Cool bread in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Source: Southern Living magazine

The big question, was it good?  Surprisingly this was not the best banana bread I have ever tasted.  I would add more vanilla next time and experiment with adding some spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, just something to take away the bland. I think I would also stick with a loaf and the muffins and add some chocolate chips to the muffins.

I still can't wait to toast a slice, butter it, and have it with some tea.

Now go Pin something :)

Birthday Lunch

 

Yesterday's birthday was good and was made even better by lunch at Roadside B & G on Telegraph.  The service was excellent and the food was delicious.

 

The restaurant formerly known as Brandy's was remodeled to a kind of modern casual feel, with barn wood, concrete floors, and cinderblock walls.  Old metal toy cars dot the restaurant including the exterior.  The outdoor patio is a nice place to enjoy a breezy afternoon lunch and cocktail.

 

We decided to order the appetizer potato chips, the short rib tacos, and the lobster mac 'n' cheese and just share it all.  The potato chips were by far the highlight of the meal.  The bacon, tomatoes, and goat cheese, was the perfect complement to the thinly sliced potatoes.  The tacos were good and the lobster mac 'n' cheese was tasty (although I prefer Babboo's over this) 

 

Next time, by suggestion of Babboo, I will get the whitefish cakes and a burger.

Apppetizer Potato Chips



Beef Short Rib Tacos

Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese

Toy Car Decor

Barn Wood Exterior

My Billion Dollar Spaghetti

I recently pinned a recipe for "Million Dollar Spaghetti" and thought it sounded delish.  I, of course, had to embellish a touch, hence the increase in value from million to billion.  Here is the original recipe that I have altered.

This is my recipe:

1 lb of ground beef

1/2 pound of Italian sausage

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 24 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce, (I used a garlic, parmesan sauce)

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 T fresh basil, chopped

8 oz thin spaghetti

2 T unsalted butter

16 oz mozzarella cheese

4 oz sharp cheddar

Cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain.  While spaghetti is cooking, brown ground beef and Italian sausage, adding onion and garlic midway through.  Cook until there is no pink.  Drain meat and add spaghetti sauce. season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, cottage cheese, 1 /4 cup parmesan cheese, and fresh basil.

Butter a 9x13 baking dish and layer half of pasta, spread all of cheese mixture over pasta and top with remaining pasta.  Top with all of meat sauce. Sprinkle top with remaining parmesan.

Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

If you compare recipes, you will see I added the onion, garlic, fresh basil, parmesan and also used parmesan, mozzarella and sharp cheese to top it.  I also deleted the full stick of butter.  I think adding mushrooms to the meat sauce or even bell pepper would be yummy additions too. 

Serve with garlic bread and a salad, or do like I did and leave out the salad and proceed to slip into a carb coma after dinner.  This is super good reheated.

The moral to my story, don"t be afraid to adjust a recipe to make it your own. 

Fresh Ingredients

After a week and a half of constantly watering the herbs in their small plastic pots, I have given them a new home. The cilantro doesn't look the greatest, but the basil perked up almost instantly.  The first recipe will probably be some pesto, so stay tuned.

I Helped

We finally planted herbs today to use in our Pinterest recipes. Pictures to come.

Summer Fun

Summer is my favorite time of the year.  This summer has been great.  I love to entertain and cook and I got to do that a few times this summer.  I love glow sticks and thought these pins were such awesome ideas.  Find out how to do these on this board Summer Parties.  I'm hoping for a few more get togethers before the summer ends, so look for some new foods pins to this board that will complete my party menu.

Halloween Is Coming!!!!

My friends know Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. I'm surprised I don't have a thousand pins of Halloween alone, but I do have a few. Come take a look.
Halloween or Halloween Food