Buttermilk Blueberry Banana Bread

Photo Credit: Erin Morgenstern

Another tasty recipe for using up leftover/forgotten bananas. And there is an easy substitute for the buttermilk, so you don't have to worry about creating other leftovers in the process. (I don't believe I've ever purchased buttermilk in my life - one of the few cooking hints I learned from my mother.)

The recipe will make one large loaf or four mini loaves. I've only made the former, but Meredith has had good results with the latter.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ¾ cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

-       Buttermilk substitute*:

§  1 tsp lemon juice (or white vinegar) + enough milk to bring the mix to a ¼ cup

§  Let stand five minutes 

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup blueberries

* General rule for buttermilk substitutions: 1 cup buttermilk = 1 Tbsp lemon juice (or white vinegar) + enough milk to make a cup, let stand for five minutes

DIRECTIONS:

1.    Preheat the oven to 350F. 

2.    Use nonstick spray to lightly coat 1 regular loaf pan (or four 5 ¾ mini loaf pans).

3.    Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4.    Use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar on medium-high until the mixture is light and fluffy (~2-3 minutes).

5.    Beat in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until well combined.

6.    Beat in bananas until well combined.

7.    Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture gradually, at low speed.

8.    Add the blueberries and (hand) stir to combine

9.    Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan(s).

10. Baking time (poking device in the center should come out clean):

·       Large loaf pan (1) – 50-55 minutes

·       Mini loaf pans (4) – 30-35 minutes

11. Cool for 15 minutes before inverting to transfer onto a wire rack.

Buttermilk substitution via Frugal Living

Recipe via Damndelicious

Naan Pizza

I recognize the food isn't the focus of this photo but who wouldn't want to try a recipe that prompted this photo. One of our handful of cooking soirees at Caroline's (soon-to-be) old apartment.

Doesn't need to said... very adaptable.

Ingredients:
1 piece of naan
2 to 3 heaping tablespoons tomato sauce
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomato sauce in a small bowl and give your kid a pastry brush to spread sauce all over naan. Then let him sprinkle with mozzarella and add any other pizza toppings he likes. Drizzle with a little olive oil and place in hot oven directly on the rack for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Eat while hot.

Recipe from Cooking With My Kid

Nutty Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

I was looking through some old recipe photos for my apple-goat cheese bruschetta post and I ran across this picture. I had totally forgotten about this recipe, and what a loss! This is so delicious and a buttload of Brussell sprouts so it's also really good for you. The only downside is getting all the leaves off of a buttload of Brussell sprouts takes a fair amount of time. So this one will probably be waiting until our next visitors this summer so there's an extra pair of hands or two.



Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (about 8 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 ounce shaved Asiago cheese

Preparation

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or just until golden, stirring constantly. Add breadcrumbs; cook 1 minute or until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Transfer garlic mixture to a small bowl.
2. Separate leaves from Brussels sprouts; quarter cores. Heat remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add leaves and cores to pan; cook 8 minutes or just until leaves wilt and cores are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; toss with breadcrumb mixture, salt, and pepper. Top with walnuts and cheese.

Recipe from Cooking Light

Apple-Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 16 slices French bread (1/2 inch thick)
• 1 medium Fuji apple, chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Directions

1. Combine the apple, goat cheese, thyme, oregano and pepper; sprinkle over bread. 
2. Broil until cheese is softened. Yield: 16 appetizers.

Lighter Cheese Fondue

The fondue pot or slow cooker is only necessary if you eat too slow. We all gobbled it up so fast that both the temperature and consistency were fine without further heating. We served it with bread and cauliflower.

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon no-trans-fat margarine (with 8 grams of fat per tablespoon)
• 2 tablespoons fat-free or light sour cream
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Wondra® quick-mixing flour
• 3/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch ground nutmeg or cayenne red pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded light Jarlsberg® cheese (or reduced-fat Swiss)
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Preparation:
1. In medium saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat; blend in the sour cream and flour to make a paste. Whisk in the milk and half-and-half and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to simmer, stir in salt, pepper, and cayenne, and stir frequently until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Whisk in an additional tablespoon of Wondra® flour, if needed, for desired thickness.
2. Remove from heat, stir in shredded cheeses and stir well. Pour cheese into fondue pot or slow cooker set on HIGH. Serve with cubes of sourdough or French bread, or lightly cooked vegetables (broccoli or cauliflower florets work well).

Yield:
4-6 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving of fondue (if 4 per recipe): 185 calories, 15 g protein, 10.5 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 0.2 g fiber, 278 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 44%.

Recipe from http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=59710

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Photo from Eating Well

This is what we made when Jana, Jeremy, and Leigh came over last weekend. A great option for the varied types of eaters we had (Eric, very meat and potatoes, to vegetarian Caroline) with separate taco meat and avocado for diners to add as desired.

Makes: 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes




INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (see Tip) or frozen, thawed
• 4 large tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice (see Tip)
• 1 15-ounce can black, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup prepared salsa
• 2 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
• 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 2 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled tortilla chips
• Lime wedges for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and corn; cook, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Coarsely chop 1 tomato. Add it to the pan along with rice, beans, chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato cooks down, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Coarsely chop the remaining 3 tomatoes. Combine with cilantro, salsa and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano in a medium bowl.
3. Toss lettuce in a large bowl with the bean mixture, half the fresh salsa and 2/3 cup cheese. Serve sprinkled with tortilla chips and the remaining cheese, passing lime wedges and the remaining fresh salsa at the table.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 1, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat slightly before serving.
Kitchen Tips: To remove corn kernels from the cob, stand an ear of corn on its stem end and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife.
To cook rice, bring 1 cup water and 1/2 cup long-grain brown rice to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer at the lowest bubble until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Crustless Quiche in a Cup

We enjoyed this super easy to make dish with Team  Lauren Pacific Northwest - Jana, Jeremy, Leigh, Jude, and Caroline.  Very tasty.

Prep Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 30 to 40 mins

Ingredients:
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 cup lowfat milk
1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
fresh pepper & sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blanch the broccoli in boiling water, dry and chop up into small pieces and set aside. Also set aside 2 to 3 tablespoons of cheddar cheese for sprinkling on top of quiche. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine eggs and whites and lightly whisk together. Add milk and continue to whisk together. Stir in all remaining cheese and broccoli and finish off with salt and pepper to taste. Spray cups or ramekins with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet. Divide egg mixture evenly among cups, sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until beginning to brown. An 8oz ramekin should yield 4 quiches. Note: Coffee cups are generally a bit bigger/deeper than 8oz. If you are using mugs and you want to get the quiches to pop out like the picture (above) it’s best to divide the recipe among 3 cups instead of 4.

Original recipe from Cooking with My Kid.

Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas

 

Lexi thinks the recipe could use some ham. Photo Credit: E. Evans

A favorite in our house! And the enchiladas reheat quite nicely for leftovers.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro (or 2 tsp dried)

• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked rice (white or brown)

• 6 medium-sized (6 inch-ish diameter) flour tortillas

-       A smaller size is fine too; you just need enough to take up the space in the baking pan.

• 1 15 oz can red enchilada sauce
• 1-2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded/grated (carefully so as to avoid injury)

• Guacamole and sour cream for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1.    Cook rice according to package directions.

2.    Heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium-high.

3.    Add onion and pepper, sauté for ~4 minutes.

4.    Add garlic, and stir for 30 seconds.

5.    Mix in tomatoes, lime juice, sugar, cumin, cayenne pepper, and cilantro. Simmer for ~10 minutes.

6.    Stir in rice and black beans, and remove from heat.

7.    Preheat oven to 350F.

8.    Lightly spray a 13 x 9 baking dish. Spread half the enchilada sauce across the bottom.

9.    Place ~1 cup of the veggie & bean mixture in the center of a tortilla. Fold closed, and place seam side down in the baking pan. When finished, the filled enchiladas should be snug in the baking pan.

-       I often have about 1-2 cups of the veggie & bean mix left over, which can be refrigerated for later. It’s a tasty meal on its own, sprinkled with cheese, and maybe some chips.

10. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the filled enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese.

11. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Recipe via Can you stay for dinner?

Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Broccoli

Real cheese, nationality unknown. Photo via NPR

I was never a huge fan of macaroni and cheese, probably because I thought it was something that only came out of a package. And those packages contained cheese product, a substance that ranks right up (or down) there with American "cheese" on my list of Things Not to Eat.

I came across this recipe while trying to find a "real meal" to contribute to the Nanner Cooking Club. Not only does it have real cheese, it also has veggies. And baking it gives it more of a casserole than stove top feel. The dish has made it into a fairly regular rotation in our house as my husband is particularly fond of it.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz pasta (shaped suitably for macaroni)
• 12 oz fresh broccoli florets (I usually add a bit more)

• 1 ½ Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup onion, minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 8 oz (2 cups) sharp cheddar, shredded
• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 Tbsp grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1.    Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a baking dish (13 x 9) with cooking spray.

2.    Cook broccoli and pasta together, following package directions for al dente (or undercook by ~2 minutes).

3.    Melt butter in a large saucepan.

4.    Add onion, cook on low heat for 2 minutes.

5.    Add flour, combine well, cook for 1 minute.

6.    Add milk and broth, whisk together. Raise heat to medium-high, bringing to boil (Reminder: Milk boils quickly, without warning!). Cook for ~5 minutes until sauce is smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.

7.    Remove sauce from heat; add cheese, stirring until melted.

8.    Combine sauce, broccoli, and pasta; mix well. Pour into baking dish.

9.    Sprinkle with parmesan and bread crumbs; spray with cooking spray.

10. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, and then broil for a few minutes (carefully!) to brown breadcrumbs.

Recipe via Skinny Taste

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

An NCC classic first posted by Caroline and enjoyed many times over. 

Thurston, a former foster cat. Photo credit: E. Evans

This may be the first recipe I commit to memory. 

It's very conducive to doubling (you can use up the entire can of pumpkin), and it makes a successful contribution to a bake sale. Not having kids, I didn't think I would need a bake sale go-to, but the cat rescue group with which I volunteer holds them. These cookies are guaranteed to bring happiness to all, two-legged and four. 


INGREDIENTS

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup white sugar

½ cup canola oil

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp milk

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1.    Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheet.

2.    Combine in two bowls:

          -    Bowl 1: pumpkin, sugar, oil, egg

          -    Bowl 2: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt

3.    Combine baking soda and milk; stir into Bowl 1.

4.    Add dry ingredients (Bowl 2) to wet ingredients (Bowl 1) and mix.

5.    Add vanilla and mix.

6.    Add chocolate chips and mix.

7.    Drop spoonfuls of dough onto cooking sheet. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. (Note: I find that if my spoonfuls are much more than a tablespoon, it takes a solid 11 minutes to bake).

Recipe via My Baking Addiction