My Favorite Recipes

These are my tried and true favorites...the recipes I turn to when company is coming and I need a "sure thing" on the table.  These are the recipes that have been made over and over...some I've made for over 20 years. Try a few...and let me know what you think!

Chicken:  Barbecued Herb-Mustard Chicken


In the late 1980s my mother in law introduced me to this recipe from Sunset magazine.  She made it frequently for family get-togethers and Brian and I continue to make it on a regular basis. In fact, when I make it, I quadruple the recipe and fill up the freezer for easy-to-make meals at a later date.

Something else I should mention, is that it's worth trying even if you don't like mustard.  I HATE mustard.  Hate it. I don't even scrape it off of things...I simply won't eat mustard-y foods.   Yet I LOVE this recipe.  And speaking of mustard, the type/brand of mustard you use does matter. I've mentioned two easy-to-find national brands that work well with this.  But I've had it with other mustards and it's just not the same. 

Beef:  Marinated Flank Steak

This recipe really needs a better name because "marinated" doesn't describe the soy-ginger-garlicy goodness that leaves you drooling.  There are many similar marinades out there with different names, and I'm sure they're all good.  But I have no need to even try them because this one is so damn good.   And while the title says "flank" steak, it also works well with sirloins.  The flank is best, but for the budget dinners, it does wonders to a cheap sirloin.

Make sure to use fresh ingredients...onions, ginger, garlic.  None of that dried stuff, please.   

Pie:  Old-Fashioned Apple Pie


This recipe came from the McCalls cookbook we got for a wedding gift 21 years ago.  I've been making it ever since.  You can pretty much count on it for Thanksgiving and Christmas at my house.  Even if I make another pie, I still make the apple.  It's not a holiday meal without my apple pie.  When we have benefit pie auctions, my apple pie brings in a solid bid each time.  What can be better than that?  Pies for charity!!

When I first began making this I used the Pilsbury refrigerated pie crusts.  Now I make my own crust, but if you're looking for a short-cut, get the Pilsbury crusts.

Cake:  Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting


Incredibly moist carrot cake and the creamiest cream cheese frosting ever.  Make sure you thaw out the cream cheese before mixing so it's not lumpy.  Since the shredded carrots are the most time-consuming part of this recipe, I've found a short-cut:  I buy a bag of carrots and shred all of them in the food processor (using the fine shredding blade).  Then I bag them up in 4 cup servings, and freeze them!  I usually have a few bags of shredded carrots in my freezer.  When I need (or want!) to make this cake it's super easy to grab a bag of carrots...you don't even need to defrost them...just dump them in the mixing bowl.

Stir-Fry: Kung Pao Chicken

This is another recipe we've been making for 20 some years.  The only downside is that I haven't found a way to freeze parts of it for a make ahead meal....something to work on this summer!  Anyway, I just love the flavors in this sauce...so much better than any jarred/premade sauces you can pick up at the grocery store.  And, you can add just about any veggie to make it to your liking.  Shrimp or tofu is easily added or substituted for the chicken too.


Cookies:  Van's Chocolate Chip Cookies


The first thing you may notice is that these aren't so chocolate-y.  Don't let that stop you.  I'm not a fan of a lot of chocolate, and prefer to use about half the recommend chocolate chips in my cookies.  The linked recipe will give you a generous amount of chocolate!

This recipe comes from a woman named Van, whom I met when we lived in Indiana. These were the first home-made chocolate chip cookies that I fell in love with.  They just always turn out perfectly.    Van said the key was the Fleishmann's margarine and the Gold Medal brand flour.  I don't mess with perfection, so I always make them as she did.

Pudding:  Rice Pudding


The ultimate comfort food.   This version is baked in a water bath, leaving a creamy rice mixture on the bottom with custard on top.  Soooooooooo good!!

Pasta:  Baked Macaroni and Cheese


This is one of my newer favorites, as I've only been making it for 5 years.  I love the creaminess. Cook's Illustrated insists it's because of the colby cheese...which I've had difficulty finding at times.  It seems it used to be more readily available, but now I just find colby-jack, which is not what you want.   So go on a colby hunt. It's worth it!

Another plus....it's just as easy to quadruple the recipe and make up a bunch of pans to freeze.  I LOVE having this on hand in the freezer for some quick comfort food. When someone's in need and meals are being arranged, I can always volunteer immediately because this is stocked in my freezer.  It's kid-family friendly, vegetarian, and not spicy...all great pluses when you're cooking for someone recovering from an illness.

Alcoholic Beverage:  Minty Mojitos


Refreshing and light...perfect for a warm summer evening.  Kids seem to like the virgin versions of these too...just leave out the rum for theirs!  When you make this recipe, leave some room at the top.  That way you can adjust the taste....adding a bit more simple sugar, rum, or lime.  I tend to like a bit more lime!

Potato Dish:  Smoky Scalloped Potatoes




Another more recent favorite from Cook's Illustrated.  This is just soooooo darn good.  Creamy and cheesy.  It's a little time consuming and not anywhere near calorie-conscious so it gets made once a year for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It fits in nicely with my holiday meal schedule, as it needs a 425 degree oven which is exactly the same as my cornbread and apple pie...so the three of them can cook up right after the turkey comes out of the oven.  Oh, and it can be assembled the day before, which helps with holiday stresses!

Appetizer:  Herbed Puffs

Hot little mouth-watering morsels of cheesy-herby goodness.  Can be made ahead and frozen. Enough said!

Dip:  Cilantro Dip



The best party dip.  Pour over a block of cream cheese and serve with water crackers. This one's been making the rounds within my circle of friends for several years.  You can make it as hot or mild as you like (just add the jalapenos a little at a time until it's just right for you). 

Holiday Meal Plan



When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas, I pretty much make the same dishes each year.  While that might seem boring, most of these dishes are only made for the holidays, so we look forward to them each year.

My holiday meals usually include the following dishes, which are all freshly home-made:

• Apple Streusel Coffeecake (morning)
• Turkey
• Tofurky
• Gravy
• Mashed Potatoes (or Scalloped Potatoes)
• Cornbread
• Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews
• Green Beens with Pecans
• Sausage Stuffing
• Vegetarian Stuffing
• Apple Pie
• Turkey Pot Pie (for the day after)

The prep work and timing for these dishes could be overwhelming if I didn't do a lot of work the week before.  In this meal plan you'll find the shopping list, recipes, and a schedule for all the prep work.

The beauty behind this plan is the prep bowl chart.  I line up all my bowls, number them, and get out the ingredients. Then I fill the bowls assembly-line style.

Perfect Blueberry Muffins

In my quest to find the perfect blueberry muffin, I've tried several.  Some have yogurt.  Some buttermilk or cream cheese.  These use sour cream.  What I love about these muffins is that they're light and airy.  Moist, but not dense. 

Recently I offered a dozen of these for a school auction.  Imagine my surprise when they pulled in $60!  For a dozen!  When I baked them for the lucky recipient, I doubled the quantity, and made some for our family as well.  They're simple to make, and a great way to use up all the frozen berries I purchased last summer!




Perfect Blueberry Muffins 
(adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

In a mixing bowl, cream:
     5 TB softened unsalted butter
     1/2 C sugar

Add and mix together:
     1 large egg

Add and mix together:
     3/4 C sour cream (or plain yogurt)
     1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

Mix in a separate bowl and then add to the butter mixture:
     1 1/2 tsp baking powder
     1/4 tsp baking soda
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

The dough will be thick.  Fold in gently by hand:
     1 1/4 C fresh or frozen blueberries.  (If frozen, there's no need to thaw.)

Use a cookie scoop (the spring loaded kind) to fill the cups.  You can them about 3/4 full...or even a smidge more.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown on top.  Cool on a rack and enjoy!!


   

Creamy Lemon Oat Bars

Our local downtown grocery store, Harvest Fresh, makes the BEST lemon bars I've ever had.  They have a baked cookie-like crust, a creamy lemon middle, and an oat crumble top.  They are heavenly.  Every now and then I've Googled ingredients and recipe names, searching for something similar.  Nothing has looked quite right.  Until now.

As I was browsing Pinterest, I found a photo that looked just like the bars from Harvest Fresh.  Upon looking at the ingredients, I realized I'd been searching for something with cream cheese in the middle, not condensed milk. Aha!  Tonight I tried them, and they did not disappoint!

This recipe come from Simple Daily Recipes, and after finding it, I'm making a note to head back to her blog for more recipes.

Creamy Lemon Oat Bars
Simple Daily Recipes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together:
     1- 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk*
     2 tsp grated lemon zest
     1/4 C fresh lemon juice

In a food processor, mix together:
     1 1/4 C flour
     1/2 C brown sugar
     1/4 tsp baking soda
     1/4 tsp salt

Add in:
     1/2 C unsalted butter, cut into smaller chunks

Pour into a medium bowl, and stir in:
     1 C old fashioned oats

Grease an 8" x 8" pan.  Place half of the dry mixture into the pan and press evenly.  Bake for about 10 minutes.

Stir the lemon mixture again, making sure it's mixed well and thick; not soupy.  Pour over the oat crust.  Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the lemon mixture. 

Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden on top and the lemon center has set.

Cool completely before cutting into 16 pieces.

*While I used the regular condensed milk, the blog's author made the recipe with regular and non-fat condensed milk.  She served them both and found no difference in taste.  Next time (and yes, there WILL be a next time...) I will make it with the non-fat milk.

Refrigerate leftover bars.  (They actually taste best cold, though if you're like my family, you won't be able to be that patient!)
     

Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake (aka Brian's Red Cake)

The first time I made this recipe was when I was in college.  I was dating my now-husband, Brian.  I'm pretty sure it was November 11, 1988, because  I made it with his sister, Sheila, for his 22nd birthday.  We surprised him with it in the middle of the night...at the actual time of his birth.  In hindsight, that wasn't the smartest thing to do.  But he still married me!

The recipe is an old family original, that has been in his family for several generations.   However, when I say "original" you'll see that there's really nothing original about it.  As I searched through many online versions of Red Velvet cake, it's a pretty typical recipe.  In fact, there are near identical ones to it all over the place.  When looking at all the recipes, there was a wide discrepancy regarding the amount of cocoa to use.  Some (like this one) use just a couple teaspoons.  Others use up to a quarter cup.  Though I've tasted many over the years, I stick with making this one, because 1) it's darn good. And, 2) it has a history.

Before 1988, I don't think I'd ever heard of, nor tasted, a Red Velvet cake.  I'm thinking that like all classics, it was experiencing a lull, only to be fully revived by a new generation.  In fact, for years, I called it "Brian's Red Cake" not even knowing that it was a Red Velvet cake.  Silly girl.

Brian's Red Cake

Combine and let stand:
     1 tsp baking soda
     1 tsp vinegar

Cream:
     1 1/2 C sugar
     1/2 C shortening
     2 eggs

Mix in a small, separate bowl.  Then add to the sugar mixture:
     2 tsp cocoa
     2 1/2 C cake flour
     1 tsp salt

Add:
     1 tsp vanilla

Mix in the baking soda/vinegar.
Pour into 2 9" pans.
Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Top with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Blend well:
8 oz softened cream cheese
4 TB softened (NOT melted) butter
2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract

Key Lime Pie with Meringue Topping

Today is 3.14.  Pi Day.  Or Pie Day.   How will you be celebrating?  In honor of Pi Day, here's one you might like to try:  some good ol' southern Key Lime Pie.

Before we get to the recipe, we'll be taking a brief detour through the Low Country of South Carolina.  While living in the Low Country,  we were introduced to many regional foods, events,  and customs.

One of my first memories was when we'd just moved there.  My neighbor, Teresa, invited me to go with her to the Loris Bog Off.  Now Loris  is this dinky little town in Horry (that's OH-reeeee) County with about 2,000 residents.  Once a year, the town swells to 30,000 with its annual festival featuring chicken bog.  For those of you not in the know, a Bog-Off is much like a Chili Cook-Off.  Chefs prepare their own unique recipes of chicken bog and enter it in a contest.

I'd never heard of chicken bog until I moved to South Carolina.  And, like chili, there are umpteen recipes and variations.  The basics are rice (staying true to the low-country's heritage), sausage, chicken, onions, and broth.  The dish is as local as you can get. And Loris is as famous as Loris will ever be with the annual Bog-off.

Anyhow, as we're wandering around the streets of Loris I saw this group of men in suits with an old man who was going around shaking hands with everyone.  He made his way to Teresa and me, and shook our hands too.  As he walked away I learned I just shook hands with the country's oldest and longest serving US Senator:  Strom Thurmond.  He was 94 years old and campaigning for his last election.

During our five years in the Low Country, we also had the opportunity to try benne wafers, boiled peanuts, greens, grits (instant not allowed), she-crab soup, chitlins (thankyouverymuchbutiwillpassonthese),barbecue (simply called barbecue, it's vinegar-based barbecued pork) , and of course, fried chicken smothered with gravy (OK...everything was smothered in gravy!).  Coming from the west, this was a whole new world of food.

And how do you properly top off a Low Country meal?  Key Lime pie, of course!  It's another regional favorite, though not strictly Low-Country.  Oh, my.   The Southerners do know their pie!

So, in honor of Pi Day, I will share with you Paula Deen's Key-Lime Pie with Meringue Topping.

Key Lime Pie with Meringue Topping
(Paula Deen)

Pie:

1 prepared 9-inch graham cracker crust (I used Keebler brand)
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 C freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp grated lime zest
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 large egg yolks
Meringue:
4 egg whites
6 TB sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and condensed milk. Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and cream. Pour the filling into the crust and bake about 30 minutes or until firm. Remove pie from oven.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. In a second bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the sugar mixture, a little at a time, to the egg whites, beating between additions. Continue to beat until the sugar dissolves. Spoon the meringue over the hot pie filling. Torch the meringue to give it’s golden color; or bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve pie warm or at room temperature. 
 
 And, just to be clear, as Paula Deen states, "Key Lime Pie should never be green!" 

Pi Pie for Pi Day!

Are you ready for Pi Day?  3.14.  March 14....It's tomorrow!  In honor of Pi Day we made these Pi Apple Pies:

Want to make your own Pi Pie?  Here are a few of my favorite pie recipes:

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Perfect Pecan Pie

The Best Pumpkin Pie

Key Lime Pie with Meringue Topping

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

I've been meaning to try these biscuits for awhile now.  Every time I think of making them, I can't because I don't keep buttermilk on hand.  I know there are substitutes, but when I'm making a recipe for the first time, I like to make it the way it was written.  Anyway, once I finally remembered to buy some buttermilk, our family loved these!  They're a bit more work (especially when compared to those that pop out of cans....) but so worth it.  And, the dough can be frozen.  I made up a couple batches and put some in the freezer for another time.

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
(Cook's Illustrated)

The dough is a bit sticky when it comes together and during the first set of turns. Set aside about 1 cup of extra flour for dusting the work surface, dough, and rolling pin to prevent sticking. Be careful not to incorporate large pockets of flour into the dough when folding it over. When cutting the biscuits, press down with firm, even pressure; do not twist the cutter. The recipe may be prepared through step 2, transferred to a zipper-lock freezer bag, and frozen for several weeks. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before proceeding.

Makes 12 biscuits

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces), plus additional flour for work surface

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening , cut into 1/2-inch chunks

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cold, lightly floured and cut into 1/8-inch slices (see illustration below)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk , cold

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.

2. Add shortening to flour mixture; break up chunks with fingertips until only small, pea-sized pieces remain. Working in batches, drop butter slices into flour mixture and toss to coat; pick up each slice of butter and press between floured fingertips into flat, nickel-sized pieces (see illustration at right). Repeat until all butter is incorporated; toss to combine. Freeze mixture (in bowl) until chilled, about 15 minutes.

3. Spray 24-inch-square area of work surface with nonstick cooking spray; spread spray evenly across surface with kitchen towel or paper towel. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of extra flour across sprayed area; gently spread flour across work surface with palm to form thin, even coating. Add all but 2 tablespoons of buttermilk to flour mixture; stir briskly with fork until ball forms and no dry bits of flour are visible, adding remaining buttermilk as needed (dough will be sticky and shaggy but should clear sides of bowl). With rubber spatula, transfer dough onto center of prepared work surface, dust surface lightly with flour, and, with floured hands, bring dough together into cohesive ball.

4. Pat dough into approximate 10-inch square; roll into 18 by 14-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, dusting dough and rolling pin with flour as needed. Following illustrations below, using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, fold dough into thirds, brushing any excess flour from surface; lift short end of dough and fold in thirds again to form approximate 6 by 4-inch rectangle. Rotate dough 90 degrees, dusting work surface underneath with flour; roll and fold dough again, dusting with flour as needed.

5. Roll dough into 10-inch square about 1/2 inch thick; flip dough and cut nine 3-inch rounds with floured biscuit cutter, dipping cutter back into flour after each cut. Carefully invert and transfer rounds to ungreased baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps into ball; roll and fold once or twice until scraps form smooth dough. Roll dough into 1/2-inch-thick round; cut three more 3-inch rounds and transfer to baking sheet. Discard excess dough.

6. Brush biscuit tops with melted butter. Bake, without opening oven door, until tops are golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Perfect Pecan Pie

I'm not a big pecan pie fan.  Don't get me wrong...I like it, I really do.  It's just that it's usually so rich that a small slice is all I want to eat for days.  And since our family is small (3) one pie suffices for most dessert occasions, and if I'm going to be honest, my apple pie is always picked first.  It's that good.

But this Christmas we had 12 people for dinner (hello, family from far away!!) and everyone had a favorite "must have" pie request.  We narrowed it to three pies:  apple, pumpkin, and pecan.  My aunt Debbie was going to make the pecan pie but when it came time to make the pie (had to get done before the turkey, and her recipe was not in the kitchen), we had to quickly switch to plan B for a recipe.  Cook's Illustrated has yet to fail me, so that's where I turned.  And, oh, my goodness....so glad I did (although Debbie's recipe is similar, with a toffee candy crunchy top too!)!!

The crust was heavenly (always is...).   Light and airy and flaky.  The top of the pecan pie was like a crunchy toffee candy bar.  So, so good!  Very rich and decadent!

You might feel that heating (in essence, double boiling) the mixture is a step you can skip.  But that's the part that creates that crunchy toffee candy bar surface.  You really want to take a moment to follow that part carefully.  Get out your candy thermometer (or in my case...the meat thermometer worked fine...) and ready, set, go!

Perfect Pecan Pie

(Cook's Illustrated)

If you want warm pie, cool the pie thoroughly, then cut and warm it in a 250-degree oven for about twenty minutes.

Serves 8

Pie Shell

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , plus extra for dough and rolling surface

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter , chilled, cut into 1/4 -inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening , frozen, cut into small pieces

1 large egg white , chilled, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 tablespoons) to equal 1/4 cup

1 large egg yolk , beaten with 1/8 teaspoon water

Filling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups whole pecans (8 ounces), toasted and chopped into small pieces

1. For Pie Crust: Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter and shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and, with blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together. Shape dough into ball with hands, then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

3. Roll dough on lightly floured surface into 13-inch circle and transfer to 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass. Press dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough to make 1/2-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute edge, (see illustration 1).

4. Chill shell until firm, about 1 hour. Prick sides and bottom with fork and line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim (illustration 2). Prick foil with fork (illustration 3) and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.

5. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, pressing once or twice with mitt-protected hands, if necessary, to flatten any puffing, until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and return to oven until yolk glazes over, about 1 minute longer. Remove from oven, and set aside while preparing the filling.

6. Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees. Place pie shell in oven if not still warm.

7. For Pie: Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.

8. Pour mixture into warm shell; bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours. Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Banana Bread

I've been making the same banana bread for years...from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook (you know...the one with the red and white checked cover...).  I like the recipe just fine.  But I'm also wondering if there's something better out there.

I've been wanting to try a recipe from Cook's Illustrated for some time now.  But their recipe calls for plain yogurt, which is not something I ever have on hand.  And, banana bread is not a recipe I plan ahead to make.  It's a recipe that gets made when we don't eat the bananas in a timely manner.  When I'm ready to make banana bread, I need to have all the ingredients on hand at that moment....and I never have plain yogurt in the fridge.  Someday I'll try it, just because it's from Cook's Illustrated and I love their recipes.  But it will never be my go-to recipe.

Tonight I had three over-ripe bananas hanging from the hook.  I sadly closed up the CI cookbook (didn't have that yogurt...) and opened up Paula Deen's cookbook to see what she suggested.  Pretty standard ingredients...all in the pantry.  So I quickly whipped it up and popped it in the oven.  Right now it's baking. 

.    .    .    .    .

Banana Bread

(Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together:

     1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature

     1 cup sugar

Add to the mix:

     2 eggs

     1/2 tsp salt

     1 tsp vanilla

     1 tsp baking powder

     1 tsp baking soda

     3 ripe bananas

Once those are mixed well, add:

     1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted*

Grease a 9 x 5" loaf pan.  Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes.**

* Yeah, didn't sift the flour...
**It took 65 minutes in my oven

Results:   It was moist and flavorful....pretty darn good.  I still prefer the BH&G recipe, and will sometime have to try the Cook's Illustrated one.  I also saw Betty Crocker has one with buttermilk that folks on the internet rave about.

Banana Bread

(Better Homes & Gardens, 1989/10th edition)

In a large mixing bowl combine:

     1 cup all purpose flour
     2/3 cup sugar
     2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1/4 tsp salt

Add to the bowl and mix:
     1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 medium)
     1/3 cup shortening, margarine, or butter
     2 TB milk

Add to the bowl and mix:
     3/4 cup flour
     2 eggs

Stir in:
     1/4 cup chopped nuts

Pour batter into a greased 8 x 4 x 2" loaf pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pan and cool thoroughly on a wire rack.  Makes one loaf (16 slices).

So, what's your favorite recipe for banana bread??

Peach Crumble

Added 8/09: FULL DISCLOSURE: I did omit an important ingredient...the brown sugar. That truly could've made a big difference in how the recipe turned out. But the truth is, this dessert sat around for over a week and was only half eaten. Yeah...desserts just don't do that in my house!! So, until I re-make it correctly, I will call this recipe a bomb. Just so you're warned....But if you want to go ahead and try it correctly (Really could make a HUGE difference!!) I won't delete the original post:

My sister, Stacy, has been posting some yummy foods on Facebook this week! Yesterday it was a Blueberry-Sour Cream pie and today it was Peach Pie. Yeah, my stomach started grumbling! Brian even mention (jokingly, of course) that he was ready to pack the car and drive down to the Bay Area.

This afternoon I gave in and looked in my personalized "Cook's Illustrated" cookbooks. I found a recipe for Peach Crumble that looked mighty tasty. Thankfully I had all the ingredients on hand. I didn't have fresh peaches, but had some frozen ones. My bag was 16 oz., while the recipe called for 10. So I simply multiplied the recipe by 1 1/2.

As I was making them, I realized what it is about crumbles/cobblers that I do/don't care for. I usually prefer a crunchy crumbly topping; not a soggy cakey one. With this crumble you bake the topping first and then add it to the fruit. It was kind of an "AHA!" moment for me.

Peach Crumble

Add the lemon juice to taste in step 2 according to the sweetness of your peaches. If ripe peaches are unavailable, you can substitute five 10-ounce bags of frozen peaches, thawed overnight in the refrigerator. The topping can be baked ahead of time, as directed in step 3, then cooled and stored in an airtight container. As directed in step 4, sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and continue to bake.

Serves 4 to 6

Filling
3 1/2 pounds ripe but firm peaches (6 to 7 medium), peeled and pitted; each peach halved and cut into 3/4-inch wedges (about 6 1/2 cups prepared peaches)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
3-5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon (see note above)
Pinch table salt
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg

Topping
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark), 1 3/4 ounces*
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 6 pieces and very soft
1/2 cup sliced almonds**

1. Adjust oven racks to lower and middle positions; heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. FOR THE FILLING: Gently toss peaches and sugar together in large bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times. Drain peaches in colander set over large bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup drained peach juice, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in small bowl; discard excess peach juice. Toss juice mixture with peaches and transfer to 8-inch-square glass baking dish.

3. FOR THE TOPPING: While peaches are macerating, combine flour, sugars (reserving 1 tablespoon granulated sugar), and salt in workbowl of food processor; drizzle vanilla over top. Pulse to combine mixture, about five 1-second pulses. Add butter and half of nuts; process until mixture clumps together into large, crumbly balls, about 30 seconds, pausing halfway through to scrape down sides of workbowl. Sprinkle remaining nuts over mixture and combine with two quick pulses. Transfer mixture to parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into even layer (mixture should break up into roughly 1/2-inch chunks with some smaller, loose bits). Bake on middle rack until chunks are lightly browned and firm, 18 to 22 minutes.

4. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Grasping edges of parchment paper (following "Transferring the Baked Crumble" illustrations 1 and 2 below), slide topping over peaches and spread into even layer with spatula, packing down lightly and breaking up any very large pieces. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon sugar over top and place on lower oven rack. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake until well browned and fruit is bubbling around edges, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack until warm, at least 15 minutes; serve.

* OOPS! I completely forgot the brown sugar. How did I not see that? Still turned out, but will not forget it next time!

**I don't care for almonds so I (purposely, this time!) omitted them.

Lemon Chiffon Cake

Tomorrow is my turn to bring dessert to our book group. I love it when it's my turn because it's always a good excuse to try something new and decadent. I really enjoy lemon flavored desserts, but my family isn't so keen on them....a great excuse to bring something lemony tomorrow! So, I went searching through my Cook's Illustrated recipes (their recipes are always winners!!) to find something new.

Upon reading this recipe I was a little intimidated. CI goes into such detail about why you should do things a certain way that can make you second guess yourself...wondering if your cooking skills are up to the task. But...rather than be intimidated by such detail, I think you should be thankful to have it! So many other recipes would tell you to whip your egg whites until you have stiff peaks...but CI takes it a step further telling you it's better to over-whip than under-whip. When it doubt, information like that is really helpful!

I also enjoyed reading the history of this recipe. They explained that so many modern chiffon cakes simply weren't the right texture. So they went back to the late 40s and looked at an old (but very popular) Betty Crocker recipe. Using that recipe, they applied knowledge gained from Great Cakes by Carole Walter and determined that how you separate and add your eggs can make a big difference. This may be more than the average cook wants to know, but I really love to read little tid-bits like this. I guess it gives me more confidence.

The one thing I didn't have was an angel-food pan. Instead I used my Pampered Chef bundt pan. The directions call for you to immediately turn the pan upside down suspended from a bottle. Well, my pan is 1) too heavy for that, and 2) doesn't actually have a hole inside the pan. So I simply turned my pan upside down on a plate and left it there for two hours. I used a dinner knife to go around the edges of the pan, loosely lifting at the cake each time the knife went in.

The cake came out easily enough. But on top were some custard-gel like blobs instead of feathery cake. CI had warned me if my egg whites weren't stiff enough, that this would happen. From my pictures you should get an idea of peaks that weren't stiff enough. The blobs easily came off, leaving a lumpy-bumpy top of the cake. So I took a serrated knife and evened it out, which is why my bundt shaped cake is flat on top!

Taste test: Since this is for book group, I didn't cut into the cake yet. But I did have my scraps and some icing left in the bowl. The cake has a light lemon taste to it, but the real flavor comes from the glaze. I'm looking forward to a slice of it!

Lemon Chiffon Cake
(Cook's Illustrated)

If the egg whites to be whipped are not at room temperature, set them in a pan placed in hot tap water and stir them until they are tepid. Coconut is very nice as a variation for this cake. Add 2/3 to 1 cup lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut, lightly chopped, to the batter before folding in the egg whites.

Serves 12

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
7 large eggs , 2 left whole, 5 separated
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 large lemons , zested, then juiced to yield 2 tablespoons strained juice

1. Adjust rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl (at least 4-quart size). Whisk in two whole eggs, five egg yolks (reserve whites), water, oil, lemon juice and zest and vanilla extract until batter is just smooth.

2. Pour reserved egg whites into large bowl; beat at medium speed with electric mixer until foamy, about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium-high, then beat whites until very thick and stiff, just short of dry, 9 to 10 minutes with hand-held mixer and 5 to 7 minutes in KitchenAid or other standing mixer. With large rubber spatula, fold whites into batter, smearing in any blobs of white that resist blending with flat side of spatula.

3. Pour batter into large tube pan (9-inch diameter, 16-cup capacity). Rap pan against countertop five times to rupture any large air pockets. If using two-piece pan, grasp on both sides with your hands while firmly pressing down on the tube with thumbs to keep batter from seeping underneath pan during this rapping process. Wipe off any batter that may have dripped or splashed onto inside walls of pan with paper towel.

4. Bake cake until wire cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Immediately turn cake upside down to cool. If pan does not have prongs around rim for elevating cake, invert pan over bottle or funnel, inserted through tube. Let cake hang until completely cold, about 2 hours.

5. To unmold, turn pan upright. Run frosting spatula or thin knife around pan's circumference between cake and pan wall, always pressing against the pan. Use cake tester to loosen cake from tube. For one-piece pan, bang it on counter several times, then invert over serving plate. For two-piece pan, grasp tube and lift cake out of pan. If glazing the cake, use a fork or a paring knife to gently scrape all the crust off the cake. Loosen cake from pan bottom with spatula or knife, then invert cake onto plate. (Can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature 2 days or refrigerated 4 days.)

Glaze for Chiffon Cake
(Cook's Illustrated)

Since lumps in the confectioners' sugar don't dissolve completely in the liquid, they really show up once the cake is glazed. Unless you are certain that your sugar is lump-free, better to sift it. Before you glaze the cake, the crumbs must be scraped.* With a fork or paring knife, gently scrape all the crust off the cake. To keep the serving plate from being smudged with glaze, slip small pieces of waxed paper beneath the cake edge all along the bottom. If making the milk variation, stir in one-half teaspoon of lemon juice to cut the intense sweetness.

Makes enough for 1 chiffon cake

4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
4 - 5 tablespoons orange juice , lemon juice, milk, or coffee**
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Beat butter, 4 tablespoons of the liquid, and sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Let glaze stand 1 minute, then try spreading a little on cake. If cake threatens to tear, thin glaze with up to 1 tablespoon more liquid. A little at a time, spread glaze over cake top, letting excess dribble down sides. Let cake stand until glaze dries, about 30 minutes. If you like, spread dribbles to make a thin, smooth coat.

*Obviously I missed a few crumbs!!
**I used 4 TB lemon juice.

Added on 5/4/09: Oh, my goodness, this was gooood! So light and moist. While the cake as a whole is a little sad-looking, the slice on the plate looked just fine. I also need to admit that I did butter & flour my stoneware pan. It's not as seasoned as my other stoneware pieces (which get frequent use) and until it gets more seasoned (darker in color/more non-stick) it needs a bit of help. After making this recipe I read that you should not grease your pan (which is probably why that step is not mentioned in the recipe). Many sources said that by greasing your pan, the cake will fall. Somehow I escaped this problem!