Blueberry Banana Bread

Quick breads are magical. They can be made with so many delicious ingredients and I find them to be a very forgiving recipe to begin to make healthy substitutions in. 

Since the breads tend to be very dense anyway, it is a wonderful place to start baking with whole grain flour. I love to add applesauce or mashed bananas instead of the butter or the oil. 

And you can eat them for dessert, breakfast or even snacks. You can make the loaves into muffins if you want them to be even easier. 

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (whole grain preferred)

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened (no salt preferred)

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 ripe bananas, mashed 

1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan.

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg and allow to blend into the butter mixture before adding the second egg along with vanilla extract. 

Beat mashed bananas thoroughly into the mixture. Add flour mixture in small increments while beating until just combined into a thick batter. 

Fold blueberries into the batter; pour into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. 

Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Watermelon Frozen Yogurt Bark

I love fun food. I guess to my brain, food that looks cute just tastes better. 

I don't know if that is really true, but it is awfully fun to make, and I love being the mom that says, Who wants Frozen Yogurt and then bringing this outside and letting them be amazed at all the colors and textures and tastes. 

Food should be fun, don't you think?

You'll want to make this the day before you want to serve it. Depending on how cold your freezer is and how thin you make the bark, you might be able to get away with making it in the morning to serve in the afternoon, but I wouldn't risk it the first time.  I always like my first time making something to be a low-key test without too much pressure - otherwise if it fails, I am really crushed emotionally. 

Here are the ingredients that you'll need - parchment paper or non-stick foil (something that you can lift out),  a round pan (a cake pan or a pie pan work great), yogurt in a flavor you like, I used vanilla and colored it with food coloring, so you'll need food coloring, 2 plastic zip bags and mini chocolate chips. 

Color your yogurt and put it into 2 separate plastic bags.

Use your green first, snip off a corner of the bag and pipe around the edge of your circle. 

Then snip off the corner of the pink bag and pipe that into the center of the green. 

I am a terrible mess maker and so then I needed to go back with a small spatula and smooth out my messy piping job. It looked much nice after that. 

 After that, sprinkle some mini chocolate chips in the center and then put it in your freezer - laying it as flat as you can. 

When you are ready to serve it, take it out about 5 minutes before you are wanting to serve. Remove the foil or parchment from the pan and let it sit on your counter. 

When you are ready to serve it, cut it into watermelon slices. 

Fair Warning - this is pretty messy.  My 14 year old said, "this is like holding a scoop of ice cream in your hand"  I served it outside on a hot day while we were playing in the sprinkler. So the mess didn't bother anyone at all. And the heat may have had a lot to do with how fast it was melting. 

But how fun is this? Icy frozen treats, shaped like a watermelon, that taste like vanilla and has chocolate chips "seeds" I love everything about this. 

Healthy Chewy Brownie Thins

Made with Greek Yogurt, Less Sugar, and even the option for a whole grain flour!

Making good choices and having a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean giving up the foods that you love. 

With just a few adjustments, this brownie recipe will have you thinking that a healthy lifestyle can taste as amazing as it can make you feel. 

If you want to be brave a try a whole grain flour, I think the brownies are dense enough to support that.  You can almost experiment with oat or almond flour, although they cost a bit more and I am not a fan of buying ingredients that I feel like won't get used unless for special "occasions"

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

Line an 26 x 18 sheet pan with parchment paper or spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until combined. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating until incorporated.

Scrape down sides of the bowl, and reduce mixer speed to low. 

Slowly add flour mixture to the bowl, followed by yogurt, and mix gently until combined. 

The batter will be thick. Stir in chocolate.

With a spatula, spread mixture evenly in pan – it will feel the bottom of the pan is barely covered. Then bake for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Err on the side of more chewy, because they will set more as they cool

Chewy Coconut Trail Mix

I love mixes that start with cereals. I think there is a huge opportunity here to get some healthy stuff in your family without them realizing it. 

This original recipe used to get delivered to my family growing up and it was a coveted Christmas treat. My sister loves it more than anything. When I started making it, I found out it was a great way to pack a lot of whole grains into a mix that my kids loved eating. 

Read your labels and buy the best cereals that you can. Whole wheat does not mean whole grain, so double check your ingredients.

 

You can also add lots more nuts, dried fruit or really bulk up the bran cereal and cut the caramel glaze in half. There is a ton of room for making this recipe your own. 

Ingredients:

6 1/2 cups Rice Chex ( I use a mix of chex here, because I had it - and the bran chex are my favorite thing in the world)

4 1/2 cups Golden Grahams

1 cup sliced almonds ( you can also use any nuts that you would like, I really like almonds, so I used them)

2 cups unsweetened coconut

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup light Karo syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

 

Instructions : 

In a VERY large bowl combine cereals, almonds, and coconut. Set aside. You combine them first because it is best to have your dry ingredients well incorporated before you start to make them all chewy together.

In a large saucepan, combine butter, Karo syrup, and sugar.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and almond extract.

While the mixture is still hot, pour over the cereal mixture and stir well so the caramel mixture coats the cereal.

Then spread it out on a lined cookie sheet, or a sheet pan with a silicone liner, Let cool.

Serve in a large bowl or divide into individual portions.

Whole Wheat Gingerbread

My mom makes gingerbread like this. Not cut out into crunchy little boys and girls, but moist and spicy. Sometimes she makes a lemon sauce to serve it with, and sometimes we eat it with giant dollops of whipped cream, but it is so so good on its own like this.

And this recipe uses whole wheat flour and I would be willing to bet that even for those who are picky about their baked goods, that they won't be able to tell the difference!

You have got to take this family classic from my house and make it one of yours.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each cloves and nutmeg
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup water
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup diced crystallized ginger (optional)


Instructions:

Grease and flour a 9" square pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Melt the butter in a heatproof measuring cup. Add the molasses to the cup, and pour into the dry ingredients in the bowl, mixing to moisten.

Add the water, stirring until everything is moistened. Whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Stir into the batter until it's evenly combined. Stir in the crystallized ginger.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake just begins to pull away from the edge of the pan.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes before slicing; gingerbread is best served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Brown Sugar and Butter Apricots

I was typing the title for this blog post and I wrote Brown Sugar and Butter WITH Apricots and I'll be honest with you, that is a much more correct title.  We've got apricots coming out of the walls right now, we have so many, sadly, they aren't all perfect for just eating fresh - some just aren't quite as delicious. What's a girl to do, but add some butter and sugar to the things... and then put them on top of everything! 

Yogurt, Waffles, Ice Cream, Pie Crusts, .....   If it will sit still on a plate long enough, You can put these apricots on it - and it will be delicious! 

Ingredients:

1½ tbsp. unsalted butter

5 fresh apricots, pitted and cut into quarters

3 tbsp. brown sugar (plus 1 additional tbsp. if apricots are tart)

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg

Instructions:

Heat sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and heat until melted.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine apricots with brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, vanilla extract and nutmeg. Toss to combine.

Add apricot mixture to pan and cook until sauce thickens and apricots just slightly start to fall apart, about 8-10 minutes.

Serve warm or chilled.

Banana Bread Cookies

It turns out, I will make just about anything with a banana. That is a little strange, since I very very rarely will eat a banana - they taste so much like ....   Bananas.  But I love to bake with them, I can't get enough of the banana flavor in things. 

Ingredients:

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 very ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

½ cup buttermilk

3½ cups flour

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Cream butter, sugar, bananas and eggs. Add vanilla and mix well.

Add salt, baking soda, and baking powder, and mix well. Add flour alternately with buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes.

The "dough" will be very battery, not firm like a cookie dough ball, so you won't be able to shape them. I just didn't want you to worry. They cook up beautifully and cake-y

These are so fantastic and just like banana bread, I would say they were almost better the next day.  We only had a few that made it to the next day, they were disappearing off the cookie sheet as fast as they were coming out of the oven.

Jello Popcorn Balls

You can make these any flavor or color so they are really fun to make for festive occasions. (Like the 4th of July)

You can also say that you make them for the kids, and nobody will know the truth. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter 

1 pkg. (10-1/2 oz.) Miniature Marshmallows

1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Gelatin, any flavor

12 cups popped popcorn

Instructions:

Microwave butter and marshmallows in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until marshmallows are puffed. Add dry gelatin mix; stir until blended.

Add to popcorn in large bowl; toss to coat.

Shape into 16 balls with greased or moistened hands. Cool completely.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Can you ever have too much banana bread, the answer in our family is a resounding No! 

That means I can never have too many banana bread recipes and I can't make it in too many different ways.  - This one was a really good one. For the the peanut butter lovers in our family, it was incredible. And the peanut butter added an amazing creaminess to the batter which in turn make for a great crumb in the bread. 

If you are a peanut butter fan, you'll want to try this one as soon as possible. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup butter 

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (6 medium) 

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or non-stick pans). Grease bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray.

In small microwavable bowl, microwave peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 30 to 45 seconds or until butter is melted. Stir until mixture is smooth.

In large bowl, beat sugar and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute or until blended. On low speed, add peanut butter mixture; beat well. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream to peanut butter mixture, beating on low speed until blended. Stir in bananas, chocolate chips and vanilla until blended. Divide batter between pans.

Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

Sugar Cookie Bars

If the displays at my local grocery stores are any indicator - I am not the only one who is tempted to buy those giant pink sugar cookies. 

I say tempted, because I bought them - lots of times... and mostly they are not good. But I love what they are trying to be.  I love soft sugar cookies that are frosted with frosting as thick as the cookie itself. But those chemical filled cookies - they just don't taste like what I imagine they'll taste like, they are a poor substitute for what I really want. 

Sugar cookie makers are the tri-athletes of the baking world. No sane person could actually love something that is that much work.  Once upon a time, it was a secret dream in my heart to be a sugar cookie maker - I bought all the giant cookie cutters that I could get my hands on, and somewhere in the back of the cabinet that is above my fridge, I have about 40 colors of wilton's gel food coloring. I even traded some knitted hats for a woman's secret family sugar cookie recipe. (REALLY!) 

But do you know what, it turns out that I am just too lazy to make cut out sugar cookies with beautiful frosting. 

Thank Goodness!!   I am absolutely the PERFECT person to make sugar cookie bars - because they have ALL the flavor and texture and award winning personality of the famous sugar cookie with almost none of the work. 

INGREDIENTS:

Cookies:

1 cup butter softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

5 cups flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese

½ cup softened butter

4-5 cups powdered sugar

½ tsp almond extract

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 drops red food coloring (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cookies:

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing often each egg. Add vanilla and almond extract and mix. 

In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined. 

Spread on a greased baking sheet. (rimmed cookie sheet) and bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. (You don't want to over bake, just barley starting to brown.)

Frosting:

Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth!