One Banana Cake

One of my guilty pleasures is frosted banana cake.  It's one of those pre-packaged cakes that you can buy at the store.   I don't want to say the name, but it's white with blue script.  There are a few problems with loving this frosted banana cake.  For one, when I can find it, it's super expensive.  Notice how I said "when I can find it"?  Yeah, it's basically impossible to find.  I think it's one of those flavors that they only have for a "limited time" and then they bring it back for awhile just to put it in hiding, etc.

LAME.

For awhile now, I've been trying to recreate it.  The problem is that it's pretty tricky because I have NO IDEA how they flavor the frosting.  The frosting is part chocolate, part banana-ish but not really banana.  Probably it's fake banana flavor and that's why I can't recreate it.  Instead of trying to recreate the wheel, I thought that I could put the same flavors into something uniquely my own.

But, as we all know, the only time you can actually eat all of the bananas before they start to go brown is when you're planning to use them.  Plus, Joe gave me an awesome tip for helping to slow down the ripening process: put something over the top part of the bananas where they all connect!  You can use plastic wrap, but I used foil since that was all I had.  It worked great - they didn't start browning until after I started eating them, and I just re-tightened the foil every time I took a banana.  Obviously, it's not totally preventative, but it will at least get your bananas to make it through the week so you can eat them!

Last week, I found myself with one lonely, measly banana left on the counter.  It was brown and squishy - perfect for baking.  But, I didn't want banana bread or cupcakes and I didn't really feel like making cookies.  So, I decided to try to make a banana cake.

You guys.  It came out perfectly!  The chunks of chocolate were slightly melty and soft and offered a nice contrast to the bananas and cake.  It could have used more banana to increase that flavor a little bit, but hey - I had to work with what I had!  I just finished the last 4 few small slices, and they are perfect with a cup of coffee on a quiet Sunday morning.

Banana Cake

1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. butter, room temperature
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 banana, mashed
1 egg
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease an 8" x 8" cake pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugars and vanilla until creamy.  Add banana and eggs.  Stir in flour and baking powder until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake 20 minutes, until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Top will be slightly moist when pressed.   Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting.

Elvis Phyllo Cups

This recipe is really delicious and SO easy to make.  My brother found it in the newspaper a few Sundays ago and called me up to tell me about it.  He was SUPER excited that I immediately knew where he was going with this:

Me: do you want to make it together?
Josh: yes that would be so awesome!
Me: ok, I'll get the few things that we need, check your work schedule and let me know when you can come over.

You wanna know what I had to purchase?  A banana and some phyllo cups.  Oh, and I bought more peanut butter, mostly because I wasn't sure how much we had left and it was on sale when I was at the store. That's it.

At the store, I couldn't find the pre-made phyllo cups, but I was able to find phyllo dough which ended up being a better deal for me.  For probably the same price as what the cups would have cost, I was able to make them myself and now I have a ton of phyllo dough sheets left over.  I don't know what I'm going to do with them, but that's another story.  Actually, I'd love to try making baklava, but I think I'm the only person I know who eats it, so that's probably out.

I googled the crap out of it, but making the cups was super easy!  You have to work quickly but carefully to make sure the dough doesn't rip or get dried out, but it's pretty much impossible to ruin them.

As for preparing the "Elvis" part of these?  It was easy.  Easier for me, because I had Josh do it while I supervised.  I don't know if I've mentioned it, but we've been giving him cooking lessons so that when he doesn't have to survive on pizza delivery and McDonalds... or that if he does, it's by his own choice, not because he doesn't know what to do in the kitchen.  We've taught him fairly basic things so far: mashed potatoes, chop suey, shepherd's pie, cheeseburgers, pork chops, kielbasa.  He and I haven't gotten to do much baking, so I figured this was the perfect opportunity to help him read a recipe and put it all together.  I did make the cups ahead of time, but that's because I was planning on it being a lot more complicated than it really was.

The banana makes the cups soggy if they hang out for too long, so put them together right before you plan to serve.

For real, though, these little cups have everything you'd want in one little bite-sized dessert: crunchy, salty, sweet.  No wonder Elvis loved this combination!

Elvis Phyllo Cups

15 phyllo cups, pre-baked and cooled*

1/3 c. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 banana, sliced
3 slices of bacon, cooked and cooled

*I was unable to find frozen phyllo cups at the grocery store, but I was able to find sheets of phyllo dough.

To make the cups:
4-5 sheets of phyllo dough
2 Tbsp melted butter
sugar

Lightly grease a muffin tin and set aside.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cover your work surface with aluminum foil or parchment paper.  Lay down one sheet of phyllo dough.  Lightly brush the sheet with a little bit of the melted butter.  Dust a little bit of sugar on top of the melted butter.  Top with a second sheet of phyllo dough.

Repeat until you have a stack of 4 or 5 sheets of phyllo dough.  Using a sharp knife (I used a paring knife), cut the sheets into squares that are slightly bigger than the muffin cavities.  Press each little stack of phyllo dough into the muffin tins.

Bake for 5-7 minutes, until lightly browned.  Babysit them, as they will cook quickly.

Remove from oven and let cool.

In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla.

Place 1 slice of banana into the bottom of each phyllo cup. Top the banana slice with 2 tsp. of the PB mixture and garnish with a chunk of bacon.

Serve immediately.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm sure I've mentioned my love/hate relationship with bananas before.  Mostly, I just have trouble eating them before they go bad.  In theory, this is no big deal, because I love turning my rotten bannas into something else.  In practice, though, it's kind of annoying, because I never know what else to make besides banana bread.  And, while I LOVE banana bread, there are only so many variations you can make of it before that gets boring, too.

These cookies are a mouthful... literally.  I've made these a few times and every time, I try to think of an easier name for them, but I keep drawing a blank.  The name is a lot to say, but they're so easy to make that it's definitely worth it.  I'm pretty sure that my brother has eaten an entire container of these by himself without thinking twice about it.

For me, these cookies are perfect as a snack, but I've been known to have a few (or maybe 5 or 6) for breakfast.  I'm probably just deluding myself into thinking that the oatmeal makes these way healthier than they are, but all things considered, I'm pretty sure these are pretty decent. I mean, oatmeal's good for you!

What helps me feel better about it, right?

The awesome part about this recipe is that you can pretty much make any substitutions you want and you'll still get something delicious.  I normally use regular all-purpose flour and old-fashioned oats, but I've also made these with whole wheat flour and quick oats.  Making it this way, you get a little bit of a wetter batter, but no discernible taste difference.  I also like to substitute dark chocolate chunks or chips instead of semisweet chips.  While they taste good, I find that the dark chocolate tends to mask or overpower the banana flavor.  Nest time, I might do a combination of dark chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips and see what happens.

You'll notice that the cook time on these is a little bit longer than the cook time on pretty much any other cookie I make.  The banana makes these cookies really moist which does two things: first, it means they can hang around for a little longer before they're get too dry and stale.  Second, it means you end up with a really wet batter that takes a little longer to cook!  Fret not, though, because even though you're cooking them for about 10 minutes, you still get a really moist and chewy cookie with a TON of banana and chocolatey flavor.

What's your favorite thing to make with bananas?

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 ripe bananas
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. flour
2 c. old fashioned oats
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips.

Combine all ingredients except flour, oats and chocolate chips. Stir in the flour, then the oats, then the chocolate chips. Batter will be wet.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are dry. Let cool on cookie sheets for two minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Try not to eat them all in the meantime!

Funky Monkey Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

First, a note about the title of this post: I've decided to call these "Funky Monkey" cupcakes because saying "chocolate chip banana bread cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream frosting" is a mouthful.  And right now, my mouth is too busy eating cupcakes.  Or maybe they're really muffins.  Either way, they're delicious.

Now that I'm finally feeling better (note: whatever this stomach bug thing is that's going around is AWFUL), I've been a beast in the kitchen.  This past week, I made three things.  Well, *I* actually made two things, and Joe helped (!) with the other.  Posts on those will be coming shortly, I promise!

For Passover a few weeks ago, I bought a bunch of fruits and vegetables.  I went to the farm stand and got a great deal on bananas - 59 cents a pound!  Unfortunately, the smallest bunch they had was 3 pounds, so I ended up getting a lot of bananas.  Which also means that a lot of bananas went bad.  I couldn't make banana bread just yet, so I peeled them and stuck them in the freezer to use later.  This ended up being a great idea, since being sick prevented me from using them when I wanted.

The bananas take a little while to defrost, but the wait is totally worth it.  They were a little mushier than normal, non-frozen overripe bananas, but for this recipe, it really didn't make a difference.  When you thaw them out, they're going to end up sitting in some liquid.  I tasted it and it tasted like banana water, so I decided to leave it in and not drain it off.  Ultimately, the choice is yours.

My recipe calls for 3 bananas and I had 5, so I did the recipe that follows x 1.5.  I ended up getting 24 perfectly shaped cupcakes.  I've never made cupcakes or muffins with the original recipe, but I would imagine that you'll get at least 12-18 cupcakes without adding to the recipe.

The cinnamon frosting was pretty much a shot in the dark, as while I was waiting for the bananas to defrost I decided that it sounded like a delicious combination.  Turns out - I was right!  The honey adds a really nice, complimentary balance to the cinnamon, so the frosting is just the right amount of sweet and spice.

The recipe itself is from an old family friend who was always doing wonderful things in the kitchen, both when her kids had friends over and just because - these kids always had the best snacks at recess! The instructions for mixing the ingredients are a little strange, but don't let it prevent you from trying this recipe.  The results are totally worth it: whether you make these into cupcakes (or muffins) like I did, a cake or a loaf of bread, you will end up with a fluffy and moist banana bread that tastes incredible.

Joe is not the biggest fan of banana bread, but he really liked the cupcakes AND the frosting! I sent him to work with a few (naked and frosted) and everyone has been gushing about them.  Also, while I was trying to take pictures of these for you, Slayer decided she needed to get in on the action and see what all the fuss is about.  I don't even know how I was able to actually capture this picture, but it's definitely one of my favorites!

Slayer approves!

What's the best picture you've ever taken?

Funky Monkey Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting
To print this recipe, click here

Ingredients
3-4 ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. oil
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mash bananas and mix with sugar
Add baking soda and salt, mix well
Stir in 1 cup flour and mix until combined
Add eggs and oil
And 1/2 cup flour, stir
Fold in chocolate chips

For bread: bake at 325°F for approximately 1 hour, until top is slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean
For cupcakes: bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
2 sticks butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioner's sugar
3 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp milk
1 heaping tsp. cinnamon

Cream butter until smooth and fluffy.  Add honey and 1 cup of sugar, beating until combined.
Mix in remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time.  If frosting is too thick, add milk and mix thoroughly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add cinnamon and beat until combined.
Frosts approx. 36 cupcakes

Banana Ice Cream

I originally wanted to post this a few weeks ago (you know, when I actually made it), but then Passover started before I had a chance, and it seemed more timely and imperative to share my KFP recipes.  Then, Passover finished, but I got sick, and the thought of food made my tummy do lots of weird and unmentionable things.

Today, I'm finally feeling better and want to talk about something I've seen on Pinterest.  Supposedly, according to the pseudo health-gurus on Pinterest, you can make your own banana ice cream at home, without the use of an ice cream machine.  I was skeptical, but since all you needed were some overripened bananas, I was game - especially since I wasn't really in the mood for banana bread.

All you do is peel your bananas and slice them into coins, then stick them in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up.  I was looking for recipe ideas and saw that you could do this with strawberries, too, as long as you added them to the bananas.  As luck would have it, I had some strawberries in the fridge too that needed to be used quickly (thanks, old man winter).  After looking online, you slice and freeze those, also.

To make the ice cream, you just put your bananas into the food processor or blender until they cream and resemble soft serve.  This is pretty much where I started having problems.

I do not have a food processor, but I do have a blender.  A semi-working blender.  I love my mom, but she gave this blender to Joe and me for... some reason that I forget.  Anyway, I'm pretty sure this thing was on her registry when she married my dad because this thing is OLD.  It works, if your patient and don't really mind lumpy frozen margaritas or lumpy shakes and smoothies.  Actually, now that I think about it, I think she got a new one and said "here, have my old blender, it still works!".  Which, I guess technically it does "work", since it does turn on when I press the button. 

At any rate, I had to add the bananas only a few slices at a time, and I could only add a couple of strawberries at a time.  It finally got mixed, and I decided it needed to be thickened a little, so I added one of those individual go-packs of peanut butter.  Strawberry banana peanut butter ice cream sounded good, but strawberry banana peanut butter chocolate chip sounded better (go big or go home, peeps), so I stirred in some mini chocolate chips, too.

Since the aforementioned blender is almost assuredly from the 1980s, this took a lot longer than expected.  When I finally got everything mixed up, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it looked! It looked like too-soft soft serve (probably because it had been out for so long), and I had seen online that you could freeze it and it would be like hard ice cream.  So, that's what I did.

Only, when it came out of the freezer, it wasn't really like hard ice cream at all.  The texture was really grainy and was more like italian ice than anything else.  It still tasted really good, but I ended up throwing it away because it was too difficult to get it out of of the container, even after leaving it to sit on the counter and soften up for 10 minutes.

I don't really want to call this a fail, because I don't feel like it was, but it was definitely a learning experience.  I'd definitely be willing to try this again, with the proper equipment.  I still don't have a food processor as I don't really need one in my regular day-to-day cooking, but if I can find one for cheap, I'll get it.  If she's reading this, maybe mom will let me borrow hers so I can gave this another go.  I think I'd also try to find CORRECT ice cream storage containers.  Even though my container that I used was/is freezer safe, I think the fact that it's not really designed *for* ice cream impacted the texture of the final result.

Homemade banana ice cream without an ice cream maker definitely has potential, but I'm also not going to put too much stock in it.  Truthfully, I feel like this was all hype with nothing to special to show for it. I have some recipes for homemade frozen yogurt that use Greek yogurt as a base, and those seem like they have much more potential than this.

What's the last thing you made that didn't quite come out the way you expected?