Banana Coffee Cake

When bananas go bad, most people think, "Yeah! I get to make banana bread!" I think, "Yeah! I get to make banana coffee cake!" I like banana bread as much as the next person, but this recipe is great. It's great for a brunch or afternoon snack. Heck- It's 9:06 p.m. right now, and I'm grubbing it up. I took it to a park with some friends (the very friends that inspired this blog), and they thought this cake was great. You could make it in a loaf pan as well. I've never done that, but I'd imagine the cooking time would be about 20-25 minutes. This cake comes out very moist and light. The cinnamon and pecan topping adds a little crunch and great flavor.


Banana Coffee Cake:
adapted from Taste of Home Baking Book

1 8 oz package cream cheese
1/2 c butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 c mashed bananas
1 t vanilla
2 1/4 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda

Topping:
1 c chopped pecans
2 T sugar
1 t cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Mix it all together. I beat it in my mixer until it was light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl and mix it in with the banana mixture.
Combine the topping ingredients and mix half of it into the batter.
Pour the batter into a 9x13 pan. If it's not a non-stick, grease the pan.
Sprinkle the remaining topping on the batter.
Isn't that lovely? The sugar and cinnamon glistened atop the cake batter as though it was the glimmer of the morning's first ray of sunlight upon the cool, clear, blue ocean. See why I'm not a writer? Nothing but cheese comes out of my mouth. I should be a food Harlequin writer. That would be awesome. Anyway- back to the recipe. Bake the cake for 25-38 minutes. I did 38 minutes on mine. The first couple times I checked it, the toothpick did not come out clean. You want that little wooden stick to be batter-free when you pull it out of the middle. Here's a view of the finished product.
Here's another cross section. I'm telling you- it's so moist. You should try it. Next time you have very ripe bananas taking up space on your counter, turn them into something wonderful- like this cake. :)

bruschetta with cilantro

Tomatoes are a new thing for me. I wouldn't eat them for years! I think my parents about had a heart attack when I told them that I ate bruschetta at an Italian place and liked it. I found this recipe in a taste of Home magazine and tried it. It's so easy and delicious. Give it a shot!

Bruschetta:
4 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
3 T olive oil
1/2 t balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

shredded mozzarella cheese

french bread or baguette, sliced
butter

Dice the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Toss it all together. Add the olive oil and vinegar.
I like to leave the bruschetta in the fridge for about an hour before serving it.

For the bread, I didn't have time to toast it like I usually do, so I'm just going to walk you through it. Slice the bread into 1 inch-ish slices. Butter both sides and sprinkle with parsley. Put them on a heated griddle over medium heat. Cook until they are golden brown on both sides. I'm telling you- toasting the bread slices with butter makes this recipe a whole lot better. It is really, really good.

Put the bruschetta on the bread and top with a little mozzarella.

If you don't like cilantro (which I think is crazy), you can use fresh basil or parsley instead.

Meatball Subs

I can't even count the number of times I have had a meatball sub from a sandwich shop. I love them. There's something about the juicy meatballs, the marinara sauce, the melted cheese, and the toasty buns. The best thing about these sandwiches is that they can be made from home for next to nothing. This is one of those meals that the family just goes nuts for. They can be made even quicker by using bottled marinara sauce and frozen meatballs; However, I have taken a pact with the anti-bottled sauce society that I will make my own from here on out. Here's a picture and the recipe:
Meatball Sub Sandwiches:
adapted from Taste of Home Celebrations

meatballs:
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T dried parsley
3/4 t basil
3/4 t oregano
1/8 t pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 c crushed crackers (I used Ritz)

Sauce:
15 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 t oregano
1 t basil
1 t parsley
1/2 t salt

6 submarine sandwich rolls
sliced provolone
mozzarella
Parmesan cheese
sliced red onions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all the meatball ingredients and mix until well combined.

Shape into balls and put on a greased cookie sheet. Put in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
While the meatballs are baking, combine all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Stir to combine and simmer until the meatballs are ready.

While that is simmering, prepare the bread. I like to cut the rolls as shown below and scoop out some of the bread so you make a bread boat type of thing.

Take the meatballs out of the oven. They will be nice and brown. Add them to the sauce.

Turn off the oven and preheat the broiler. Put the sliced provolone at the bottom of each roll and put under the broiler until the cheese is melted. Watch it closely! It will burn quickly. Take out the rolls and plop some meatballs into your cheesy, bready boat.

Top with mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and red onion, if using.

Put back under the broiler until the cheese is melted. It won't take too long, so keep your eye on it!

Put the top of the bread boat back on and serve. I had to include the picture below because my 4 year old daughter took it. She got a hold of my camera, pointed it at the sandwich and said, "I have got to take a picture of this tasty sandwich so you can put it on your blog." Cute.

Here's a cross section of the sandwich. I actually added more sauce to it after the picture was taken, and that was really good.
Take that, Subway!

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Dijon Basil Cream Sauce

My husband has been hinting for about a month that he has been craving Chicken Cordon Bleu. I feel bad for taking this long to make, but I finally made it tonight. I went hunting online for the perfect recipe, and I didn't see one that stood out. I did see three that I liked parts of, so I meshed three different recipes together and added a little flair of my own to create this dish. I think it came out just right.Chicken Cordon Bleu with Dijon Basil Cream Sauce:

3 T flour
1 egg
1/3 c bread crumbs (Panko would work best, but I used the regular ones from the store)
1/2 t (x3) Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning
2 chicken breasts
4 slices swiss cheese
4 thin slices deli ham
Oil for frying

Sauce:
1/4 c dry white wine (this is cooking wine. it can be found by the vinegar at the store)
3/4 t cornstarch
1/4 c whipping cream
1/4 c half and half
1 t dijon mustard
3 leaves fresh basil, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound it with the smooth end of a meat tenderizer until the chicken breast is about 1/3 inch thick.
Place two pieces of ham and cheese on each breast.

Roll up the chicken starting from the widest end. Tuck in the sides as you go. Secure it all with toothpicks.
Place the flour and 1/2 t Mrs. Dash in a bowl. Put the egg and 1/2 t of Mrs. Dash in another bowl. Put the bread crumbs and 1/2 t Mrs. Dash in a third bowl. Dip the chicken bundle in the flour. Make sure you cover all sides.
Dip the chicken bundle in the egg and get all sides covered.
Now, do the hokey pokey in the kitchen. jk :) You guessed it- dip the bundle in the bread crumb mixture. You can also add Parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs if you'd like.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the bundles. Brown them on all sides.
Once they are browned, put them on a cookie sheet or whatever you're going to cook them on. Bake them for 25-30 minutes.

While it is baking, add the wine to the skillet with browned bits in it. Stir to get all the browned stuff mixed in. In a bowl, combine the half and half and cream with the corn starch. Pour it into the skillet and stir. The sauce will thicken. Add the Dijon mustard. Keep the sauce on low heat until the chicken is ready. Once it's ready, add the chopped fresh basil leaves. Pour over the chicken.

Photos speak louder than words. Enough said! It turned out great. Now, if your significant other requests Chicken Cordon Bleu, don't go buy the frozen ones. Make your own! They really aren't that difficult, and they taste much, much better- especially with that cream sauce. Hot diggity dog! It was good.

Best Bean Dip

I'm not a fan of football. But... if this stuff is around during a game, I can sit and eat it all while watching the game. This bean dip is creamy and delicious. It's really simple to throw together, too. It was meant for the crock pot, but I just do it on the stove-top in a saucepan when I'm pressed for time or when my husband or I crave some junk late at night.

Best Bean dip:
adapted from Fix It and Forget It

15 oz can refried beans
1 c salsa
1 c Monterey Jack cheese
I c cheddar cheese
3/4 c sour cream
3 oz cream cheese
1 T chili powder
1/4 t cumin
Tortilla chips

Put everything (except the tortilla chips) in a saucepan. Heat it over medium heat, stirring often, until the cheese are all melted. If you are having a party or something, this would be best in a crock pot so it can stay warm. It will take a couple hours on high in a crock pot. The end!

Baked Ziti with Pepperoni and Meatballs

A couple days ago, a friend of mine messaged me on Facebook and asked if I had any quick and delicious casserole recipes. I was quick to respond, "Not really. My husband was traumatized after the number of tuna and chicken casseroles as a kid, so now he won't eat them." A day passed, and I thought, "You know... If I'm referring to myself as the On-Call cook, I'd better be ready to hand out recipes that people need." So, I whipped this up. I've done something similar to it before, so I didn't use a recipe this time. Friend, who know who you are, I hope this fits the bill. :)

Baked Ziti with Pepperoni and Meatballs:
ziti pasta (enough for your family)
Spaghetti sauce (I made my own, but bottled will work fine)
Meatballs (you can make them or buy frozen ones)
Mozzarella cheese
pepperoni
Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.

Bake the ziti according to package instructions. While it is cooking, put the spaghetti sauce in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the meatballs so they can thaw while cooking in the sauce. Once the pasta is done, drain it. Put the drained pasta in the dish you will be baking it in. Add the sauce. Some people like a lot of sauce. Others like a little sauce. Put as much as your family likes in with the pasta. Stir to mix it well.

You will have something like this. It would be just delicious as is, but everyone knows that cheese makes everything better. So- sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top to cover it all. Sprinkle pepperoni on top of that. I used mini pepperoni, but any size will work just fine. You can add olives or red onions if you'd like. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top of everything.

Bake that bad boy for 25-30 minutes. If the cheese on top starts to brown, cover it with foil.

When it's done, it'll look like this:

There you are. That's as close to a casserole as I get. :) You can add a loaf of French Bread and a salad to make a complete meal. I hope you and your family likes it!

Corn on the Cob with Parsley Butter

My family loves corn on the cob. My kids eat it like in those old cartoons where it sounds like a typewriter and at the end of the row you hear the "ding!" I had an epiphany one day when I was serving corn and thought, "hey! I should soften butter, throw some herbs and garlic powder in there, and use a pastry brush to put it on." Ahh! What a concept. It works wonderfully, although you have to explain to guests that it's not a paintbrush- it's a pastry brush. :) This is an easy way to make corn on the cob just a little different. One more thing- the corn we had was so juicy. My husband, who was sitting across the table from me, took a bite of his corn and the juice from the bite hit my face. Ridiculously juicy.

Corn on the Cob with Parsley Butter:

1/4 c softened butter
1 t dried parsley
1/4 t garlic powder
fresh ground pepper and salt

Mix all that up and put it in a small bowl. Add a pastry brush so your fellow diners can easily butter their corn without completely destroying the stick of butter in your butter dish.

That's it! :)

Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin

Behold my first pork recipe! It's a good one. When my daughter was just born, I received an invite from the "Cooking Club of America" to join their club as one of the country's top home cooks. First, I laughed because I am nowhere near the top of the list. Second, I told my husband and he laughed because he knows that they are just telling me that to make me feel good, to make me feel the need to be a part of a top cooking club, and to get my money. Well, I joined so I could get the cooking magazine. Trust me- If I went onto that show Master Chef, I think Chef Ramsey would call my food all sorts of colorful words. Back to the point- In their magazine "Cooking Pleasures," I found this recipe, and it looked good. I tried it. It is very good. It's sweet. It's spicy. It's moist. It's flavorful. I love it. Here it is:Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin:

rub:
1 1/2 T chili powder (this is half the amount in the original recipe. If you like heat, add the 3 T)
1 1/2 T course salt (2 T in the original)
1 T black pepper
1 T brown sugar
1 T garlic powder
2 t cayenne pepper
2 t dry mustard
2 t ground sage

pork tenderloin

Glaze:
1 c orange juice
1/4 c pure maple syrup
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1/2 t Worcestershire

Combine all the rub ingredients in a small bowl.
Butterfly the pork. If that is complete gibberish to you, make a long cut down the center of the meat- not cutting through to the other side. I slice it about half way, open it, and slice it the rest of the way until it lays flat.

Sprinkle the rub on both sides of the meat. Pat it in with your fingers.


Blurry, blurry... sorry. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it cure in the fridge for up to a day in advance. I usually do it a couple hours before I want to start grilling it.

Place all the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Boil for about 20 minutes on medium heat.
A lot of the liquid will evaporate and make the sauce into a syrup/glaze. Nice magic trick. :)

Prepare the grill. Grill it over charcoal (or medium high heat for a gas grill) for 4-6 minutes on the first side. Flip it. Brush the glaze on. Cook about 2-4 minutes longer. The internal temperature should be about 155 degrees.

Brush it with more glaze, loosely cover it with foil, and let it sit for 10 minutes. It will continue to cook during that time and reach the right temperature.


Isn't that beautiful? You should taste it. Mmmm... Enter Homer Simpson drooling sound here. I slice it thin like the first picture and drizzle the remaining glaze over the top.

I also served Corn on the Cob with Parsley Butter, loaded mashed potatoes, and rolls.

Homemade Tortillas

I have made homemade tortillas using a few different recipes, but this one is my favorite. They come out really soft. Why homemade, you ask? They taste so fresh and sometimes on nights when I totally forget that I'm in charge of dinner because it's been a ridiculously busy day, I want to make something easy. Mexican food! I go to the cupboard. Arg! No tortillas. Problem solved: I'll just make my own. They take about twenty minutes to make, but that's quicker than running to the store. In addition to that, I like to close my eyes and pretend that I'm in Mexico and eating a tortilla made by some abuelita in a colorful dress. My husband is trying one right now, and he just said, "These tortillas are great!" There you have it!
Homemade Tortillas:

2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 c water
3 T olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl:
Once the flour is all incorporated, plop it onto a floured surface and knead it until it's smooth.

My wrist looks really fat in that picture. Weird. I'm sitting here looking at my wrist while I'm typing and thinking, "Is it really that wide?!" Maybe I should start doing wristercizes.

Anyway, once the dough is smooth, divide it into 8 pieces. I made a couple smaller ones for the kids. They sure thought it was cool to have kid-sized tortillas.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Use a rolling pin and roll into circle-ish shapes. Mine looked more like a circ-squa-blob. They still tasted good though! Make sure they are very thin. They should be about 7 inches in diameter.

Put the circle-ish shape in the heated skillet. Heat it until light brown bumps form on the underside. Flip it. Cook the other side.

Pile them all onto a plate and serve warm.

Scrumdiddily!

Steak Fajitas

Have I mentioned on here that I love Mexican food? Yes? Okay. I'll get off my soapbox. :) I just love the stuff! I found this recipe in one of the first cookbooks I ever owned- "Favorite brand Name Best-Loved Recipes of All Time." It's a good one for sure. This is a really easy recipe and when I make it, I never get any complaints.
by the way- Sorry I don't have more pictures. I wasn't going to post this one originally, so I didn't take any more. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. :)
Steak Fajitas:

1 pound top round steak, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, cut into thin slices and halved
8 flour tortillas
cheese
sour cream
salsa
avocados

Marinade:

2 T orange juice
2 T white vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/8 t salt
1/8 pepper

Combine the marinade ingredients. Pour half of it into a ziplock bag. Add the beef. I like to slice the steak while it's still slightly frozen. You can get some great thin slices like that. Put the steak in the fridge and marinate for 6-8 hours or overnight. I have done it an hour in advance, and it's still really tasty. Pour the other half of the marinade into another bag and add the vegetables. Put it in the fridge with the steak. Do not use the same bag unless you prefer some cross-contamination with your fajitas.

Once you're ready to eat, heat up a skillet to medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Add the steak strips and stir fry for one to two minutes- only until it is no longer pink. You don't want to overcook the meat or it will be tough. return the vegetables to the pan. Toss to combine.

Serve the mixture in a warm tortilla, top with cheese, sour cream, avocado, and salsa.

I've got a homemade tortilla recipe on here if you're really feeling rambunctious.