Banana Waffles with Maple Walnut Syrup

Happy Mother's Day!

Let's pay tribute to all the fantastic Mother's we've encountered in our lives, and especially our own!

Isn't Motherhood an amazing thing?  I mean, a mother, someone who guides us through life, teaches us right from wrong, someone who is an advisor, mentor, and a friend.

My mother is all this and more.  She is strong but soft.  A mix of oak wrapped in velvet.  She's kind, generous, and loving....always there for support or to listen.  She's also a great cook that's taught me my love of food.

 So here's to all the Mother's in the world...Hip Hip Hooray!

What better way to celebrate than with a Mother's Day Brunch?

Here is an outstanding recipe from a famous spa in Arizona, Canyon Ranch.  I'm so glad to have received this recipe and can share this with you!  These delectable waffles are heavenly, and the syrup is a delight.  Tangy and fruity, yet sweet with a hint of maple.

These are such a great addition to a Brunch, Sunday breakfast, or even for a late dinner.  They would go great with my Italian Scrambled Eggs.  (Click on the link to check them out.)

So let's make waffles!


First let's make the syrup.  Take some berry jam, I used a Olallieberry fruit spread from a local farm, add the maple syrup and orange juice concentrate.  Stir until combined.

On to the waffles.  Mash 2 ripe bananas in a medium bowl.

Add your oil, egg, milk, and vanilla to the mix and stir to combine. 

Add your dry ingredients:  a combination of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

Stir to combine well.  I use a measuring spoon to scoop the batter in to the waffle iron.

Now let the batter sit a minute and toast your walnuts in a skillet over medium heat.  Watch them or they will burn.  Toast for about 3 min.

Scoop your batter in to a pre-heated waffle iron and cook according to your waffle iron's directions.  Usually when they stop steaming they are done...golden brown.  Serve with the wonderful syrup and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts on top.


Oh my!  look at these babies!

A delectable waffle made for Mom!

Enjoy, and let me know what you are doing or making for Mother's day!

Banana Waffles with Maple Walnut Syrup

Adapted from : Canyon Ranch Cooking

Active Time:  20 Minutes

Total Time:  20 Minutes    

Makes 2 waffles, or 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Syrup:

2 tablespoons all-fruit cherry or berry jam

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoon frozen orange juice 

For the Waffles:

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1-1/2 teaspoons corn oil

1 egg or ¼ c egg whites

3/4 cup low-fat (2 percent) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons toasted and chopped walnuts

                                                                                                                       

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE SYRUP:
Combine all the ingredients for the syrup, mix well, and set aside. Preheat a waffle iron.

FOR THE WAFFLES:
Combine the bananas, corn oil, egg whites, milk, and vanilla in a bowl and beat until blended. Add the flours, baking powder, and salt and mix well.

Spray the hot waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon 3/4 cup of the batter onto the center of the waffle iron. Cook until a golden brown, or until it stops steaming. Repeat with the remaining batter.

TO SERVE:
Halve each waffle and top each half with 1 tablespoon of syrup and 1 teaspoon of toasted walnuts.

Roundup: Cinco De Mayo

Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner!

Here are some recipes that you may enjoy making in honor of Cinco De Mayo:

Chili Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad

Chicken Guacamole Salad

Taco Soup

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Beth's Favorite Chicken Enchiladas

I hope you try one of these and let me know how your dish turned out.  Ole!

Easter vs. Cinco De Mayo

So last week Easter fell on my birthday.  MGG wanted to take me out to celebrate my birthday and we had such a great time!

But I LOVE Easter...

So I really wanted to do the whole Easter dinner thing, so we decided to have our Easter dinner a week later.  So yesterday we celebrated Easter....however, the menu was a Latin themed one...so we also paid tribute to Cinco De Mayo as well.

Whether you're celebrating Easter, Cinco De Mayo, Mother's Day or just Spring...you need to make these dishes.  They were off the hook!!!

Here's my Easter Menu:

Chili Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad

Roasted Asparagus with Toasted Lime Breadcrumbs

Casa Blanco - Portuguese White Wine

Strawberry White Chocolate Trifle

It started with a pretty decorated table, set for Easter.

White, yellow, and green dishes make a pretty spring place setting, flanked by asparagus handled flatware.  Place settings sit on top of a festive spring runner of pastel colors.   Each guest receives a See's chocolate egg nestled in a bed of pink grass in the soup bowl. 

Pillar candles surrounded by moss hold a treasure of Easter eggs nestled among more moss.

Sweet love birds add a nice spring touch.  And individual Easter baskets at each place setting sets the mood.

On to the food!

I've given you the recipes and a photo of each dish.  I hope you will make one or all of these and let me know what you think.  

Chili Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4 - 6

2 Pork Tenderloins (about 2 lbs total)

1 c apple juice

¼ c fresh lime juice

1  jalapeno chili, minced

3 cloves of minced garlic

½ t paprika

½ t dried oregano

½ t black pepper

½ c sour cream

¼ c canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a shallow casserole dish combine apple juice, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, paprika, oregano, and pepper.  Remove 1 T. of marinade and add this to the sour cream.  Set sour cream aside.  Add oil to the marinade and stir to combine.

Add pork tenderloins and allow to marinate at room temperate 30 min.  Place tenderloins in a roasting pan and bake for 30-35 min until pork reaches at least an internal temperature of 155 degrees.

Slice and drizzle sour cream mixture over the top.  Serve with extra sour cream mixture.

Roasted Asparagus with Toasted Lime Breadcrumbs

Serves 4 - 6

2 Bunches of Asparagus
Olive oil
salt & pepper
Fresh breadcrumbs
butter
1 lime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place asparagus on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. 
Roast for about 20 min.

Meanwhile place the fresh bread crumbs in a skillet with a tablespoon of butter and toast until brown.  Add the juice of 1/2 lime to the breadcrumbs.

Serve over asparagus.

Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad

Source: Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

3 Tbs. white vinegar

2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro 

1/4 tsp. ají amarillo paste

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

 

1/2 cup quinoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup drained cooked black beans, or purchased

2/3 cup thawed frozen corn kernels, preferably Peruvian

1 tomato, seeded and finely diced

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

To make the dressing, in a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, cilantro, ají paste, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until smooth and emulsified. Set aside.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water. Stir in the salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the quinoa is tender and all the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain thoroughly, then transfer to a large nonreactive bowl.

Add the black beans to the bowl with the quinoa. Pat the corn dry with paper towels and add to the bowl, along with the tomato and bell pepper. Pour in the dressing and stir to coat all the ingredients well. Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl or individual plates and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Strawberry White Chocolate Trifle

Prepared Angel Food Cake
2 oz box of White Chocolate Pudding
2 c milk
1 lb fresh strawberries

Mix white chocolate pudding and milk.  Refrigerate until set according to package directions. 

To assemble:  break pieces of Angel Food cake and place in the bottom of a trifle bowl. (Individual bowls or 1 large bowl) Spoon some white chocolate pudding over the cake.  Layer on sliced strawberries.  Repeat layers again ending with sliced strawberries.  Top with fresh whipped cream.

Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins

Here's another great muffin recipe that I wanted to share with you.

These would be a great addition to a Cinco De Mayo celebration with the addition of the cinnamon, or they would great for a Mother's Day brunch!

I love chocolate and cinnamon, and the combination here is spectacular!  Hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

Leave me a message and tell me what is your favorite muffin?


Here's how to make these wonderful muffins.

You will need:  flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, semi-sweet chocolate chips, eggs, milk, and oil.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  I used a special cinnamon that I got from a specialty spice shop called Savory Spice Shop.  Check them out, they have wonderful items.

Add sugar and chocolate chips.

Beat eggs in a small bowl. 

Beat in milk and oil. 

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture.  Stir just until combined.

Spoon in to your muffin tins.

Bake for 20 min.  Don't over bake these or they will get tough quickly.

Yummy!  Chocolatey!  Cinnamony!

Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients:

1 ½ c All Purpose Flour

½ c unsweetened cocoa

1 T baking powder

1 t. ground cinnamon

¼ t. salt

½ c light brown sugar, packed

1 c semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

1 c milk

6 T. canola oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Add sugar and chocolate chips.

Beat eggs in a small bowl.  Beat in milk and oil.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture.  Stir just until combined, don’t over mix.

Fill 12 greased or lined muffin cups.  Bake for 20 min.

Makes 12 muffins.

Product Review: Market Classics Soup Mix - Cheese Tortellini

I've been working so hard...I mean soooo hard over the past few weeks, I think my job is trying to kill me!

Needless to say I haven't really been feelin' the cooking too much during the week.  I roll in the house around 7pm, and I'm pooped I tell you, pooped!

So it was a cold dreary day here last week ...(Hey, isn't this sunny LA?) so I needed some hearty sustenance...quick.

So a friend of mine had given me this soup to try.  On the label it says that it cooks in 30 min.
Good enough! Sold!  Dinner's on!!

Market Classics Soup Mix - in a Cheese Tortellini flavor.  Purchased at Cost Plus  You may know them as World Market, cause I've seen the store named differently in other states.  But here it's just plain ole Cost Plus.

This makes a lot of soup!  So I had enough leftovers for me and MGG to take to work...and then some! So be prepared...it is really 8 servings!

This soup was actually good for a quick packaged soup.  The sodium content was low.  The flavor was like a minestrone soup, very tasty! 

So let's make soup. 

I added some shredded roasted chicken I had left over.  It gave it some more ummmph.
I would also suggest adding some vegetables.  Maybe some green beans, or corn, or even some beans.  I didn't but I wish I had to give it a little more substance.

So follow the directions to mix up the soup. Bring it to a boil.  Turn down the heat and add your tortellini and chicken (if you like!).

Simmer about 15 min.

I must say I looks really tasty!

I actually had two small bowls full myself!

At $3.99 a package this is definitely a good buy for a weeknight dinner you need to have ready in a pinch! 
Here's a link for you!  Market Classics Cheese Tortellini Soup Mix

Birthday Bash!

Did everyone have a wonderful Easter?

This year, Easter fell on my Birthday!  What to do?  MGG didn't want me cooking all day on my special day..sooo we went out and celebrated instead!

To my surprise he took me to the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.  The El Capitan is a "themed" theatre which debuted on May 3, 1926, as "Hollywood's First Home of Spoken Drama." It's an amazing old building filled with the ornate art deco styling in which Disney has restored it to it's former grandeur.

The next surprise was that we were going to see "African Cats".  Disney's new documentary about two sets of cat families and their trials through life in Africa.  A MUST SEE!

We even saw some live wild animals on stage.
How cute are they?

So for the encore we had a wonderful dinner at Trastevere across the street in the Hollywood & Highland Center.

Delish...that's all I have to say. 
See for yourself.

MGG got Linguine Pescatora and I got Bistecchina alla Fiamma.

Fabulous!

Another great year...another wonderful birthday!

Who's this??

Next week we'll celebrate Easter!  I won't tell if you won't!