Banana Walnut Pancakes

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It's the weekend and time for breakfast!

Let's make pancakes!  I have a craving for a nice homey breakfast and that would include sweet, fluffy pancakes.  But let's not make any old regular pancakes, let's make them special.

With over ripened bananas always hanging around they are a great ingredient that will make any pancake moist and delicious.  I also have some walnuts leftover from a Mediterranean snack board we had last night.  Those go perfectly with bananas and will lend the pancakes a little crunch.

These are easy to throw together.  You have your basic pancake recipe with a few add-ins to make that perfect breakfast dish!  Who doesn't love bananas and walnuts?  With a few pantry items you will have a scrumptious breakfast on the table in no time and one that the whole family will devour.

Light fluffy steaming hot pancakes laced with bananas and walnuts are doused in warm maple syrup.  What breakfast could be better than that.  Oh my these are good!  Make some this weekend and treat yourself and your family to a special breakfast...or dinner!

Enjoy!

Banana Walnut Pancakes

makes 4 pancakes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp each baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
¾ cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2)
¼ cup milk
¼ cup sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Sliced bananas
1/3 walnuts, toasted and chopped

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, milk, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry mixture; stir just until combined.  Fold in walnuts.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low; coat with nonstick spray or butter. Drop batter by 1/4 cup portions onto skillet and cook until bubbles appear and bottoms are brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until brown, 1 minute more. Serve pancakes with warm syrup and sliced bananas.  

Whole-Grain Harvest Nut Banana Bread - King Arthur Flour's Bake the Bag!

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I started a new baking challenge from King Arthur Flour to bake items using their White Whole Wheat Flour. The challenge is called Bake the Bag and they send you a recipe each week where you bake bread, cookies, etc from the flour bag until you've used the entire bag.

What a great way to find some new recipes while gaining experience in baking with white whole wheat flour!  You can join this challenge as well by signing up on their site here.  

First up is this Whole-Grain Banana Bread.

This bread is fabulous!  Very moist and tender with a nutty, earthy flavor profile that screams Fall! 

What is Banana Bread?

Banana bread is a form of quick bread (no yeast involved) that is of cake like texture...or like a large muffin, that is baked in a loaf pan.  You use really ripe bananas to moisten the bread and give it great flavor as well.  I know people that buy bananas just to make banana bread rather than eating them!  Do you do that?

Can banana bread be customized?
Once you have the basic recipe down, banana bread can be made a million different ways.  You accomplish this by adding in "add-ins" like cinnamon, chocolate chips, cranberries, or any dried fruit.  You can also change the fat used in the recipe by substituting sour cream, yogurt, applesauce...etc.  This recipe calls for nuts as optional ingredient and I like a good nut in my banana bread.  Since I didn't have a whole lot of walnut I decided to put a mix of nuts in my bread.  Pecans, walnuts, and sunflower seeds made for a wonderful harvest mix and give this bread a great nutty, earthy flavor!

Whole-Grain Harvest Nut Banana Bread

Banana bread is typically served as a breakfast bread but can also be served warm with ice cream for dessert.  Oh yum!  I totally suggest that you try it toasted with a little spread on top for a nice change as well. 

What equipment do I need?

Need a good loaf pan?  This one is the one I use all the time.  For a more economical version, this one is really nice to have.  You will also need a good rubber spatula such as this one or this one.  Plus, a wonder mixing bowl is a must!  Options such as this one, and this one are perfect.  

Banana bread is the bomb!  You must have a good recipe in your recipe box!  You're gonna love this banana bread and this recipe will become a favorite in your house like it did mine.

Enjoy!

Whole-Grain Harvest Nut Banana Bread

source:  King Arthur Flour

2 cups thoroughly mashed banana; about 4 or 5 medium bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour or Premium Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nut, a mix of pecans, walnuts and sunflower seeds 
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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan; if your pan is glass or stoneware, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the mashed banana, oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
3. Weigh your flours; you’ll find their weight by toggling to “ounces” at the top of the ingredient section above. Or measure them by gently spooning them into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and chopped nuts into the banana mixture. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix again to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
4. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter.
5. Bake the bread for about 60 to 75 minutes, until the bread feels set on the top, and a paring knife (or other thin knife) inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs (but no wet batter). If you have a digital thermometer, the bread's temperature at the center should register about 205°F. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 15 to 20 minutes of baking. Note: If baking in a glass or stoneware pan, increase the baking time by 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Remove the bread from the oven. Cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then loosen the edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.
7. Store leftover bread, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

Homestyle Banana Blueberry Muffins

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I would say that my Mom passed on her love of baking muffins to me.  She used an old recipe from a book that is completely falling apart from usage.  This recipe is the base for a homestyle muffin that's made with love.  It's an adaptable basic recipe that I still use today.

We are going to change up that basic recipe and make some exciting muffins this morning.  I always have an overripe banana in our house, just waiting for me to make a smoothie, banana bread, or as in today, a muffin. 

Since it's summertime we always have an abundance of fruit around as well.  Sometimes MGG goes way overboard with the fruit buying (that's another story!) which leaves us with bits and pieces of leftover various fruit.  Today I found a scant 1 cup of blueberries hidden in the frig that were just calling my name.

Blueberries and Bananas?  Yes ma'am!  The flavor of tart blueberries and sweet bananas pair so well together.  You are gonna love this flavor combination.  The banana lends a sweetness and makes a really moist muffin and there's nothing better than biting into a hot juicy blueberry.  What's better than a piping hot muffin spilling with berries fresh from the oven, made with love?  Nothing!


Enjoy!









Homestyle Banana Blueberry Muffins

1 large ripe banana, mashed
1 large egg
1/2 c 2% milk
1/4 c canola oil
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl mash the banana.  Add the egg, milk, and oil.  Mix together using a whisk to completely incorporate.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the egg mixture.  Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.  Fold in the blueberries.

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to the prepared muffin tins. Bake 18-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

10 Top Recipes of 2017

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Happy New Year!

2017 was a full packed year but it seems that it went so fast that it was a blur.  This was a years full of variety.  The dishes made were an array for down home cooking to international fare.  

I gathered the most popular dishes from 2017 in one spot for you to reference and enjoy!

Enjoy all the precious moments that 2018 will bring.  We only live once!

10 TOP RECIPES OF 2017

10.
StonefireGrill’s Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce



9.
Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

8.
Brown Sugar-Sour Cream Banana Bread



7.
Slow Cooker Guinness Irish Beef Stew



6.
One Pot Meat Lovers Pizza Ravioli Bake



5.
Herbed Ricotta and Parmesan Spread

4.
Spicy Szechuan Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry



3.
Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry



2.
Healthier Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

1.Lemon Pepper Butter Chicken Breasts





There are plenty of dishes to come in 2018.  Lots of comfort food, weeknight meals, stir frys, southern dishes, and easy restaurant style meals.  Enjoy a prosperous holiday and I am so grateful for all of my followers.  I wish you the best in 2018 and will be talking to you in the new year!

Banana Oat Muffins

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I've been slacking!  I know that I haven't posted anything in quite a while, but I'm back.

I decided to take a small break over the Thanksgiving holiday to recharge.  Boy did I need that!  It seems like work is in full swing more than usual now, plus being in a new home, and new routine, with the addition of all the holiday stuff to do I felt exhausted.  I'm sure you know the feeling.  So a much needed break was in order.

How was everyone's Thanksgiving?  Did you get enough turkey?  I've still been cooking up a storm.  I have so many dishes to bring you over the next couple of weeks.  All tasty and comforting.  So while I may have been slacking in my posts today's dish is not slacking on the flavor!

BANANA OAT MUFFINS

I've been cooking a lot of muffins lately.  My weakness, I know.  But don't you just love them?  This muffins uses your over-ripened banana that you have hanging around, plus I threw in some oats for a healthy dose.  What a great combination.  I found the idea on Pinterest (of course...) where they made mini muffins with the bananas and oat combination.  I knew I had to make them, but since I like big, sock-it-to-me muffins I adapted the recipe to suit my taste.

Imagine piping hot muffins filled with the aroma of bananas and cinnamon.  One bite and you notice the texture is a little more crumbly, with subtle hints of earthiness.  Pure Heaven!

Again these are easy to whip up on a weekend morning.  I made a small batch, enough for a family, but you can double this and have 12 muffins if you choose.  Remember they freeze perfectly and are great grab and go breakfasts!

So no more slacking for me....watch out for more exciting recipes to come!

Enjoy!





Banana Oat Muffins

serves 6

adapted from Aberdeen's Kitchen

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 + 2 Tablespoons cup 2% milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1teaspoon vanilla extract 1 bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 400 F and spray a 6 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to combine. In a medium bowl, add egg and whisk. Add milk, oil, and vanilla, and whisk together Add the mashed bananas to the egg mixture and stir until completely mixed.

Add the we ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.

Scoop the batter into the muffin tins filling most of the way to the top. Cook for 18-20 minutes or until done and golden brown. Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

Tropical Sunset Smoothie

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Last year for our anniversary we took a wonderful trip to Hawaii.  I'm a beach lover at heart and love all the wonderful things that Hawaii has to offer such as tropical weather, hiking, flowers, beaches, and food.

More specifically I love all the tropical flavors you can get there but one of my all time favorite fruits is the pineapple.

Since it's a hot, hot summer and I'm missing Hawaii I thought I would make a Tropical Sunset Smoothie to bring me back.  We had a smoothie bar in our resort and we loved to stop by there and grab a smoothie made with fresh fruit and sipping on it while watching the waves crash on the lava rocks.  

This is my ode to Hawaii, made with juicy sweet pineapple, and plump strawberries which give it that sunset feel.  This Tropical Sunset Smoothie completely reminds me of Hawaii.  I can feel the trade winds blowing and total relaxation is not far away!

Smoothies are simple to make.  All you need is a blender, (I use this one) fresh fruit, yogurt, and some ice.  Poof!  Take yourself virtually to the tropics with my Tropical Sunset Smoothie.  It's a perfectly refreshing drink made for hot summers.

Enjoy!

Tropical Sunset Smoothie

serves 2


1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
6 whole strawberries
6 oz light vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 cup ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.  Pour into glasses and serve with a straw.

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