Baking Day: Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread

You be feeling the tropical breezes with this wonderful banana bread that is loaded with fresh blueberries and tropical coconut.

Yum

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this crisis. Things are certainly changing day by day.  Who would have thought that two weeks ago we were all concerned about the bachelor finale and now look at it.  I am personally in day 7 of self-isolation.  My company issued a work from home order on Monday and by Thursday the state of California ordered a Safer at Home mandate.  

My better half works in an "essential" industry and still has to go in to work daily.  This is making for a strange environment since he has contact with people daily.  

So what do you do when you have to stay at home everyday?  Even with all the anxiety we try and live a normal life.  We are being very cautious but are still trying to have fun everyday to lighten the load.  We have both been doing dance exercising on YouTube which is a lot of fun, and the exercise helps your immune system, and taking walks in the neighborhood has never been so popular!  

Another thing I find that is fun is cooking together.  We have been making a lot of creative dishes lately using pantry items.  Today we decided that it was "baking day".  We wanted to make something that would last a while and made a good amount.  A quick bread was in order.  Quick breads are wonderful as they can be made without a mixer and in one or two bowls max!  It's really like a muffin in loaf form.  Super simple to make and really can be made with pantry items.  Which brings me to today's recipe for this superb quick bread.

BLUEBERRY COCONUT BANANA BREAD

This is a wonderful banana bread that is loaded with fresh blueberries and tropical coconut.  I used brown sugar in this bread for a deeper flavor, but you can use white sugar if you prefer.  

Oh what a heavenly bread this turned out to be!  You know that moment when you bite into a tender and fluffy piece of Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread and a warm blueberry bursts in your mouth?…. Hands down, one of the greatest experiences known to man!

This quick bread should last you several days on the counter, and a few more in the refrigerator (if it lasts that long).  Doubling the recipe is always a good idea, then you can freeze one loaf for another time.  It freezes really well, and if you slice it before freezing you can take out portions for a quick snack or grab and go breakfast.

So "baking day" was a major success.  We had a lot of fun making this quick bread, and I hope you will to!  Even the kids will enjoy getting involved.

Enjoy and stay safe!









Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread

makes: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
2 large eggs, beaten
1¼ cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt, sugar, and 1/3 cup of coconut.

In a medium bowl, mix together banana, oil, vanilla, milk, and beaten eggs.  Mix until well blended.   Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined.  Fold in the blueberries, saving several for the top of the bread.  

Pour batter in the prepared pan and top with remaining blueberries and coconut.

Bake 50 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested.  (note: you may need to place a sheet of foil over the top of the bread during that last 15 minutes to avoid over browning.) Cool in pan for at least 15 minutes and then remove loaf from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Apple Ginger Scones

Scones filled with sweet apples and bits of spicy ginger that are soft on the inside, and a little crispy on the outside. The best way to start your day!

Yum

I feel the need to talk a little about the conditions surrounding our country right now.  The coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading and 2 days ago my state of California and my county of Los Angeles have declared a state/city emergencies.  In fact the president declared a national emergency yesterday which opened up funds to help fight this quickly spreading and devastating virus.  Needless to say everyone is in high anxiety mode.  I'm sure you've seen the lines at costco (#toiletpaperapocolypse).  And it is true that the grocery store shelves are bare.

I'm not a person who panics, so I must say that when I did try to go buy some groceries for dinner this weekend I was surprised to find I was a day late and a dollar short on getting some chicken. ALL the meat, with the exception of a few expensive steaks, and some stew meat were gone!  I went to two stores last night and it's the same everywhere.  So I guess we'll just be eating a decadent steak dinner for now.  

So I know this is scary, but really we will survive this.  We don't have to stock up for months on end.  The stores will re-stock and we'll all get food.  In the meantime think of making dishes that stretch.  Casseroles, soups/stews, enchiladas, pastas, and roasts are all good to make and have around for several days.  Here's where batch cooking can really come in handy.  Make one to serve now and freeze one for a future meal to have on hand.  Soups are great frozen and are easy to make.  Enchiladas and lasagna also freeze well.  So keep  trying to plug through this.  Relax and enjoy a movie, binge watch TV shows, or read a good book.  This too will pass.

Today's recipe is a great baked item that makes a large quantity, so you can have them throughout the week, or freeze them for a later date.  Be safe and be well.

So on to today's blog post.

APPLE GINGER SCONES

The best part of any morning is eating a hot pastry!  Today I'm bringing you a wonderful scone filled with natures best apples and a bit of spice.  I wanted to get this too you while the apple picking in the stores is still good.

The first tip to making these scones outstanding is that you want to make sure you get a really flavorful apple.  There are a lot that would work such as, granny smith, honeycrisp, or fuji, but I chose Envy apples as my pick.  The are soooo delish!  Apples paired with bits of ginger are a wonderfully warm combination.  We will be using candied ginger bits that you can pick up at any store or buy them here, as well as apple pie spice. The flavors will pop in your mouth from the first bite!

We will be using my Basic Scone Recipe and with some additions to that to create this variation.  One bite of a warm scone will convince you that these are some of the best scones you've ever had.  They bring you that warm homey feeling that instantly says "comfort", and you can't beat that! 

These are easy to prepare, and are made with butter.  The process of cutting butter into your flour is what makes the dough moist, light, and fluffy.  One tip is to grate the butter on a cheese grater instead of cutting the stick into small chunks.  This makes the work easier, and then you just need to cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter until pea sized pieces form.  Then the rest comes together quickly and you'll have fresh hot scones in no time.

Tools needed to make scones:

• Pastry Cutter
• Bench Scrape
• Mixing Bowl
• Wooden Spoon
• Baking Pan

Have a hot pastry this weekend and enjoy!







Apple Ginger Scones

Yield: 12 scones


3 cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp apple pie spice
3/4 cup butter (cold)
1/3 cup crystalized ginger bits
2 medium-sized apples, peeled and small dice
1 egg
1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and combine, including the apple pie spice.

Using a pastry cutter cut cold butter into flour mixture until there are pea-sized pieces of butter throughout. (Note: you can grate your very cold butter and then cut it into the flour.)

Add the milk and egg and fold in the diced apple and candied ginger.  Mix until just combined.

Remove the dough to a generously floured work surface and knead just til it comes together. Pat the dough out to two separate 3/4-1 inch thick round discs and cut into triangle wedges.

Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for several minutes. Serve warm.

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Easy Homemade Turkey Chili Recipe

Everyone needs a basic chili recipe and this one that features ground turkey, beans, and a blend of spices will knock your socks off!

Whenever we have a large crowd over for a party or game night, chili is always a good idea.  Everyone loves it and it is easy to make!

This recipe is a healthier version using ground turkey however, you may use ground beef as well.  Whatever meat you choose the end result will be spectacular.  With a combination of kidney and black beans, tomatoes, and spices this chili is bursting with flavor.  It's the chili we make the most because of the flavors.

All you need for this one pot dish is a dutch oven.  You can even choose to make this in a slow cooker if you like.  I've included notations on that method as well.

This dish is wonderful as a causal dinner.  All you have to do is set it up buffet style with the chili in the dutch oven, and lay out bowls of toppings.  People can serve themselves and make their chili personalized with the toppings.  Very easy...I just love that!

Toppings to serve with chili

• Fritos
• Tortilla Chips
• Cornbread
• Avocados
• Diced Onions
• Corn Salsa
• Grated cheese
• Sour cream
• Chopped green onions
• Sliced jalapeños

Easy Homemade Turkey Chili Recipe

serve 6

double recipe for a large crowd

1/2 yellow onion, small dice
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 29 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 14 oz. cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2  Tbsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika

Instructions

In a 5- 6 qt dutch oven over medium high heat, add the oil.  Once hot add the onions and saute 5-7 minutes until translucent. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned, chopping the meat as it cooks for about 7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, beans, and all the spices. Stir thoroughly.  Turn up the heat to high and bring it to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve with your favorite toppings.  

Slow Cooker Instructions: Cook onions and brown ground turkey in a skillet then add to the slow cooker.  Add all the other ingredients, and cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high.