Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
cinnamon & sugar to taste

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Oil the bottom & sides of a loaf pan and then sprinkle with flour.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Pour into a floured loaf pan, sprinkle with brown sugar and generously with cinnamon & sugar - as much as YOU like and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Chicken Pot Pie

2 Deep dish pie crusts
2-3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts OR 4-5 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp (heaping) flour
1 frozen bag of mixed veggies (I use the California mix; broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
1 can cream of chicken & herbs soup
1 egg
splash of water

Put chicken in the crockpot on low for several hours; until done. Take out and shred the chicken with two forks; set aside.

Boil veggies, but not too much they should still be crisp.

Whisk together milk & flour.

In a large bowl stir together chicken, flour/milk mixture & veggies. Pour in pie crust, top with the can of cream of chicken & herb soup. Put the second pie crust on top and pinch the sides together. Whisk egg with water and brush on top of the pie crust. Cut 2-3 slits in the top of the crust to allow for venting as it bakes.

Bake at 400* for 20-25 min or until the crust is golden brown. I put a pie shield around the outside to prevent burning after the first 10 minutes of cooking.

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Crust:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans, and you can use as little or much as you liking)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 box (3.4oz) butterscotch pudding (NOT instant)

Filling:minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into squares. If desired, serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

Sore in refrigerator.
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 can (15oz) pumpkin
1 (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

Heat oven to 350*. In a large bowl, mix all crust ingredients until well combined. Press mixture in bottom of ungreased 9x13 pan.

In same bowl, beat eggs. Stir in all remaining filling ingredients until well blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into squares. If desired, serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

Store in refrigerator.

New York Crumb Cake

Baking Time 20-25 Min. Pre-heat the oven to 325*

Sift together:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk together:1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine both by stirring with wooden spoon. Grease and flour baking pan, apporx. 12x8 (brownie/bar pan). spread batter evenly, it will look scanty but don't worry.

Topping:
1 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

Stir topping ingredients together with a fort, or crumble together by hand. Sprinkle crumbs thickly on top of cake battter. Bake cake for approx. 20 minutes.

Cook cake (in the pan) for 10 minutes, then sift a bit (about 1/4 cup) of confectioners sugar over the top, cut into squares and serve.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie - Quick & Easy

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs Carmel ice cream topping, divided
1 Graham pie crust
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp pecan pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 packaged (3.4 oz each) vanilla instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 8z tub Cool whipped topping thawed & divided

Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into pie crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans.

Beat milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and cinnamon with whist until blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cool whip. Spread into crust.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Top with remaining cool whip. drizzle remaining Carmel on top of that and then sprinkle remaining pecans on top.

Cinnamon chip Scones

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter - room temp
1 cup cinnamon baking chips
1 egg - separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375*

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter slowly, mixing well.
In a seprate bowl, combine egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients, mixing completely. Stir in cinnamon chips..

On a floured surface, pat out dough (with hands) to a rounded mount about 1/2" thick. Cut into 6 scones, place on an ungreased cooking sheet or in a cast iron scone pan.

Brush egg white over scones and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top to taste. Bake 18-20 minutes.

Serve immediately - they are the best when warm! YUM!!

Apple Pie - The Best EVER!

2 large deep dish pie crusts
4 peeled apples - sliced thin
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar (I like to use coarse sugar for this but you don't have to)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg


Soak peeled apples in a large bowl of water with the lemon juice mixed in it.

In a large bowl mix; sugar, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, & vinegar. Mix well. Add in the drained apples and toss to coat.

Place apples in the pie crust. Top apples with the second pie crust.

Mix egg with a splash of water. Brush mix on top of pie crust and sprinkle with sugar. Cut 3 slits in pie crust to vent while cooking.

Bake at 400* for 50-60 minutes. (After 20 min of baking I put a pie crust shield on my pie to prevent burning the crust. I also slip a cookie sheet on the bottom rack just in case there is any overflow from the pie - making clean up so much easier!)