Going Bananas

I have previously blogged about my habit of over-buying bananas and looking for recipes to use "beyond their prime" bananas. I have another favorite recipe that I would like to share. But first, have you seen the e-mail that is circulating about banana facts? I enjoyed reading it and wonder just how much of it is true. One of the ideas is that if you peel a banana from the the opposite end from the stalk end, all of the strings will come off with the peel. Pretty neat, eh? I tried it and it worked. If you believe everything in the e-mail, bananas are the best thing going. In my book, they are good and readily available and reasonably priced. I like how they add moisture and flavor to recipes. I love peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Now I love these muffins from Elise at Simply Recipes. Irresistible: chocolate, bananas, walnuts and they freeze well. What's not to love? I love the notion that muffins are a nice way to keep your portion within a reasonable boundary and if they are in the freezer, you are less likely to justify eating them in multiples, like you have to before they go bad. I like them in the freezer to help qwell a sweet tooth. What is your favorite way of using up those bananas beyond the peel and eat stage? My friend Kathy is always asked to bring her signature banana recipe for Not Your Mama's Banana Pudding to every eating function that she attends. It is so good it is always gone first and often eaten before the main course. (Mama's not around to object!) I won't have a photo to share of Kathy's recipe, but I will post her recipe for you. Also, I have not tried this, but have it in my do-list--check out this post over at Yum-Sugar for bite- size frozen banana treats--great idea for poppers, don't you think? Don't forget to share your favorite too, and get going--bananas!


Banana Nut Muffins
adapted from Elise at Simply Recipes

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tbsp espresso or strong coffee (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (toasted or raw)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Method

No need for a mixer with this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.

Mix in the sugar, egg, espresso and vanilla.

Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.

Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Pour mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it's done. Cool on a rack.

Makes 12 muffins.


Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding
Recipe adapted by Kathy from Paula Deen



2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings


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Rainy days and Black Bean Chili match up for a throw down

We have finally gotten some much needed rain in Central Florida. Along with several inches of wet stuff over several days (I've lost count), cooler temperatures are here too. I am sure the rain has put a damper (pun) on some spirits, especially vacationers, but not in this household. We have seen it as a blessing and seized the opportunity to hunt down well hidden new-born calves, drag pastures, plant landscape plants and make Chili, which warms us from within and gives us sustainability and energy to complete the listed tasks. Where the throw down comes in to play: Who/what will last longest, Gene, the rain or the Chili? Of course, out of the three, Gene wins. But for the other two, I am hoping for a tie! This flavorful chili is quick and easy and tastes so much better than canned chili. It is so comforting to come in from wet, chilly tasks (or play) to a bowl of this chili. We like to use ground turkey in the recipe, but you could easily omit it to make it vegetarian.




BLACK BEAN CHILI
serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained (or use a combination of various beans)
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (may substitute fresh lime juice to taste)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Add turkey and cook, stirring, until meat is brown. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, basil and vinegar. Reduce heat to low,
cover and simmer 60 minutes or more, until flavors are well blended.

My note: serve over cornbread or corn chips, top with sour cream, cilantro, grated cheddar cheese and, or Avocado slices



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More Salad to feed the addiction

I am now hopelessly addicted to two salads. I was busy posting about the Sesame Cilantro Vermicelli Salad, when Dana was posting about Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Chickpeas, and Cumin. I read the ingredients and how the spices get warmed in oil until fragrant and knew I was hooked---just-like-that! Add the fact that I had all of the ingredients on hand and know that this delight was on the dinner table, er belly by nightfall. I love Quinoa. It is so healthy and easy to prepare. Combined with zucchini and chick peas and you have got yourself a mighty fine complete meal, as is. So satisfying and beautiful as a stand alone, or if you must have more, serve it as a side. At dinnertime we ate it warm, but the next day, we ate it chilled, would you believe for breakfast? I know, without a doubt that a fried egg would be a wonderful addition. I am so glad Dana posted this recipe, check her post.



Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Chickpeas, and Cumin
Serves 6-8
Dana says she cut this out of a magazine, possibly Bon Appetit, Gourmet, or Food and Wine
Quinoa generally needs to be rinsed before using so it is not bitter. If you buy Bob’s Red Mill brand, it does not need to be rinsed.

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained (if you don't like chick peas, try subbing with another firm bean)
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. tumeric, divided
1 tsp. smoked paprika, divided
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Combine chickpeas and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add 3 tbsp. oil; press in garlic and stir to combine. Let marinate at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp. tumeric, and 1/2 tsp paprika; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups water, quinoa, and coarse salt; bring to simmer,stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place zucchini on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. oil. Sprinkle with ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. tumeric, and 1/2 tsp. paprika. Toss to coat evenly.
Place zucchini on grill; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and browned on all sides, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to work surface. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Add zucchini, green onions, and parsley, then chickpea mixture to quinoa. Toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
(Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)



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lazy sunday supper, when you don't feel like cooking or dining out

You may not be lazy at all, you may be busy as heck, working on week-end projects, or playing with children, playing with pets. I know you can fill in the blanks. It goes by fast, doesn't it? I like this combo. You don't have to thaw anything, meaning you don't have to think ahead. You will get a serving of fish, so good for you. I like to accompany the patties with Alice Waters' mayonnaise-less coleslaw. This slaw is light and has a clean, fresh taste. I know it would be excellent on a pulled pork sandwich, or other sandwich of your choice. Enjoy!



Salmon Croquettes

2 7-oz cans boneless & skinless salmon
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Old Bay spice, or more to taste
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Olive Oil for frying
Break up salmon in a medium bowl, add eggs and mix in. Add spice and
garlic, mixing thoroughly, then add breadcrumbs. Pan fry on both
sides in olive oil. Makes 8 small cakes.

try adding fresh dill or dried dillweed and minced onion or shallots, optional



Alice Waters’s Coleslaw

1 medium green cabbage (about 3 pounds), outer leaves removed
1/2 small red onion, cut in half through the stem and thinly sliced
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
3-4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Maldon or other sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Large pinch of sugar, or more, to taste

serves 8-12

Quarter the cabbage through the core, cut the core out
Cut the quarters in half crosswise and finely shred. Place in large bowl. Add the onion, cilantro, and jalapeno nd toss to mix. Sprinkle with the oil, lime juice, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the sugar. Toss to coat.

Let the slaw sit for 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Drain. Taste and adjust seasonings. Wait another hour before serving at room temperature.
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Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Now that is a century- (ies) old question. Does it really matter? I don't think so. We love both around our place. Apparently we are not the only ones who love chicken. Three nights ago our beloved hen was snatched out of her home by something that burrowed into her cage. The only one left the next morning was Sam, the rooster. Nary a trace of Penny, not even a feather. A part of Nature that I am not fond of, but perhaps she fed some babies in the woodland next door.
I have a recipe to share that is not your mainstream deviled egg. The recipe has a secret ingredient that will keep your guests guessing. The recipe has been researched back to Bombay to a cookbook published in the 1940s. It was under the heading of "Italian Eggs". See what you think, they are very good!




Parsi Deviled Eggs
source: San Francisco Examiner

6 large eggs, hard cooked *
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise

serves 6

Shell the eggs, cut them in half, lengthwise, and put the yolks in a small bowl or **zip-lock bag. Set the whites aside. Add all or the remaining ingredients except the mayonnaise to the yolks, mashing well. Be sure the honey is well distributed. Mix in the mayonnaise and taste for lime and salt, adjusting if necessary. Spoon into the whites, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Let come to room temperature before serving.You can play with the seasonings, using more butter, lime, and/or jalapeno, as you like.

to hard cook the eggs, set them in a saucepan just big enough to hold them, then cover with water. Slowly bring the water to a boil. Cover the pan and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit in the pan of water for 14 minutes. Child’s and Pepin’s technique is then to plunge the eggs into a bowl of ice water and let them sit for 20 minutes. Eggs will then peal easily and there will be no green rings around the yolks.
* If mixing in a zip lock bag, snip a corner of the bag and pipe the mixture through the snipped hole into the egg white.

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Country Chicken Casserole

When you are looking for a wholesome, healthy dish and you have a busy schedule, because you are the Kid taxi, the worker bee, the CEO, or because you want to kick back with with a good book----or a good man/woman, or for any other reason, this recipe will help you pull it off. You can assemble the meal, refrigerate for later use or bake it right away. Either way, you will have Cuisine Rapid


Country Chicken and Veggies Casserole (adapted from Linda Larsen)

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1 (16 ounce) jar four cheese alfredo sauce (I used Bertolli)
2-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 Cup each, broccoli florettes, cauliflower, carrots slices, or 1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower
1-1/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg

Preparation:
In heavy saucepan, cook onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add flour; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add milk;
cook and stir until thick.
Remove from heat and add Alfredo sauce, chicken, 1-1/4 cups Cheddar cheese, and the fresh or frozen vegetables; stir gently.
Place in 2 quart casserole. At this point, you could cover and refrigerate up to 8-24 hours or follow below instructions.
When ready to eat, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place casserole, covered, in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until warm. Meanwhile, in small bowl combine flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg and mix with a fork until crumbly.
Uncover casserole and crumble this topping evenly over the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes longer, until filling bubbles and the topping is golden brown and crisp.


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When will Spring arrive?

I am more than ready. We have had enough warm weather to trick the grass into turning green, and to tease the delicate buds into erupting on the trees and shrubs then wham! Freeze warnings last night meant hauling tender plants back into the shelter of the porch, and covering the landscape with frostblankets. I hope there has not been too much damage. At least we can be thankful for crisp blue skies. I like the climate now in the daytime and just think of the vitamin D you can get from 15 minutes of sunshine. While we are on the subject of vitamins, we may as well throw in some fiber (14g), some calcium (4%), some iron (15%) some protein (7grams), a few carbs (22 grams) all found in a quarter cup serving of dried Pinto Beans. That is a great way to gather so much goodness for so little money. If you have a pressure cooker, it is a quick way to gather that goodness. You can have those babies on the table in about thirty minutes. While they are hissing away on the stovetop, you can bake a corn pone in a cast iron skillet, or if you are up for something a little more spicy, opt for the Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread below. Either way, you can't go wrong. Country goodness.

Speedy Pinto Beans Under Pressure

1 1/2 lbs. Dried Beans, rinsed and picked over for foreign matter or blemished beans
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
Water to cover two inches above the beans
ham hock, jowl bacon, or smoked neck bones

Assemble ingredients in the pressure cooker, lock lid, and on medium high heat, bring pressure to high. Adjust stovetop to a lower setting but still keeping a steady steam aka hissing noise. Cook under pressure for twenty-five minutes. Remove pan from heat and use the quick release method of running cold water over the locked lid, until you no longer hear steam and the safety valve has dropped. Unlock lid. Taste for doneness. Adjust seasoning. If not done, bring back up to pressure and cook an additional five minutes. Any dried beans may be prepared this way. You may have to adjust your cooking time slightly.

Cornbread, or Mexican Cornbread makes these beans even better. Serve as a side dish or main course.








Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Recipe by Barefoot Contessa
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the
pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish,
3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large
bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a
wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the
lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated
Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at
room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-
inch baking pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with
the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30
to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into
large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. Read more!

This is a pretty good use of cabbage

And good for you. Not only healthy, it is a great way to stretch a dollar. I am on a soup kick, can you tell? I changed the recipe by using ground hamburger instead of the smoked sausage the original recipe called for. It is a quick meal and smells so good while simmering away. Read more!

Something to make for dinner that is easy--

and even easier if you have some of that grocery store rotisserie chicken (Costco is the best) in the fridge. I made this again last night and do not have a photo to post. This time I had left over chicken from making Chicken and Yellow Rice, so I used it, rice and all. It was very good, so feel free to experiment with the recipe. This is also a great recipe to "hide" squash in for children or non squash lovers. They probably won't know, unless they are the sous chef!


Chicken Corn Chowder

 Adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2003 and Whippedtheblog

Ingredients
5 bacon slices, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped red or orange bell peppers (about 1 large)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash
1 extra large or 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 16-ounce bag frozen corn kernels
1 cup whole milk
1 cup diced skinned roast chicken (1/2 the rotisserie chicken)
1/2 plus 1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
salt & pepper
Cook bacon in large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from pot. Add butter to pot; melt over medium-high heat.
Add onions and 1/2 cup of bell peppers. Sauté until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Mix in broth, then squash, potatoes, and thyme; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until squash and potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Add corn, milk, and 1/2 cup bell peppers.
Simmer until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. Add chicken, 1/2 cup green onions, and 1/2 cup cilantro; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle chowder into bowls; sprinkle with remaining green onions and cilantro.

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