Chocolate Banana Bread

I had a couple of bananas that were getting over ripe so I decided to make banana bead.  I made chocolate banana bread when David and Amy came to visit me in Oklahoma over Thanksgiving and they LOVED it, so I made it again.  It is adapted from the Martha Stewart banana bread recipe, except I used vanilla yogurt instead of sour cream and added cocoa power and mini chocolate chips to the recipe.  I have to admit it is quite good!!

 

 I added 4 tablespoons of Nestle Toll House cocoa powder, 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips and I substituted vanilla yogurt for the sour cream.  Turned out fabulous!!!!!!!!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
   
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
   
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.
   

Peanut Butter and M&M Rice Krispie Treats for my Husband.

I made my husbands favorite treat, rice krispie treats!  I made them a little different this time.  I made peanut butter rice krispie and topped them with M&M's! I love rice krispie, I love peanut butter and I love M&M;s so this was a great combo for me. They were also very colorful.

Look at how yummy these are.....

I topped mine with M&M's, outstanding!!!!

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• - OR -
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal
  
  

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted. 2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.


MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add peanut butter, stirring until combined. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Homemade Fig Newtons

I made these right before we moved back to Wisconsin.  I made fig and raspberry. I forgot to get the picture of the raspberry one as they flew out the door to give to all the wonderful people I worked with in Oklahoma.  The fig ones got eaten by all Taylor's friends before I could send them to work. 

They were really good, but I did change the recipe and use fig jam that I already had in the refrigerator.  I googled Fig Newton bars and found the recipe I used at Brown Eyed Baker.


Fig Bars

Yield: 16 bars
Prep Time: 40 minutes | Bake Time: 50 minutes
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt + Pinch of salt, divided
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces dried Turkish or Calimyrna figs, stemmed and quartered
2 cups apple juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing excess to hang over the pan edges. Grease the foil; set pan aside.
2. Combine the flours, baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Place all but ¾ cup dough into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until just golden, about 20 minutes. After you put the bottom crust in the oven, roll the remaining dough into an 8-inch square between two sheets of greased parchment paper, then place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the figs, apple juice, and the remaining pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes; cool slightly. Process the mixture with the lemon juice in a food processor until jam-like.
4. Spread the fig mixture evenly over the baked crust. Top with the frozen dough square and press lightly on the dough to adhere. Bake until the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Using the foil overhang, lift bars from pan and cut into squares. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.