Banana Bread

What do you do with wayyy overripe naners that you feel badly about throwing away?? Make banana bread!!

This is a recipe I found on the King Arthur Flour website. It's a great recipe, the only change that I made is that I double the cinnamon.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter (soft but not melted)
• 2/3 cup brown sugar: firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ( I used 2 tsp)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (I used 5 small/medium bananas)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F

Combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat until smooth and ingredients are combined. Don't go crazy mixing, make sure you scrape down the sides with a spatula so everything is mixed in good.

Mash the bananas...get your hands in there and mash em good :)

Add the smashed naners, honey and eggs to the creamed sugar mixture and beat until combined:

Next add in the flour and finely chopped walnuts, again mix until combined:

Spoon the batter into a greased loaf pan and let rest for about 10 minutes:

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven

It will be nice and brown...BUT not cooked...so loosely put tinfoil over the top so it can cook completely and not burn on top:

Bake an additional 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. There might be moist pieces clinging to the toothpick but they should be minimal.

Leave the bread in the pan for 10-15 to start to cool, then remove to a wire rack to completely cool:

Slice up and enjoy with some butter or cream cheese spread on top. Yum Yum

Roasted Chicken

Roasted Chicken is an awesome Sunday dinner. It is a wonderful meal and there are usually leftovers that are great for sandwiches!

What you need:
1 Roaster Chicken
1 Fresh Lemon
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Garlic Salt
Twine (If your roaster isn't tied in the package)

Oven: 350 Degrees F (Preheat as you are preparing the chicken)
Total cooking time will be around an hour, plan on 20-30 min more if you have a big roaster.

Buy a roaster from the store that is size appropriate for your family. 2-3 lbs is good for the 2 of us. I don't really have a preference. We got one from Walmart yesterday, it was some organic brand. I just don't go for the ones that have the flavor added.

Take the chicken out of the packaging and remove the gizzards (save them if you feed your dogs raw, they will love you tonight! if not toss them)

Rinse the chicken well inside and out.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel...inside too, don't forget!

Roll the lemon on the counter so it breaks up the cells inside and produces more juice. Slice it in half.
Slice chunks of butter (approx 2 tbls total). And get your spices ready.

I forgot to get out the paprika for the picture...geeze

Start on the chicken breast: very gently run your finger between the meat and the skin of the chicken up by the neck. You are just getting the skin away from the meat in little pockets, be careful not to tear the skin. Slide a pat of butter into the space above each breast. I do the same down by the legs. Try to position the butter on top of the meat. It doesn't have to be perfect, just get it under the skin where you can without ripping the skin. It is tricky to find a good spot for the legs but do the best you can. The reason for this is the butter keeps the meat very moist and flavorful. If you put it on top, it will melt and all run off immediately and burn in the pan, but it's protected under the skin.

Generously season the skin with salt, pepper, garlic salt and paprika. I like to rub it all over to make sure it's evenly distributed. You can't really over-season, I mean the whole bottle is a little much, but you are seasoning the skin so be generous. Squeeze a little lemon juice on as you are rubbing your spices on. Put the lemon slices into the cavity, I could only fit half into my little chicken but use the whole thing if you can.

My chicken wasn't tied: the purpose of tying is to make the chicken more uniform is size which equals more even cooking. I tie the wings behind the chicken, it's hard to see but just wrap twine around the first joint in each  wing and tie it into a tight knot so they are together. The legs: I crossed and tied like pictured. You can do this on your own but it can be tricky...help could be handy. You hold while your helper ties.

Cook in the oven uncovered for at least 20-30 minutes...this will make the skin brown and crisp. At about 30 minutes, you will need to cover the pan so the meat cooks thoroughly. If you like the skin really crispy uncover when the breast meat is around 150 degrees.

(This is a good time to start cooking your mashed potatoes if you are having them)

The chicken is done when an instant read thermometer reads 175 degrees in the legs and 160 degrees in the breasts. If you cook to the 180 degrees the packages say you will have dry meat. They have to put what is 'safe' because some people are morons. Refer to any reputable cooking publication for proper cooking temperatures (Cooks Magazine, America's Test Kitchen, etc.). The juices will run clear when the meat is poked. (I was given the Thermo Pen as a gift and let me tell you, it might be pricey but it is worth it!! I use it everyday! I never overcook anything. I have the original but I see they have added a waterproof one)

Be careful not to overcook the meat or else it will be dry and disgusting!

Once the meat reaches temperature remove from the oven

if only you could smell this...mmmmmmmm

Remove the chicken to your cutting board and tent tinfoil over it.

I make gravy with the drippings in the pan: stirring is the key here...

What you need:
Pan with chicken drippings ( I leave any skin or meat chunks that stayed behind, the more the merrier)
Wondra Flour
Chicken Broth
Salt and Pepper

(now is a good time to start your veges...I love the steamfresh kinds where you just throw them in the microwave!)

Sprinkle Wondra Flour (find it at the grocery store it's a tall blue container and it works wonders...no pun intended) over the drippings in the pan. I use probably 1-2 tsp.
Turn low heat on under the pan and stir in the wondra flour well so it doesn't clump. Pour chicken broth over...I don't measure, I eyeball it but you use probably 1 1/2 to 2 cups total.
Continuously stir the gravy until it starts to simmer...at this point the gravy will be thickening up. If it's too loose add more wondra flour, if it's too thick add more chicken broth.
When the consistency is what you want you can turn the heat down more so it stays hot or just turn it off while you are cutting the chicken.
Stir in some salt and pepper to taste...yes taste it. A good cook tastes everything!!!!

Once your gravy is done carve up the bird...serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable.

I'm not implying anything but if you need some help with carving your bird check out this site: Carving a chicken. it gives step by step instructions with pictures :)

I like gravy but this chicken doesn't need it. It is so moist and succulent...even the white breast meat is moist. The butter under the skin really does the trick, and being really careful about the temperature helps too.

The meal is a crowd pleaser in my family and it's really easy!

You may be thinking...easy?! It is, I'm long winded here because I am offering my advice and tips to make this easier for you. Cooking takes a little time and some love. You can't just throw something in the oven, set the timer and bam it's done. You have to check on it once in a while and make sure it's doing ok...every oven is different! If you want food you can enjoy you have to plan on investing a little effort at the very least, but trust me it's worth it!!

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a great side dish to almost any meal. They are super easy to make and they are filling and delicious.

I use 1-2 potatoes per person depending on the size of the taters. If you have leftovers you can use them in another meal, have them for lunch, or even pan sear them into little potato pancakes.

I fill a saucepan about 1/2 way with water and put in roughly 1 tsp of chopped garlic and 1 tsp of salt. I get the water ready ahead of time because potatoes turn brown very quickly once you cut them up.

Peel your potatoes...or leave the skins on if you like. Slice the potatoes into 1/2 inch slices, then cut the slices up into quarters (you might have to cut more if your taters are fat) so you have chunks that are approximately 1/2 inch squares. Don't go nuts here, you are mashing them at the end so they don't need to be perfect little squares.

Once you put your cut up potatoes into the pan, the water should just cover the potatoes, if you have too much water in the pan dump some off. It could boil over while you are cooking and the starches in the potatoes catch fire easily!

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until you can poke the taters with a fork and they are soft: About 20-30 minutes. If you like chunks in your potatoes, cook them for 15-20 instead so they are harder.

Note: I cover the pan to get the potatoes to a boil but remove the lid immediately after. The starch creates a foam so if you leave the lid on it can boil over and start a fire and I'm sure you don't want that to happen!

Once the taters are soft, drain off the water. I personally put the lid on the pan and kitty corner it enough so water can get through but not the potato chunks, why waste another dish to drain them. Whatever way you want to do it is fine, just make sure all the water is out.

Return to the burner you were cooking (leave the heat off, you are just putting it there for the residual heat of the burner). Cut in some butter, for this amount of potatoes I use 1/4 of a stick. I like to put in a dallop of sour cream (1 tbls) and 2-3 tbls of milk. Put the cover on the pan and let sit for a few minutes so the butter will melt. ( If you think I use too much butter...I make them so we don't have to add more once they are served. You can add as much or as little butter as you want...just add a little more milk if you are using less)

Mash the potatoes with a masher or use a hand mixer. Whatever you prefer, the mixer will result in fluffier, creamier potatoes, but I don't have one so I use my hand masher. You might need to add some more milk but do so in small increments so you don't end up with runny taters. Noone likes runny mashed potaters :)

Season the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Some people add parsley or chives but I don't care for either but they do add nice color and make the taters more presentable.

Enjoy!!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle soup is a classic when you are sick. It is easy to make and is delicious. I read recently that they have done studies and chicken noodle soup really does help you get better faster when you are feeling under the weather. So when you feel the sniffles starting, break out some good old fashioned chicken noodle soup...not the stuff in the can!

Gather your ingredients:

Garlic, chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, mix of vegetables, onion, mushrooms, celery, chicken. Not pictured: half of a lemon, egg noodles, paprika and chicken bouillon

 You can use any kind of chicken you want. I have a package of tenders here because that's what I had but you can you any part of the chicken or if you have leftovers from a rotisserie chicken use that! As for veges...use any you want! I had a bag of mix veges that we like so I'm using that. Pick any veges you want and toss them in.

Note: don't skip the onion. Even if you don't really like them, when they cook down they add nice flavor to the soup that you won't get otherwise.

Cut your chicken into chunks that are bite size.

Chop your onion, celery and mushrooms into small/medium chunks. I have to do the mushrooms extra small so Chris can't see them or else he will complain about them and pick them out:

Put around 2 tbls of oil into a 3Q pot and warm over medium heat. Add in your chopped vegetables (the celery, onion and mushrooms), set the bowl they were in aside, you are going to need it later. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes, at the very end add 1-2tbls garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until you can smell it (garlic will burn very easily so be careful):

Remove the veges to the bowl you set aside. Add another 2-3 tbls of oil to the pan and put in your chicken (if using leftovers skip this step.) I take the veges out because the chicken doesn't cook as well with them in the way, they crowd the pan. Cook the chicken over medium until the chicken is white all over. Once it's cooked add the veges back in.

Pour in the chicken broth. Fill the container it was in with water and add that in along with the chicken bouillon. I add my seasonings now: Around 2 tsp of salt, a pinch of black pepper, 1/2 tsp of thyme, 1/2 tsp paprika. Squeeze in lemon juice, being careful to catch the seeds, those might taste a little funny. Give a good stir and dump in your choice of vegetables. Bring to a simmer and add in the egg noodles. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until the noodles are soft. Taste your broth to make sure it is seasoned properly, if not add a little more salt, that usually does the trick.

Serve with some yummy bread and Enjoy!


 For something different, you can add rice instead of egg noodles. I cook the rice separately and add it to the soup once it is cooked. Make at least 2 cups of cooked rice for this amount of soup, 3 cups would probably even be good.



Experiment with different spices. We don't care for overly spicy food but if you do go for it. Just remember to add spices in small increments...you can always add more, but when you add too much it's ruined! 

Spaghetti and Meatballs

A typical Sunday meal, Spaghetti and Meatballs is an easy and fairly cheap way to go. Especially since there are always leftovers for either another meal during the week or for lunches. I use store bought meatballs in a pinch but homemade taste so much better! I don't have a recipe per se but rather I gather my ingredients and go for it.

Garlic, Salt, Breadcrumbs, 1 egg, Basil, Pepper, Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce, Sweet Italian Sausage, Hamburger, Onion, and Parmesan Cheese, Noodles of choice (oil for cooking)

This is all you need to make a fantastic meal. Start with the meatballs since they take a while. Keep in mind that your meatballs don't have to be perfect...mine are different sizes and not a single one of them is a perfect ball, but who cares as long as they taste awesome! I multitask during meatballs. I chop up half of my onion (the other half can be saved for something else, I don't like to use a ton of onion) and I roast a couple links of sausage to put into the sauce.

(To roast sausage: place your links in a baking dish and put in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the outside casing is golden brown)

Put your hamburger (approximately 1 lb), meat from one sausage link, the egg, 1/4 c Parmesan Cheese, 1/2 c breadcrumbs, about 1 tsp of garlic and salt/pepper into a big bowl.

Now some of you are probably hemming and hawing about my choice of meats...this is what I had. I like to buy the meatball mix at the store. They mix veal, beef and pork together and that works awesome too. I do insist on the sausage though...it adds a nice flavor to the meatballs. If you don't use sausage you will have a 'flat' tasting meatball. 

Take off your rings and put your hands in and squish it all around...if you are queasy touching meat then this isn't for you, that's what soap is for. Mix it until everything is encorporated:

Now form your meatballs. I prefer smaller ones, they cook better and they are bite size.

For cooking you will use a big dutch oven or equivalent. This requires only 1 pan for the entire sauce so make sure you choose something big enough to accommodate the meatballs and the pasta sauce. Put about 2-4 tbls of oil in the pan over medium high heat. Allow to heat for around 1 minute and add in your meatballs. Only put in a few at a time because you have to have room to move them around.

The key here is to keep them moving and don't have the heat too high. They will stick a little bit but that's ok, it will leave behind brown bits that will make your sauce delicious. Each batch will take about 10 minutes to cook. Keep them moving and cook until they are nice and brown. You might have to periodically add a little more oil but don't drown your meatballs, just enough to keep them from gluing to the bottom of the pan. When they are done place on a plate covered with a papertowel to absorb any extra oil. Sprinkle with a little salt while they are still hot. Add the next batch to the pan and repeat until your meatballs are all cooked. Mine took 3 batches and made around 3 dozen meatballs minus a few that we had to test...you have to make sure they are good! :)

Now you have a pan with some oil and brown bits in it

...add your onions! Cook for about 5 minutes, the onions will start to look translucent. Now add in a little more garlic (about 1 tbls) and cook for about 30 seconds. Garlic burns really easily so once you smell it pour in your pasta sauce. I like to use Classico sauce, it has a nice flavor. Add in the tomato paste too. Put a little water (about a cup) into your pasta sauce jar to get out the sauce that got stuck in the jar and add that into the pot too. I add in about 1 tbls of basil, 1 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper along with the meats.

The longer you cook this the better it will taste. Ideally this is something that you would start at lunch time and cook over very low heat until dinner time. Just remember to cover your pan...pasta sauce splatters everywhere while cooking and makes a mess.

Just boil up some pasta, serve with some Parmesan Cheese sprinkled on top with some buttered homemade bread on the side and everyone will be happy!

This recipe makes 2 meals for two people (the leftovers usually taste even better since the. Double it if you have a big family. If you have too many meatballs for your sauce, freeze them so you have homemade ones on hand without all the work. Or use them for lunches and make meatball sandwiches.

My batch made a meal for us tonight, leftovers for a lunch and another meal, plus about a dozen meatballs for sandwiches!

Bread

I love bread. It is yummy delicious and you can pretty much eat it with everything. But who wants to always eat Wonder Bread because that's what you could afford to buy this week. So I was on vacation after Christmas and since I had the time I decided to make some bread. Well to my delight it is so easy to make that I might start doing it more often, like today! The biggest part is the time it takes: active time for this recipe...meaning you have to be involved is around 20-30 minutes. Waiting time is around 2 hours, so this is a weekend or day off thing to do.

White Bread

2 cups of warm water (110 degrees)
2/3 cup of white sugar
1 1/2 tbls yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups of flour

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the water...it's important that it's warm, but not too warm because you are waking up the yeasties. If it's too hot they won't work and if it's not warm enough you won't get the chemical reaction that makes the bread rise! Let sit for about 5 minutes, the top will become frothy.

This is what your bowl should look like after the yeasties have been at work for around 5 minutes

Now pour in your oil and salt and stir good to mix it all together.

Start adding the flour 1 cup at a time. The mixture will be lumpy the first couple of cups, mix the best you can but don't go nuts just keep adding the flour one cup at a time. Toward the end I find it easier to put your dough on a clean surface and knead in the rest.

Kneading is very simple. Ball up your fists and roll them into the dough going away from you. Then fold the dough over itself and roll your fists in again. You are working the dough together until it is smooth and elastic but  don't go overboard or your bread will be chewy and tough.

Place your dough into a bowl that you have lightly oiled so it doesn't stick while it rises (you only need a dime size drop of oil in the bowl).Loosely cover with saran wrap or a damp paper towel and set into a warm place for an hour...I turn my dinosaur of an oven to 100 then shut off, most people probably have a "proof" setting on their oven which is what you should use.

After about an hour you will find your dough doubled in size and maybe even spilling over your bowl like mine did today. Punch it once in the middle  then dump out on the counter (which you have sprikled with about 1/4 cup of flour so you don't make a sticky mess) and knead for a few minutes until it is elastic and smooth again. Next time I'll take more pictures! Divide in half and place into 2 greased loaf pans. Now they go back into a warm place for about 30 minutes to rise again.

After the half hour your loaf pans should be full of bread and it is usually about an inch over the top of the pan. Take them out of the oven and crank it up to 350. When the oven reaches temperature pop your breads in and bake for 30 minutes.

See this isn't that bad, it's mostly just waiting for the bread to rise!

When your breads are done they will be golden brown on top and if you tap them they will sound hollow.

Cool on a cookie rack if you have one and enjoy!! Make sure you wait at least 15 minutes before slicing or the bread will just fall apart.

Breads right out of the oven. My loaf pans are different sizes which is why they look so different but who cares they taste the same in the end!

 Enjoy!

This recipe makes 2 loafs, if you don't scarf them both down freeze one for next week!


Now that I feel I am a white bread expert I might try some other variations...stay tuned :)