Tarty's Banana Bread

• 4 medium ripe bananas (800g), peeled and chopped
• ½ cup (125ml) light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1½ cups (260g) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups (225g) self raising (self-raising) flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the bananas in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Add the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the flour and cinnamon and mix to combine. Pour into a lightly greased 25cm x 11cm loaf pan (see note, below) lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serves 8–10.

Summer Salsa

I won a Ninja Blender this Spring, and as you can imagine I'm blending my life away.  My first creation was a Mexican salsa.  After a few tweeks, it's perfect.

• 4 medium ripe beefsteak tomatoes, quartered
• 1 green bell pepper, quartered
• 4 sweet baby bell peppers, tops removed
• 3 jalapeno pepper, top removed and de-seeded for mild heat (if you want it hotter leave in some or all of the seeds)
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• Juice from one lime
• Salt to taste (optional)

Place all ingredients EXCEPT THE TOMATOES into the base and pulse a few times. Then add the tomatoes and pulse again.  This leaves the tomatoes a little bit chunky which is how my boys like it.

Shrimp Creole

I posted the original recipe from Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  In typical style, I changed it up and my changes are posted below.








1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2½ cups finely chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 bunches green onion, green parts finely chopped, white parts roughly chopped
½ large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3 fresh bay leaves
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
Juice of ½ large lemon
2½ cups water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2½ pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooked long-grain white rice, for serving
Garnish: chopped green onion

Instructions

1. In a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, add oil; stir in flour, stirring constantly until a peanut butter-colored roux forms (10 mins in my cast iron skillet). Reduce heat to low and add onion, garlic, green onion, and bell pepper. Stir well, and cook until softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato sauce, thyme, bay leaves, oregano, and lemon juice. Increase heat to medium, and bring sauce to a simmer. Add 2½ cups water, cayenne, and salt, and simmer until thickened, 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Gently stir in shrimp, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook, covered, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes more. Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve over rice with green onion, if desired.

I liked this recipe but it needed something more.  I purchased some boneless, skinless chicken thighs and fried them up in the oil first.  I coated them with flour and about 2 - 3 tablespoon of cayenne, garlic powder and seasoning salt.  After frying, I added a little more oil to the pot then began making the roux as directed.

I diced then added the chicken at the end of step 2.

These changes made the roux spicier and added more bulk/less soupy to the meal.  Serve with French bread.  

Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake

I found this in the Southern Living magazine and made it because it's been too cold and I figure if I cook like it's Spring, perhaps the weather will warm up.  It worked.  High of 60 today.

This recipe took a little time but it was worth it. If you live in a nicer city, you can probably find lemon curd at your store.  I had to make mine from scratch the day before.

Lemon Curd
6 lemons
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs

Grate zest from lemons to equal 2 Tbsp. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice into a measuring cup to equal 1 cup.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add lemon juice to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition; stir in zest. (Mixture will look curdled.) Transfer to a 3-qt. microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave at HIGH.   Stirring at 1-minute intervals. Microwave, stirring at 30-second intervals, 1 to 2 more minutes or until mixture thickens, coats the back of a spoon, and starts to mound slightly when stirred, about 5 minutes. Time will vary greatly depending up on your microwave.

Place heavy-duty plastic wrap directly on warm curd (to prevent a film from forming), and chill 4 hours or until firm. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks

Crumb Topping

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar 

1 tablespoon lemon zest 

1 tablespoon orange zest 

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces 

 

Cake Batter

1/2 cup butter, softened 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided 

3 large eggs, separated 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1 tablespoon lemon zest 

3/4 cup lemon curd

1/4 cup powdered sugar

 

 Prepare Crumb Topping:
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients; cut cold butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Cover and chill until ready to use.

 Prepare Cake Batter:
Beat softened butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Add 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, beating 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
Stir together flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lemon zest.
Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch square (2-inch-deep) pan.

Dollop with lemon curd; gently swirl with a knife. Sprinkle Crumb Topping over batter.
5. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm, or cool on a wire rack 1 hour.

Southern Living King Cake

I'm trying to find the perfect recipe and this one is it.  Now I need to learn to make it look pretty.  The yeast really rose and make the cake big and wider than anticipated.  Bread flour really makes all the difference.

1 (16-ounce) container sour cream 

1/3 cup sugar 

1/4 cup butter 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)

1 tablespoon sugar 

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

6 to 6 1/2 cups bread flour

1/3 cup butter, softened 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze

Melt together 2 tablespoons milk, 3 tablespoons butter,few drops of vanilla.  Add about 2 cups powdered sugar til it makes a thick glaze.

Purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sparkling sugar sprinkles 

 

Cook first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Set aside, and cool mixture to 100° to 110°.

Stir together yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. I use my dough hook in my KitchenAid mixer.  Reduce speed to low, and gradually add enough remaining flour (4 to 4 1/2 cups) until a soft dough forms.  Keep beating for 5 mins.

Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
Punch down dough, and divide in half. Roll each portion into a 22- x 12-inch rectangle. Spread 1/3 cup softened butter evenly on each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter on each rectangle.

Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side. Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Repeat with second dough roll.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Bake at 375° for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden. Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes). Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes; sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands. Let cool completely.