Banana, PB &Jelly Breakfast Shake (for March SRC)

 

 

Ahhhh the beauty of a shake! There is nothing better than a cold frosty shake in my book. Especially one that is delicious and healthy! YUM.  They are wonderful as you can load up your blender with lots of healthy ingredients and create a delicious and portable drink.  Kiddos love them.  Adults love them.  Shakes are simply the greatest!  

 

 

This little beauty of a shake I recently discovered on a treasure of a blog called, Our Table for 7.  I was assigned Erin's blog for March's Secret Recipe Club.  I couldn't have been more delighted for such an opportunity! ALL of Erin's recipes that she shares on her blog are full of amazing yumminess.  ALL. Of. Them!!   I have pinned a number of her recipes to try ASAP.  Not to worry, I will post them here on my blog to share with all of you.  I look forward to trying her Crockpot Potato Soup as I have tons of potatoes left over from St. Paddy's Day.  I also want to make her Brownie Batter Pancakes - my girls will go gaga over them!!  And then of course her Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Bars are right up my alley.

 

 

I have spent a lot of time reading through Our Table for 7 and I can tell that she puts just as much care and attention to her blog as she does with all of her lovely kiddos.  She has a deep devotion and dedication to feeding her family and friends delicious food.  I can't thank her enough for all the time and energy that she puts into it.  :-)

 

 

Banana, PB & Jelly Breakfast Shake

                                    (recipe from Our Table for 7)

                        *This recipe makes enough for 2-3 servings

 

Ingredients:

 

1 large banana

2 cups COLD milk

1 Tbsp PB

1 Tbsp jam/jelly of your choice (I used strawberry jam)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3-4 ice cubes (my addition)

 

Directions:

 

1. Add all ingredients into blender and mix/pulse for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or until smooth.

 

2. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

 

 



 

Happy Banana, PB & Jelly Breakfast Shake Making!



Glazed Maple Cinnamon Quick Bread

 

I treasure having the opportunity of expressing and sharing some of my passions in life with others.  Especially when it comes to baking and my life in the kitchen.  Baking is in a sense "food for my soul." It makes me happy.  It makes me sane.  It makes me whole.  It makes ME who I am. 

 

 

As much as I love the opportunity to bake I also LOVE to share what I bake.  It helps my mid-line some what under control and it provides me the delightful experience of giving to others.   Today I want to share with all of you a fabulous recipe that I recently discovered from one of my all time favorite food blogs, Buns In My Oven.  I have made many, many recipes from Karly's blog.  She never disappoints with all of her scrumptious creations.  This recipe that I honor today almost put me over the edge with baking happiness as it contains many of my most favorite ingredients.  PURE maple syrup for one and then of course the addition of browned butter is completely brilliant! Maple syrup and browned butter in one recipe allows for magical and rich yumminess. The last step in this recipe calls for the addition of COLD butter pieces that have been carefully coated with ground cinnamon into the bread batter allowing for little bursts of precious cinnamon all throughout the bread.  Perrrrrfection! Complete perfection.  And then of course having buckets of sugary smooth glaze drizzled all over the top of the bread (with plenty of left over for your spreading pleasure on individual slices) completely tops off (literally and deliciously) the amazing bread.

 

Make. This. Bread.  PLEASE!!!!

 

 

Glazed Maple Cinnamon Quick Bread

(Recipe from the adorable and scrumptious,  Buns In My Oven)

 

Ingredients:

For the bread:

2 1/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup browned butter

1/4 cup COLD butter, cubed

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream (or half and half which is what I used)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp imitation maple syrup flavoring (my own addition as I wanted the glaze to taste of maple syrup too)

1/4 tsp salt

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

 

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

 

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract.  Slowly whisk in browned butter.

 

4. Combine wet ingredients with dry. Mix just until combined.

 

5. In a small bowl combine COLD butter pieces and 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon. Gently fold in coated butter pieces into the batter.

 

6. Pour batter into prepared bread loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

 

7. Make glaze while bread is baking by whisking together all glaze ingredients in a medium bowl.  If necessary add in a little bit more sugar or cream to reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over completely cooled bread.  You will have extra glaze after pouring it over the top of the bread.  Eat it by the spoonful or spread it onto bread slices....it should NOT go to waste!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Happy Glazed Maple Cinnamon Bread Baking!

 

 



Cheesy Ham, Broccoli and Rice Skillet

Have you noticed a change around these parts? That's right there is some serious new cuteness on my blog!  I am just giddy with excitement over my look here at Baking and Creating with Avril!!! The fabulous Ashton from Something Swanky is the master mind behind my new look.  I can't thank her enough for all her help and talent that she has provided me.  I highly, highly recommend her services.  And to boot she is an AMAAAAZING baker too! Please do go check out her yummies and then you must check out her artistic creations too!

 

 

Speaking of changes, today instead of a recipe that is sweet and requires baking I've got a savory recipe for you.  That's right nothing baked.  No sugar or flour involved.  Not even a tiny bit of vanilla extract.  Just a simple, delicious and savory dish that will knock your socks off.

 

 

All this dish requires is a large skillet with a lid that can contain all the ingredients.  And then of course some rice (white or brown is just fine), a couple of cooked ham steaks and a couple small heads of broccoli.  All of the other ingredients can most likely be found in your pantry and fridge such as chicken broth and some grated cheese.

 

 

 

Now Easter is just around the corner - the end of this month in fact - and most likely there will be LOTS of good deals out there for ham.  Make sure you grab some or save some from your left-overs and make this recipe.  It's super easy and SUPER yummy!!

 

Cheesy Ham, Broccoli and Rice Skillet

(recipe from the fabulous Karly from Buns In My Oven)

 

Ingredients:

 

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup long-grain rice

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

2 small heads fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

2 Tbsp butter

3 cups cooked and diced ham, hot (warm up in microwave before adding into skillet)

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (or a mixture of cheese of your liking...I used 1/2 parm cheese and 1/2 cheddar cheese)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper,  to taste

splash of milk, if needed

 

 

Directions:

 

1. Place large skillet over medium heat.  Drizzle olive oil into pan and then pour in rice.  Stir to coat.  Cook rice until toasted and light brown, stirring often so that the rice doesn't burn.

 

2. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to low and cover.  Cook covered for 10 minutes.  Add in cut up broccoli and cook covered for an additional 5-10 minutes or until liquid has been cooked down.

 

3. Take skillet off of heat and add in butter, ham, cheese and garlic powder. Stir well to combine and then cover for 5 minutes more.  Add in S and P to taste just before serving.

 

Serve, enjoy and rejoice over a simple and delicious meal!

 

Happy Cheesy Ham, Broccoli and Rice Skillet Making!

 

 



Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soon the month of February will be ending.  We will enter into March and be that much closer to the season of Spring here in New England.  This reality makes my heart happy!  I completely LOVE spring time.  I love the newness, the gentle greenness, the fresh sweet smells and all the precious new beginnings that often come with Spring. 

 

 

Just as much as I adore Spring I love a good cookie recipe.  I think it has to with being a mom as my girls live for cookies!  Especially chocolate chip cookies. 

I thank the lovely Emily from Life on Food for sharing this cookie recipe that I share with all of you today. I discovered Life on Food  through my February assignment for February's Secret Recipe Club.  I had a wonderful time browsing through Emily's blog to pick the recipe I would make.  I really did try and find a recipe that wasn't sweet or baked.  I wanted to prove to all of you that I do in fact make things that are not baked. Such recipes that don't have sugar and butter in the them but rather veggies, pasta or even tomato sauce.  Unfortunately, the jar of Cookie Butter (that can be purchased at Trader Joe's) that was in my pantry had to be used.  Yes, it had to be used or else it would continue to be snuck out for a finger lick here and a finger there.  So yes, I followed my heart and my usual path of happiness and baked up a batch of Cookie Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies.  The original recipe from Life on Food is actually called, Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies but because of the necessity of my need to use the Cookie Butter I substituted the CB for the Biscoff. It worked out just perfect.  The cookies were soft.  The cookies were perfectly sweet with the hint of spice and richness that came from the Cookie Butter.  I was completely delighted with this recipe.  A definite recipe to be repeated!

 

 

 

 

Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

           ( slightly adapted recipe from Life on Food )

 

Ingredients:

 

1 stick (8oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup Cookie Butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

 

2. Cream together butter, Cookie Butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract.  Mix well all together.

 

3. In a large bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.

 

4. Scoop out balls of batter onto prepared cookie sheets.  Slightly flatten with the bottom of a flour dusted glass if you wish.

 

5. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes depending on what size your cookies are.  I made pretty big cookies so it took closer to 12 minutes.

 

6. Allow cookies to cool for as long as you wish and enjoy! Store in a large sealed bag or container.

 

Yum!

 

 

 



Happy Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Baking!

This recipe has been linked up to Inside BruCrew Life for Trick or Treat Tuesday!

Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

 

 

I really did think I had seen it all when it comes to baking with bananas.  I have made dozens and dozens of banana breads! Such as Blond Banana Bread and Raisin Banana Bread.  I have baked cupcakes with bananas, muffins, coffee cake and bundt cakes too.  I have even made luscious banana desserts layered with creamy whipped cream and tender cookies.  But, I have yet to bake scones with bananas.  That is until just recently.  My baking world has since been shaken with happiness with discovery of this recipe of these amazing scones.

 

 

 

The scones themselves are not too sweet and have the lovely existence of a moist banana bread texture.  The brown sugar glaze that is poured on top is completely outstanding and brilliant.  I'm sorry but you truly can not make these scones without the presence of the glaze.  It just would not be fair to your taste buds.  I telling you do NOT skimp on the glaze and leave it out of this recipe.  You will highly regret it if you do.  End of story.
 

 

 

Go ahead and grab those precious ripe bananas and whip up this recipe.  You will be so glad you did.

 

Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

(recipe discovered from the oh, so talented food blog of Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice)

 

 

Scone Batter Ingredients:

2 large, ripe bananas - to equal about 1 cup mashed (I used 3 small)

4 Tbsp milk

1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

4 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup chopped walnuts - optional

 

 

Glaze Ingredients:

1 Tbsp salted butter

2 Tbsp milk

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4-1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

raw sugar for sprinkling over top of scones

 

Directions:

1. Mash bananas and if needed add in enough milk (from the 4 Tbsp's) to equal 1 cup.  Stir in milk, yogurt/sour cream and vanilla extract to mashed bananas.  Set mixture aside.

 

2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Add in butter pieces using a fork, pastry cutter or your finger tips until butter pieces are not bigger than the size of a pea. 

 

3. Add banana mixture into dry mixture.  Stir just until all of flour has been combined. Stir in chopped walnuts at this point if using them.

 

4. Place a piece of parchment paper over large dinner plate and then form scone dough into a disk on top.  The disk of dough should be at least 1" thick. Cover dough with another piece of parchment paper.  Place in freezer for 30 minutes.

 

5. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Flip scone dough onto a cookie sheet with the top piece of parchment paper being the lining of the cookie sheet. Peel off the second layer of parchment paper. Slice 8 wedges from the scone disk - pull them slightly apart to give them some room to expand.

 

6.  Bake for 25-27 minutes, until scones are firm to the touch and have light golden brown edges.  Cool completely and cut apart any scones that baked together.

 

7. Make glaze by melting butter and milk together in a large glass measuring cup in microwave for 30 seconds.  Add in brown sugar and vanilla extract.  Stir well to combine.  If needed microwave mixture an additional 30 seconds to allow for sugar to melt completely into butter/milk.   Whisk in confectioner's sugar - 1/4 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency of a thick glaze. Pour glaze over scones and then sprinkle with raw sugar if desired.  Serve and enjoy!

 

 



 

 

Happy Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze Baking!



 



Chocolate Ribbon Coffee Cake with a Milk Chocolate Ganache

 

Go ahead and try and reach through your screen to take a little finger scoop of that ganache. I dare ya!.... I know you want to.  How can you not when you see all that lovely chocolate yumminess right in front of you!?! And then of course seeing that pretty bundt cake of a coffee cake creation underneath the chocolate ganache probably doesn't help matters much either. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry to be teasing you with such a delicious cake.  I will never, never, never do it again....at least not again today.  I can't promise what will happen in the future. ;-)

 

 

 

 As soon as I saw this lovely cake on Louanne's blog I took immediate action and printed off the recipe right away.  And then the skys opened up and a lovely group of ladies fell upon me.  A group of talented ladies that bake together (virtually) on a monthly basis from the cookbook called, Coffee Cakes - Simple, Sweet and Savory by Lou Seibert Pappas . 

The baking group is called, The Home Bakers.  I immediately took action and joined the group.  I could not be more delighted to have joined this group as ALL of the recipes in Lou's book are amazing!  AMAZING!!!

 

 Without fail coffee cakes make my heart do a little pitter patter dance of happiness.  In my world coffee cakes represent sweetness of friendship, closeness of family and surprises all around.  Coffee cakes can be eaten anytime of the day in my book. Morning, noon or night.  And they taste best when shared with others...especially over a hot cup of tea, coffee or even better, hot chocolate.  Happiness is life filled with coffee cakes.

 

 

 

 

Fruit is often found in these special cakes.  Then again so are spices and nuts and dried fruit.  Even better chocolate simply lives to be a in coffee cake.  Thus the beauty and reality of this Chocolate Ribbon Coffee Cake is magic.  The magic comes from the tender and light crumb of the cake that surrounds chocolate, nuts and a sprinkling of ground cinnamon.  Perfection.  Milk chocolate ganache was my desired addition to this cake. You can do as I did or leave the cake plain. Either way you will make the right choice.

 

If you do choose to top your cake with a ganache here is the recipe I used.....

 

Milk Chocolate GANACHE

 

*1/4 cup heavy cream

*1 bag milk chocolate morsels

 

In a large sauce pan heat heavy cream over medium heat just until steam begins to rise from the cream.  Remove sauce pan from heat and carefully stir in milk chocolate morsels.  Stir until morsels are completely melted and incorporated into the heavy cream.  Ganache will thicken as it cools.  Pour over cake.  Any remaining ganache can be stored in refrigerator in a sealed container.  Heat in microwave for 30-60 seconds to enjoy over ice cream, cakes or your finger.

 

Please visit the lovely Louanne's Kitchen for the full recipe of this cake.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Happy Chocolate Ribbon Coffee Cake Baking!

 

This recipe has been linked up to Trick or Treat Tuesday at Inside BruCrew Life and Buns in My Oven - What's Cookin' Wednesday :-)



Samoa Blondie Bars (for January's Secret Recipe Club)

 

Well, hello there!  Goodness it has been WAY too LONG since the last time I have written up a blog post.  Ridiculously too long! Thank goodness I have the Secret Recipe Club that has pushed me in the right direction to get my creative juices flowing again for my precious little blog.  And it isn't like I haven't been baking up a storm - goodness no! - I just have been pre-occupied with things like Christmas (being a mommy/Santa to a 6 and 2 year old takes a lot out of me!), my littlest turning TWO and then of course working full-time along with all the other fun stuff in life.  I've missed blogging terribly!  I adore sharing my kitchen delights with all of you.  And I really hope to be able to manage my time differently so that I can get back into the groove of blogging more often.  True story, I do! :-)

 

 

 

 

I was given the opportunity to discover the K and K Test Kitchen blog this past month as it was my assignment from the Secret Recipe Club for the month of January. What an absolute treasure of a blog!  It is written by two beautiful women, Kelsey and Kim.  A mother and daughter in fact! And it is packed with delicious, beautiful and amazing recipes. 

 

It was a VERY easy decision for me to choose Samoa Blondie's as the recipe of my choice to make from their blog as my oldest daughter is in the thick of Girl Scout cookie sales right now.  AND my family just adores and worships Samoa cookies!  How can't you with all that lovely chocolate-caramel-coconut yumminess!?! And these fabulous bars sure are pretty darn close to being a "Samoa Cookie".  The butter is browned to allow for a perfect nutty and caramel taste that goes along with the sinful chocolate chips and decadent coconut.  Everyone gobbled down these little bars with rave reviews.   I even passed some of them out to my favorite Starbucks barestas as I drove through to get my morning coffee.  They LOVED having such a treat being passed through the window to them!

 

 

 

Bake a batch of these bars and pass them out to all your favorites that you come across on a daily basis....you will be worshiped forever if you do!

 

Thank you, thank you Kim and Kelsey for this fabulous recipe!  You have brought much happiness to my baking world!

 

Samoa Blondie Bars

(recipe from K and K Test Kitchen)

 

Ingredients:

 

10 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 sweetened coconut flakes

1 1/4 chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 8x8 pan well and set aside.

 

2.  Brown butter in a medium saucepan on medium to high heat.  Butter will melt completely and then bubble and pop.  When the butter starts to frizzle with smaller bubbles and the scent of the butter changes to a lovely nutty smell you have successfully "browned" your butter.  Allow browned butter to cool until just slightly warm...about 10 minutes.

 

3. In a large bowl mix all together browned butter, sugars, egg, vanilla extract and salt.  

 

4. Slowly add in remaining ingredients - flour, coconut and chocolate chips - until well blended all together.

 

5. Pour batter into prepared pan - batter will be thick. Carefully smooth all over top with a rubber spatula.

 

6. Bake for 25-27 minutes - be careful not to over bake your bars....edges will be slightly darker than the middle and come away from the pan when done. Cool for as long as you can stand it and cut into squares and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Happy Samoa Blondie Bars Baking!