Banana Crunch Muffins

This isn't the first time I've made this recipe.  The first time I made it the muffins turned out awesome.  But I didn't have time to do pictures and quickly snapped a few and they turned out terrible. The pictures were so bad I didn't even post this recipe!  So I have some over ripe bananas on my counter that I quickly have to snatch up to use because bananas go quick in this house.  So quick in fact that it is difficult to make banana bread or banana muffins because everyone is always stealing all the bananas.  I guess I should be grateful they all love bananas so much, right!?  These muffins are amazing.  This is an Ina Garten recipe that I saw on Food Network a while ago.  I absolutely love the crunch of the granola and the texture the coconut gives them.  Plus, I love pecans so being able to use them in anything makes me happy.  Of course, no one in my house likes coconut, granola or pecans but me, so looks like I now have a dozen muffins all for myself.   

 

 Banana Crunch Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1/2 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1/2 cup small-diced pecans
1/2 cup granola
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Granola or shredded coconut, optional for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a muffin cups with paper liners.  Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.  Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with granola or coconut, if desired. Bake for 18-22, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Whisking Wednesdays #14

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Welcome to Whisking Wednesdays! 


Seems I'm back on tracking getting this link-up done in a timely fashion and think I'll even manage the time to thank everyone properly for their link-ups!  So many of the link-ups this week made me want to get in the kitchen and try something new.  My list of items to bake seems to be growing rapidly!



Thank you all who participated in this week's Whisking Whednesdays.  There were so many tasty link-ups I had trouble deciding on just three!  I think I'm going to be quite busy in the next few weeks trying to make some of these!

The Rules:

1. Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your recipe.
2. Please leave a link back to this post in your post or Grab My Button.
3. Share your delicious recipes from this week. You are welcome to link up multiple recipes.
4. Leave me a comment and let me know that you've linked up.
5. Please visit at least two others and comment on the goodies they've added to this party.
6. Also, I would love for you to follow me but it isn't a requirement.  

This weeks theme is going to be just your favorite recipe you've made from the week.  Whether it is a dessert, breakfast, dinner or snack.  


Ok, the second I saw these S'mores Truffles I rushed right out to buy a few items to make these.  They looked so perfect and delicious.  I didn't have the stuff to make the filling like this recipe so I'm going to re-make these this week.  Even though my filling was different than her recipe they were still AMAZING!  These truffles definitely won't disappoint!

#1

Cake Dish 

S'mores Truffles 

What drew me into this recipe is the picture.  The colors are beautiful and it looks just so sinfully perfect.  I've actually never tried black currants before but this definitely made me want to find some! 

#2

Catalina Bakes 

Black Currant Marzipan Swirls

 

I'd have to say one of my favorites fruits is peaches.  I'm from the South and grew up eating fresh peaches all the time.  Just the sound of peaches and cream on or with anything makes my mouth water.  Not to mention a homemade waffle, yum!

#3

The Kitchen Cookie 

Buttermilk Waffles w/ Peaches & Cream 

 

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S'mores Truffle Squares

 So the second I saw this I knew I had to make it.  I saw this recipe on Cake Dish.  Sometimes a recipe just pulls you in like that.  Especially with sweets!  I was so excited to make this that I didn't read the recipe through and ran to the store to pick up marshmallow fluff not realizing I needed heavy cream and powdered sugar too.  So, my recipe ended up just having marshmallow in the middle and apparently not very much of it.  I tried to make up for the lack of marshmallow filling by drizzling some on top.  You can taste it but I would have liked to have more in the middle.  I love this truffle, it really tastes awesome.  I loved the crunch that the graham cracker gave it.  I was worried it would go soggy and not hold up completely but it did. Next time I make these, and yes there will be a next time, I plan on trying the fluff, powdered sugar, cream, vanilla mixture to use for the filling to see how those ones turn out.  

S'mores Truffle Squares 

3 King size Hershey's bars

A packet of honey graham crackers

1/2 c. marshmallow fluff

Cut the graham crackers and Hershey bars into same size pieces.  I did small squares that were bite size.  The crumbs leftover from the graham crackers can be used to sprinkle on as the topping later.  To assemble spread marshamallow fluff on graham cracker, top with a piece of chocolate.  Place these in the freezer for about 20 minutes.  In the meantime add all remaining Hershey's bars into a double boiler and melt and the dip cold truffles.  Place them on wax paper to harden and top with crushed graham crackers.  Allow the truffles to harden in the refrigerator for about an hour.  I only made about a dozen of these.  I used one king size bar for the truffles and the remaining 2 bars for melting.  Once cooled I also drizzled marshmallow fluff over the top of the truffles since I didn't initially add enough marshmallow in the middle.   

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Bacon Infused Mayonaisse

So I don't do this often but my husband is in heaven when I actually make homemade mayonnaise.  I don't eat or like mayonnaise so this isn't usually high on my list of priorities when making things.  Plus, I find it slightly aggravating having to drip one drop of oil at a time into a food processor.  I like things that I can do quickly and one handed with kids running around, screaming, pulling at my legs, yelling "Uppppppp" and things of that nature.  So having my 1 year old pulling at my leg yelling he wants "Uppppp" while I'm using a liquid measuring cup trying to drop one single drop at a time for a full cup of oil isn't easy.  Not only is it not easy, it takes SOOOO long!  Of course, the look on my husband's face when he takes a bite of a sandwich and realizes the mayonnaise was homemade is worth it, well almost. My little secret trick with this is I used 1/4 c. of bacon grease and 3/4 c. of oil.  It gives it a slight bacon taste to it which I'm told is amazing.       

Bacon Infused Mayonnaise

2 room temp. egg yolks
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 pinches of sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. bacon grease (still warm not solidified)

Add yolks, salt, mustard, sugar, lemon juice and white wine vinegar to food processor.  Combine the bacon grease and vegetable oil.  Add the oil one droplet at a time for about the first ½ c. then add at a slow (SLOW!) stream until thick and creamy.  This must be done very slowly or it won't turn out.  This will keep in fridge for up to 4 days. 

Hamburger Buns

So I'm on a quest to find the perfect recipe for homemade hamburger buns.  The ones at our store here on base really aren't good and we have limited options.  Of course, I don't have the time to make homemade ones every time I make burgers but I like to take something simple like a burger and make it extra special by making homemade buns and homemade mayonnaise to go with it.   This bun was tasty, and I certainly wouldn't complain being served it but it wasn't the "perfect" bun I'm looking for.  I really enjoyed it and the dough was so silky and smooth it was really nice to work with.  I used a recipe from Food.com but adapted it to my own liking by modifying the amounts of butter, sugar, yeast and salt.  I felt when I made my first batch I could taste the sugar too much and not enough of the salt so I reduced the sugar amount and upped the salt a bit and found the next batch turned out much better. 


Hamburger Buns

1 1/4 c. whole milk
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp. butter + 3 tbsp. melted butter
1/8 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 3/4 c. bread flour
2 tsp. yeast



Place milk and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted and milk is lukewarm.  You can turn off the heat and allow to set aside until roughly 110 degrees.  Then add the yeast and 1 tbsp. of the sugar to the milk mixture.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.  In the meantime add the remaining sugar, salt and bread flour to a standing mixer fitted with dough hook.  Pour in the milk mixture and beaten egg and allow to knead on low for a few minutes until rough ball forms.  Turn to medium and allow mixer to knead dough for another few minutes.  Turn out on floured surface and knead by hand until silky, smooth and then form a ball.  Place in greased glass bowl (making sure to place upside down to get the top oiled then flipping it) and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours.  Pour out onto floured surface and flatten to a rectangle using a rolling pin if necessary.  Use an upside circular cup or circle cutter to cut about 10-12 buns out.  You'll want each of them to be about 2 inches thick.  Place buns on greased cookie sheet using 3 tbsp. of the melted butter to brush on top.  You can add sesame seeds now if you wish, or you can brush once they come out of the oven with butter and add them then as well.  Allow to rise another 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake approximately 12-15 minutes or until light and golden.  Allow to cool and then slice in half to use as a bun. 

Ranch Chex Mix

As long as I can remember my Mom, Dad and sister have made Chex mix for the holidays.  I absolutely love it.  Usually I put oyster crackers in this recipe but I can't seem to find them here in Japan so we had to go without but I did include them in the recipe below since they do normally include them.  Also the original recipe is throwing everything into a big brown paper bag and shaking it every 15 minutes or so for 2 hours but I can't find brown bags here in Japan either, so I had to bake mine.  I actually think the baking it may make it quicker and easier though we normally don't do it that way.  This is such a quick easy snack to throw out for everyone anytime.  My husband and my kids both love it.   This is something we love to have around while drinking beer and watching football!

Ranch Chex Mix

4 c. Corn Chex
4 c. Rice Chex
2 c. pretzel sticks
4 c. Oyster Crackers
1 package of dry powder Ranch Dressing mix
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. dill

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Add chex, pretzels and crackers to a large bowl.  Pour the oil over the mix and toss until everything is completely coated in the oil.  Sprinkle over the powder Ranch and dill while stirring and then continue to toss to make sure to evenly spread the seasonings over all pieces.  Bake 15 minutes.  Allow to cool for about another 10 minutes before serving. 

Chocolate Crunch Cookie Bars

Not sure why but it seems the most made dessert in my house is always cookies.  I always have the ingredients for cookies on hand at all times in my house.  Plus, my daughter seems to always be able to convince me to make them.  I love to bake so simply asking me is enough to get me in the kitchen.  Except today she decided I was her helper.  She did all the measuring and egg cracking.  She was very excited when I handed her the bag of chocolate and butterscotch chips and told her it was up to her how much she put into the cookies.  Of course, both bags went in!  I decided to make these into bars instead of cookies just because that was what I was in the mood to do.  I love this recipe and love the flavor of chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch combined with the crunch of the oats and corn flakes.  I actually have a mixer but I find it is much more kid friendly for me and my daughter to make things like cookies and mix them by hand.  That way she gets to stir and add things without the mixer taking all the fun and doing all the work.  I wear an apron in the kitchen so she had me buy her one so she could wear one too!  She tells me that when she is a mama one day that she can make cookies in the kitchen without any help at all.   

Chocolate Crunch Cookie Bars

1 c. shortening
1 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. crushed corn flakes
1 1/2 c. quick cooking oats
3 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. dark chocolate chips 

1 pkg. butterscotch chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, sugar and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer till creamy. Beat in eggs, vegetable oil, & vanilla till smooth. Stir in cereal & oats. Combine the flour, baking soda & salt then gradually add it to the mixture. Beat till combined and stir in the chocolate and butterscotch chips.