Banana Bread With Walnuts & Dates

Although this recipe for Banana Bread with Walnuts & Dates is very simple to prepare... it doesn't short-change on flavor. I hope that Maggie and my other readers enjoy it as much as I did!



Ingredients

3 overripe bananas
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 nutmeg (ground or fresh)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dates

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, add bananas and eggs and mash contents thoroughly. Add sugar and mix.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Add to banana mixture and mix well.

Add walnuts and dates to mixture and fold until well incorporated.

Pour banana mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

NOTE: If your bread isn't done in the suggested hour, don't let it bake for an additional 10 minutes without checking every 2 minutes so that it doesn't become overly done (as it appears in the video).

NOTE: If you like a very moist banana bread, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your mixture.

Always Enjoy!

Mini Egg and Bacon Pies

These little mini egg and bacon pies will be perfect for a variety of occasions. You can make this quick and easy recipe for breakfast, brunch, a snack for the kids (you too!), and for your late night trip to the fridge. I hope that you enjoy preparing these mini-pies!

Always Enjoy!

French Toast

This recipe request for plain French toast comes from Roxanne.

This is a very good (or should I say delicious?) recipe that I’ve been making for many years. I can’t even remember where I got it…that’s how long it’s been. All I know is that it always brings smiles to the faces of those that try it.

I hope that it brings a smile to your face Roxanne!

Your Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 eggs
1/2-cup heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 slices of white bread (or sliced brioche) cut diagonally to make 8 pieces
1/2-stick butter, divided (yeah, I know)
pure maple syrup
confectioners’ sugar

IN a large shallow bowl (like a soup bowl), use a wire whisk to mix together the eggs, whipping cream, and vanilla.

DIP bread slices into the egg mixture and after you’ve dipped them all, place them back into the bowl with the remaining egg mixture.

CONTINUE to rearrange the slices in the bowl so that the remaining egg mixture soaks through all of the bread slices.

MELT 1/4-stick of butter in a large skillet over low heat.

WHEN the butter has melted, pick up each slice and allow the excess egg mixture to fall back into the bowl and arrange all of the slices in the pan (hopefully your pan is large enough so that you don’t need to repeat). Cook the slices until they reach a golden brown on one side.

ADD the remaining 1/4-stick of butter to the pan and quickly turn the slices. You want the new melted butter to be the base for the second side so that it will also turn golden brown.

SERVE on dinner plates with hot, crispy bacon slices around the edges.

LADLE a bit of pure maple syrup on top of the French toast.

GARNISH with a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar. You can also add strawberries, blueberries, bananas, or peaches.

NOTE: Leave the heat on low. It may seem as though the toast would cook faster with a higher flame (and it would), but you want to avoid burning the butter while completely cooking the toast.

Also, it’s nice when you use a skillet or griddle large enough to hold all of the slices at one time because when you finish the second side, the pan will probably need cleaning from the cooked butter bits. If you need to cook the French toast in two separate stages, just clean your skillet and repeat the steps. Keep the finished slices of French toast in a warm preheated oven, around 200ºF.

If you decide that you love the French toast sprinkled with the powdered sugar, you may want to invest in a shaker that’s made specifically for sprinkling (really inexpensive). Otherwise, you can just use a small strainer to accomplish the same task.

Always Enjoy!

Spicy Honey-Mustard Bacon

I can’t think of anything (well almost anything) that smells more delicious in the morning than the heavenly aroma of bacon. I don’t care whether it’s baked or fried. It’s just one of those wonderful aromas that can wake you up from your deep and entertaining dream world, once you get a whiff.

I mean, you could be having a once in a lifetime dream about that one person who gives you the warm and fuzzies. They don’t even have to be a real person. They could be a figment of your imagination. It could be a curvaceous or studly Goodyear blimp. They could be Nancy the cartoon character all grown up with a different hairstyle.

Maybe you get all warm and fuzzy about the thought of having a date with a top-secret government official. Or perhaps, just a top that you keep secretly. You may have been dreaming about someone at work who finally kissed you passionately. Or, it may have been about lovingly squeezing a passion fruit.

Hey, whatever or whomever, I’m really sorry that this delicious aroma came between you and the object of your dreams.

I don’t even know what to tell you except…you should have invited them for some of this fabulous tasting bacon!

Your Ingredients: (serves 6)

4-tbsp honey
2-tbsp prepared yellow mustard
1/2-tsp cayenne pepper, or more
1-1/2 pounds thickly sliced quality smoked bacon

PREHEAT oven to 375ºF.

IN a small skillet, whisk together the honey, mustard and cayenne pepper and simmer on low until mixture is melted, about 5-minutes. Set aside.

LINE a baking sheet with parchment paper. It would also be great if you had the rimmed type.

ARRANGE the bacon slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.

USING a pastry brush, coat the top of the bacon with the spiced-honey mixture and place in the preheated oven.

BAKE for about 10 minutes and brush the top again. Bake until bacon is crispy and sizzling, about 10 minutes longer (depending on the thickness of the bacon and your particular oven temperature).

REMOVE bacon from the oven and immediately drain on paper towels, glazed side up.

SERVE hot.

Always Enjoy!

Fast Recipe For Banana-Walnut Pancakes

Oh my...these are pancakealicious! They are moist, light, fluffy and superbly delicious. The original recipe was taken from Tyler Florence who does everything five star, but it’s been tweaked just a bit to accommodate my family’s taste buds. These pancakes are an excellent choice for breakfast or brunch. You can even have them for lunch or supper. You might even prefer to eat them for dinner. You could possibly prepare them for a snack. You can eat one or two for an in-between snack. You can share them if you like. You can make them for a romantic breakfast with thick strips of smoked bacon on the side with the pancakes in the middle. Or you can have your honey-bunny lie on the side of the pancakes and eat the middle of the bacon. Whatever you decide to do with the middles and sides, just make sure that you only eat these every six months to keep your middle and sides from expanding!

Speaking of middles and sides, fill a large cold glass of milk to the middle and have it on the side.

Your Ingredients:

2-cups buttermilk
3 large eggs
1-tsp pure vanilla extract
2-cups all purpose flour
1-1/2-tsp baking powder
1-tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt
4-tbsp sugar
1/2-cup walnuts, toasted and finely ground (not chopped)
1/2-stick+2-tbsp unsalted melted butter, divided
3 bananas, peeled and sliced in 1/4-inch circles
Maple Butter, recipe follows
Walnuts, toasted and chopped into chunky pieces
1 additional banana, peeled and sliced thinly on the bias (diagonally)
Confectioner’s sugar

PREHEAT oven to 200-degrees F.

IN a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.

IN another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

COMBINE the wet ingredients with the dry and stir well with a rubber spatula or spoon to get rid of the lumps.

FOLD in the ground walnuts and 1/2-stick of melted butter and stir until batter is smooth.

HEAT a griddle or skillet over medium-low heat and add a little of the remaining melted butter to keep the pancakes from sticking.

USE a ladle to pour pancake batter onto the griddle or skillet.

COOK the pancakes on one side until they are set and the lightly press the bananas into the batter. When small bubbles appear on the uncooked surface, flip the pancakes and cook until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes.

TRANSFER the pancakes to a warming plate and place in the oven while you make the rest.

Your Ingredients For Maple Butter:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4-cup pure maple syrup
2-tbsp honey
1 sheet parchment paper

PLACE ingredients in a bowl and mash with a rubber spatula until well blended. Roll it up in the paper, like a tube and twist the ends so you have a log-shaped roll. Chill the maple butter roll in the refrigerator for 30-minutes.

REMOVE maple butter from fridge and slice into rounds.

PLACE the pancakes on a plate and put a slice of maple butter between each pancake and on the top. Place 2 diagonal slices of remaining banana on each stack and place the plates in the oven for about 1-1/2 minutes so that butter will melt and top banana slices will warm.

SPRINKLE with confectioner’s sugar and toasted chopped walnuts.

Note: To toast walnuts, place them evenly into a skillet on medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Remove from the heat when walnuts begin to release their flavor and are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Always Enjoy!

Fast And Easy Breakfast Recipe

Okay, maybe this isn’t a real frittata in the sense of what an Italian chef might prepare. Or even what you may classify as one. But hey, I think that you’ll like it anyway, no matter what you decide to call it. I mean, maybe you want to call it fancy scrambled eggs. Or maybe you want to call it baked eggs and shrimp. You may even want to call it an open omelet. But don’t call it anything until you’ve tried it. Then call it fabulous.


Fabulously Flavorful Frittata (serves 6)


Your Ingredients:

8 large eggs
4-ounces cream
salt, to taste
4-tbsp butter, divided
1-pound medium shrimp, washed and deveined
3 scallions, washed and sliced on the bias (diagonal)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-cup shitake mushrooms, rinsed and thinly sliced
1/4-cup red bell pepper, washed and julienned (cut into thin matchsticks)
1-tsp scotch bonnet pepper, washed and thinly sliced (use disposable gloves to slice)
1/4-tsp thyme
2-tbsp green pimento olives, sliced into rounds
shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 avocados, thinly sliced
1-tbsp freshly chopped parsley

PREHEAT oven to 350˚F.

WHIP eggs, cream and salt with a wire whisk until well blended. Set aside.

HEAT 2 tablespoons butter in a large, ovenproof skillet on medium heat.

ADD shrimp and sauté until opaque, about 2-3 minutes.

REMOVE shrimp from pan and set aside. Keep warm.

ADD 2 tablespoons butter to same skillet and add scallions, garlic, mushrooms, red bell pepper, and scotch bonnet to pan and sauté for about 3 minutes or until veggies are al dente (firm to the tooth).

ADD thyme and green olives to pan and stir until well blended, about 1 minute.

POUR the whipped egg mixture over the vegetable mixture and turn heat down to low. Stir gently to incorporate all ingredients.

WHEN the edges appear firm, go around the edges with a spatula to loosen a bit and sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the egg mixture and transfer to preheated oven.

BAKE until eggs are set and cheese is melted (but not browned), about 10-15 minutes.

REMOVE pan from oven and turn up oven heat to broil.

ADD shrimp to the top of frittata and place under broiler for about 1-2 minutes, until the cheese and shrimp begin to get those nice brown flecks.

REMOVE from broiler and let the pan rest for a couple of minutes before slicing frittata into wedges. (like a pizza)

SERVE immediately with chopped tomatoes and avocado slices sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Always Enjoy!

Fast Breakfast Recipe For Christmas French Toast

Who would have thought that you could take a boring old piece of white bread and have such a fabulous end result?

Well, my mom did. She would make this luscious French toast for our family on Christmas morning every year. We thought we were in heaven! It was such a special treat that I absolutely must share it with you. You may just get a few extra hugs this Christmas!

CHRISTMAS FRENCH TOAST (serves 4)


Your Ingredients:

8 slices of white bread (cut diagonally to make 16 pieces)
3/4 stick butter
3 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups eggnog
1-tbsp pure vanilla
1-tsp freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon

IN a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, vanilla and fresh nutmeg.

HEAT a large skillet or pancake griddle on low heat.

PLACE 1/2 stick of butter in pan and melt.

WHILE butter is slowly melting, dip both sides of your bread into the eggnog batter and carefully transfer to the hot pan.

TURN slices over to toast both sides. Upon turning, you may need to add a little more butter to the pan.

WHEN both sides are golden brown, remove from the pan and place on your serving plates.

GARNISH French toast with a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg.

Note: I really hope that you and your family enjoy my mom’s delicious recipe for French toast. Let me know by posting a comment below.

Always Enjoy!

Fast Recipe For Shrimp And Eggs

This recipe is wonderful for breakfast or brunch. Heck…maybe even dinner. If you want to surprise your loved one with a little something different for breakfast in bed, this is sure to be a winner!

SHRIMP AND EGGS (serves 2 or 3)

Your Ingredients:

3 cups water
10 large uncooked shrimp (rinsed with peels on)
1-1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
4 tbsp butter (not margarine)
1/3 cup of chopped scallions, washed
1/3 cup of grape tomatoes (washed and chopped with seeds and pulp removed)
6 eggs, slightly beatened
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 oz cream cheese (cut into small cubes)
chives

PREHEAT oven to 400°F.

BRING 3 cups of water to a boil and add the Old Bay Seasoning along with the shrimp.

COOK the shrimp until they are just pink, about 2-3 minutes (DO NOT overcook) and remove from heat. Place some ice cubes into the pot (to stop cooking) and let the shrimp soak in the seasoned water for about 20 minutes. The longer they soak, the more flavorful they’ll get.

DRAIN, peel and devein the shrimp. Slice each one in half horizontally so that you have 2 pieces that look alike.

MELT butter in an ovenproof skillet and add the scallions and tomatoes. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the scallions are softened.

ADD the slightly beatened eggs to your mixture, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and cook over low heat. Stir occasionally to keep egg mixture from browning until they are almost congealed (they’ll still have some liquid in them).

ADD the shrimp and cream cheese and stir to blend.

TRANSFER ovenproof skillet to the preheated oven and bake until cheese is melted and eggs are completely congealed.

SERVE on pretty dinner plates and use kitchen shears to snip chives over eggs for garnish.

Always Enjoy!