Apparently this is version six of banana cake. I'm not sure what banana cake one through five taste like, but if they were all trial runs, number six is the end result--the winner.
My sister made it a couple weeks ago, and sent my mom and I the recipe, commanding us to make it immediately. Being pregnant, smells bother me quite a bit, so I gave my mom some over ripe bananas, and asked her to make it for me. Which she did. It was amazing. Just like banana bread, but in cake form, with yummy frosting. I don't think you can go wrong if you put cream cheese in frosting!
3/4 cup butter
2 1/8 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.
(source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/8333/banana-cake-vi/)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Stuffed Peppers My Way
This isn't MY way (as in, I made it up). It's just the name of it how I got it. Gina (my sister) sent it to me--said I must make it immediately because it was incredibly tasty. Try it for yourself. You'll see what she means!
1 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
2 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Place the peppers cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender and skin starts to brown.
While the peppers are roasting, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato, and cook for 5 minutes. Spoon in the cooked rice, and stir until heated through. Remove from heat, mix in the feta cheese, and spoon the mixture into the pepper halves.
Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
(source: Gina, via www.allrecipes.com)
1 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
2 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Place the peppers cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender and skin starts to brown.
While the peppers are roasting, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato, and cook for 5 minutes. Spoon in the cooked rice, and stir until heated through. Remove from heat, mix in the feta cheese, and spoon the mixture into the pepper halves.
Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
(source: Gina, via www.allrecipes.com)
Broiled Parmesan-Lemon Tilapia
Made this for dinner a few nights ago and it was delicious. I made "extra" so Dickson and I could take leftovers to work the next day for lunch. But all the "leftovers" got eaten for dinner. It was that good.
4 (4 ounce) tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons Miami-style sazon seasoning (sazon completa)
1 serving olive oil cooking spray (such as PAM®)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter-margarine blend (such as Smart Balance®), melted
1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise (such as Kraft®)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil. Spray the broiler pan's rack with olive oil cooking spray.
Sprinkle tilapia with sazon seasoning and arrange on the prepared broiler rack.
Mix the Parmesan cheese, butter-margarine blend, fat-free mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, basil, black pepper, onion powder, and celery salt together in a bowl and set aside.
Cook the fillets under the preheated broiler until fish is barely opaque, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Spread the Parmesan cheese blend over the fish fillets, return to oven, and continue cooking until the topping is golden brown and the fish flakes easily, 3 to 5 more minutes.
(source: www.allrecipes.com)
4 (4 ounce) tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons Miami-style sazon seasoning (sazon completa)
1 serving olive oil cooking spray (such as PAM®)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter-margarine blend (such as Smart Balance®), melted
1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise (such as Kraft®)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil. Spray the broiler pan's rack with olive oil cooking spray.
Sprinkle tilapia with sazon seasoning and arrange on the prepared broiler rack.
Mix the Parmesan cheese, butter-margarine blend, fat-free mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, basil, black pepper, onion powder, and celery salt together in a bowl and set aside.
Cook the fillets under the preheated broiler until fish is barely opaque, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Spread the Parmesan cheese blend over the fish fillets, return to oven, and continue cooking until the topping is golden brown and the fish flakes easily, 3 to 5 more minutes.
(source: www.allrecipes.com)
Veggies & Noodles with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce
1 lb. linguine
1 12-oz. package of frozen stir fry vegetables
1/2 c. green onions
1 medium red, orange, or yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 c. sliced mushrooms (about 6-8 small mushrooms)
1 Tbsp. fresh, minced ginger
1 Tbsp. fresh, minced garlic
1 Tbsp. curry paste
Juice of 1 lime, plus more limes for garnish
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 13.5 ounce can of lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
kosher salt and black pepper
Black or white sesame seeds for garnish
Cook pasta according to the package directions. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, curry paste, and lime juice. While the pasta is cooking, microwave the frozen vegetables according to the package directions, but only cook them for 1/2 the time–you still want them to be quite crunchy. If you’re using fresh veggies, blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes or until they’re tender-crisp.
In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the green onions, mushrooms, ginger, garlic and red peppers and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Be sure to continue stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.
Add the the half-cooked (formerly frozen) vegetables. Stir fry for about 1 minute and then add the coconut milk mixture and cook until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and add the cooked noodles. Toss to combine and then allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Toss again, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and 2 lime wedges per person (squeeze the lime juice over the noodles before eating). Serves 8 very generously.
(source: www.ourbestbites.com)
1 12-oz. package of frozen stir fry vegetables
1/2 c. green onions
1 medium red, orange, or yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 c. sliced mushrooms (about 6-8 small mushrooms)
1 Tbsp. fresh, minced ginger
1 Tbsp. fresh, minced garlic
1 Tbsp. curry paste
Juice of 1 lime, plus more limes for garnish
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 13.5 ounce can of lite coconut milk
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
kosher salt and black pepper
Black or white sesame seeds for garnish
Cook pasta according to the package directions. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, curry paste, and lime juice. While the pasta is cooking, microwave the frozen vegetables according to the package directions, but only cook them for 1/2 the time–you still want them to be quite crunchy. If you’re using fresh veggies, blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes or until they’re tender-crisp.
In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the green onions, mushrooms, ginger, garlic and red peppers and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Be sure to continue stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.
Add the the half-cooked (formerly frozen) vegetables. Stir fry for about 1 minute and then add the coconut milk mixture and cook until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and add the cooked noodles. Toss to combine and then allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Toss again, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and 2 lime wedges per person (squeeze the lime juice over the noodles before eating). Serves 8 very generously.
(source: www.ourbestbites.com)
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing
Let me just say this: magically delicious.
I didn't measure any of the main ingredients for the salad. I put each salad plate together separately so everyone got some of everything, and ingredients didn't get lost in the bottom of the salad bowl. So for the salad itself, put however much you want of the following together:
BBQ sauce
shredded chicken
romaine lettuce
tomato
black beans (drained)
frozen corn, thawed
red onion, diced
avacado, diced
sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Monterey jack cheese, grated
crushed tortilla chips
fresh cilantro, chopped
Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing (this is what makes the salad amazing):
1 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
For the salad, combine the cooked chicken and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together and run through a blender to make it smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle over the top of the salad. Devour.
(source: adapted slightly from www.melskitchencafe.com)
I didn't measure any of the main ingredients for the salad. I put each salad plate together separately so everyone got some of everything, and ingredients didn't get lost in the bottom of the salad bowl. So for the salad itself, put however much you want of the following together:
BBQ sauce
shredded chicken
romaine lettuce
tomato
black beans (drained)
frozen corn, thawed
red onion, diced
avacado, diced
sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Monterey jack cheese, grated
crushed tortilla chips
fresh cilantro, chopped
Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing (this is what makes the salad amazing):
1 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
For the salad, combine the cooked chicken and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together and run through a blender to make it smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle over the top of the salad. Devour.
(source: adapted slightly from www.melskitchencafe.com)
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