Caramel Banana Upside Down Bread

It's a bread....... it's a cake! Who cares, it's yummy!  It taste like cake to me...like really, really, good cake but it's cooked in a loaf pan so perhaps it's a bread?  

I am not even that big of a banana bread lover but this is like 'naner bread on flavor steroids!  The brown sugar mixed with butter and topped with sliced bananas is a great start, then topped with salty caramel sauce?  A complete show stopper!

NOTE: When I have over ripe bananas but no time to make something with them...I just toss the whole thing in the freezer...peel and all!

Caramel Banana Upside Down Bread - (adopted from daringourmet.com)

Ingredients

½ cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into several pieces

About 2 bananas, sliced in ¼ inch rounds

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1½ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking power

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup mashed overripe bananas

2 large eggs

⅓ cup vegetable oil

⅓ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Caramel Glaze:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 5 loaf pan with non stick spray.
Melt butter in microwave.  In small bowl, combine with brown sugar. Stir the mixture until dissolved and spread evenly on the bottom of the pan. Place a single layer of the banana slices on top of the sugar mixture along the entire bottom of the pan.

 

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add all the remaining wet ingredients and beat just until combined. Do not over stir.

Pour the batter over the sliced bananas in the pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean but moist.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting it on a cake platter.

 

 Caramel Glaze :

 Place the butter,  brown sugar and heavy cream in a microwave safe dish. (I find a Pyrex measuring cup works well).  Heat on high for one minute, stir and heat an additional minute until mixture boils.  Spread on top of upside down bread.  Sprinkle with salt if desired (I love the addition of salt!)

3.2.2028

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Raspberry Cordial

Nothing says summertime like fresh fruit...like fresh raspberries....like fresh raspberry flavored booze!  Like Whoa! 

 I believe it qualifies as a serving of fruit as well...bonus point, sold!...cha-ching! (And yes, I've been sampling...what kinda cook doesn't taste her own wares?)

This takes about 2 minutes to throw together but needs to sit for about 4 weeks and can go as long as 8 weeks to achieve maximum raspberry booziness!  So if you get going right now, you could be sipping on this cordial by Labor Day...or is it Memorial Day?  Whas the one in Septmbr? Thas the one  I'mmm talkin' bout....

 

pee.eth: Thank you Jamie B. for this recipe...it's wunnerful.  I love you man,,,,
Ingredients - Makes 3 quarts  - I let mine set for 4 weeks and it was yummy!
2 cups sugar
2 pint raspberries
1 quart vodka

Directions

Place sugar in a 3 quart Mason type jar.  Add the Vodka. Stir untik sugar is dissolved. Add Strawberries. Place in a cool dark place.  Once a week, open and stir.  After 4-8 weeks, strain through a fine sieve or cheese cloth.  Chill and serve!

 Beautiful rich color and very tasty!  Worth the wait!!!

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Peanut Buster Parfait Ice Cream Cake

This was such a hit!  Mr. LaughingSpatula had two, yes two pieces! 

Salty, sweet, caramely, chocolaty goodness...all served up over a cookie crumb crust. 

And how long does this masterpiece take to make?  Oh, 'bout 10 minutes to assemble.  Pop in the freezer for about an hour and you got summer yum!

NOTE:  You could use most any cookie for the crust.  I used Nabisco Chocolate Wafer cookies, but they are pricey.  Try Oreo's,Vanilla Wafers, Peanut Butter Cookies (dang, I wish I would have used those!).  Whatever you have hanging around will work.

Serves 8 regular people or 16 skinny people. (that is just an estimate...I really don't know what skinny people eat).


Ingredients

1/2 gallon Ice Cream  (I used Dryers Churned Light)
1/2 cup caramel Sauce
1/2 cup fudge sauce
1 cup salted peanuts (not dry roasted variety, although I would eat it anyway if that's all you had :)
About 10-15 Chocolate Wafer cookies  (I used Nabisco Chocolate Wafers)

Directions

Partially thaw ice cream.  About 15 minutes should do it. 
Spray an 8" spring form pan (or pie plate) with non stick spray.
Crumble cookies right into the pan.
Press into bottom of pan with a large spoon (no butter required)

Scoop half the vanilla ice cream on top of crumbled cookies.  Spread caramel sauce on top of ice cream.   Top with remaining ice cream.  Sprinkle with 3/4 cup nuts.  Spread fudge on top of nuts and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup nuts.

Freeze for about an hour or more before serving.  It's summer time deluxe!

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Homemade Lemoncello!

When life gives you lemons...soak 'em in booze! 

I love the idea of homemade booze...who knew?  When I think about all the stuff you could soak in Vodka it makes me all woozy!   Vodka is a neutral spirit, it goes with everything!

This is stuper easy (a little boozy  humor).  Steep lemon peels in your favorite vodka for about 5-7 days...add some simple syrup and you are locked and loaded (more boozy  humor)...crack myself up!  Oh yeah, fun photo shoot friends, very fun photo shoot...hicuup.

Ingredients

1 fifth Vodka
2 pounds lemons (about 10)
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sterilized container with tight fitting lid (like a large jar)

Peel yellow skin off of lemons being careful not to get the white pith (it will make your Lemoncello bitter and kinda pith ya off).

Mix Lemon peelings and vodka in large jar with tight fitting lid.
Store for 5-7 days in a cool dark place.  Give it a shake a day if you can...

Combine sugar and water in saucepan.  Heat to boiling and cook for 10 minutes until all sugar is dissolved.  Cool to room temperature.

Drain lemon peels from vodka and toss.  Pour desired amount of sugar mixture into vodka.  I used about 1 1/2 cups...but whatever tastes good to you!

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Blueberry Pie Bars

If I were a Blueberry, I would want to land my big blue butt in this pan...what a way to go out...if your a Blueberry I mean.  Seriously, these are some killer bar cookies...and easy?...oh, get me started! 

 I found several variations of this recipe on Pinterest (cause' that's where all the groovy recipes are).   I eventually settled on Kleinworth & Co. version.  Why?.. well they had the best picture of course so they must be the best, turns out I was right!

 You can use fresh or frozen blueberries and I'll just bet you could substitute Raspberries, Apples or Peaches...oh yum, Peaches sound perfect for next time!



Blueberry Pie Bars

Topping

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2  cup sugar
pinch salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter (cubed)


Filling

 2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream
pinch salt
3 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions

Grease 9x13 glass baking dish- set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add flour, sugar, salt and cubed butter to mixing bowl, beat until combined and crumbly.

Take 1 cup of mixture and set aside. (I really tried to forget this step so I'm giving you a visual)

• Take remaining mixture and firmly press into your baking dish, covering the bottom. Bake 15 minutes.
• While crust is baking- whisk eggs in a large bowl.
• Add sugar, sour cream, flour and salt.
• Gently fold in blueberries. (if frozen, you may want to wait just until you are ready to pour into the crust so they don't go all purple on ya)
• When crust is ready - remove from oven and add filling. Gently spooning over the top of the crust.
• Sprinkle with remaining crust mixture you had set aside.
• Bake 1 hour or until top is lightly browned.
• Cool a bit before serving to make easier to cut.
• Print and save this recipe...your going to be making it a lot!

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Magic Cake - One Batter, 3 Layers!

The first time I tried to bake this I killed it, I mean that literally ...a total disaster!   I shouldn't have been near an oven that day, let alone a European recipe that I didn't understand!
After I put the cake in the oven and was cleaning up, it was not a big surprise to see the 2 cups of milk I should have added were sitting on the counter, still in the measuring cup.   Of course I took the cake out of the oven, (what else ya gonna do?) mixed in the milk and re-baked it...oh sure, that's gonna work!  I set the timer for 60 minutes but must have somehow turned off the oven when I set the timer...one hour later?  Raw uncooked cake....perhaps now is a good time to take up crochet?

Lucky for me my daughter is a killer cook and she not only baked the cake perfectly, she set up the photo shoot!  That's my girl! 

  I've re-written the recipe and made this a 'piece of cake' for you to bake!

NOTE: Eggs need to be at room temperature.  Take them out about 15-20 minutes before you start. 

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Lemon Crinkle Cookies - Made with Cake Mix!

I have this pretty amazing kid.  Ya, I know, spoken like a Mom, but I do, I do, I really, really do!

She is 23, (where did the time go) and she has always had a very natural instict when it comes to cooking and food.  She was 5 when she fell in love with Pesto.... so much for PBJ's!

Like her Father, she loves to dine out and try new food.  Like her Mom, she cooks when she is bored or inspired, either emotion usually turns out something pretty yummy.  She is very good at cooking with what's on hand and that's where this came from.  We must have had a box of Lemon Cake mix in the cupboard...lucky us!

She found this recipe on browneyedbaker.com.    You can substitute any flavor of cake mix and create a multitude of crinkle cookies.  Spice cookies, chocolate cookies, confetti cookies, any cake mix will work!  (just omit the lemon zest and lemon juice and substitute with a spice and/or extract that matches the cake mix that you are using).

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