Overripe Bananas are Good For Something!

For me, there is a fine line between a "just right" banana and a "too ripe" one! In my book, in order to eat a raw banana it has to be slightly green. I would post a photo but you probably don't really care! Besides, the whole reason I made my banana bread today on a very hot muggy day is due to the fact that my bananas were too ripe!  I am just as picky about my banana bread. It can't be too firm or rubbery in texture...yuck! It has to be moist, sort of cake-like and the crust cannot be too dark or it tastes burnt to me.  The reason I make small loaves is because when I make a large loaf, it tends to have to bake too long to get the middle done. This makes the crust way too dark. 

The small loaves are perfect for slicing and serving to family or lucky friends! 

My Favorite Banana Bread

(makes 5 small loaves)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cups chopped pecans, if desired

Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and beat well. Add eggs and beat until blended in. In a separate small bowl (I use a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup) mix the buttermilk with the baking soda. Add buttermilk mixture alternately with flour and mix well. Add mashed bananas and vanilla and mix well again. Add pecans if desired.  

Divide batter into 5 small loaf pans which have been coated with nonstick spray, like Pam. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes. Loaves should be  golden in color and when a toothpick is inserted, comes out clean.

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove loaves from baking pans and cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Pound Cake Bundt

My own version of the famous Nothing Bundt Cakes cake!

For my dad, there is no other flavor than chocolate for dessert! Naturally, for his 92nd birthday this month I made him a chocolate cake! I love the cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Blaine gave me one for my birthday. My favorite flavor is the White Chocolate Raspberry, yummy! They are very moist and delicious! We used to buy them in Nevada so I'm  thrilled that we have a couple of stores now, here in Orange County!

They frost them with a delicious cream cheese icing but my dad likes chocolate butter-cream. Sooooo, I decided to bake him a chocolate pound cake. I love this recipe. The trick is to slightly under-bake it so the center is fudgy. I normally don't frost it but for his birthday, I went "all out"! I like to store the cake
in the fridge and serve it chilled, but that's just my preference. I love cold cake!

Chocolate Pound Bundt Cake

My variation of a recipe I received from a friend, Gail K.

1 ½ cups salted butter, softened

3 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup good quality unsweetened cocoa

1 cup milk (whole or 2%)

1 Tb pure vanilla extract

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk to blend. Gradually add dry ingredient mixture and milk alternately to creamed butter/sugar mixture. Mix in vanilla extract.

Bake in prepared bundt pan at 325°F, for approximated 1 hour. I test mine by tapping lightly on the top (actually it will be the bottom!) of the cake. When it springs back and doesn’t jiggle around, then it’s done enough. You’ll just have to experiment to get the cake done to your likeness.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a wire rack for about 5-10 minutes before transferring it to a cake plate.  Let cool completely before frosting it. Frost cooled cake with your favorite frosting or glaze. I only do homemade frosting and used a chocolate butter-cream for the cake pictured above.  I put the frosting into a decorator bag with about ¾ “ opening. I frosted the “petals” from the outside of the cake to the middle, using a little more pressure at first and less at the top. I topped the cake with a homemade tissue flower. Voila! 

Homemade French Bread

Large loaf French Bread topped with sesame seeds

This recipe is easy to make since there are only 6 simple ingredients. (If you add sesame seeds on top, there are 7 ingredients!)

French Bread

makes 1 large loaf

1 pkg active dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp if you use bulk like me)

1/4 cup warm water

1 Tbs granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups water

2 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

3 1/2 - 4 cups all purpose flour

3 Tbs toasted sesame seeds (I buy mine already toasted but you can toast your own by heating seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until golden)

In a large bowl or Bosch machine, combine the yeast with 1/4 cup warm water and sugar. Let this sit for 10 minutes. Add in the 1 1/4 cup water, salt and 1 cup of the flour. Gradually add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time until workable.  Transfer the dough to a large, oiled bowl (I use olive oil). Turn the dough over so all sides are coated lightly with the oil. Cover with a cloth and let rise 1 1/2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Transfer dough onto lightly floured surface; punch down the dough and knead out air bubbles. Form into large loaf or two smaller ones if desired. Place loaf on baking sheet (I cover my baking sheet with parchment paper). Using a sharp knife, make 5 slashes diagonally across top of loaf (see photo above). Let loaf rise, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Bake for 18-25 minutes, depending on your oven. Test with skewer or knife; when it comes out clean, it's done! Let cool on rack about 10 minutes before serving. 

2 small loaves French Bread

Swedish Meringue Cake

Meringue Cake with strawberries and whipped cream

I got this recipe from a dear friend Birgitta J in Sweden many years ago. It is a sponge cake with a meringue top. I made several of these cakes for a friend's wedding one summer while visiting Sweden. I filled the cakes with fresh wild raspberries and freshly whipped cream which is my favorite filling. I make mine in a 11"x17" edged baking pan. The photo above was obviously made with round pans. My original recipe uses European measurements but I have converted it to US measurements using this. 

Birgitta's Party Cake (also known as Swedish Meringue Cake)

Cake batter ingredients:

4 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

5 Tbs milk

6 Tbs. melted butter

1 cup white flour

1 tsp. baking powder

5 tsp vanilla sugar ( I buy mine at Ikea but you can make it yourself - recipe here)

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat egg yolks and sugar. Add melted butter and milk. Blend dry ingredients together and add to liquids. Blend.  Put batter into prepared baking sheet.

Meringue ingredients:

4 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

Beat egg whites while gradually adding sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  Spread meringue on top of cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until light brown in color.  Remove from oven and cool. Cut in half and fill with very slightly sweetened whipped cream* and berries or fruit of choice. **

*It takes about 3 deciliters whipping cream for one cake.  

** Please note - the meringue will crack when you cut it and fill the cake. This is how it's supposed to look so don't worry!

One more thing ~ You can double the recipe and make two large pans. Then you don't cut the cake in half - you just spread the cream and berries on one cake and lay the other on top. Great for a crowd. 

I doubt if there will be leftovers but just so you know - it is chewy and delicious the next day. Just be sure to sore it in the refrigerator. 

Roasted asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

Can I just say YUM?! I found this recipe at several different websites so I don't know who to officially credit it to. I love roasted vegetables anyway but this adds a new dimension to the palette!

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

1 bunch spears of asparagus,  trim off  woody ends

kosher salt

coarsely ground pepper

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place asparagus on foil lined baking sheet. You can drizzle with olive oil but I don't usually do this.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven just until tender.  Time will vary depending on size of asparagus, approximately 10 minutes.

While roasting melt butter and add soy sauce and vinegar.

Remove asparagus from oven and place on serving dish.  Drizzle with  butter mixture and enjoy immediately!