Banana Apple Crumble Muffins September 14, 2009

Banana Apple Crumble Muffins

Ingredients:

Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted in room temperature

2 large ripe bananas, mashed

1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled and diced

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 Balkan yogurt (sour cream)*

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Topping (optional)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup Quaker Oats

1 tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. butter, melted and in room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F.

For the topping in a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, oats and melted butter with a spoon until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside

For the muffins in a medium bowl mix the mashed bananas and diced apples using a wooden spoon. Then add butter, vanilla, egg and yogurt to the banana-apple mixture until blended.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.

Stir in the banana mixture into the flour mixture until combined. Fold in chopped walnuts, be careful not over-mix.

Pour batter into a lightly greased or lined 12-cup muffin pan about 3/4 full.

*Sprinkle a small amount of the sugar-oat topping on top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before serving it.

*I changed a little bit the recipe I used plain yogurt instead of sour cream and I just sprinkled the muffins with pieces of pecans instead of the topping. I stumbled upon this recipe just surfing the net. Banana and apple are one of my favorite fruits to bake. Hope you’ll like it. enJOY!

Source: A Lot About Nothing

Decadent Double Chocolate Chip Cookies July 19, 2009

Decadent Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

3/4 cup packed  brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 2/3 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 pkg. Hershey’s Chipits Special Dark Chocolate

1 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

In a large bowl with electric mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together  flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; beat into creamed mixture on low speed. Stir 1 pkg. of Chipits Special Dark Chocolate and 1 1/4 cup chopped nuts. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 F for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes then transfer to rack to cool completely.

*I cooked the cookies for 8 minutes to make it more chewy. enJOY!

Source: Chipits.ca

Anna Olson’s Triple Chocolate Brownies May 29, 2009

Triple Chocolate Brownies

 

Ingredients:

300 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

90 grams white chocolate chips or chunks

90 grams milk chocolate chunks

 

Preheat oven 325 F and grease and line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper. In a bowl resting over a pot barely simmering water, melt chocolate and butter, stirring gently. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour and salt. Fold in white and milk chocolate.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of brownies comes out clean. Cool before slicing.

 

*I changed some ingredients I used 300 g of dark chocolate chips (50% cocoa) then 90 grams of semisweet chocolate chips instead of milk. I ran out of vanilla extract so I used almond extract, it turned out well and you can really smell the almonds in the brownies. I top it up with chopped pecans.

Source: Anna Olson Food Network

Really Good Banana Bread by Gail O’Grady March 2, 2009

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. very ripe banana, mashed (4 bananas)

1 c. granulated sugar

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. buttermilk

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. semi-chocolate chunks (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine bananas, sugar, oil, buttermilk and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture gradually.  Lastly add the chocolate chunks. Pour into a greased 9×5 inch pan. Bake for 45 mins. or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

* I got this recipe from my co-worker and this is the best moist banana bread I ever had. I did not have buttermilk on hand so I substitute it with 1/2 c. 2% milk with 1/2 tbsp. white vinegar or lemon. It worked out perfectly.

Originally the recipe did not ask for chocolate chunks but my love for chocolate always prevails. Chocolate chunks works the best because when you pour it in the pan it settles in the bottom. It makes a layer and a different texture to it. enJOY!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies February 5, 2009

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. soya margarine

3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. Semi-Sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat oven at 350 F.

Cream  softened margarine with brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gently stir in flour and baking soda. Stir in Semi-Sweet chocolate chips or chunks. Drop by heaping 1 tbsp. amounts onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time at 350F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.

Makes about 32 cookies.

*You can  substitute all purpose flour w/whole wheat flour and chocolate chip to pecans. enJOY!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake January 24, 2009

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

1/4 c.unsalted butter

3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 can pineapple sliced

1/2 c. unsalted butter

3/4 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. milk

Preheat oven 350 F. Place 1/4 c. butter in the bottom of 9 inch square baking dish. Place dish in oven until  butter is melted, about 3-4 mins. Sprinkle w/brown sugar.

Arrange pineapple on top of sugar mixture. Pack them closely.

For batter, cream 1/2 c. butter in a large bowl until light. Gradually beat granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In separate bowl, stir or sift together flour and baking powder. Add to butter mixture alternately w/milk, beginning and ending w/flour.

Spoon batter gently over the fruit.

Bake for 30 mins. Cool cake on a rack for 5 mins. Invert into serving tray. Serve warm or cold, w/ ice cream or whipped cream, optional.

*My co-worker gave this recipe to me, I thought this was hard to make but it’s so simple and easy. I substituted the butter w/soya margarine, it taste as good as the butter. You can use Granny Smith apples, peaches or plums, but you have to core and peel them before using. You can also add maraschino cherries cut in half, place 1/2 cherry on the middle of each pineapple ring. enJOY!

Cassava Cake December 4, 2008

1 package frozen grated cassava

4 eggs

1 can evaporated milk

1 can condensed milk (sweetened milk)

1 jar of macapuno strings

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven 350 F. Deforst the frozen grated cassava, set aside. Beat eggs, then mix evaporated milk, 1/2 a can of the condensed milk, macapuno strings, vanilla and grated cassava. Mix well. Pour in a 9 inch pan. Cook for 1 hour, 10 minutes before its done pour 1/2 condensed milk over as a topping. It will caramelized with dark brown color then it is done.

* This a typical Filipino dessert and of course it’s my all time favorite. Cassava is a root crop found in tropical countries. It is a very good source of carbohydrate. All these ingredients you can buy in any  Filipino store or  Chinese supermarket. enJOY!

Mango Supreme November 13, 2007

Ingredients

3 cups Lite Cool Whip, chilled
1 cup mashed ripe mango
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Thin slices of ripe mangoes
Graham Crackers

Blend cream and  mashed mango, vanilla and set aside.

In a square 9 x 9-inch Pyrex or any transparent dish, assemble graham crackers on the bottom of the dish then layer with cream mixture and mango slices.
Repeat the process, ending with the cream mixture on top.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts (optional). Garnish with more slices of mangoes. Chill before serving.

*Buy the Manila mangoes  they are in season spring until summer time. If it is a little bit sour you can add a few tablespoon of condensed milk. You can buy the mangoes in Chinatown, Filipino stores or you can check your local grocery stores like Loblaws or No Frills. You can substitute the mangoes to peaches, strawberries or blueberries…experiment and enJOY!

Magic Cookie Bar November 6, 2007

Ingredients:

2 cups graham crumbs

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 can low-fat condensed milk (30 ml)

1-1/3 cup chopped pecans or dried fruits

1-1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate bars (chopped)

1-1/3 cup flaked coconut

Combine graham crumbs with butter, press evenly onto parchment paper-lined about 13 by 9 inch baking pan.

Pour low-fat condensed milk evenly over crumb crust.

Sprinkle with pecans, chocolate chips and coconut, press down firmly.  Bake in a 350 F oven for 25-30 mins. or until lightly brown.  Let it cool thoroughly and cut into bars.  Makes 24 bars.

* I got this recipe from the Metro newspaper but i added some notes on it.  If you’re allergic to peanuts you can substitute it w/dried fuits. It’s good with espresso or a cup of tea.