Do you ever have the bananas that are a little too ripe, and you want something new to do with them?  While you may have several tricks up your sleeve for old bananas, here's one that's a twist on an old classic- cocoa-nana bread.  The recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan and her amazing book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.  I found myself in that spot- just not sure what to do with the bananas, despite having several past ideas, from frozen banana slices to banana pudding to banana bread.  This particular recipe also utilized ingredients that I already had on hand.



As far as a review for this bread- it comes together easily, but actually starts out sort of like a cake rather than a quick bread because you cream the butter and sugars together as the first step.  I may have done something wrong, but this bread came out tasting just a little dry.  The combination of banana and chocolate is a nice one, and I was glad to use up old ingredients.  Others who tried this bread liked it OK but no raves.  I suppose it's up to you as to whether or not you want to try this bread.  I can't honestly give it a glowing review, but I'm not saying it's not worth a try in your kitchen.



Cocoa Nana Bread
from Dorie Greenspan

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1/2 cup store-bought chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of the other. (This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from over baking.)

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute, until softened. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point, the batter may look a little curdled -- it's okay. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40 to 45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 to 75 minutes) or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding. Invert and cool to room temp right side up.

Fun fact- Morning Glory Muffins get their name, not from any ingredients or hippie roots, but from the Morning Glory Inn, where the inn's proprietor served them to her guests.  The first editor in chief of Gourmet Magazine stayed there and liked them so much that he published the recipe in Gourmet. 



Does that fun fact make you enjoy these more?  Maybe or maybe not, but these dense, moist muffins are great for this time of year, when pumpkin spice everything is running rampant and there's a slight chill in the air. 



I had written earlier about Dorie Greenspan's version of these muffins, and, while I love Dorie Greenspan and most of her recipes absolutely hit the spot, I felt they were lacking when compared to my mom's recipe.  After about a year of asking for the recipe, I finally got it and now they're made.



These muffins are among the more involved because they require grated carrots and grated apple.  You can't just buy the shredded carrots in the store either.  They're too thick.  A food processor's grating disk comes in handy here, or you can use the good ol' handheld.  I used the food processor.  I'm not that dedicated.  The recipe comes together pretty much like any other muffin, so no need to explain there.  I'll post the recipe below as it is written and post my changes in the notes section.


**Oh, and hey, guess what?!  We have a "pin it" button- click on the blog post title to be taken to the individual post page.  The pin it button is at the bottom of the page!

Morning Glory Muffins
from the Willow Creek Lutheran Church Cookbook, Dell Rapids, SD

1/2 cup raisins
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 large tart apple, peeled and grated
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coconut
2 cups grated carrots
3 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla

Soak raisins in hot water for 15-20 minutes.  Drain the water off.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease or line two- 12 cup muffin tins.  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.  Stir in drained raisins, apple, walnuts, coconut, and carrots.  Beat together eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Stir in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Fill muffin cups and bake 18-20 minutes.  Makes 24 muffins. 

Notes

• I used slightly less sugar (maybe 7/8 cup)
• I cut the cinnamon in half but in hindsight it'd be fine to add the full amt or even sub in pumpkin or apple pie spice
• I omitted coconut entirely
• I slighly reduced the oil (between 1/2 and 2/3 cup)
• I filled the muffin cups about 3/4 full and got about 18 muffins.

I have a few recipes in the queue to share with you, but today calls for a short and sweet post.  I don't mean to sound dramatic, but I feel like my snack food making has been revolutionized.  First came the kale chips and I loved the thought of making something kind of weird but more like a packaged snack food, like chips.  Then I saw these sweet potato chips on Pinterest and decided to make them this weekend.  They were half eaten before I could even take proper pictures!  These tasted like commercial sweet potato chips I've had and they were baked, so I at least believe that they're healthier. 



So, here we have it.  The recipe came from the blog, busy at home via Pinterest.  I do recommend using a mandoline or v-slicer for the chips.  Uniformly cut, very thin slices are what you're after.  You can purchase these at most any store that sells household kitchen equipment. 



Baked Sweet Potato Chips
from "Busy at Home"

1 large sweet potato, washed and any strings removed.  Peel optional
2-4 Tb. olive oil
Salt, to taste

Preheat your oven to 250.  Using a mandoline or v-slicer on the thinnest setting, slice your sweet potato into thin rounds and place into a large bowl.  Add olive oil (a little at a time is good) and toss to coat.  Arrange chips in a single layer on anywhere from 2-4 baking sheets that have been prepped with either cooking spray or parchment paper.  Sprinkle with salt and any other flavoring you'd like (I used chili powder on one sheet).  Bake in oven for 25-35 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.  Store in an airtight container, if they last long enough for you to not eat them as they're coming out of the oven. 

I realize that if I emphatically tell you to make everything because of how fabulous it is that I will begin to sound like a certain boy who cried wolf, but this one really is worth a try.  For those of you who like flavor, wonderful results despite simplicity, and slow cookers, this is a home run. 



I found it on kraftfoods.com and I might have been introduced to it through e-mail or just a search.  Surprisingly, this was not a Pinterest find, though I did pin it to my food board for later such experimentation. 



The recipe is easy, nutritious, and, because the slow-cooker does at least 90% of the work, pretty time efficient.  Most importantly, it'll make your eyes roll back in your head and you may just lick your lips after a bite.  Some of you might illicit an "mmmmm."  I made changes to the original recipe, so I'll post the link to the original but write it as I made it.  I didn't deviate too far.



One of the biggest changes I made was to serve the cacciatore over creamy polenta instead of rice.  I am not crazy about rice, so I recommend the polenta or even mashed potatoes or egg noodles in place of rice.  Your choice- just make whatever "base" absorbent!



Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
inspired by this recipe from Kraft Foods

feeds 6-8

3-4 Tb olive or vegetable oil
3 lb chicken leg quarters or mixed pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken legs and thighs
8 oz small mushrooms, sliced
1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced
3 bell peppers, your choice of colors, sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
15 oz can crushed tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and Pepper
4 cups polenta, rice, or mashed potatoes (polenta recipe to follow)

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Drizzle 1-2 Tb. oil in pan.  Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.  Working in batches, brown chicken on all sides. 

In bottom of slow cooker, place all vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place chicken on top of vegetables and top with the tomatoes and thyme/other herbs. 

Cook in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.  Serve over polenta, mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. 




Polenta
feeds 2 (ratios will be included to feed more people)

1/2 cup dry polenta
2 cups total liquid- recommended 1 cup milk, 1 cup water.   (4:1 ration liquid to polenta)
Pinch salt
Pat butter
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese

Bring liquid to a boil in a small pot over high heat.  Add pinch of salt and stir.  Slowly stir in polenta and stir until thickened, about 60 seconds.  Turn down heat and allow mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes until polenta is thickened and desired consistency.  Add pat of butter and 1/4 cup parmesan or parmigiano reggiano cheese.

I came across this recipe while taking a Pinterest break at work.  It originally comes Ina Garten's book Back to Basics via the Amateur Gourmet blog.  Being that the Amateur Gourmet titled this "the best broccoli of your life," I thought this recipe was worth a pin and try.



Eh.  It's not the best broccoli of my life.  My eyes did not roll back in my head and I didn't swoon, BUT it is an inventive and tasty way to prepare and consume broccoli, so I feel good sharing this with you.  To its credit, the broccoli remained firm (translate: not mushy) and the taste was reminiscent to me of kale chips.



The preparation is simple, and the dish would make a great side to any meat, and I just thought about how it might be fun tossed with pasta and served as a main dish, being that there are also lemon, pine nuts, olive oil, and garlic involved. 

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Pine Nuts
from amateur gourmet

4-5 lb broccoli, cut into florets
7 Tb Olive Oil, divided
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
zest and juice of a lemon
3 Tb. toasted pine nuts
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tb. shredded basil

Preheat oven to 425.   Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with 4-5 Tb olive oil, salt and pepper.  Add garlic cloves.  Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until “crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.”  When it’s done, take it out of the oven.  Zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts, and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Finish with the 2 Tb. shredded basil. 


Notes

• I bought some broccoli from Aldi, and therefore have no idea my starting weight.  I eyeballed everything accordingly. 

I would have sworn I had more pictures, such as ones of the roasted garlic or the mixing, but I can't find them.  Oh, well.  Continuing on the Pinterest kick, I found made this recipe, which lasted about 6-8 meals.  Drew didn't eat any of it, which is why I'm sure it stretched a little further.  I would and did tweak it for future use, and that'll be discussed in the notes section. 

I do recommend this recipe for anyone who likes pasta salads and pre-made lunch items.  With a little preparation can come a big payoff, and this recipe proves that.  It's also budget conscious.  It's easy and relatively quick, so why not? 

I'm posting this recipe as I made it.  Click on the recipe title for the original recipe. 

Roasted Garlic Pasta Salad
from Budget Bytes

1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1- 5 oz container of spinach or arugula (or a mix)
12 oz. seashell or oricchette pasta
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1- 15 oz container ricotta cheese
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 head garlic, roasted
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 Tb. basil, shredded. 

Roast the garlic in the oven if you haven't already done so.  The link "garlic, roasted" above will show you how to do that.  While the garlic is roasting, it's a good time to cook and cool/cube your chicken.

As the garlic cools and the chicken is now prepped, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Generously salt it and add the pasta, cooking until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.

While pasta cooks, pop the garlic cloves out of their papery shells and mince them.  Place the garlic, along with the ricotta cheese, pepper, and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine.  Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and stir until smooth. 

Turn off the burner, drain pasta and return it to the pot.  Add the chicken, spinach, ricotta, and tomatoes and stir to combine.  Now add your parmesan cheese and basil and stir well. 

Serve warm or cool.


Cook's Notes

• I would likely decrease the pasta to 1/2 lb.  I just felt that the ratio of other ingredients to pasta was a bit off.  That does, however, stretch it.  You decide!
• To beef it up, I'd add another chicken breast. 

Isn't it fascinating the way social media changes the way we learn and discover things?  Following Snookie on Twitter may not be the type of learning you want to foster, but Pinterest and the blogosphere open up a whole host of new material- recipes to try, books to read, DIYs to attempt.  I love the creativity and adventurousness of others!  For a long time I personally resisted Pinterest food pinning because they weren't trusted sources, but now the food board is probably my biggest or my most used board and I'm slowly working my way through recipes I've pinned and will share them here. 



Today's post is Key West Grilled Chicken (no longer pinned), and as the unofficial end to summer has passed and the days shorten, our grilling days may be numbered, but this one is a good recipe to have in your repertoire.  I doubt it'll ever be a superstar, but it's a good base marinade to have on hand, and if you're the deviant type who plays around with recipes, you will find lots of ways to tweak this one.  I made it pretty much as is, except that I used chicken thighs rather than breast meat.  It's also an affordable recipe, coming from grocerybudget101.com.  Next time I'm adding some spice to the marinade- both Drew and I agreed that a little heat from crushed red pepper or cayenne would benefit this.

Aside from its baseline goodness and adaptability, the recipe is quick and affordable.  From fridge to plate in less than an hour, and that includes marinating time!

Key West Grilled Chicken
from this site

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tbs. honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Juice of 1 Lime
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

In a small bowl combine soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, and garlic.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes. If you prefer kebabs, as are pictured, cut the chicken into large chunks, skewer onto bamboo sticks that have been soaked in water for 5 minutes, and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

For a slightly zestier version, add a teaspoon of Freshly Chopped cilantro to the marinade.

Grill on medium high heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear. Serve with fresh salad, steamed veggies, baked potato or any of your favorite sides. For variation, try marinating shrimp, (which will take 2-4 minutes to grill in all!)