First Class Banana Crunch Muffins

I got this recipe from Ina Garten.These muffins are awesome! Everyone loved them, and I hope you will!

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter melted and cooled
2 extra large eggs
3/4 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
(2 bananas)
1 cup medium diced ripe bananas
( 1 banana )
1 cup small diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Dried banana chips,granola,or shredded coconut
(optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liner. (12 cups are okay) Sift the flour, sugar,baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs,milk,vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the butter-and-flour mixture.Scrape the bowl and blend well . Don't overmix. Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter.Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top.Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly , remove from pan and serve.

Cheerio! Maple Oatmeal Scones

These scones made me feel like I was in England.To bad I didn't have any tea! I got these from Ina Garten .

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound cold unsalted butter diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 extra large eggs lightly beaten
1 egg with 1 tablespoon milk or water, for egg wash
(glaze)
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment , combine flour, oats baking powder, sugar, and salt. Bend the cold butter in at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces . Combine the buttermilk , maple syrup, and eggs and add quickly to the butter and flour mixture.Mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky. Dump onto a well- floured surface and be sure it's combined . Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4- to 1 inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into 3 inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done. To make the glaze combine the confectioners', maple syrup, and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 5 minutes, and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of glaze.I like to sprinkle some uncooked oats on the top, for garnish. The warmer the scones are when you glaze them, the thinner the glaze will be.

Cheerio!

Luscious Chocolate Pavlova

This cake is amazing! Make sure not to make this on a humid day! I hope you like it!I got this one from Nigella Lawson.

Ingredients
(meringue base)
6 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
(topping)
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 very full pint of raspberries
2-3 tablespoons coarsely grated bittersweet chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over the cocoa , vinegar, and chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in. Mound onto a baking sheet in a fat circle approx. 9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top.Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 300 degrees and cook for about one to one and a quarter hours. When it's ready it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top , but when you prod the center you should feel the promise of squidgyness beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly , and let the chocolate meringue disk cool completely . When you're ready to serve invert onto a big flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the raspberries' luscious color and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall, as it will , on the plates rim. Serves 8-10.

HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!!

Outrageous brownies

If you like chocolate a lot then you should make these. They even have a little coffee in them! Ina Garten inspired me again.

Ingredients
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 inch baking sheet. Melt together the butter , 1 pound semisweet chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly after melted. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, coffee granules , vanilla , and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room tempature.In a medium bowl sift together flour , baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture, and stir it. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add to the batter. Pour it into the baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes , bang on the rack with the brownies to get the air out, and bake for about 15 more minutes.


I hope you think they're outrageous!

The famous cranberry and coconut granola

I love this granola on school mornings giving me energy and waking up my taste buds.Again this is one of my recipes that I got from Ina Garten.

Ingredients
4 cups of old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups cut pecans
3/4 cups vegtable oil
1/2 cup honey 1 cup dried cranberry


Preheat oven to 350. Toss the oats, coconut , and pecans together. Whisk together honey and vegtable oil together in a separate bowl. Pour the liquids over the oats and stir with a wooden spoon until coated.Pour on a sheet pan.Stick in the oven stirring occasionally with a spatula about for 45 minutes Take out let cool and add cranberries. P.S Keep a eye on it in the oven.



I hope you enjoy!

The best sticky buns ever

Sticky buns are the best thing ever made ! They're just like cinnamon buns but they have a great icing that gives it more flavor.I got this recipe from my favorite cook,Ina Garten.

Ingredients
(icing) 12 tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, large pieces
(bun) 2 tablespoons butter melted
2/3 light brown sugar lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 package puff pastry thawed

Preheat the oven to 400. Place a 12 standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (topping) In the bowl of an electrical mixer fitted with a paddle attachment , combine the butter, and brown sugar. Place about one rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each muffin cup. Distribute pecans evenly on the mixture.Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry. Brush the whole sheet leaving an one inch border. Sprinkle 1/3 cups of brown sugar and 1 1/2 of cinnamon. Do the same with the other sheet of puff pastry . Roll both of them tightly, and cut them into 6 rolls and end up with 12 rolls. Place on top of the topping. Bake for 30 minutes more or less.After done cooking flip on the parchment paper with a baking sheet under it immediately and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes


Don't forget to lick your fingers!

My favorite chocolate chip cookies

Ahhhhhhhhhh, cookies, I love them on a cool day and we stay inside and bake. Well, if you like that to , I bet you can't wait for what's in store for you today! Chocolate chip cookies!!! This recipe was in my mothers recipe book, so maybe it was past down from many generations?!

Ingredients
1 cup butter
3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 cups flour
One 12 ounce bag chocolate chips


Mix together softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. In a medium bowl put in flour, baking soda, baking powder ,and salt. Carefully add it into the mixture. Add chocolate chips and use a spoon full at a time on a baking sheet and cook at 375 for about 15 minutes.

delicious and delightful coffee cake

A great recipe for a great start! I have some coffee cake in store for you!
I got this recipe on about.com

Ingredients
1/2 cup brown sugar lightly packed

1/4 cup sifted all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter softened
1 teaspoon cinnamon
That was the topping
This is the cake
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt.
1 beaten egg
3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

(topping) In a small bowl combine topping ingredients. Blend with a fork until crumbly and set aside. ( cake ) Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In an electric mixer bowl beat together eggs , sugar , and melted butter . Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well . Pour batter into a greased 9 inch layer pan. Sprinkle topping over before baking. Cook at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Cut when still hot

Hope you enjoy it!