Blueberry and Chocolate Banana Bread

Um…. Hello? Hello out there? Can anyone hear me? I have fallen off the world of blogging for nearly two months. I’m not sure what happened except life just kept going. I’ve been working nonstop, because I still have 11 days left until I’m off of my probationary period at work and can actually take time off. I’m taking time off this month to travel to Ohio to see family.

In the last two months I’ve been in trial about every other week, got new privileges at work (which don’t really equate to a promotion, because that’s not how it works – but I can now handle more serious cases,) and I moved into a new house. I’m still renting and I’ve downsized significantly. I was paying nearly $1200 a month for the house I was in, which realistically isn’t that much money for the size of house we were in, but I was just spending more than necessary. I mean, we didn’t really need a house that big for the two of us and our cat. So we are saving $300 a month now, but my kitchen is significantly tinier. I’m trying to come up with ways to maximize the storage, because there isn’t much shelving. We already bought something to use as a pantry for the food, but oh my god, I have so much kitchen stuff. There were more boxes of kitchen stuff that we moved than anything. Is that embarrassing?

We officially moved on the 20th, but then we had to clean out the old place and I got busy at work . . . and we hadn’t gone grocery shopping. We finally went today, so I decided to take this as a new start.

I will post in my blog again.

I will also try to lose weight again.

Today’s food won’t help with the weight loss . . . but at least I’m posting in my blog?

One of my favorite challenges continued in my absence (because apparently the world continues even when I don’t!,) and this month I decided I would play again. Given chocolate is my downfall in life, I decided it would be the most likely challenge for me to actually do. So I used the oven in my house for the first time today and found a recipe that combined blueberries and chocolate for We Should Cocoa. This banana bread is so moist and filled with such yummies. My boyfriend took a bite and exclaimed, “This is the best banana bread I’ve ever had!” So there it is. I’m back and I have banana bread.

I had to make a few variations from the original recipe, because I thought I had sugar? But I don’t? Or it’s still packed? I don’t know. I made it work with powdered sugar and it came out just fine.

Banana and Chocolate Banana Bread
(original source)

Ingredients
1/2 stick of butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs
4 bananas, mashed
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a loaf tin.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, fully mixing them into the butter.

3. Add the banana and chocolate and mix with the butter.

4. Sift the dry ingredients together and mix them with the wet mixture until just combined. Stir in the blueberries, making sure not to break them.

5. Spread the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 20 minutes before slicing.

* makes 1 loaf
* besides We Should Cocoa, this dish is also being shared with Small Victories Sunday

Banana S’More Quick Bread

 

Surfing the internet makes me drool sometimes. I’ll be looking from blog to blog and I’ll start feeling hungry. My mouth will start watering. I will browse my refrigerator to see if I can make the thing that made me drool. The answer is usually no. Then I bookmark it and I usually forget to actually make it.

This followed that same course, up until I actually went to the grocery store and bought what I needed to make the bread.

It’s been hot out. And despite feeling hot and sweaty, I made this in the kitchen and just got sweatier. That’s what happens when the oven’s on, obviously.

This bread was great. For as much sugary items are in it, I somehow wan’t overwhelmed by it being too sweet.

I think I’ll have a slice for breakfast.

I’m going to share this quick bread with Alpha Bake’s monthly challenge hosted by Ros and Caroline. This month’s letter is Q. I also plan on making a quiche later this month, but I figured I might as well share what I have!

Banana S’More Quick Bread
(source)

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup graham crackers, crushed
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9×5 baking pan and set aside.

2. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs. Beat together until combined.

3. In a large bowl sift together the baking soda and flour. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, beating together.

4. With a wooden spoon, stir the mashed bananas, graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate chips into the batter. Pour into the prepared baking pan.

5. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until cooked all the way through. Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting.

* serves 8
* Besides AlphaBakes I’m sharing this with Mix It Up Monday

Banana Blueberry Muffins

 

I’m getting into this big breakfast thing. I have a routine on bar prep class days. I wake up at 5:30. I exercise. I shower. I make a  nice breakfast. I go to class and have a snack. I have a healthy lunch. And then I study study study until it’s time for a yummy dinner.

I’ve been having all types of breakfasts: waffles, omelets, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, and now muffins.

My friend Andy was staying with me for a night and she told me that she had told one of her other friends that I was a “boss.” She went on to say, who studies for the bar and has time to make muffins in the morning before class? Well, one answer. I do. I do best with my schedules that keep me going going going. With all this study study study I have to go go go pretty much constantly.

Banana Blueberry Muffins
(source)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups blueberries
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 egg
3/4 cup skim milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 and grease 2 muffin trays. On the 2nd tray you only need to prepare 3 of the cups.

2. Place the flour, baking soda, salt, and blueberries together in a bowl. Mix together. In another bowl combine the honey, sugar, banana, yogurt, egg, and milk. Whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix together, making sure to get rid of any dry spots.

3. Spoon the batter between the 15 cups, diving equally. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

* serves 15
* Shared with Weekend Potluck, #FoodieFriday, & Foodie Friday

 

Chocolate Banana Honey Muffins

I seem to associate We Should Cocoa with muffins or something. Last month I made Nigella’s chocolate muffins. This month the theme for this chocolate challenge is honey. The challenge was to make a chocolate recipe using honey somehow.

These muffins are yummy. They are very banana-centric. I like having the honey be the sugar substitute. When I ate the muffin I could hardly tell there was no sugar added to them (well.. except for the sugar in my chocolate chips at least.)

Now my only question is will I make a muffin for We Should Cocoa again next month?

Chocolate Banana Honey Muffins
(source)

Ingredients
3 bananas, mashed
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp skim milk
1 egg
1 egg white
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325. In a large bowl mix together the banana, honey, yogurt, and vanilla. Once well mixed add in the milk, egg, and egg white and mix well.

2. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Place cupcake liners into a cupcake tin. Scoop the batter evenly into the cupcake tins. Bake for 20 minutes.

* makes 12 muffins
* besides We Should Cocoa, this recipe is shared with Mix It Up Monday & Mealtime Monday

Banana Walnut Waffles

I never knew until the morning I made these waffles that my boyfriend hates walnuts. What the? How have I been with this man for 2 years and not know something like this? Additionally, HOW CAN SOMEONE NOT LIKE WALNUTS? I think we either need to breakup or have an intervention – maybe both.

Well, or I can just get double the walnuts in everything from now on. That’s pretty much what I do with avocado since he’s allergic to it. Every possible opportunity I can to eat avocado I’ll eat it since I can’t do much with it at home.

In other news, I loved these waffles walnuts and all.

BANANA WALNUT WAFFLES
(source)

Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat your waffle iron.

2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.

3. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, bananas, and walnuts. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until incorporated.

4. Cook according to your waffle iron instructions.

* serves 4
* Shared with Foodie Friday 

Banana Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

I don’t make breakfasts enough. Usually I’m in such a hurry at breakfast time that I just rush out the front door. If I have a little bit of time I’ll blend together some fruit, yogurt, and juice in the blender and call it a smoothie. Today however I took the day off of work because I’ve been sick all week and am still feeling the effects of it. My stomach however is finally in the condition to eat solids, so I decided that I would make pancakes this morning.

When I make breakfast, I remember how much I love making it. I’m not a bacon and eggs type of girl. I love sweet foods for breakfast. These pancakes were very sweet.

The only thing I didn’t like about them was that they really stuck to the skillet I was using. This is partially the fault of myself, since I own very cheap pots and pans. This can be credited to the fact that I’m a poor law student and don’t have a ton of money to be throwing around. But that does remind me my mom told me she had a cast iron skillet I could have. I need to remember to grab that next time I head home. But these pancakes do stick more than the usual pancakes I make.

I’m making a vow (that I might not keep) to make breakfasts like this on days where I’m not going to class or work. So hopefully you’ll be seeing more breakfast foods in the future!

Banana Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients

for the pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
5 tbsp milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 bananas, mashed
1 tbsp vegetable oil

for the sauce
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

 for the pancakes

1. In a medium bowl sift together the dry ingredients. In a small bowl combine the milk and vanilla extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir, until well combined and no dry spots are left.

2. Mix in the mashed bananas and olive oil.

3. In a heavy skillet, heat either butter or olive oil. Once hot, drop the batter into the skillet into 2 tbsp size servings. Once the pancakes start bubbling on the raw side, flip. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

for the sauce

1. In a small pot combine the berries, 1 tbsp of water, orange juice, and sugar. Mix well and bring to a boil.

2. Once boiling, in a small bowl combine the cornstarch and other 1 tbsp of water. Pour into the blueberry mixture. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring frequently until the sauce becomes thick.

3. Take off heat and stir in the almond extract and the ground cinnamon.

4. Serve over pancakes.

* makes 6 pancakes
* 317 calories per pancake and sauce
* These pancakes are going to be shared with Friday Potluck at EKat’s Kitchen.

Around the World in 52 Weeks: Jerk Chicken, Vegetable Patties, and Banana Fritters

This week for my 52 week journey around the world I found myself on the beach in Jamaica. While I was sitting on the beach with my toes buried in the sand getting a horrible sunburn (because I don’t tan and I will burn regardless of how much sunscreen I have on) I began to feel a bit peckish. To fill my belly with the cuisine of Jamaica I decided I needed some jerk chicken. With my jerk chicken I made some vegetable patties to accompany. And every yummy meal needs a dessert. So banana fritters it was.

Of course this is all my fantasy. I wish I was on the beach of Jamaica and I wish I could walk into a restaurant on the Jamaican shore and be served some real jerk chicken and some real plantain fritters (instead of banana fritters.) Since this isn’t a possibility for me, I just started my first week of the spring semester and all, I had to transform my kitchen into a Jamaican kitchen and my dining room into a beach.

I have no idea if my jerk chicken tasted like jerk chicken at all, because I’ve never had Jamaican food. The vegetable patties were an excellent accompaniment to the chicken, though frying the vegetables definitely doesn’t make them all healthy and vegetableicious.

For dessert I had banana fritters. They made a great dessert and would make a delicious breakfast as well. 

Now if only I could go to Jamaica for real.. Also, I didn’t have any travelers join me this week in the around the world challenge, but I hope maybe next week someone will come!

Jerk Chicken

Ingredients
1 tbsp rum
1/2 tbsp water
2 tbsp malt vinegar
3 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1.  Boil the rum and water in a small saucepan for 3 minutes. Transfer the rum mixture into a blender. Combine with the vinegar, green onions, garlic, thyme, vegetable oil, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. Blend until smooth. Transfer 1/2 tbsp jerk seasoning to a small bowl and combine with soy sauce and ketchup. Cover the sauce and set aside.

2. Arrange the chicken in a roasting pan. Pour lemon juice over the chicken. Rub the remaining jerk seasoning over the chicken. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350. Bake for about 30 minutes, until juices run clear.

* serves 2
* 229 calories per serving

 Vegetable Patties

Ingredients
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp jerk sauce from the jerk chicken
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cups carrots, grated
2 cup canned peas, drained
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, jerk sauce, and salt and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the carrots. Cover and reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and remove from heat.

2. Mix the vegetables in a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, eggs, and milk.

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet. Form 1/3 cup mixture patties and place it into the skillet with the hot oil. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 minutes on the other side. Set on a paper towel and let drain.

* serves 6
* 2 patties per serving
* 193 calories per serving

Banana Fritters

Ingredients
3 ripe bananas
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk

Directions

1. Peel and mash the bananas. In another bowl beat together the egg, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Stir together the egg mixture and the bananas. Sift in the baking powder and flour. Stir in the milk.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot drop spoonfuls of the banana batter into the oil. Once the fritters are golden brown, flip and cook the other side.

* makes 26 fritters
* 61 calories per fritter

NOW! Come travel the globe with me this year.
Every Saturday I will be posting my recipe, as well as pictures to ethnic cuisines you have made and want to share.

– You must mention The Law Student’s Cookbook‘s Around The World In 52 Weeks in the entry you link. You can either use a link or use the banner.
– In your post you must  at least mention what cuisine the dish is.
– Email me your recipe at elizabeth@crabtech.net. Make sure to include:

* Your name or blog name
* The direct link to your post
* A picture of the dish or permission to pull a picture from the post

– Make sure to email me by Saturday at 12noon Pacific Standard Time