Ultimate Banana Bread

Recipe from America's Test Kitchen...

Makes one 9-inch loaf

Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or even black) bananas in this recipe. This recipe can be made using 5 thawed frozen bananas; since they release a lot of liquid naturally, they can bypass the microwaving in step 2 and go directly into the fine-mesh strainer. Do not use a thawed frozen banana in step 4; it will be too soft to slice. Instead, simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with sugar. The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes earlier than advised in the recipe. The texture is best when the loaf is eaten fresh, but it can be stored (cool completely first), covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4cups (8 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2teaspoon table salt
• 6large very ripe bananas (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled (see note)
• 8tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
• 2large eggs
• 3/4cup (5 1/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2cup walnuts , toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
• 2teaspoons granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.
• 2. Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid).
• 3. Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.
• 4. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
• 5. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TECHNIQUE

• DO THE RIPE THING

  Don’t even think of making banana bread with anything less than very ripe, heavily speckled fruit—unless you’re fine with a bland loaf. As bananas ripen, their starch converts to sugar at an exponential rate. In lab tests, we found heavily speckled bananas had nearly three times the amount of fructose (the sweetest of the sugars in fruit) than less spotty bananas. (The exact percentage will vary from fruit to fruit.) But the impact of ripeness only goes so far: We found little difference in sweetness between loaves baked with completely black bananas and those made with heavily speckled ones.
• 
  TOO SOON
  1.8% FRUCTOSE
  A lightly speckled banana has only a little fructose, the sweetest sugar in fruit.
• 
  JUST RIGHT
  5.3% FRUCTOSE
  A heavily speckled banana has a lot more fructose.

TECHNIQUE

• WHO KNEW? BANANAS HAVE JUICE

  
  Typical banana bread contains just three pieces of fruit. Here’s how we upped the number to five without turning the loaf into pudding.
• 
  1. EXTRACT JUICE
  Microwaving ripe bananas for 5 minutes causes them to release “juice.”
• 
  2. STRAIN IT OUT
  After straining the bananas, you should have 1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid to work with.
• 
  3. REDUCE THE JUICE
  Reducing the banana liquid yields a concentrated liquor, intensifying flavor without making the loaf wet.

TECHNIQUE

• SHINGLE YOUR LOAF

  
  Layering thin banana slices on either side of the loaf adds even more banana flavor to our bread (and brings the total number of bananas in the recipe to six). To ensure an even rise, leave a 1½-inch-wide space down the center.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Chicken Pot Pie With Savory Crumble Topping

Serves 6

This recipe relies on two unusual ingredients: soy sauce and tomato paste. Do not omit them. They don’t convey their distinctive tastes but greatly deepen the savory flavor of the filling. When making the topping, do not substitute milk or half-and-half for the heavy cream.

INGREDIENTS

Filling

• 1 1/2pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
• 3cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
• 3medium carrots , peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 cup)
• 2small celery ribs , chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
• Table salt and ground black pepper
• 10ounces cremini mushrooms , stems trimmed, caps wiped clean and sliced thin
• 1teaspoon soy sauce (see note)
• 1teaspoon tomato paste (see note)
• 4tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1cup whole milk
• 2teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
• 3tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 3/4cup frozen baby peas

Crumble Topping

• 2cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4teaspoon table salt
• 1/2teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
• 1ounce Parmesan cheese , finely grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 3/4cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Bring chicken and broth to simmer in covered Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until chicken is just done, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to large bowl. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup and reserve. Do not wash Dutch oven. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

• 2. FOR THE TOPPING: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in large bowl. Sprinkle butter pieces over top of flour. Using fingers, rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in Parmesan. Add cream and stir until just combined. Crumble mixture into irregularly shaped pieces ranging from 1/2 to ¾ inch each onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and starting to brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Set aside.

• 3. FOR THE FILLING: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, celery, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, shred chicken into small bite-size pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken; set aside.

• 4. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir in soy sauce and tomato paste. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated, mushrooms are well browned, and dark fond begins to form on surface of pan, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with chicken and vegetables. Set aside.

• 5. Heat butter in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to simmer, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, then continue to simmer until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons parsley.

• 6. Stir chicken-vegetable mixture and peas into sauce. Pour mixture into 13 by 9-inch baking dish or casserole dish of similar size. Scatter crumble topping evenly over filling. Bake on rimmed baking sheet until filling is bubbling and topping is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon parsley and serve.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, well beaten

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Honey

Stir together dry ingredients, Add eggs, milk, oil and honey. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened (batter may be lumpy). Cook on preheated griddle until bubbles form and edges start to dry Flip and cook until lightly browned. They are really good served with sliced strawberries and bananas, drizzled with honey.

Makes 16 pancakes

Store extra batter in fridge and use the next day.

Baked Tortilla Chips

When you crave a savory snack or need some low fat chips for your dips and salsas, try these baked chips!

Cook time: 6 minutes

8 fat free tortillas

Olive oil

Salt

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Layout your tortillas and lightly drizzle olive oil on top and salt. Cut each tortillas into eight triangles. Bake on cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes until crisp and golden.

Serve with your favorite homemade guacamole. Yummy!

makes 8-10 servings.

Oreo Truffles

(Recipe from Nik)

• 1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup of chocolate chips, melted (I add a little vegetable oil to help the pouring)

Mix the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into bite sized balls.

Drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the balls. Put them on waxed paper-covering baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes or until the chocolate hardens.

**Another way is instead of using chocolate chips you need**

• 2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
• Also you divide the cookie crumbs.

Mix 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1 inch) balls. Dip balls in melted chocolate and place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for another use) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Refrigerate for one hour or until firm. Any leftover truffles can be stored in a tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Enjoy. I know I do!

Credits: All pictures taken by Me!

Blackberry Crumble

Credits: All pictures taken by Me!

Shepherd's Pie

This is a recipe that I firmly believe should be left to the taste of the cook. Please use your own judgement on the amount of each ingredient unless specified.

Watch the video of Ramsay at the end of the post to see it done by the best.

Ingredients:

The Filling:

Olive Oil (2 Tbsp)

Ground Beef, Lamb or turkey (about 1.5 to 2 lbs)

1 Large Carrot (grated)

1 Large Onion (grated)

Minced Garlic (I used 6 cloves)

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Thyme

Salt

Pepper

Worcestershire Sauce (several splashes)

2 or 3 TB Tomato Puree or Paste (no more than a small can)

Vegetable or Chicken Stock (1/4 cup)

Fresh or frozen green beans

(I grew up with my Mom putting green beans in her  shepherd's pie so I also make mine with green beans)

And because it was St. Patrick's day I threw in some frozen peas.

Here is a recipe for the Mashed potatoes, I don't measure when I am making my mashed potatoes so you can use this recipe or one that you already have...but the egg yolks help hold the mash together for the pie.  For making them green I added the broccoli to the water the last 3 minutes of the cooking time, then because they float at the top I pulled them out with a strainer and put the broccoli in my food processor. I processed the broccoli while I was straining the potatoes, then once the broccoli was minced really fine I then added the broccoli to the potatoes and finished making my mash.

The Mash:

Golden Potatoes (about 1.5 lbs)

Heavy Cream (or milk) ( 1/4 cup)

Butter (3 1/2 Tbsp)

Salt

Pepper

Egg Yolks (2)

Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup, minimum I just grabbed two handfuls and put that in)

Prep Work:

Dice the garlic

Separate your herbs from the stems

Separate your Egg Yolks

Peel and Slice your potatoes into even pieces

Open your can of Tomato Paste

Cooking the Potatoes:

This part is easy as pie (no pun intended), just boil some water, throw some salt and your potatoes in, and set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes – start on your filling.  Upon the timer going off, take your potatoes out and strain the water off. Put potatoes back into the pan, or into a medium mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with their ingredients from above and keep warm (your filling should be about done by this point)

Cooking the Filling:

Pour Olive Oil into a hot, rather large pan, then add meat. Stir meat for a few minutes so it’s nice and brown, and broken into very small pieces. Add your Rosemary, Thyme, and Garlic, then stir some more. Quickly add your Carrot, and Onion, stir a little longer. The idea at this point is to get everything to a minced consistency.

Add Worcestershire Sauce, stir, add Tomato Purée, stir, add stock, green beans and peas cook for 3 more minutes. Taste, and season to your liking.

Final Instructions:

Scoop your meat mixture into a deep casserole or other oven safe dish and then spoon the mash over the top. Spread the mash over the top of the mix with the bottom of the spoon and then sprinkle a generous portion of Parmesan cheese over the top. Poke the top with a fork several times to give it a peaked look and stick it in the oven at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes to brown the potatoes and set the pie. Serve it up and watch people melt! Oh I love Shepherd Pie!

You can watch the video below to get a better idea of how it’s done.

Credits: All pictures taken by Me!