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.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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!

Oreo Chocolate Pudding Pie

Credits: All pictures taken by Me!

Cinnamon Rolls

(I got this recipe from my Mother in law)

Basic Roll Dough

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water

***

• 1 cup milk, scalded
• 1/4 up sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 egg

Soften yeast in warm water (110 degrees). Combine milk, sugar, shortening, and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour; beat well. Beat in yeast & egg. Gradually add remaining flour to form soft dough, beating well. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise till doubled (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Turn onto lightly floured surface & shape as desired. Cover & let shaped rolls raise until doubled (30 to 45 minutes). Bake on greased baking sheet or in greased muffin pans in hot oven (400 degrees) for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cloverleafs, or 1 dozen parker house rolls.

Cinnamon Roll Filling (I double the filling)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Raisins (optional)

I add all of these ingredients, and then spread it over the dough.

Yvonne's special instructions: I put 1/4 cup hot water into a measuring cup (I run it hot from the tap. If your water is really hot, don't let it get too hot.) Then I pour in the yeast, a shake of salt & a touch of sugar then slightly stir with a toothpick (I do this to feed the yeast, & it grows better). Now your yeast is starting to activate. Pour your milk in a saucepan, and turn to high for just a few minutes. When little bubbles form around the sides, it's scalded. Don't let it go too long, or it burns. It just needs to be pretty warm. While it heats, I add the sugar, salt, & shortening into the bowl. Then pour in the milk, add 2 cups of flour, and stir well. Then I crack the egg, beat it with a fork, add it to the bowl, then add the yeast last. It should be pretty frothy now. Stir vigorously for a few minutes. This begins the glutton process, and then add a little flour and stir, until you add flour and Knead with your hands. I put a little shortening on my hands to keep them from getting too sticky. Keep kneading until dough is smooth & bounces back when pushed down. Spray pam, or spread shortening around bowl & some on top of dough. Put a dish towel over the top of the bowl & let rise. After the first rising, roll the dough onto a floured surface to make a rectangle. If you keep the dough thicker (like a half inch, and cut the slices bigger, it will make better rolls.) After dough is rolled out spread the cinnamon & sugar mixture over the top, roll the dough the long way (the short sides will be at the top & bottom. Then cut in about 1 1/2" slices. Place them on a greased cookie sheet to rise the second time - don't cover. I place them close together, and they rise up high and have soft edges. (Only about 1/2 inch between each slice). Now bake as directed. As soon as they are finished, turn out onto a board, wash the pan (I use oven mits), dry the pan, and return the rolls back into the pan. This keeps them from sticking to the pan.

Cinnamon Roll Glaze

• 4 Tablespoons Powdered sugar
• Shortening
• Milk
• Vanilla extract
• Imitation almond extract

I pour the powdered sugar into a bowl, add a few tablespoons of shortening, and little milk, along with vanilla & almond flavoring. Stir with a spoon vigorously to break up the shortening. If it is too dry & thick add a little milk, if it is too runny, add a little powdered sugar. After I've placed the rolls back into the cookie sheet, and they've cooled, I pour the glaze over the top.

Credits: All pictures taken by Me!

Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 package (10 oz. about 40) Regular marshmallows

-OR-

• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies

Directions

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13x9x2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

Credits: All pictures taken by Me!

Triple Chocolate Bliss Cake

Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 2 hours Makes: 18 servings, one slice each

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2-layer size) Chocolate cake mix or make your own Chocolate cake mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 package (4-serving size) Jello Chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups thawed cool whip whipped tipping, divided
• 1 package (8 squares) Baker's Semi-Sweet baking chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350. Lightly grease 12 cup fluted tube pan or 10 in tube pan. Beat all ingredients except whipped topping, chocolate and raspberries in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes scraping bowl occasionally.
2. BAKE 50 minutes to 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen cake from side of pan with knife or metal spatula and gently remove cake. Cool cake completely on wire rack. Place on serving plate.
3. RESERVE 2 tablespoons of the whipped topping. Microwave remaining whipped topping and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Drizzle over cake. Immediately drop reserved whipped topping, by scant teaspoonfuls, around top of cake; create star shape by drawing wooden toothpick through middle several times. Spoon raspberries into center of cake. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

Credits: Picture taken by Me Ü

Mashed Sweet Potatoes Marshmallow Casserole

Ingredients

Peel and Cut sweet potatoes, put in a pot of boiling water and boil until soft, about 15 minutes.

After sweet potatoes are done boiling and they are soft, mash the sweet potatoes.

Mix Brown sugar, salt, butter and egg yolks together. Fold into mashed sweet potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Then Top with marshmallows and broil marshmallows until nice and golden brown.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (real not canned)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 egg yolks
• marshmallows

Directions:

1. Peel and Cut sweet potatoes, put in a pot of boiling water and boil until soft, about 15 minutes.
2. Mix Brown sugar, salt, butter and egg yolks together.
3. After sweet potatoes are done boiling and they are soft, mash the sweet potatoes.
4. Fold ingredients into mashed sweet potatoes.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Then Top with marshmallows and broil marshmallows until nice and golden brown. Enjoy!

Credits: Pictures taken by Me!