Banana Coconut Crunch Muffins

There they are. Those old, brown bananas. They seem to be breeding fruit flies as you read. No, as you blink. But is plain ol' banana bread worth the effort? Should you toss those yellow beauties of yester-week and cut your losses?

No. 

Because now you have the recipe old, brown bananas were made for. Intended for. Over-ripened for. Allow me to give you the life-giving elixir [aka recipe] for those banished bananas:

The Muffins:

• 3 C all-purpose flour
• 2 C sugar
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda (Oops! -- I left this out on accident. Still turned out great)
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C whole milk (I had cream and 1%. After a little research, I learned you can combine 3 T cream with 1 C skim/1% to approximate whole milk)
• 2 t pure vanilla extract
• 1 C mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
• 1 C medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
• 1 C small-diced pecans
• 1 C old-fashioned oats
• 1 C sweetened shredded coconut
• Streusel (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Grease or line muffin pans (makes 18-20). Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl using a whisk. Add the melted butter and stir well. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and mashed bananas. Add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and stir well to combine. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, pecans, oats and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each to the top. Top each muffin with streusel. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

The Streusel: 

• 1/4 C butter, softened
• 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 C light brown sugar
• cinnamon (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Using two knives, cut the butter into the mixture [basically you're coarsely "chopping" the butter] as you would if making a pie crust (if that makes no sense to you, it's probably because of my bad explanation. Watch the video below). 

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/banana-crunch-muffins-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

WARNING: If you proceed any further down the page, you may not want to consume. I'm still including the nutrition information. You have been warned. But you should still make them. And eat one today. Save one for tomorrow. And take the rest to your neighbors. =)

Yeah, it's definitely not a hearty, healthy breakfast muffin. It's more of a dessert muffin. Those nutrition facts down there ... that's approximately per muffin.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 104 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 364 Calories from Fat 163

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18.1g 28%

Saturated Fat 9.2g 46%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 48mg 16%

Sodium 215mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 47.6g 16%

Dietary Fiber 2.5g 10%

Sugars 25.0g

Protein 4.7g

Vitamin A 8% • Vitamin C 3% Calcium 5% • Iron 12%

Nutrition Grade D+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Bad points

• High in saturated fat
• High in sugar

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a fan of Allrecipes.com. The reason being that you can look at the reviews/ratings and have a pretty good idea about what you're getting into -- before getting into it. This is kind of a big deal when you're trying new things and you don't have a back-up plan. Every once in a while, I come across a recipe on Allrecipes.com that has unbelievable ratings/reviews; one where you don't have to alter anything based on what others have said. This is one of those. A.Maz.Ing. Dig in! We paired this with Vegetarian Chili and it was fabulous!



Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

• 1/2 C butter


• 2/3 C white sugar


• 2 eggs


• 1 C buttermilk


• 1/2 tsp baking soda


• 1 C cornmeal


• 1 C all-purpose flour


• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375° F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.

Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 104 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 306 Calories from Fat 122

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13.6g 21%

Saturated Fat 7.9g 40%

Cholesterol 78mg 26%

Sodium 362mg 15%

Total Carbohydrates 41.9g 14%

Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%

Sugars 18.3g

Protein 5.4g

Vitamin A 9% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 5% • Iron 8%

Nutrition Grade C

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Bad points

• High in saturated fat


• High in sugar

Thai Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango

I really love Thai food. I would love to learn more Thai recipes. This is one of our favorite desserts ever -- it's so amazing! I encourage you to try it. Tonight. HERE is where I found the recipe.

Thai Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango

• 1 C uncooked jasmine rice
• 2 C water
• 1 C coconut milk
• 2/3 C white sugar
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/3 C coconut milk
• 2/3 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/6 tsp salt
• 2/3 Tbsp tapioca starch
• 2 mangoes, peeled and sliced

Combine the rice and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

While the rice cooks, mix together 1 C coconut milk, 2/3 C sugar, and 1/3 tsp salt in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside. Stir the cooked rice into the coconut milk mixture; cover. Allow to cool for 1 hour.

Make a sauce by mixing together 1/3 C coconut milk, 2/3 Tbsp sugar, 1/6 tsp salt, and the tapioca starch in a saucepan; bring to a boil.

Place the sticky rice on a serving dish. Arrange the mangoes on top of the rice. Pour the sauce over the mangoes and rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serves 4.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 385 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  554 Calories from Fat  174

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  19.4g 30%

Saturated Fat  17.0g 85%

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  308mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates  94.8g 32%

Dietary Fiber  5.6g 23%

Sugars  53.4g

Protein  5.4g

Vitamin A 16% • Vitamin C 52% Calcium 3% • Iron 16%

Nutrition Grade C+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• No cholesterol

Bad points

• High in saturated fat
• Very high in sugar

Apple Berry Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

My sister Tonya gave me this recipe and it is DIVINE. Next time, we're going to try using jalapeno-apricot jam instead (or just add some jalapenos) to give it a little kick.

Apple Berry Salsa

• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, coarsely chopped
• 1 pint strawberries, diced (about 1 1/2 C)
• 2 kiwi, peeled and diced
• 1 small orange
• 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp apple jelly or apricot jam

Combine apples, strawberries and kiwi in a medium mixing bowl. 

Zest orange to measure 1 tsp. Juice orange to measure 2 Tbsp. Add zest, juice, jam and brown sugar to bowl. Mix gently. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 64 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 39 Calories from Fat 2

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0.2g 0%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 2mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 9.8g 3%

Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%

Sugars 7.2g

Protein 0.4g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 44% Calcium 1% • Iron 1%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Very low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Very low in sodium
• High in dietary fiber
• Very high in vitamin C

Bad points

• Very high in sugar

Cinnamon Chips

• 8 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Arrange wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet or stone.

Lightly spray tortilla wedges with water and sprinkle sugar evenly over tortillas.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and crisp.

Serves 16.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 24 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  58 Calories from Fat  5

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  0.5g 1%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  65mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates  11.8g 4%

Dietary Fiber  1.5g 6%

Sugars  0.8g

Protein  2.0g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 2% • Iron 3%

Nutrition Grade C+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• No saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• High in dietary fiber

Monkey Bread

Confession: I have the BIGGEST sweet tooth on the face of the planet. I LOVE baking decadent desserts and pastries. To a fault. I rationalize my baking by taking portions of it to friends and neighbors. I'm sure that helps a little ... but I'm still pretty glutenous when it comes to desserts.

So, without further ado, here comes dessert post #1: Monkey Bread

Dough

• 1 1/4 C milk
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 C all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp yeast

Gooey Goodness

• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 C brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 butter or margarine

Combine dough ingredients in bread machine. Use dough setting. 

Combine white sugar and cinnamon. Set aside

Once dough cycle has finished, break off pieces of the dough and roll into balls, approximately 2" in diameter. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon and sugar mixture and place in a bunt pan. 

Bring brown sugar and butter/margarine to a boil over medium heat for one minute. Pour over dough balls in bunt pan. 

Bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes (until bread is cooked and starts to turn golden at top). Serves 10.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 110 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  325 Calories from Fat  76

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  8.5g 13%

Saturated Fat  5.0g 25%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  39mg 13%

Sodium  304mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates  54.6g 18%

Dietary Fiber  1.6g 6%

Sugars  16.3g

Protein  7.1g

Vitamin A 6% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 5% • Iron 14%

Nutrition Grade C-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Bad points

• High in sugar
• Contains alcohol

The "alcohol" referred to is just from the vanilla extract. 

Don't you worry, there are more sweets to come.