BANANA BREAD

INGREDIENTS

*   3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
*   1/3 cup melted butter
*   1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
*   1 egg, beaten
*   1 teaspoon vanilla
*   1 teaspoon baking soda
*   Pinch of salt
*   1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
*   Chocolate and butterscotch chips

METHOD

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour and chocolate/butterscotch chips last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

DOG TREAT

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I started to bake dog treats for our dog , Lucky after seeing the documentary about the quality of commercial dog treats. So after a lengthy search, because there are hundred if not thousand of recipes on the internet, I decided on this. I cut the dough with the pizza cutter.     Original recipe makes 3 dozen treats, depending on sizeChange Servings

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups water, or as needed

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. Mix together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cornmeal and oats. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and gradually pour in water, oil, eggs, peanut butter and vanilla. Mix well.
3. On a flat surface use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. Cut the dough into dog biscuit shapes using a cookie cutter. Place the biscuits onto the prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes. After the biscuits have cooked 20 minutes turn off the oven off but let the biscuits remain inside the oven for another 20 minutes to harden.

CARROT CAKE

My daughter favourite cakes are the different carrot cakes, therefor I was delighted when I saw this recipe on my favourite website, "Real Simple Recipes".  

Serves 10 (makes 1 cake)| Hands-On Time: 30m| Total Time: 2hr 00m

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pans
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for the pans
• 1 1/2  cups  sugar
• 2  teaspoons  baking soda
• 2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 2  teaspoons  pumpkin pie spice
• 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 3/4  cup  sour cream
• 3  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1  pound  carrots, grated (3 cups)
• 1  cup  chopped pecans, plus more for garnish
• 1/2  cup  raisins
• 1  recipe Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, butter again, and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Place the butter, sour cream, and eggs in the well. Whisk together, then gradually incorporate the dry ingredients (the batter will be thick). Fold in the carrots, pecans, and raisins.
3. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans and bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely.
4. Invert one of the cooled cakes on a serving plate and spread with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with the remaining cake. Spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle with pecans.

By Kristin Evans Dittami , September, 2012

Nutritional Information

• Per Serving
• Calories 806

• Fat 40g
• Sat Fat 20g
• Cholesterol 149mg
• Sodium 680mg
• Protein 9g
• Carbohydrate 108g
• Sugar 82g
• Fiber 3g
• Iron 2mg
• Calcium 95mg

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

My daughter sent me this recipe. It brought back childhood memories of me making for us this cake.

Serves 10| Hands-On Time: 15m| Total Time: 1hr 10m

Ingredients

• 12  tablespoons  (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/2  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 1/2  medium pineapple
• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon  pure vanilla extract
• 1/2  cup  whole milk

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F with a rack in the lowest position. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture is slightly darkened, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut off the pineapple peel, cut the fruit into wedges, and cut out the core; thinly slice crosswise. Starting in the center of the pan, arrange the slices in concentric circles, with the rounded part of each piece toward the outside of the pan (you may not need all of the pineapple).
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter with the granulated sugar on medium-high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).
5. Carefully spread the batter over the pineapple and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then invert cake onto a serving platter. Rearrange any pieces of pineapple that have stuck to the pan. Serve warm.

By Kristin Evans Dittami , September, 2012

Nutritional Information

• Per Serving
• Calories 343

• Fat 15g
• Sat Fat 9g
• Cholesterol 80mg
• Sodium 177mg
• Protein 4g
• Carbohydrate 49g
• Sugar 34g
• Fiber 1g
• Iron 1mg
• Calcium 49mg

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

We don't  really like Brussels sprouts . More exactly we don't like the smell of a Brussels sprout dish. This summer we visited our daughter and she served this Brussels sprout dish whit no the typical smell. 

Wash the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half.  Then blanch them in boiling water.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 F.
Once the Brussels sprouts are blanched, drain them. Pour some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can also put some crushed garlic.
Distribute evenly on baking pan and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Stir half way through.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH RED CABBAGE AND APPLESAUCE

From my favourite cooking source: real simple.com

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 35m| Total Time: 35m

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  olive oil
• 2  pork tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2  small head red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 1  tablespoon  red wine vinegar
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1  cup  applesauce

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450° F. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the cabbage and ½ teaspoon salt to the skillet with the pork and toss to coat. Transfer to oven and cook until the pork is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pork and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Add the vinegar and parsley to the cabbage and toss to combine. Serve with the pork and applesauce.

By Charlyne Mattox , October, 2012

Nutritional Information

• Per Serving
• Calories 314

• Fat 13g
• Sat Fat 3g
• Cholesterol 98mg
• Sodium 453mg
• Protein 36g
• Carbohydrate 12g
• Sugar 8g
• Fiber 2g
• Iron 3mg
• Calcium 47mg

QUICK CURRY

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  canola oil
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh ginger
• 2  cloves garlic, chopped
• 8  scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1  tablespoon  curry powder
• 4  medium carrots (about 8 ounces), chopped
• 1  large russet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1  cup  red lentils
• 4  cups  low-sodium vegetable broth
• kosher salt and black pepper
• naan bread and lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder. Add the carrots, potato, lentils, broth, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the curry with the scallion greens and serve with the naan and lime wedges.

By Dawn Perry , October, 2012

Nutritional Information

• Per Serving
• Calories 374

• Fat 11g
• Sat Fat 1g
• Cholesterol 5mg
• Sodium 549mg
• Protein 19g
• Carbohydrate 50g
• Sugar 7g
• Fiber 6g
• Iron 3mg
• Calcium 78mg