{Simple Banana Bread}

There are 4 foods off the top of my head, that I don't like.
I generally just simply love food in general, so honestly, the fact that I don't like these things, is a tad disturbing to me.

Cream cheese, white chocolate, sweet potatoes, and banana bread.

I know, I'm crazy! I'll eat any kind of bean or pepper, but put cream cheese in front of me, and my heart will drop!
The thing is, I really, really WANT to like all of those things.
When you say "cream cheese" it just seems like it's going to be so rich and absolutely delicious! "White chocolate" sounds somehow romantic or something!
"Sweet Potatoes" seem healthy, and light!
"Banana Bread" just reminds me of grandma's house!
I see all kinds of different recipes and I think "oh, I'll like it like that."
So, I try it.
And it never fails.
No matter what, it still tastes like cream cheese, or white chocolate or whatever!

BUT!
After 20+ years of trying to convince myself that I like these things, it looks like banana bread at least, may be coming around (pretty sure the other 3 things are never gonna happen!)!
I only made it out of desperation, really...we had bananas going bad, and I just hated to throw them out. Again.
So I dumped all the ingredients in a bowl real quick, threw it in the oven and honestly didn't expect it to be anything great.

Surprise! Surprise!
  I actually liked it! Ironically, it still tasted like banana bread (go figure), but something about it, was just simply good! I don't know how to explain it, but it's safe to say that I will be eating more banana bread from now on!!

I hope you give it a try!!

3 medium bananas

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1 & 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Place bananas in a mixing bowl, and beat until mostly smooth. Add sugar, oil and egg, and mix well.
Add remaining ingredients and mix just until moistened.

For a loaf:
Pour into a greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 -70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the bread is dark golden brown.

For muffins:
Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray. Fill each cup 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the bread is dark, golden brown.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges of the bread to loosen from the pan.
Flip the bread out, and place on a wire rack; cover loosely with a clean dish-towel and let cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

{Roasted Brussel Sprouts}

Happy Thanksgiving week!!

Here's a super yummy, yet kind of healthy side dish to add to your thanksgiving menu this year!

I have always like Brussel Sprouts (I was a weird child).

Fresh or frozen, sauteed in some butter, or steamed. 

Either way, I loved them!

I had never tried them roasted, though. But I love other roasted vegetables, so I figured I might as well try them. 

My sister-in-law makes the best roasted asparagus on the planet, so I just used the same technique.

I'm not sure that I will ever make brussel sprouts any other way from now on!

They were SO good!! Oh my, the flavor was just excellent, they couldn't be easier to make, and it took away that tiny under-tone of bitterness that is sometimes in brussel sprouts!

So whether you are already a Brussel Sprout lover, or maybe even hate this magnificent, tiny, green vegetable, I hope you give them a try!

1 pound fresh Brussel Sprouts

3-5 tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil; set aside.

Cut sprouts in half lengthwise (so that each half has part of the root), and place in a bowl. Add oil, starting with 3 tablespoons. Mix gently until evenly coated. If there is not enough oil to coat all of them, add more 1 tablespoon at a time.

Spread out into a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper.

Bake for 10 minutes; stir and flip the sprouts over. Bake for 10-15 minutes longer, or until just fork-tender, and golden brown.

Serve!!!

{Light & Fluffy Waffles}

I love waffles, but I don't like how heavy they tend to be sometimes.

I thought the instructions in this recipe were a tad odd, 

but it really does result in a light and fluffy waffle!

Hope you try them out!!

4 cups flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1 & 1/2 cups sugar

2 tblsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated

2 cups buttermilk (see note)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, melted

2 tsp. vanilla

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until stick peaks form; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine egg yolks, buttermilk, milk, water, butter and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix until combined. Gently fold in egg whites until well combined.

Cook according to directions on your waffle iron.

Enjoy!!

Note:

-If you don't have buttermilk on hand, just add 2 tblsp. lemon juice to 2 cups milk. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats:

I love our other Chocolate Peanut Butter rice crispy treats, and all the other chocolate/peanut butter recipes that I have on here! 

So basically, what's one more?!!

A soft, peanut buttery rice crispy treat with a crunchy, chocolate, peanut butter topping.

I don't really know what else to say!!

I hope you try it out!!

1 (10 oz.) package mini marshmallows

1/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or creamy

5 cups rice crispy cereal

1 & 1/2 cups chocolate chips

3/4 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed

Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place marshmallows in a microwave safe dish. Pour peanut butter over top. Microwave for 1 minute; stir until smooth. Pour over cereal and mix until well combined. Press evenly into prepared pan (I like to use the bottom of a drinking glass for this). Set aside to cool while you prepare the chocolate topping.

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in cornflakes. Pour over rice crispy treats and spread evenly.

Chill until set. 

Remove from the pan, and take the foil off. Cut into squares and serve!

Reese Peanut Butter Poke Cake:

I don't really know how to describe this cake.

It's peanut butter.

It's chocolate.

Combined.

 I took it to a dinner at our church, and someone started calling it Wicked Cake.
My mouth is watering just thinking about it, so I better go make another one.
I hope you'll give it a try!


1 box Chocolate cake mix + ingredients called for as directed on the box
1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup cream peanut butter
1 (12oz.) container Cool Whip, divided
1 & 1/2 cups hot fudge, divided

Prepare cake according to the directions on the box.
Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Poke the cake all over with a fork; set aside to cool for just a minute.
Microwave 1 cup of hot fudge, until smooth and pourable.
Pour over the cake and spread evenly with a spatula.
Once the hot fudge on the cake has cooled completely, make the peanut butter layer.
With a stand or hand mixer, beat together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until well combined. Add peanut butter and mix well. Stir in the cool whip until smooth and well mixed.
Spread evenly over the cake. Chill until completely cool.
Spread the remaining cool whip over the peanut butter layer. Microwave the remaining hot fudge just until easy to pour. Drizzle over the cool whip.
Chill until ready to serve.