BANANA RAMA!!

Finally a recipe that tastes like a banana CUPCAKE and not a banana muffin! It's perfectly light and fluffy--truly amazing for homemade! To top it off, Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting...PURE HEAVEN!

Banana Cupcakes
Adapted from lfamily5

3 cups Cake Flour (not self-rising)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter-softened
1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
4 VERY ripe bananas- mashed well
6 Tb buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Line cupcake pans with paper liners
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt-set aside.

In a large bowl on medium speed, cream butter and oil until smooth. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time mixing well after each. Add bananas and half of the dry ingredients until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla, then add remaining dry ingreds. until just combined--making sure not to over mix! Cake will turn out dry!

Bake for 20 minutes--or until you lightly touch top of cupcake and center springs back. Careful not to over bake. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cubes butter--softened
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
about 6 cups powdered sugar--give or take
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon--or to your liking
2 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until you get the right consistency. Mix in cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. You can add a little milk if the frosting gets too thick.

Spinach Dippin!

After making 4 different recipes over the holiday season, I was plain spinached out! They were all good, but I was looking for Da Bomb! So Michelle stepped in and listened to my hopes and dreams for the ultimate dip. She went to work and added her own special something and came up with this lip-smackin, couldn't-get-any-better spinach dip!

p.s. recent dinner guests were overheard saying "pass that back, that's really good" and the ultimate complement, "I want this recipe NOW!"

Da Bomb of all Spinach Dips

1 (14oz.) can artichoke hearts-drained and chopped
1 box chopped spinach-thawed and well drained (I squeeze it to death to get all the liquid out)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves-minced
1 can chopped green chile's
1/4 block (2 oz.) of cream cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup powdered (grated) Parmesan cheese
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese-grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients (except Monterrey jack cheese) together until well combined. Spread into lightly greased 8 inch baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese evenly over the top and return to oven for another 10 minutes.

The perfect side kick for this is Tortilla chips--but I forgot to buy them, so I used bread. Just don't be like me and forget the chips!

Food For Thoughtfulness!

I've been whining about this bitterly cold winter...

A sweet friend listened and brought SPRING to my soul...and belly! Thank you berry much Karen! You just plain ROCK!

p.s. I'm off to the store for more of these babies! Wish me luck in the sleet!

p.s.s. tomorrow's recipe - Da bomb of all Spinach Dips! I tested 4 and this one is seriously Da bomb!

Classic Chocolate Chip cOOkies!

These are IT! I'm always testing different chocolate chip cookie recipes--It's been an obsession for years. Whenever someone says theirs is the best, I feel inclined to be the judge of such a bold statement! I'm usually a little let down. I also have major issues with any recipe the says Mrs. Fields. Really no one has ever come close...until now. Cooks Illustrated has done it, they've calmed my inner cookie beast! They tested hundreds of recipes, and figured out what makes a perfectly crispy, yet chewy cookie. I'm in love!

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Slightly adapted from Cooks Illustrated

2 cups plus 1 Tb flour (Spoon flour into cup then scrape off excess-this really makes a difference)
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cubes (3/4 cup)melted butter (be sure not to over heat- just until creamy)

1 cup packed dark brown sugar (I use 1/2 dark and 1/2 cup light)

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 Tb pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt-set aside.

In a mixer, cream melted butter and sugars together until well blended. Beat in vanilla, egg, and yolk until light and creamy looking. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes (this helps the egg absorb into ingredients). Pulse a few more times then add flour mixture until well blended. Add chips try not to over mix. I let the dough sit another 5 to 10 minutes. This results in a better looking/texture cookie. Trust me!

Scoop 1 rounded tablespoon of dough onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Be careful not to over bake! Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

p.s. These aren't as good the next day, only a few have made it that far to tell the tale. I scoop and freeze if I don't bake all the dough the same day.

Sloppy Tom's. . .Sorry Joe!

Why does Joe get all the attention? And who named them Sloppy Joe's anyway?! What about Sloppy Dave's or Sloppy Garrett's? Now that makes more sense!

Seriously, these were really good and really fast to make! It's a perfect meal for post holiday anti-kitchen syndrome! For the sake of trying to cook on the lighter side, I use lean ground turkey instead of ground meat. I was surprised that I couldn't tell the difference. So so good!

SLOPPY JOE'S/TOMS
Adapted from The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner

1 Tb butter
1 pd lean ground turkey or beef
1 cup ketsup
1/2 cup to 1 cup water (depends on how runny you like it)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tb red wine vinegar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper (I used 1/4 tsp)
2 Tb dehydrated onions (optional)

-6 lightly buttered hamburger buns

In a skillet cook meat until done. Drain. Return meat to pan and add all the rest of the ingredients. Cook over med heat for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add more water if too thick.

Toast buns on electric skillet until nice and brown. Serve up this Manwich to all the hungry men in your house and watch them smile!