Avocado Banana Bread

Made with coconut oil, avocado, bananas, and whole wheat flour, this Avocado Banana Bread is packed full of superfoods for a delicious clean eating snack!

White Chocolate Cranberry Muffins-Juggling Act Mama

A tender and delicious muffin filled with tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate chips.

I'm sharing another recipe over at Juggling Act Mama today.  You won't want to miss it!

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Boat

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so it should be filling and bursting with flavor!  This breakfast boat is stuffed with sausage and eggs and is sure to be a favorite.

It's no secret that I love breakfast.  I could eat it every meal of the day.  And sometimes I do!

For instance, this recipe.  I made it for dinner one night.   Then I enjoyed it the next morning for breakfast, and Mike had it for lunch.  That's the beauty of breakfast food, you can eat it for every meal.  Other meals?  Not so much.  Anyone want a stir fry for breakfast?

This recipe was inspired by a recipe my friend Becky posted on her blog, Eliorah.  She made an Italian Sausage Boat and was telling me about it one night when we were at their house.  Her husband loved the meal and requested her to make it again.  You know meals are great when your husband can't stop talking about it!

Anyway, as she was telling me about her recipe, I had an idea forming in my head.  Mike and I love breakfast scrambles and I thought a bread boat would be the perfect vessel for a scramble.  It didn't take me long before I made this meal for our dinner.  It came together quickly, which made it a perfect meal after working all day.  I served it with a side of fresh strawberries and it was the perfect breakfast.  Or lunch.  Or dinner...

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Boat

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread
1 pound breakfast sausage
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Cut the center of the loaf of bread out, leaving about 3/4" of bread on the sides.  Set the extra bread aside, you won't need it for this recipe.

2.  Cook breakfast sausage in a large skillet until no longer pink.  Drain grease.

3.  Whisk together eggs and milk.

4.  Pour eggs into the skillet with the sausage and cook until the eggs are scrambled and cooked thoroughly.

5.  Spoon egg and sausage mixture into the hollowed out bread.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

6.  Place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.  You could also put it under your broiler for 2-3 minutes.

Slice and serve warm.

Inspired by Eliorah.

Cheesy Chicken Panini on Dill Pickle Bread

This Cheesy Chicken Panini is a delicious and quick lunch or dinner option.  It's made on Dill Pickle Bread which gives it an extra kick of flavor!

A couple years ago I received a 5-in-1 Griddler for Christmas.  I had seen it advertised on television and decided it would be the perfect addition to my kitchen appliances.  Plus, it would allow me to get rid of a couple other appliances, creating more room in my (tiny) kitchen.  I love to use the grill for chicken, burgers, and hot dogs, and I often make pancakes on the griddle.  Until recently though, I had never used the griddler as a panini press.

I had a loaf of freshly baked Dill Pickle Bread on the counter and Mike and I needed a quick dinner.  I grilled a chicken breast and sliced it up.  I had also purchased a ball of fresh mozzarella cheese on a whim at the store.  Since I'd never purchased fresh cheese before, I wanted to use it in something that would really allow the flavor to shine through.  

This sandwich is simple, but it is packed with flavor.  The dill flavor of the bread is a delicious complement to the grilled chicken and melted cheese.  Mike and I both enjoyed this sandwich; it was easy to make and full of protein.  I know that now that we've created this sandwich, our panini press will be getting a lot more use!

Cheesy Chicken Panini on Dill Pickle Bread

Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 slices Dill Pickle Bread
butter
1 chicken breast, cooked and sliced into strips
4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese

1.  Butter one side of each piece of bread.

2.  Place the buttered side of the bread down on a hot panini grill.

3.  Place half the chicken breast strips and two slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the bread.

4.  Top with another slice of bread, buttered side up.

5.  Repeat steps 2-4 to make the other sandwich.

6.  Close the panini grill and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.

7.  Remove the bread from the grill and slice in half.  Serve immediately.

This post contains affiliate links.

Dill Pickle Bread

This soft and moist white bread is made with pickle juice, giving it a unique and delicious flavor. It's perfect for sandwiches or eating plain!

By now it should come as no surprise to you that I love pickles!  I've told you before that my mom buys Mike and I a huge jar of pickles for Christmas each year.  We both often slice up a pickle and enjoy it for a snack.  And, when I talk about these pickles, I don't mean those little spears.  Oh no, we go for the full pickle!

A couple weeks ago, Mike suggested that I make pickle bread.  No I've made all kinds of breads, and a variety of pickle recipes, but I've never thought to combine the two.  I did a little looking around online and it doesn't seem to be a very popular concept...yet!  

The water in your traditional bread recipe is replaced with dill pickle juice.  A small amount of dill weed is added to the dough.  This dough baked up into a beautiful loaf of bread.  When I cut into it, I couldn't believe how soft it was.  One bite and I was hooked!  

I used this bread as the base for a delicious sandwich (which I'll be sharing with you in the near future!)  We also enjoyed the bread on its own.  I was surprised when two and three days later, the bread was just as fresh tasting as the day I made it.

If you're a fan of pickles, you'll want to make this bread!

Dill Pickle Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups dill pickle juice, warmed to 110 degrees
2 teaspoons yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 egg
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dill weed
3 cups flour

1.  In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm pickle juice, yeast, and sugar.  Stir gently and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, until the yeast blooms.

2.  Add the egg and olive oil and mix.

3.  Mix in the dill weed and flour to form a dough.

4.  Knead on medium speed for 5 minutes.

5.  Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

6.  Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a loaf.  Place in a greased 9x5" bread pan.

7.  Allow the dough to rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.

8.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow the bread to cool before removing from the pan and slicing.

Source:  Group Recipes

Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread

Bacon. Cheddar Cheese. Beer. Oh, and bread. Four ingredients to win the heart of any man, or woman!

This beer bread is definitely my favorite version I have made so far.  I took my basic beer bread recipe, which was already pretty amazing, and amped it up by adding in a generous amount of bacon and cheddar cheese.

Because bacon and cheese make everything better, am I right?

I served this bread with a generous bowl of chili, which coincidentally also has beer in it.  If you're a beer lover, you'll want to try this bread.  Actually, even if you're not, you'll want to try this bread.

I'm not a fan of beer, honestly, I can't stand the smell.  But there is just something about beer bread.  The alcohol and most of the beer flavor bakes out leaving you with a nutty and somewhat sweet bread.  Perfect for dipping in chili, slathering with butter, or (my favorite) as the best grilled cheese sandwich you'll ever have!

Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread

Makes one loaf, approximately 10 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) can beer
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.

2. Add beer and mix until combined.

3.  Stir in cheese and bacon.

4. Place dough in a greased bread pan.

5. Pour melted butter over dough.

6. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow the bread to cool before slicing.

Ciabatta Rolls

These homemade ciabatta rolls taste like something you would buy at a fancy bakery, but they're made right in your own kitchen!

Is there anything better than the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the house?  I think not!  If there was a fresh baked bread candle scent, I'd be first in line to buy it!

One of my favorite kinds of bread is ciabatta.  I love the crunchy exterior, and soft interior filled with holes, perfect for holding pools of melted butter.  I've made quite a few yeast breads before, but had never thought to try my hand at ciabatta until recently.

I don't know why I waited so long to make homemade ciabatta rolls!  The dough was unique, but actually quite easy to work with.  You will definitely need a stand mixer for this recipe as the dough is kneaded extensively and is extremely sticky.  You'll also want to be prepared with a floured surface and quick hands to transfer the dough when you cut the rolls.

These rolls were everything that I expected and then some!  They tasted like I had bought them from a fancy bakery, but I was proud to say I had made them myself.  They are delicious on their own, with a smear of butter and jam, or as the base for a tasty sandwich.  You'll have to stop back on Friday to see what I made with them...

Ciabatta Rolls

Makes 16 rolls

Ingredients:
For the biga:
1/2 cup warm water, 110 degrees
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 cup flour

For the ciabatta rolls:
2 cups + 2 Tablespoons warm water, 110 degrees
1 teaspoon yeast
Biga
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt

1.  The night before you want to make the ciabatta rolls, prepare the biga.  Dissolve the yeast in the water.  Add the flour and stir about 50 times to form a thick paste.  Cover and let the biga sit at room temperature at least 8 hours.  The biga should look soupy the next day.

2.  Dissolve the yeast into the water in the bowl of your stand mixer.

3.  Pour in the biga into the bowl and break it up with your hands or a spatula.

4.  Add all the flour and the salt.  Mix to form a dough.  Then allow the dough to sit for 15 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the water.

5.  Attach the dough hook to your mixer and knead the dough for 15-18 minutes at medium speed (5-6).  Keep an eye on your mixer as it has a tendency to move!  Also keep an eye on the dough: if it begins to climb up the dough hook, scrape it down and restart the mixer.  The dough will look smooth and glossy.  When you stop the mixer, it will probably puddle down into the bowl, rather than stay as a stiff dough.

6.  Cover the dough and let it rise for 2-3 hours, until tripled in bulk.

7.  Prepare your work surface for the dough by flouring it heavily.  The dough is extremely sticky, so you really can't over do it.  Pour the dough out of the bowl and onto the floured surface.  Try to pour it out to form a rectangle, but you can also carefully form the dough after your pour it out.  You want to handle the dough as little as possible so the bubbles don't deflate.

8.  Dust the top of the dough with more flour.  Using a pastry cutter or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 16 pieces.

9.  Carefully scoop the dough from your work surface and place on a parchment paper lined cooking sheet.

10.  Allow the dough to rise, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes.

11.  Bake rolls at 475 for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow the rolls to cool completely before slicing and eating.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  Rolls can also be frozen.

Source:  The Kitchn

Mozzarella Rolls {Flashback Friday}

Mozzarella Rolls are a delicious addition to your family's dinner. Add some chopped olives for a fun twist!

Life is crazy sometimes!  I'm in the middle of training an office assistant at work, and while it's a lot to train someone new, it will be a huge blessing to have someone to share the work load with (and allow me to only work part-time!)  It's a little crazy at the office now.  Add to that the ridiculous amount of snow that we have been getting, making travel difficult and causing lots of plans to change.  Oh, and the Internet going all wonky at our house (thus, no post on Wednesday).  And you have a recipe for a very hectic week.  From the looks of it, this weekend isn't going to be any different!

One of the things I loved most about my family growing up is that we had dinner time together.  It was a very rare occasion that we didn't all sit down to eat together at the same time.  Even in high school when my schedule was crazy busy, I don't remember many missed meals.  Family dinners are a chance for everyone to relax and unwind a little bit, chat about the day, and get connected before rushing off to do the next task.  Mike and I have actually started eating dinner at the table now (instead of in front of the TV) because Summer is starting some solids and able to join us.  I look forward to dinner time as a chance for us to really talk, especially now, without the distraction of the television.

These rolls are one of our favorite dinner components.  The dough is pretty versatile and the first time I made them, I added some chopped olives to Mike's rolls.  He declared them the best rolls he has ever had.  I've made them several times since that day and each time we've enjoyed them.  The last time I made these rolls, I rolled them into balls and baked them in a 9x13" pan, and allowed them to touch each other.  In the past, I baked them as a drop biscuit.  I noticed that baking them in the 9x13 pan took longer and the texture was flakier than the other way.  I served these along with a bowl of Cheesy Potato Soup.  They are the perfect addition to our family dinner time!

Get the recipe: Mozzarella Rolls

Monkey Bread

A sticky pull apart bread--the perfect breakfast to start your day!  It would make a delicious Christmas morning breakfast!

Not too long ago I realized that I have shared a couple variations of monkey bread but I have not shared the original version. It's about time to fix that don't you think?  (You'll want to check out my variations too though, Pumpkin Caramel Monkey Bread, Chocolate Brioche Monkey Bread and French Monkey Bread!)

Monkey Bread is one of my favorite breakfast foods. It's pretty simple to make and quite delicious. In fact, I made a pan for breakfast the day I went into labor with Summer. I only got to enjoy a small piece, but my friends who watched Champ for us were thrilled at the treat I left for them. Let's just say the pan was scraped clean by time we got home from the hospital.

If you have never had Monkey Bread before, you are missing out! The premise is simple: buttermilk biscuits rolled in cinnamon sugar, covered in a sticky syrup, and baked in a Bundt Pan . It is so simple to make and incredibly fun (and delicious) to eat. Sometimes I won't quarter the biscuits, then we call it Gorilla bread!

Monkey Bread

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
4 cans buttermilk biscuits
1 cup butter

1.  Combine sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

2.  Break biscuits into quarters.

3.  Roll biscuits in the cinnamon sugar.  (Sometimes I will put the cinnamon sugar in a ziploc bag, and add about 20 biscuit pieces.  Then I shake it up to coat the biscuits.)

4.  Place coated biscuits in a greased bundt pan.

5.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.

6.  Add the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture to the melted butter and stir to combine.

7.  Pour the sugar syrup evenly over the biscuits in the bundt pan.

8.  Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes, until the top biscuits are browned.

9.  Allow the monkey bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting on a serving plate.  Serve warm.  (You can also leave the bread in the pan to serve.)

Pumpkin Rolls

These pumpkin shaped dinner rolls are sure to be a hit at your Thanksgiving dinner!

A friend of mine just posted on Facebook that she heard a Christmas song on the radio this morning!  Have you heard Christmas music yet?  I haven't decided yet if I'm ready for Christmas music.  I love it, but Halloween was just a couple days ago and it's not even Thanksgiving yet.  Typically I start listening to Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving is such a special holiday and I think sometimes it get skipped over.  I went to the store the day after Halloween and saw Halloween costumes and candy on clearance in one aisle, and Christmas decorations in the next aisle.  Thanksgiving was nowhere to be found!  I'm one of many people on Facebook participating in the 30 days of Thankfulness; each day we post something we are thankful for as our status.  I think it's a good way to keep the focus on Thanksgiving!

So, I hope you don't mind, but rather than skip right to Christmas, I'll still be sharing some fall and Thanksgiving type recipes for the next couple weeks. 

These dinner rolls were a hit at our Thanksgiving dinner last year.  I made them using my favorite pretzel dough since our whole family was on a pretzel kick last fall.  You can use any roll dough as long as it holds its shape.  Using scissors, I cut little slits in a ball of dough and baked it.  As soon as the rolls came out of the oven, I stuck an almond in the middle as the stem.  Not only are these rolls delicious, they look gorgeous on your dinner table!

Pumpkin Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:
1 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees)
2-1/4 teaspoons yeast
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2-1/2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons baking soda
coarse sea salt (or pretzel salt)
butter for brushing on top
12 almonds

1.  Pour the warm milk into a large bowl and sprinkle with the yeast.  Let it sit for about 2 minutes.

2.  Mix in the brown sugar and 1 cup of flour.

3.  Melt the 2 Tablespoons of butter and stir into the mixture.

4.  Add the remaining flour and salt.  Mix to form a slightly sticky dough.

5.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky.

6.  Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place to rise until the dough doubles (about 1 hour). 

7.  Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

8.  Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll them into a ball.

9.  Using kitchen scissors, cut 6 1/2 inch slits around the dough ball, being sure to leave the center uncut.

10.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

11.  Bake rolls at 450 for 8-10 minutes, until golden.

12.  Remove rolls from the oven and brush with melted butter while hot. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

13.  Press an almond vertically into the center of each roll as the stem.

Shaping idea from: Beyond Kimchee

Breadsticks {Flashback Friday}

Buttery garlicky soft breadsticks--just like you'd get from a restaurant!

I have to admit, I think I was a little naive about how life would change after having a baby.  I remember having conversations with Mike while I was pregnant about how we could still do everything we typically do and life wouldn't change that much.  Wrong!

It's incredible how much life is affected by such a tiny little person!  While we still are able to do many of the things we would do, like go to the apple orchard, everything just takes a little more planning than it used to.  We have to plan our trips (even to the grocery store) around Summer's schedule.  We're following the Baby Wise Method, so at least her schedule is very predictable.  Then we have to make sure we have everything we might possibly need packed into the diaper bag.  Let's face it, I haven't been on time to anything since Summer was born!

Mike and I are going on our first date night since having our baby next weekend!  In the past 3 months, we haven't had much time to ourselves, so we are both looking forward to next Saturday.

That's where these breadsticks come in!  Since we haven't been able (okay, we've chosen not to) go to our favorite restaurant, I re-created one of our favorite meals at home.  Last week, I made chicken Alfredo and our favorite breadsticks at home.  Okay, I might have cheated a bit by using a rotisserie chicken and jarred Alfredo sauce, but I made homemade breadsticks!  These breadsticks are soft, buttery, and garlicky.  Everything I look for in a breadstick!  They're pretty simple to make, and you don't have to leave the comfort of your house to enjoy them!

Get the recipe:  Olive Garden Breadsticks

This post contains an affiliate link.

Caramel Apple Pull Apart Bread

This fall flavored pull apart bread is filled with apples and caramel.  It is a family favorite!

Are you a bargain shopper?  I totally am!  Ever since I began grocery shopping (even while still living with my parents) I have loved clipping coupons and hunting for the best possible deals.  And, I've snagged some great ones!  I've made it into a game for myself, always competing to get the best deal, and the highest percentage of savings (check out the time I saved 95%!)  While I don't spend as much time couponing as I used to (before Summer was born), I still enjoy searching out the best deals and getting that savings high.

So, that's why I am excited to tell you about my new affiliation with Eversave.  It's a daily deal site with some fantastic deals!  Since becoming a member a couple months ago, I have saved hundreds of dollars.  It's easy--just visit their website to check out the daily deals.  Then purchase the deal and check your email for the voucher.  They have something for everyone: I've purchased baby items, toys, canvas prints, even a vacation!  Plus, they have one of the best referral and rewards programs out there: for every new customer you refer, you receive a $10 credit, and if you simply share a deal after you purchase it, you receive a $2 credit.  Those credits add up and make the deals even better!

I'll be posting the daily deals on my Facebook page, so I hope that you will check it out!  The holiday season is quickly approaching, and think of how much money you can save.  Just an example: today's featured save is an Android Tablet and it is 83% off.  Or how about a 2 night vacation plus a restaurant gift card at a savings of 80%.  Plus, there are local deals based on where you leave.  Check it out today and start saving!

Okay, now let's talk about this bread.  Wow.  All the best flavors of fall packed into a bread pan.  Can it get any better?  I'd have to say no, especially if you base taste on how quickly something is eaten.  This loaf of bread lasted about 2 days in our house!

It may look complicated, but don't let the instructions scare you off.  This bread is pretty simple to make, though it can be time consuming because you need to wait for the dough to rise.  While the dough is rising, you can work on the caramel apple filling though, so the time passes rather quickly.  The caramel apple filling seeps between the pieces of the bread, ensuring that every bite is filled with the flavors of fall.  Then, the bread is topped off with a caramel apple icing.

This bread is fall in a loaf pan!

Pull Apart Cinnamon Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
For the dough:
2-3/4 cups flour, plus more if needed
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs

For the filling:
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the caramel filling:
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 apples, diced

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 Tablespoons apple cider
1 packet Duncan Hines Caramel Frosting Creations

1. In the bowl of your mixer, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

2.  In a small saucepan, combine the butter and milk and heat until the butter melts.  Set aside and cool until it reaches 115-120 degrees.

3.  Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla, and eggs to the flour mixture.  Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a dough forms.

4.   Add additional flour 1 Tablespoon at a time, as needed, until the dough pulls away from the edge of the bowl.  Continue kneading bread until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.

5.  Cover the dough and set it aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

6.  While the dough is rising, add butter to a small saucepan and melt. Set aside.

7.  Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside.

8.  Next, in a small saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons butter and add the brown sugar.  Cook until bubbly and the mixture begins to thicken.

9. Add the diced apples to the caramel mixture and set aside.

10.  When dough has risen, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and gently deflate.

11.  Roll dough into a ball, cover with a clean towel, and let it rest for 5 minutes.

12.  Roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12" by 20".

13.  Brush the dough with the melted butter.  Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture, be sure to use all of it. 

14.  Cut the dough length-wise into 4 long strips. 

15.  Stack those strips on top of each other and cut into 6 equal slices. 

16.  Stack all the slices on top of each other and place vertically in a greased bread pan.

17.  Pour the caramel apple mixture on top of the dough. Gently separate the pieces of dough to allow the caramel mixture to seep between the slices.

18.  Cover with a clean towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.

19.  Set the loaf pan on a cookie sheet (in case the caramel bubbles out of the pan). Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown. If the top is getting too dark before the bread is baked, cover with foil.

20.  Remove from oven and let the bread cool in the pan for 20 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the bread to loosen it from the pan and turn it onto a serving plate.

21.  While the bread is cooling, combine powdered sugar, milk, and Caramel Frosting Creations in a small bowl to make a thin icing.  Drizzle on top of bread after it has been turned onto the plate.

This post contains affiliate links.

Rolo Banana Bread

Chocolate and caramel in a banana bread?  Rolos have always been one of my favorite candies but until now, I had never thought to put them in a banana bread.  Thanks for sharing Chandra!



Hello! I am Chandra from The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen. I am guest posting for Melissa today while she spends some amazing time with her newborn baby!!! Today I am bringing you a really Yummy Banana Bread. Aldi had banana's for .10 a pound and I kinda went a little crazy! I wanted to make some fun and new twists on this classic bread. So I went ahead and threw in my Hubby's favorite candy, Rolos.
I love how easy banana bread is to whip up on the fly. I think that it is always a favorite for breakfast and brunch. Or if you are like me you get home from work and you are famished you can put away 3 slices in like no time at all!!! Really we all love traditional banana bread and sometimes we even put a few chocolate chips in the batter. So how do we take this tasty classic and give it a step up? We Chop Candy Bars Up and Bake Them in the Bread!!!! Hmmmmm Yum! All that melty chocolate and chewy Caramel........ This will certainly become a family favorite for you! I sent this home with my mother and she was quite pleased! I was a little worried when I first made it that the candy would pull the bread apart, but it worked perfectly! Sweet Dense Delicious Banana Bread! I think that I should bake up another loaf and send it to our New Mamma and her family. I am so glad that I got the opportunity to spend time with everyone today here at Melissa's Cuisine! I hope that you all continue to support Melissa and I would love to have you stop my blog sometimes too! This is a Plaid and Paisley Original Recipe

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups AP Flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking POWDER
1/2 tsp baking SODA
1/4 tsp salt
2 over ripe mashed bananas
1/3 cup butter softened
4 tbs milk
2 eggs
1 cup Rolo Candies, chopped in half

Instructions:
preheat oven to 350
in a mixer combine dry ingredients
then add banana, butter, milk and eggs
mix until batter forms and all ingredients are incorporated
gently fold in candies
in a well greased loaf pan pour the batter in
smooth batter out
bake for 55 min
cool in baking dish for 30 min then remove and cool on a rack
Enjoy!!

S'mores Banana Bread Cake

Are you a camper?  Growing up, camping was something we looked forward to every summer.  My family would typically spend a week camping in either Canada or Kentucky.  We'd also spend a couple weekends at local campgrounds.  And, if we took a vacation, we usually camped out instead of staying in a hotel.  It was a big deal for us when we finally upgraded from a tent to a pop-up camper!

Mike's family also enjoyed camping.  However, their version of camping was quite a bit more upscale than what I was used to!  They had a large trailer and would typically just go to local campgrounds.  Regardless, camping is something that both Mike and I love to do.

Mike's cousins have started a tradition of camping at a family campground each summer.  Last year and the year before, we were able to borrow Mike's parents' trailer and spend the weekend with everyone.  We had such a good time and made so many memories.  Mike and I own a tent and would love to go camping with a group of friends, but that's going to have to wait until next year...

One of my favorite things about camping is making s'mores.  It's just not camping unless you build a big fire, roast marshmallows, and put together a s'more.  There's just something about the golden brown marshmallow melting a big piece of chocolate between two graham crackers that I just love!  While I like traditional campfire s'mores, I also enjoy making other treats into s'mores.  (Like S'mores Puppy Chow, Mess-less S'mores, S'mores Bark...oh, I love s'mores!)

This time I decided to put a s'mores twist on banana bread.  This bread recipe is from my mom and it's my absolute favorite banana bread recipe.  I added a good amount of chocolate chips to the batter.  Then, once the bread was done baking, I topped it with a generous amount of marshmallows and put it under the broiler to roast the marshmallows.  The result was out of this world!

S'mores Banana Bread Cake

Serves 16

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1-1/2 cup mashed bananas (3-4 bananas)
1/3 cup water
1-2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows

1.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, and eggs.

2.  Mix in the bananas and water.

3.  Add in the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder and stir until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

4.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

5.  Pour the batter into a greased 8x8" cake pan.

6.  Bake at 350 for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

7.  Spread mini marshmallows on top of the cake immediately after it comes out of the oven.

8.  Place under the broiler for approximately 2 minutes, until the marshmallows are toasted.  Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn!

9.  Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing into it.

Cover and store at room temperature.

Greek Pitas

I love Greek food. I don't really know when my obsession started, but I know that given the choice, I could eat gyros and tzatziki almost every day!  Then throw in a couple days of pizza and I'm a happy camper!

Last year, a new restaurant opened in my hometown.  (It feels weird to call it my hometown when I live only 25 minutes away!)  They specialize in Greek and Mediterranean food.  Their portion sizes are huge and Mike and I love going there.  I remember commenting to Mike once that I wished we had a gyro restaurant closer to our house.  Then, I found out that we did!  It's a little building placed in a random spot (between two car lots), but the food is phenomenal!  We've gone a couple times and every time we drive by I try to get Mike to stop (most of the time I'm unsuccessful though!)

When I came across this recipe for Greek pitas, I knew I had to make them!  They look so incredible.  Now, these aren't the kind of pitas that have the pockets that you stuff, these are more like a flatbread.  They were easy to make and the perfect soft and chewy texture.  I cut up pieces of grilled Sweet & Spicy chicken, added some pickles and cheese, and folded that up in one of these pitas.  It was absolutely delicious! 

We had leftover pitas, so I stored them in the fridge so we could have them for lunch throughout the week.  I used two pitas like bread slices and packed a sandwich full of meat and cheese for Mike.  He said it was delicious and very filling.  I think these pitas would also make a delicious base for mini pizzas!

Since I've shared the main course with you so far this week (the chicken and these pitas), be sure to come back on Friday and I'll share dessert!

Greek Pitas

Makes 10 6" pitas

Ingredients:
1-1/8 cup warm water
2-1/4 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet)
2-1/3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt

1.  Pour the warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top.  Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes, until the yeast poofs up.

2.  Stir in the flour and salt and knead with the dough hook attachment for 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. 

3.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot to rise until double, about an hour.

4.  Punch the dough down and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.

5.  Divide the dough into 10 equal sized pieces. **

6.  Shape each dough piece into a ball and let them rest for 15 minutes.

7.  Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush the pan with oil if it's not a non-stick pan.

8.  Press each dough ball into a 6" disk.  I found it was easiest to flatten the ball between my palms and gently press it down with my fingers until a disk was formed.

9.  Place 2-3 dough disks on the hot skillet, being careful not to overcrowd.  (You may be able to fit more or less depending on the size of your pan).

10.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown on one side.  Then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the other side is golden brown as well.

11.  Place cooked pitas on a plate and cover with a towel to keep them warm (and soft).  Repeat steps 9 & 10 with remaining dough disks.

Serve the pitas warm.  Store leftovers in a Ziploc bag in the fridge.

**Note:  I thought the size of these pitas was quite small.  I would recommend making 6 10" pitas instead, but you can choose the size that fits your needs best.

Source: Soliloquy Of Food & Such

French Toast Rollups

I seem to have breakfast on the brain lately.  Have you seen my Pinterest account?  I think half of the recipes I pinned this week were for breakfasts!  Not to mention, I did post a breakfast recipe the other day.  Have you checked out my Biscuit Waffles yet?  They take just 10 minutes to make and they're so good!  Go ahead and check them out, I'll wait...

Okay, back to today's recipe.  I saw this idea when I was browsing my assigned blog for last month's Secret Recipe Club.  I didn't have time to make it before the posting date, but I knew I would have to soon!

The original recipe brought back memories of breakfasts when I was in Romania.  I remember waking up in the morning to the smell of fresh crepes baking.  When I came out of my room, the table was filled with homemade crepes and a jar of Nutella spread (or the Romanian equivalent) and fresh fruit.  We smeared Nutella on the crepes and rolled them up to eat.  I loved the breakfast so much, I think my hostess made it for me a couple times a week!

This recipe combines the idea of Nutella on crepes along with French Toast.  Really, how can you go wrong with that combination?  I decided to mix it up a little bit and do some of these with Nutella, others with Peanut Butter, and still others with homemade strawberry freezer jam.  I had a really difficult time choosing a favorite, but the sweetness of the Nutella really made those rolls stand out to me!

French Toast Rollups

Makes 12 (approximately 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

12 sandwich bread slices

Nutella, Peanut Butter, and/or Jam

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla.  Set aside.

2.  If desired, remove the crusts from the bread.  (I was lazy and left mine on.)  Using a rolling pin, flatten the bread.

3.  Spread Nutella (or your choice of filling) onto bread slices and roll up, pinching the seam to seal.

4.  Place 2 Tablespoons of butter into a skillet or frying pan and melt over medium heat.

5.  Dip the bread rolls in the egg mixture and place them in the frying pan.  I worked in batches of 6.

6.  Cook the rollups until golden brown, rolling them around as need to ensure even cooking (about 4 minutes total).

7.  Melt remaining butter and cook remaining rollups.

8.  Dust the rollups with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Source: Diethood

45 Minute Dinner Rolls

Homemade dinner rolls on a weeknight?  Who has time for that?  I'm here to tell you that you do!  Believe it or not, these fantastic rolls are ready to eat just 45 minutes after you begin making them!  Who doesn't love fresh made rolls with dinner?

I actually made these rolls not once, but twice last week.  The first time, I undercooked the rolls and although they tasted good, they were quite dense.  I blame my oven--it doesn't work correctly half the time, and I wanted to eat the rolls with dinner, not after all the other food was gone!  The second time I made the rolls I allowed for extra baking time, and they turned out perfectly!

The secret to these rolls is the large amount of yeast the recipe calls for.  Lots of yeast=shorter rise time.  Most of the 45 minute time frame for these rolls is spent proofing the yeast, letting the dough rise, and baking the rolls.  That means that you can focus on making the other aspects of your meal while the rolls are doing their thing.  Once you make these rolls, you'll want them every night!

45 Minute Dinner Rolls

 

Makes 12 rolls

 

Ingredients:

 

1 cup warm water

1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons yeast

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 egg

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

1.  Pour the warm water and olive oil into the bowl of your stand mixer, and sprinkle the yeast and sugar on top.  Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes.  The mixture will be very frothy when the time is up.

 

2.  Using the dough hook attachment, mix the egg, flour, and salt into the yeast mixture.  Begin on low speed and gradually increase the mixer speed once the flour is incorporated.  When the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball, you can stop mixing.

 

3.  Divide the dough into 12 equal balls and place in a greased 9x13" pan.  Allow the dough to rise for 10 minutes (I like to set the pan on top of my oven while it pre-heats so the dough gets some extra help to rise.)

 

4.  Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven), until the tops begin to turn golden brown.

 

5.  Remove from the oven and brush the tops of the buns with butter, if desired.  Serve warm.

 

Source: Crazy for Crust and Your Homebased Mom

Bunny Buns

Since Sunday, two of my friends have had three baby girls!  Yes, one of them had twins.  It's an exciting time for my group of friends right now as these are the first babies born of many due this year (myself included).  These precious new lives are just so exciting!

Spring seems to be the time of year that we all are thinking about new life.  When I took Champ outside this morning, I heard the sounds of spring--robins!  Flowers are starting to poke through the dirt (and some snow) in our yard.  Now, if only it could warm up a bit so it would feel like spring instead of just looking like it.

These bunny buns are the perfect spring bread, and they will make an excellent addition to your Easter dinner.  I made these this past weekend, as we had a pre-Easter dinner with Mike's family.  These buns were fun to make, and I was really impressed with how soft the dough was.  They require a minimal amount of rising time, and from start to finish, can be made in less than an hour!

Bunny Buns

Makes 14 buns

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

1 heaping Tablespoon yeast

5-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 cup butter, melted

1.  Pour milk into a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, until warm.

2.  Sprinkle the yeast on the warm milk and set it aside to proof while you mix the other ingredients.

3.  In the bowl of your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.

4.  Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

5.  Pour the milk and yeast mixer into the dough and mix using the dough attachment until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

6.  Divide the dough into 15 equal sized pieces.

7.  Roll each piece of dough into a long rope (like you're making pretzels).  Set aside 1 strip to use for the bunny tails.

8.  Form a bunny with each piece of dough by twisting the top of the dough together and leaving a "keyhole" at the bottom.  (See {cell phone} pictures below)

9.  Divide the reserved dough strip into 14 equal pieces and roll them into balls to use for the bunny tails.  Place the tails in the opening at the bottom of the buns. 

10.  Cover the bunnies with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

11.  Remove the plastic wrap and bake the buns at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown.

12.  Brush the hot rolls with melted butter after removing from the oven    

 

 

Source: Cooking with K

Also, I am participating in another great giveaway, and giving away a $15 Starbucks gift card!  Click on the button below to enter!

French Toast

Breakfast.  It's said to be the most important meal of the day.  It's certainly my favorite meal of the day.  One of the best parts about breakfast is that you can eat it any time of the day.  Breakfast for lunch?  Let's call it brunch.  Breakfast for dinner? How about some brinner?  Plus, the possibilities really are endless.  Breakfast foods are abundant: oatmeal, cereal, toast, english muffins, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, waffles, donuts, eggs, fruit and yogurt, muffins, french toast...

French toast.  Let's pause on that one.  It certainly ranks quite high on my list of favorite breakfasts.  It's right up there with pancakes and waffles.  Growing up, my mom always made sure that we had a substantial breakfast before heading off to school.  We had a routine and if I remember correctly, Tuesdays were French Toast day.  I always looked forward to Tuesday breakfasts.  And Saturday breakfasts because my parents went all out and we'd typically have pancakes or waffles with bacon. 

French toast is one of the easiest breakfasts to make.  Plus, it has a variety of your basic food groups and nutrients: grains, protein, calcium, fruit (if you choose), and sugar.  It can't get much better than starting your day off with sugar!

French Toast

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 loaf of French bread
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
powdered sugar
fruit
syrup

1.  Slice the French bread into 1 inch thick slices.

2.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together then eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon.

3.  Working one slice at a time, dip the bread into the egg mixture, flipping as needed to coat both sides.

4.  Place bread on a 350 degree griddle.  Cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side, until the bread is golden brown.

5.  Repeat process with remaining bread and egg mixture.  (You may end up with a couple extra slices of bread.)

Serve French toast with powdered sugar and fresh fruit, or syrup.  Leftovers freeze well, just place in a freezer bag and reheat in your toaster.