Nicole

Jammin’ Jamaican Banana Bread

August 6, 2010 Nicole

This is a fun variation of a banana bread recipe. Banana definitely takes a back burner to the citrus flavors. The lime, lemon, and the rum, are the flavors that pop out. The brown sugared coconut on top complete this bread.

This is an excellent summer treat! Add a margarita and what more could you ask for?

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup banana, mashed and over ripe
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons dark rum (or rum flavoring)
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup flaked coconut

Glaze:

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons dark rum (or rum flavoring)
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
2 tablespoons flaked coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly grease loaf pan.

2. Beat together 2 tablespoons of softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. Slowly beat in sugar until well combined. Add the egg and mix well.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

4. In a different bowl, mix together the bananas, milk, 2 tablespoons rum, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract; stir well.

5. Pour 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter and mix well. Mix in 1/2 of the mashed bananas. Continue with another 1/3 of the flour, followed by the remaining banana mixture, and finally the remaining flour. Fold in 1/4 cup pecans and 1/4 cup coconut flakes.

6. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about one hour. When finished, cool for 10 minutes in the pan, remove, and finish cooling on a wire rack.

7. After you take the banana bread out of the oven, prepare the topping by stirring together the brown sugar, remaining butter, lime juice, and 2 teaspoons of rum in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly; cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about one minute. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 tablespoons pecans, and 2 tablespoons coconut. Spoon this topping over the loaf while still warm. The topping will harden slightly when the loaf cools.

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Recipes

Sweet Corn Cakes

August 5, 2010 Nicole

This is one of my husband’s favorite side dishes. It’s one of those recipes that have to be doubled because he loves it that much. It’s very good. The first time I had it was at a restaurant in Dallas called Don Pablo’s. This recipe is actually a copy of Chi Chi’s Sweet Corn Cakes.

I do not like Chi Chi’s, but I love their sweet corn cakes. I ate at one of their locations when I was visiting Baltimore, but I didn’t like it at all. I guess when you come from the land of Tex-Mex Chi Chi’s is nothing special.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup masa harina
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Blend butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until creamy.

3. Add the masa harina and water to the butter and beat until well combined.

4. Add defrosted corn into blender or food processor and with short pulses, coarsley chop the corn on low speed. It is important to leave several whole pieces of corn.

5. Stir the chopped corn into the butter and masa harina mixture. Add cornmeal to the mixture and combine.

6. In another medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder. When the ingredients are well blended, pour the mixture into the other bowl and stir everything together.

7. Pour corn batter into an ungreased “8×8” baking pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Place this pan into a “9×13” pan filled 1/3 of the way up with hot water. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the corn cake is cooked through. When the corn cake is done, remove the small pan from the larger pan and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

8. To serve, scoop out each portion with an ice cream scoop or rounded spoon.

Recipes

Chimichanga Casserole

July 27, 2010 Nicole

This recipe is easy, delicious, and budget friendly!! What more can you ask for? On those nights when you don’t have time to make a big dinner this is a recipe for you. This is also a great make a head freezer meal. My friend Michelle also uses it for OAMC (One a Month Cooking) It’s also very adaptable because you could add chicken, beef, beans… you name it. I love the versatility.

Ingredients:

1 package (2 1/2 pounds) frozen chimichangas (I use El Monterey)

1 cup milk

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of mushroom soup

1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Coat a 13x9x2 baking dish with non-stick spray

Add chimichangas cutting to fit in a tight single layer (I bake them frozen but you can defrost them to cut and place the remainder of the bag in the pan)

In a medium size bowl, mix together milk, soup, and 1 cup of the cheese

Pour mixture evenly over the chicken and the burritos

Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins (More or less depending on if you defrost them prior to baking)

Recipes

Not Your Everyday Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

July 26, 2010 Nicole

I love grilled cheese. To me it is a catchall meal. When I am running short on time, it makes a great lunch, or dinner. When I am running low on food in the house, and I don’t want to run to the store I can always enjoy a great grilled cheese…assuming we have cheese and bread. It also makes a great side to a nice bowl of soup. I like to try new variations of your classic grilled cheese sandwiches. Here are a few of my favorites.

Recipes

Mom’s Fried Rice Recipe

July 20, 2010 Nicole

To my surprise this was a pretty good recipe. I didn’t have high hopes for it. I was in a hurry, and I tried to hurry it along. My mistake was I used Basmati rice verses using regular white or brown rice. The Basmati got sticky, and turned into glue. That was a mistake on my part, not the recipes. This recipe went well with my Korean Barbeque Fried Chicken recipe.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 egg, beaten
8 bacon strips, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
8 green onions, thinly sliced
3 cups leftover cooked rice
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pour egg into the pan. As egg sets, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. When egg is completely cooked, remove to a plate. Set aside.

In the same skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Saute mushrooms and onions in the drippings. Stir in the rice, bean sprouts, peas, soy sauce and bacon. Chop egg into small pieces; stir into the pan and heat through. Yield: 4 servings. Here is the original recipe