The Best Banana Bread

I found this recipe a little over a year ago, buried deep within the February 2013 issue of Bon Appetit. It was such a tiny article that if you blinked, you'd miss it. But somehow I managed to spot the "Julia's Banana Bread" title and something about how it was the world's best banana bread. I tore the recipe out, intent on making it as soon as possible.
Since then, I've probably made it a dozen times. My whole family loves this bread cake...I mean, they really love it. When that banana bread smell creeps out of the kitchen and begins permeating the house, I hear, "Mom, you're making that banana bread again?!".

The thing is, the deliciousness of this banana bread isn't the only reason I love making it. It's one of those perfectly easy and practical recipes. The kind, like a family pancake recipe, that you can easily memorize after only a few times making it, and it's ingredient list contains items you most likely always have on hand. Including the bain of my existence - those two lonely and bruised bananas that inevitably end up in the bottom of the fruit bowl every week, and look too beat up for anyone to bother eating. Sometimes they end up sliced and frozen for adding to a smoothie bag. Other times, they end up being baby food. But the best is when they end up in this bread!

Cranberry Hazelnut Bread

I've waited an entire year to make this recipe. It wasn't by choice either, or because I just never got around to it, or because I think cranberries should only be enjoyed in November. The problem was, cranberries are very difficult to find at any time of year other than this one. Not finding fresh cranberries at the market in August is something I would expect. But even frozen? Maybe it's just me, or where I live, but frozen cranberries are not something grocers stock around here off season (and by off-season, I mean anytime other than the Holidays). So when I finally saw fresh cranberries at the market, I grabbed some. Then I went to the freezer department and - lo and behold, they were there too! I grabbed a couple bags, and now I'm primed to bake with cranberries whenever the impulse strikes.

The thing is, cranberries are great all Winter long. Moreover, this Cranberry Hazelnut Bread is great all Winter long. I sampled this particular version at a family dinner about a year ago, and was surprised by how much I liked it. I couldn't place what it was I liked so much about it, until it occurred to me that it was the hazelnuts!
While pecans, or walnuts seem to be the more popular choice in most cranberry bread recipes, hazelnuts are by far the winner in my book. Even better if you leave them on the coarser side of "coarsely chopped".

I don't bake with hazelnuts much. For one, they're pricey, and two, they're a pain to peel. But with this recipe there's no need to be too particular about getting every inch of skin off. I used the method I usually use, which is to roast them and then rub the skins off with a dish towel. I would estimate that I managed to get about two thirds of the skins off this way.
If you'd like, you can try dampening the dish towel slightly. I've heard that does a good job as well. Or if you're really seeking perfection, you can try this method I found here, from Alice Medrich via an episode of Julia Child's cooking show.

Challah French Toast

Regardless of how much I have on my plate at the moment {and it's not French Toast}, I woke up determined to get this post delivered here in time for Mother's Day. I won't be lounging about, sleeping in, or being served breakfast in bed this year because we're heading off to Boston for a hockey tournament this weekend. If I were, this is what I'd be requesting.
Quite a few years back, when I was frazzled with a new baby and a toddler underfoot, all I wanted was to sleep in on Mother's Day. It was the one day of the year I could count on it - birthdays might land on a weekday, Mother's Day never does. It's strange to look back now and think about just how sleep deprived I really was. Sure, today there might still be a few sleep deprived moments here or there, but there was a time once when sleep was so elusive a concept, the mere thought of getting a full night of it was enough to bring me to tears. Tears of joy...and relief.

On one such Mother's Day, when all I wanted was to sleep, a little red-headed 3 year old tapped me awake at 7:00am to ask me what I wanted for breakfast in bed? So sweet, yet not what I had hoped would happen that early in the morning. As much as I tried, there was no going back to sleep. I ate my breakfast in bed and went about my day, the whole time wishing I had been granted that opportunity to sleep in, and disappointed when I realized I would probably have to wait another year for the chance.
It was that Mother's Day that breakfast in bed orders began being noted the night before, with specific, "do not wake until..." instructions.
Of course, now that my kids are getting older and I'm the one having to wake them up early, sleep isn't the number one Mother's Day request on my list. But I do still love breakfast in bed, and since both my boys love any opportunity they can get to make a mess in the kitchen, they're happy to oblige me.
I remember, as a child, French Toast being one of the first things I learned how to cook on my own. It's easier than waffles or pancakes, because the ingredient list is much smaller and the steps it takes to make, much less. In my case, it was made even easier by the {high tech for the day} griddle section that was built right into our stove at home.

I don't know what's at the top of your Mother's Day wish list, but if anyone should happen to ask you what you'd like for breakfast in bed, I recommend you request this. Happy Mother's Day!
Some other breakfast in bed choices Mom might like - Breakfast Quinoa with Berries & Bananas, Strawberry, Granola & Yogurt Parfaits, Savory & Sweet Waffles, Cherry Pecan Granola, Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Strawberry Ricotta Muffins, or Ricotta Pancakes

Savory & Sweet Waffles

When I saw this recipe in the most recent issue of Bon Appetit I was literally transfixed with the idea of making a batch. What had me so drawn to it, other than the fact that it was a recipe for Waffles filled with salty goodness, was that I knew it would be a perfect 'Breakfast for Dinner' meal. Of course, when I started making a batch and realized just how rich, salty and butter-loaded they were, I decided they would make a great once-a-year 'Breakfast for Dinner' option.
We do have a family waffle batter recipe, although I'm not the one who usually uses it. In our house - waffles are my husband's domain. We have a very antique waffle iron, which I believe he found at his parents house and quite frankly, I'm usually intimidated by the idea of using it. Plus, we store it in a spot that's not at all easy to access and it requires too much clean up for me to ever bother with. So, I'm perfectly fine with the waffles being his thing.

However, this recipe motivated me to lug out the dinosaur iron and get to work making some savory {yet sweet} waffles. Our standard waffle recipe does contain about half the butter this recipe does - but I'm also fairly certain it makes about half as many waffles.
The thing is, there's a reason waffles use so much butter {or oil} - when compared to let's say, pancake batter. Aside from the fact that it makes them taste so mind-blowingly delicious, it also helps the waffles puff up light and airy inside and crispy on the outside.

Some changes I made to the original recipe, which I will share with you should you decide to do the same are...
I didn't have any buttermilk so I whipped up an at home substitution. If you ever find yourself in the same predicament, combine 1 tablespoon white vinegar {or lemon juice} with 1 cup of milk. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before using, then measure out the quantity you need for the recipe.
I also decided to omit the sugar from the original recipe...mostly because I wanted to see what 'savory' waffles would be like and I knew that serving these waffles with maple syrup would make them plenty sweet enough. In my opinion, they were perfect without it. 

One thing I love about adding the flavor additions in at the end {instead of adding them into the batter itself} is that I have control over what I add to each person's batch or whether I add anything at all. So, for folks who may have a picky eater at home, you can easily make a batch of plain waffles for them. I did this for one of my boys and they were perfectly sweet enough using just the maple syrup.
I also didn't bother with measuring the savory additions {in this case, I used sliced & diced 'black forest smoked' ham and shredded cheddar cheese}. I used yellow cheese because that's what I had on hand and honestly, there's not enough of a difference between the two to warrant a trip to the store.

I thought the smoked ham was perfection and the cheese adds a little touch of creamy saltiness. In fact, I would call these waffles insanely good and I hope you'll try a batch next time you want to show people just want an amazing cook you are! Enjoy!
Some other breakfast or 'Breakfast for Dinner' options you might like - Ricotta Pancakes | Ham & Asparagus Strata | Penne Frittata | Skillet Eggs & Potatoes

Strawberry Ricotta Muffins

This past weekend the DH took the guys out for a bike ride. They were back at the house in about 5 minutes. Why? Because my 6 year old couldn't keep up & got worn out. His older brother went back out with his Dad & he was very discouraged. I told him, chin up...let's go bake something! I had it in my mind I wanted to bake something that day anyway. It was rainy & cold. Perfect weather to turn the oven on.
When they're both in the kitchen with me, there's always fights over who gets to measure this, who gets to pour this. So, every once in awhile, if I get the chance to cook with one of them alone, it's a nice treat.
These muffins were the fruits of our labor. It was one of those times where I looked at what I had in the fridge...some fresh strawberries that had about a day left before they had to be eaten, a half a container of ricotta, which I didn't want to throw out. So, I thought...ricotta? strawberries? What could we make?
Thankfully, Google is always available for instances like these & we found this recipe. It's a variation on a Dorie Greenspan recipe, called Ricotta-Berry Muffins, in which she recommends using any berries you'd like, except strawberries...as they're too juicy.
But, then I found this version, that uses strawberries & is successful doing so because she dehydrates them first. Perfect! That's what we did...

Irish Brown Bread

Finding a recipe for authentic arán sóide {Irish brown bread, or soda bread}, is such a complicated endeavour. It seems that no one agrees on exactly what constitutes "authentic". Some say that traditional Irish soda bread should contain only 4 ingredients...flour, baking soda, salt & soured milk {or buttermilk}. Yet, in many recipes you will find lots of extras. Things like, wheat germ, oat bran, oatmeal, sugar, molasses, brown sugar, yogurt, butter & many more...
There also seems to be as many varying names as there are ingredients. I've seen it called Brown Bread, Wheaten Bread, Whole Wheat Soda Bread, Irish Soda Bread, Wholemeal Soda Bread, White Soda Bread, Farl...the list goes on.
In America, Irish soda bread typically contains caraway seeds & raisins. It also contains some sort of sweetener & tastes more like a dessert, than a bread. I grew up eating the American version & I do love it. In fact, I made a version of it here, a few years back. If you want a great "American" soda bread recipe, I highly recommend it!
This year, I wanted to try a more rustic, real Irish version of it. I found so many different recipes, my head was spinning. In the end, I made my own! I took a little from here, a little from there & developed my own recipe. I definitely did not want it sweet, so I nixed any recipes with sugar, or any sweetener. I saw many recipes that included "cut in" butter & that method intrigued me, as I thought it would make a flakier bread. I also liked the idea of adding in some oats, for the texture & appearance of the finished loaf. In the end, the entire family was very happy with the results. It was devoured within an hour. Both my boys went on & on about how good it was...begging me to please make it again on Thursday!
If I happen to have any readers in Ireland, please let me know how I did?

Buttermilk Biscuits

Mmmm. I love biscuits. I have tried dozens of recipes over the years & so far I'm really loving this one. With Autumn upon us, and soup, stew & chili season beginning, I thought now would be a good time to whip up a batch. We've been sick here the past week, so I made a big pot of chicken soup yesterday. These were perfect on the side.
I've read before that when you are baking biscuits, it's best to have them positioned on the baking sheet so that they're touching. Then when they're baked, they form into a big sheet of biscuits, that can be torn apart before eating. This helps them stay moist. So, I tried this technique & it worked well.
Another way to keep them flaky & soft all the way through, is to not over mix the dough. Over mixing will make them tough & give them a texture similar to a hockey puck...so, don't do that.

Ricotta Pancakes

When my kids were smaller, we had a regular weekend ritual of making pancakes. Now, with crazy sports schedules, we don't have very many lazy weekend mornings.
We made these pancakes for Father's Day a few weeks ago. I wanted to try something new & this recipe was on my list of things to try. They are super light & fluffy, with a texture unlike any pancakes I've made before. Everyone loved them! They require a bit more effort than regular pancakes. But, that's what makes them perfect for special occasions, like Father's Day.

Sage & Honey Cornbread

Making cornbread from scratch is only marginally more difficult than making it from a boxed mix. And, while I do love me some Jiffy, I thought I would change things up & try some homemade. I was drawn to this recipe in particular because I could use my new cast iron skillet, it had the word "honey" in the title & I thought the addition of sage might be interesting.
I have to say that straight out of the oven, I questioned the sage, as it was quite overpowering. But, as it cooled, the flavor chilled out just enough that I really liked it. You can leave it out, if you wish. It would also probably be great with some thyme, or rosemary as well.

Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I saw this recipe in an article from Mother's Day, back in May. Why do I now decide to make them? When it's the week of Thanksgiving & I have a million other things to think about cooking? Maybe it's the jar of poppy seeds that's been sitting in my fridge, calling out to be used up. Or, maybe it's just that I felt like it.
These itty bitty muffins are super easy, irresistibly cute & the Bozos loved them.

Brown Butter Soda Bread

This evening, I am making the traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner of corned beef & cabbage. It's my first time attempting it, as we usually go to my Mom's house for the holiday. I won't be documenting the meal, due to the fact that we will be eating late. But, I did make the bread early enough to share that!
My Mom makes the best Irish soda bread. We've already had quite a bit of it over the past few days. She makes hers with raisins. And if there are raisins in anything, I can be guaranteed that the Bozo's will go no where near it.
Irish soda bread is an American tradition. It's typically made with raisins & caraway seeds. Ironically, they don't make Irish soda bread in Ireland...there, it's called Brown bread & has neither of those ingredients in it. I am hoping the Bozo's will eat it, as I see very little corned beef & cabbage being ingested by them tonight.

Date Nut Spice Bread

I am hosting a Baby shower tomorrow for my sister, Emily.
This is one of the things I made for the party. It should have the word orange somewhere in the title, because it is very orange-y.
In a good way.
It's a *BF* recipe. The new term that my sister's have assigned to my favorite cookbook author.

Start by getting a few things ready.
Bring 1/2 stick of unsalted butter to room temperature.
Zest 2 oranges.

Place in a small bowl,

and add one egg,

and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Set aside for now.

Next, juice 3-4 oranges,

or until you have 3/4 cup.

Then you'll need 13-14 ounces of pitted dates,

roughly chopped.

Put the dates in a bowl & add 1/3 cup of Triple Sec.

Mix to combine & set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes.

Next, coarsely chop 3/4 cup of pecans.

Preheat the oven to 350.
Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a loaf pan.

Butter the bottom of the pan,

& place the parchment paper into the bottom.

Grease on top of the paper & up the sides of the pan.

Then dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Put 2 cup of flour in a medium mixing bowl.

Add 2 teaspoons baking powder,

1/2 teaspoon baking soda,

1 teaspoon of cinnamon,

1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg,

1 teaspoon of kosher salt,

and a 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves.

Whisk to combine.

Put the butter & 3/4 cup of lightly packed light brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment,

& beat for about 1 minute on medium speed.

Add the egg, vanilla, orange zest mixture & beat to incorporate.

Add the flour mixture in small batches,

alternating with the orange juice.

Scrape down the sides after each addition.

Remove the bowl from the mixer & add the pecans, dates & any liquid & mix by hand,

until combined.

Pour into the loaf pan & smooth out the top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan & cool completely.

Slice & serve with cream cheese.