Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

My family loves banana bread, so when I found this recipe for yummy banana bread, with a twist, I was really happy. This recipe comes from Cooking Light and the only change I made is suggesting some substitutions for the rum. I hope you'll love this banana bread with a hint of lime & coconut as much as we do!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 Tablespoons dark rum (or substitute rum extract or milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum (or rum extract or milk), and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. 

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Check at about 35 to 40 minutes and cover with a tin foil tent to prevent over-browning, if necessary. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. 

Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.1 loaf makes 16 slices.

Nutritional Info: Each slice provides: 193 calories, 4.6 grams fat, 2.9 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrate, 1.1 grams fiber, 35 mg. cholesterol and 179 mg. sodium.

Favorite French Bread

 Even if you don't make yeast bread often, this recipe is so easy! The dough is easier to work with than any I've tried and the bread bakes up fluffy and soft. I've included directions for using a stand mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid or Bosch) and for hand mixing. My Mom made this bread often when we were younger and it's still a favorite! I made several batches for Christmas gifts this year for neighbors. Recipe from our relative, Winnifred Jardine.

2 1/4 cups warm water (115 degrees F.)
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 packages (1 Tablespoon each) active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons soft shortening or oil
6 cups flour, stirred & measured

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and sugar (I used my stand mixer). Sprinkle yeast over top; allow to soften. Add salt, shortening (or oil) and 3 cups flour; beat well. Add remaining flour, stirring well with a heavy spoon (or the dough hook attachment on a stand mixer). Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes; stir down with spoon (or mix on low speed for a couple seconds with a stand mixer). Repeat this process until dough has been stirred down 5 times.

Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle baking sheet lightly with cornmeal. Set aside.

Turn dough out onto floured board; knead 2-3 times to coat dough with flour so it can be handled. Divide dough into 2 parts. Roll each part of the dough into a  9 x 12 inch rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from the long side and pinch the end of the loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on the prepared baking sheet, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with the second part of the dough. Cover loaves lightly and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a very sharp knife, cut several gashes at an angle in the top of each loaf. Carefully brush both loaves with an egg wash (1 egg, beaten slightly with 1 Tablespoon water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on racks.

NOTE: For a crustier loaf, a pan of hot water may be set on bottom of the pan while bread is baking.

Christmas Potpourri

Some sweet ladies at church today handed me a beautiful cellophane bag, tied with a festive ribbon. Inside was this fragrant concoction. When I returned home, I immediately added it to water and simmered it on my stove and within minutes, my whole house smelled like Christmas. Delicious!!! I really wish I would've taken a photo of the potpourri before I simmered it, but I was too impatient, I guess!

My Mom would often simmer some cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice in a little water on the stove at Christmas and the spicy scent just makes me think of home. Usually, she was preparing her yummy Wassail for a party, but this potpourri would make a unique, (calorie and fat-free!) gift for friends, neighbors or kids' teachers for the holidays.

It does require 3-4 days preparation for the orange peel to dry, so plan accordingly:)

Fresh orange peel (a hand full)

3 cinnamon sticks

12 allspice berries

3 whole star anise

8 whole cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 bay leaves

1. Tear orange peel into small pieces. Cover with a paper towel and dry completely for 3-4 days. 
2. Add all other ingredients to dried orange peel in a cellophane bag and it's ready to use yourself or to give as a gift!

TO USE: Add potpourri to 2 cups water and simmer in a saucepan. May be refrigerated and re-used.

Sand Art Brownies

 My oldest daughter made this brownie jar for Father's Day in her church Activity Days recently. We thought the gift of the beautiful jar was a cute idea, but then we made and tasted the brownies and... YUM! Recipe from Monica Torpy.

Layer in a large mason jar:

1. 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2. 3/4 tsp. salt
3. 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5. 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
6. 2/3 cup white sugar
7. 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
8. 1/2 cup white (vanilla) baking chips

Directions to make brownies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175° C). Grease a 9 x 9" square baking dish. Pour the contents of the jar into a large bowl and mix well. Stir in:

1. 1 tsp. vanilla
2. 2/3 cup vegetable oil
3. 3 eggs

Mix until just combined, then pour into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Serves 12.

Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods

Here's another fun goodie to make for neighbors and friends for the holidays... or just because! 

          1-2 bags pretzel rods
          1 (24 oz.) package chocolate (or white) almond bark
                (Can substitute 1 bag of white or milk chocolate chips, melted with 2 Tbs. vegetable shortening or oil)

Optional caramel layer:
          1 bag Kraft caramels, unwrapped and melted

Optional toppings:
          Candy Canes, crushed
          Coconut
          Nuts, chopped
          Mini M & Ms
          Oreos or graham crackers, crushed
          Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips, chopped
          Sprinkles or non-pareils

Drizzles:
          Chocolate (chips, mixed with a little shortening or oil, almond bark or baking discs for melting)

Lay out parchment paper on the counter or a cookie sheet. If doing a caramel layer, melt the caramel at short intervals (30-40 seconds) and stir in between heating until smooth. Pour melted caramel into a tall glass and dip pretzel rods, leaving a few inches of pretzel at the bottom. Hold upside-down over the glass until caramel stops dripping and wipe any drips on the cup. Set on parchment paper until set.

Next, melt chocolate at short intervals (30-40 seconds) and stir in between heating until smooth. Be careful not to overheat chocolate, or it will clump and burn. Pour melted chocolate into a tall glass and dip pretzel rods, holding upside-down until excess chocolate has stopped dripping.

Immediately roll in any toppings and set on parchment paper to set. After the chocolate layer is set, dip a fork into warm melted chocolate and drizzle the pretzels, if desired. Let pretzels sit until completely set. These can be wrapped up in gift bags, placed in a fun vase or tin or served on a plate!

Easy Pretzel Turtles

This year, I found this super easy recipe that I think will be a new tradition for our holiday baking! My daughter loved making them and we all love eating them. They are so easy and delicious and with chocolate drizzled on top, they look elegant. 

1 bag Rolo candies, unwrapped (about 50)
Mini pretzel squares or traditional mini pretzels (about 50)
Pecan halves (about 50)

Optional: White chocolate chips or White chocolate/ Candy Cane candy disc melts

Preheat oven to 300 F°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Arrange pretzels in a single layer on the cookie sheet and top each pretzel with a Rolo. Bake in oven for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and press a pecan half onto each melted Rolo-covered pretzel.

If desired, melt about 1/2 cup of white chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave, heating and stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Pour into a small plastic bag and cut off a small bit of one corner. Squeeze the bag of chocolate as you drizzle over the pretzels to make small parallel lines on top. Let candies sit on the counter for about an hour or refrigerate for about 25 minutes to set the chocolate. Store in an airtight container or place in mini baking cups to serve. Makes about 50 Pretzel Turtles.