Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts - YUMMY!

Since I'm still sick and not feeling very creative... Another recipe for you to enjoy!

BANANA BREAD WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS AND WALNUTS


1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate chips and walnuts in small bowl; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture and toss to coat.

Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat in flour mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Cover with remaining batter. Run knife through batter in zigzag pattern.

Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool.

Makes one 9-inch loaf

BEST gingerbread cookies I've ever had

Ginger-Toffee Cookies
Source: Cooking.com
Makes 24

These soft, spicy and assertive cookies are loaded with toffee bits and crystallized ginger. Rolling them in turbinado sugar gives them a crunchy outside.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1 large egg

3 tablespoons dark robust-flavored molasses (do not use blackstrap)

1/2 cup toffee bits

1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger


1 cup turbinado sugar (raw sugar)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 large (16x14-inch) baking sheets.
Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended, about 1 minute. Add egg and molasses; beat until well blended (do not over beat). Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until blended. Mix in toffee and crystallized ginger. Chill dough 1 hour.
Place turbinado sugar in shallow bowl. Using hands, shape dough into 24 balls, each about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Roll each dough ball in turbinado sugar, coating completely. Place 12 balls on each prepared sheet, spacing evenly apart. Bake cookies 8 minutes. Reverse cookie sheets and continue baking until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 8 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)
Recipe created exclusively for Cooking.com by Sarah Taverner.

Shepard's Pie Recipe

For my first real post I thought I would share a delicious recipe for Shepard's Pie that the hubby stumbled across somewhere out there on the internet. It serves 4 and is great with a nice red wine. We usually leave out the peas, because D hates them. Let me know if you try it and like it!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound ground beef, extra lean
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces baby carrots -- diced
8 ounces mushrooms -- sliced
1 cup celery -- diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 small onion -- diced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine or beef broth
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 pound potatoes -- peeled and cubed
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese -- shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:

Add potatoes to boiling water. Cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. In a separate pan cook carrots in boiling water. Drain. Mash potatoes with sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt and white pepper. Add olive oil to large frying pan and heat. Cook beef, onions, mushrooms and garlic until no pink remains in beef and vegetables are softened. Add carrots, peas, celery and corn. Cook until vegetables are softened. Mix cornstarch and wine. Add to beef and vegetables. Add Dijon mustard, seasoned salt, seasoned pepper and allspice. Mix well and cook until gravy has thickened. Put meat and vegetable mixture in a 2 quart casserole. Cover with mashed potatoes. Bake uncovered at 325 F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Welcome

In the slim chance that anyone is actually reading this blog... Welcome!
I'm guessing if you read this you already know me, either in person or from twitter (jsegarrison) or facebook. So, thanks for stopping by!

I hope that you will add stuff to this blog too -- feel free to send me recipes and other things you think people might enjoy.