Banana Cream Cheese Bread

 Banana Cream Cheese Bread

I love fresh baked banana bread, don't you?  I love to bake it and serve it warm just out of the oven with a nice hot cup of coffee or tea. I love to make it as gifts too and my friends just love it.  I also love cheesecake and decided what could be better than banana bread with a cheesecake-like filling.....well nothing!  Nothing could be better! This is a keeper my friends!   You've gotta try it! 

BANANA CHEESECAKE BREAD

1 large egg

½ cup light brown sugar (packed)

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup sour cream 

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large ripe bananas mashed (about 1 cup)

1 cup bread flour

½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Filling

1 large egg

6 ounces cream cheese

⅓ cup sugar

2½ tablespoons all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan and flour, set aside.  In a large bowl mix all filling ingredients using hand mixer or whisk, and set to side.

In another large bowl mix together egg, sugar, oil, sour cream, and vanilla, and using a hand mixer, mix until smooth. Add bananas and stir to incorporate.

In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently stir the dry mix to the wet, folding it in and stirring until just combined, don't over mix. Put about ⅔ of the bread mixture into prepared loaf pan. Put filling mixture over top, and carefully smooth over with a spatula. Top with remaining bread mix and smooth over the top.

Bake about 50 minutes, until top is golden, and center is set. Allow bread to cool for 10-15 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack. Serve warm, chilled or at room temperature.
























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Banana Pudding Cake

Banana Pudding Cake

Light and airy and cold and refreshing…. That’s how I describe this cake. I love the cold pudding and the whipped cream that makes this cake as light as air. It’s a cross between banana pudding and banana cream pie and I just love it! So will you!  

Banana Pudding Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

3 overripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup oil

3 eggs

Topping

1 5.1 ounce box of banana instant pudding mix

2 cups cold whole milk

1/4 cup vanilla wafers, crushed

3 ripe bananas

2 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

*NOTE:  You can also use Cool Whip for your topping or even canned whipped cream.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Using a fork, smash the bananas until soft.  Add two eggs.

Combine the rest of the cake ingredients on top of bananas and eggs and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

 

Pour cake batter into a well-greased 9 x 13 cake pan.  You can use non-stick cooking spray if you like.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  I like to press my palm down lightly in the center of the cake and if it bounces back, the cake is done.

Cool cake completely, then use a round wooden spoon handle to poke holes all over the cake about an inch apart. You want to make sure your cake is cool before you do this or it will crumble.

 

Combine pudding mix and milk and whisk for 2 minutes. You pudding should be pourable, if not add a little more milk.  Quickly pour pudding over the cake, getting as much as you can into the holes.

Cover cake and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 

Place vanilla wafers in a bag and crush with a rolling pin. Set aside.

Whip cream till soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat till well mixed.  Again, you can use Cool Whip or canned whipped cream for the topping.  You will be topping each piece of the cake just before you serve it. 

To serve, cut cake into squares. Top with sliced bananas, whipped cream, and crushed vanilla wafers. 

Store cake in the refrigerator covered with foil.  Refrigerate any leftovers and top only as you serve each piece.

 

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Peach Dump Cake

Peach Dump Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember a few years ago when I saw a recipe for “Dump Cake” for the first time.  I remember saying, “No way!  Only 3 ingredients and 3 minutes to make?”  How can that be?  Now I make dump cakes all the time and in all different flavors.  I would love to meet the person that came up with this recipe because it makes coming up with a delicious dessert so easy and I have never met a dump cake I didn’t like.  You will be fascinated by this simple recipe and how good it is! 

 Peach Dump Cake

 1 (30-oz.) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup (or two 15 oz)

1 box vanilla (white) cake mix

1 stick butter, cut into thin slices 

Ice cream, for serving

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 in baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. 

Dump the peaches along with the syrup into the bottom of the baking dish and spread out evenly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sprinkle handfuls of the cake mix over the peaches, making sure you cover them completely in an even layer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place the pats of butter all over the top of the cake mix. I usually get about 16-20 pats of butter. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake until fruit is bubbly and cake is cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve warm topped with ice cream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Variations of the Dump Cake can be whatever you come up with.  I have made Cherry Chocolate Dump cake using cans of cherry pie filling and chocolate cake mix.  Make it the exact same way as above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've made Blueberry dump cake using a white vanilla cake mix and cans of blueberry pie filling.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've have made cherry pie filling and apple pie filling with yellow cake mix.  The sky’s the limit.  Have fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eggs Benedict

 

I love Eggs Benedict. I would order it whenever we went out to eat because I was always afraid of all those steps I thought it took and how complicated it might be.  But once I realized just how easy it was to make and how often I could have it for breakfast, I never ordered it in a restaurant again.  So easy and so good!

1.25-ounce envelope Hollandaise sauce mix

Or, prepare homemade Hollandaise sauce from scratch.

Hollandaise Sauce

4 egg yolks

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)

Pinch cayenne

Pinch salt 

 

 

Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. 

 

















Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

Eggs Benedict

8 slices Canadian bacon

2 teaspoons white vinegar

8 large eggs

4 English muffins

2 tablespoons butter

Cook Canadian bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Set aside.

 















Fill non-stick skillet with water, about 3/4 full; add vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Break eggs, one at a time into a saucer; slide each egg into simmering water, no more than 4 at a time.

 

 

 

Cook 3 minutes or until eggs are set. Eggs are done when whites become opaque and yolks lose their shine. Repeat with remaining eggs. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon. You can keep eggs on a paper towel-lined plate until you are ready to assemble. While eggs are cooking, split and toast the English muffins. Once toasted, butter lightly.

To assemble, place two English muffin halves on a plate. Top each half with a slice of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. 

 


















Pour Hollandaise over the top and serve immediately.  Some like to add hot sauce. Feel free to add whatever you like.  For a tasty variation, add a colorful slice of tomato or avocado underneath the poached eggs.

 

 

So easy to make and so good!  I could eat this every single day!

 

Egg and Ricotta Ravioli

Egg and Ricotta Ravioli

This is one of those recipes that will take some practice to reach perfection.  But when you finally get it you will feel a great sense of accomplishment.  It’s one of the more difficult recipes to make in the culinary world but a true test patience and persistence.  Love these for breakfast and as appetizers. They are always a real crowd pleaser.  They are really not hard to make once you get the hang of it.  And oh my goodness, they are absolutely delicious!  Try it!  Take a picture and go to the fan club group and let me know in the fan club how yours egg ravioli turned out! 

Egg and Ricotta Ravioli

1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated

16 round gyoza skins (pot sticker wrappers)

8 unbroken egg yolks (save the whites for another time)

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

4 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

Combine the ricotta cheese, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper, and the Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  Roll each wrapper to 4 inches in diameter; set aside 8 wrappers.

Divide ricotta mixture into 8 portions (about 1 tablespoon each). Place a small portion in the center of each of 8 skins. Make a well about 1 1/2 inches wide (about the diameter of a large egg yolk) in the center of each portion using the back of a tablespoon. 

Carefully place 1 yolk (without breaking) in each well. Brush the edge of each wrapper with the egg white.

Next, carefully cover each egg yolk with another wrapper, gently pressing the edges firmly between your thumb and forefinger to seal ravioli tightly.

Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil; carefully drop each ravioli into water. Cook 2 1/2 minutes or until dough is cooked and yolk is cooked but still runny.  

  

Remove each ravioli with a slotted spoon to a small plate. Sprinkle with chives and additional lemon rind, if desired. Serve immediately.

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