Banana Oat Muffins

Mmmmmm........These are so delicious.  They have a slight crunch from the rolled oats and should only be served with a slab of butter in the middle!

BANANA OAT MUFFINS

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 3 bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients.  In another bowl, mash bananas.  Add egg and beat.  Add milk, oil and vanilla.  Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients.  Mix until just combined. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until toothpick test comes out clean.  This recipe makes 12 regular muffins and 12 mini-muffins.

Find more delicious recipes at Tasty Tuesday,

Peach Cobbler

The world's easiest Peach Cobbler! 

Toss prepared peaches with sugar and let macerate (juices release and make a sugary syrup).

Batter.

While the oven is preheating, place 13x9 inch baking dish with 1 stick of butter in oven to melt the butter.  No, that is not pepper...that is black flecks of granite.

After pouring batter into melted butter (DO NOT STIR!), spoon peaches and juice over the top.

Bake until brown and bubbly.

PEACH COBBLER

• 3 cups fresh peaches, sliced or chopped
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1 stick butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 t. baking powder
• 3/4 cup milk

Prepare peaches and toss with 1 cup sugar.  Let set for 10 to 15 minutes, until the get really juicy.  Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven is preheating place the cube of butter in a 13x9 inch baking dish and melt in oven.  Prepare batter by mixing flour, milk, salt, baking powder and 1 cup sugar.  When butter is melted and oven is preheated, pour batter evenly in pan, without stirring.  Spoon peaches and juice over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.  Let cool some, batter will set up more as it cools.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. 

Monday link ups:

Meatless Monday

Mammaw's Diner

Bread Bags

Have you ever tried shoving a 12 inch loaf of bread in a 1 gallon Ziploc?  It doesn't fit.  Then you cut the loaf in half and put it in two bags...that's lame.  Wrap it up in a five or so layers of saran wrap, going every which way, then having to throw all that saran wrap away as soon as you unwrap the loaf.  I have solved my problem.  I knew the solution but I was dragging my feet because I hate to pay for shipping.  I bit the bullet....

Look how roomy...my loaf has so much room...my loaf loves it.

Here is where you can get some too!  I have the extra large, which is more than enough room for a 12 inch loaf.  You will notice my clothes pin.  I just couldn't pull the trigger on the twist ties...you must order 2000!

Dijon and Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

This is a great alternative to french fries.  The mustard taste is subtle. 

I love the red potato.  No peeling necessary! 

DIJON AND GARLIC ROASTED RED POTATOES

• 4 pounds red potatoes, washed and sliced into wedges (about 6 wedges per potato)
• 2 T. Dijon mustard
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 t. salt
• Black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare potatoes. In a large bowl whisk together mustard, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss potatoes to completely coat.  Pour potatoes onto a large cookie sheet.  Roast for 45 minutes or until tender and start to turn golden. 

If you find your potatoes are tender, but not quite golden, you can cheat and throw them under the broiler.  Just watch closely so you don't burn them taters.

Check out Tasty Tuesday.

Breakfast Cake...a treat on the first day of school!

This morning we had Breakfast Cake.  My friend Anna says her kids love it.  I had yet to make it...why was I dragging my feet?  The kids loved it.  I thought it was very yummy too!  Yesterday I got busy grinding up some wheat.  I made bread last night and started the Breakfast Cake, which needs to soak overnight.  I am especially fond of of things that soak overnight.  Hard red wheat tastes much better after soaking a good 8 hours.

BREAKFAST CAKE

Find this and other yummy recipes at Heavenly Homemakers.

• 1 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup raisins, chocolate chips or dried fruit (I used 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and thought it was plenty!)

The night before combine melted and cooled butter, wheat flour, oats and buttermilk in a glass bowl.  Cover with a tea towel and leave on counter overnight or for at least 8 hours.  The next morning preheat oven to 350 degrees. The mixture that was left on the counter will seem really hard...at least mine did.  I stirred it up some before adding the rest of the ingredients.  I was skeptical.  Add the honey, eggs, salt, baking soda, vanilla and chips of choice.  The mixture still seems rather thick...but press on!  Butter or spray a 13x9 inch pan.  Spread mixture into pan.  Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Enjoy warm or cooled. 

This is very filling.  We ate half the cake (5 of us) and will have the other half tomorrow. 

Just another Meatless Monday!

An ode to an older sister....

Here is the poem that the 2nd born wrote for the first born yesterday for her birthday....I love it!

Happy Birthday your fourteen today!
Your a teenager and like to talk on the phone,
And when you aren't you like to moan.
This girl has two sisters ages eleven and two,
And gives them hand-me-downs and even some shoes.

Gooey Toffee Butter Cake...thanks Paula Deen

I like to watch Paula Deen.  She uses lots of butter.  I have seen many recipes for cakes like this...now I have made one.  Here I go using a boxed cake mix.  Didn't I just post about making things from scratch?  Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

Freeze the Score bars for 10 minutes or so.  Dice em' up or you can use toffee bits ready to go from a bag.  We kinda live in the boonies and the store does not sell pre-chopped toffee bits.

Still using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Fold in toffee bits. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly.

GOOEY TOFFEE BUTTER CAKE

Original recipe found here.

Cake:

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Score bars (frozen and chopped) 1 cup almond toffee bits or chocolate toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by-2-inch baking pan.

For the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

For the filling: Still using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Fold in toffee bits.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point! Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.