Semi-Healthy Banana Muffins {dairy free, lower carb}

My family ADORES these muffins, and I love that I was able to take a recipe we love and make it just a little healthier.  I feel that is my constant mission in life.  I love to take recipes and dishes my family loves and make them healthier.  

These muffins are lower carb (they aren't low carb b/c bananas in general are not low carb) using an erythritol baking blend.  The coconut oil also helps keep the muffins light and fluffy even with half the sugar amount.  It took a few tries to perfect the recipe, but once I did I'm pretty sure my kids stopped eating bananas so I'd have plenty of ripe bananas to bake with.  So thoughtful... or smart. 

Enjoy and happy baking! 

Semi-Healthy Banana Muffins
Recipe: Alohamora
Active Time: 15 minutes 
Inactive Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12-14 muffins

*A note about your bananas.  Use those ripe/overripe bananas that are black and brown.  You can even peel the bananas and freeze them in bags with 3 bananas each.  If you are using bananas frozen in your freezer make sure you thaw them before.  There will be thawed juice and soggy bananas in your bag, but that is okay, just pour out the excess water, mash them in the bag, and dump the bananas right in your bowl. 

Ingredients: 
1/2 c. Truvia Baking Blend or another erythritol baking blend
1/2 c. coconut oil, melted
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, large at room temperature
1 c. flour
1/4 c. cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Either grease/flour 12 muffin cups or place cupcake liners/papers in your muffin/cupcake tin. 
2. In a medium bowl or a stand mixer cream the Truvia or similar sugar and melted coconut oil until mixed well. 
3. Add the ripe bananas one at a time mixing between each addition. 
4. Add the eggs one at time mixing between additions. If your eggs are not at room temperature the coconut oil may solidify on your mixer paddle or spoon.  I find sticking my metal bowl in the oven that is preheating for a couple minutes warms the coconut oil again and allows me to mix the muffins well.   
5. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed.  Mix the batter together until everything is just combined.  Don't over mix the batter. 
6. Use a large cookie scoop, or pour approximately 3 tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup.  You don't want the muffins more than 3/4 full.   
7. Bake the muffins at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  17 minutes was my magic number. 
8. Remove pans from the oven and allow them to cool.
9. Enjoy banana muffins warm or cold. 
10. Store your completely cooled muffins in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator.  You can freeze banana muffins in small freezer bags and take them out of the freezer as you desire. 

Happy Semi-Healthy Banana Muffin eating!

No Rise Cinnamon Rolls {gluten free}

When I have a 2 year old who always wants to "hep" aka help in the kitchen I need recipes that are easy to make and 2 year old sous chef friendly.

For the past 6 weeks I've been on doctor orders to be strictly gluten free.  I have Hashimotos, a thyroid auto-immune disease.  Even though, I tested negative for Celiac, the doctor told me that those with Hashimotos will often have a gluten sensitivity.

I'm not going to lie, these doctor orders have been tough.  I've been gluten free before, but being strictly gluten free is a game changer.

Just this week we went to Zupas, a favorite restaurant of ours for their soups, salads, and sandwiches.  Plus, my kids love the chocolate covered strawberries.  I got a salad thinking that would be an easy gluten free meal, but I was definitely wrong.  The workers had no way of knowing if the dressings were gluten free.  A salad without dressing is just depressing.  

With this diet change I've still wanted to make some of my favorite comfort foods.  I've made cookies, bread, and brownies; however, these No Rise Cinnamon Rolls have by far been my favorite.  

These cinnamon rolls are delicious.  Add the fact that they don't need any rise time makes this recipe a winner.e.  On this recipe, I've made them with a gluten free all purpose flour mix,with xanthan gum already in there, and organic all purpose unbleached flour.  This recipe is rare in the fact that you can use either flour and it tastes delicious (or so my husband said they both taste delicious).  

These No Rise Cinnamon Rolls are a little more dense than your normal yeast cinnamon rolls, but these yeast free cinnamon rolls only take 45 minutes of your time + baking time.  That alone is a game changer.  

With this recipe, anyone can make cinnamon rolls from scratch.  Yum!

No Rise Cinnamon Rolls - Yeast Free, Gluten Free
Recipe: Alohamora slightly adapted from Gluten Free on a Shoestring
Active Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12 rolls

Ingredients: 
Rolls:
3 1/2 c. flour (gluten free all purpose flour or regular unbleached flour)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. sugar
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk, room temperature

Filling: 
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon, ground

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbsp milk

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x11 pan, or one a little larger like 11x13.  For gluten free, I used a coconut oil spray.  For regular flour I used a baking spray. 
2. In a stand mixer or medium to large bowl add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar mix it all to combine.  You can use a whisk, large fork, or your dough hook.  
3. Add the softened butter, beaten eggs, and the room temperature milk.  If you forgot to get your milk to room temperature you can microwave your cup of milk for 20 seconds to warm it.  
4. Using your dough hook, or stir to combine, the dough until it is mixed well, smooth,and not too sticky.  You can add a couple tablespoons of flour at a time until the dough is easy to handle and not sticky. 
5. Tear a piece of parchment paper that is approximately 12 inches long, aka I make mine just an inch or so longer than the length of a piece of paper.  This will make a 12x15 inch rectangle.  Add flour to the paper, and turn your dough out on the paper.  
6. Sprinkle some flour, a couple tablespoons, on top of the dough and on your rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking while you roll it out.  Roll your dough out to the 12x15 inch rectangle aka, the size of the parchment paper under neath.  
7. In a small bowl, make the filling.  Use a fork or spoon to combine the 2 ingredients. 
8. Pour the filling out onto the dough and use the back of the spoon to spread the filling evenly out onto the dough.
9. Starting on the shorter side of the rectangle roll the dough away from your into a tight roll. 
10. Using a serrated knife slice the roll into 12 equal pieces.  I like to cut the roll in half, and then cut each half into half making fourths.  I then take each fourth and cut three rolls.  Cutting it this way allows me to easily cute 12 rolls. 
11. Place each roll into your prepared pan, picture shown above.  Your end pieces will look best if you place the uneven side down. 
12. Bake your rolls at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until you get a slight browning on the edges. 
13. Begin mixing the glaze when you pull the rolls out of the oven. In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of milk to the cup of powdered sugar.  Add about 1/2 a teaspoon at a time to the glaze, stirring between each addition, until your frosting glaze reaches your desired thickness.  I usually end up adding an extra 1/2 a tablespoon of milk so that the glaze can be drizzled from a spoon.
14. Once your rolls have cooled for a few minutes you can pour your glaze on and enjoy them warm.  These Yeast Free Cinnamon Rolls are the best warm. 
15. Enjoy! 
16. I like to cut all of the rolls and separate them to store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator. 
17. These cinnamon rolls, like most, are best warm.  If you are taking one of your leftover rolls from your fridge be sure to place it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds to warm thoroughly. 

  
Happy Yeast Free No Rise Quick to Make Gluten Free if you desire Cinnamon Rolls. Yummy! 

Gma's Banana Muffins

My youngest child was my banana kid.  She loved bananas from when she was about 6 months to 18 months old.  However, these last 6 months of her life she just has not been downing them like she used to.  With her lack of banana consumption I have had a lot of bananas going nice and brown/black on the counter.

I've been using those ripe/overripe bananas for these Gma Banana Bread Muffins, and my kiddos have been happily eating them.  It's a win-win.  We use the otherwise no good bananas, and I have an extra treat to enjoy. 

Throughout the years, I've made a lot of banana bread recipes. My grandma has a really good recipe that I swore was the best, but this recipe comes from my Mother In-Law and it is my new favorite. Every time I make these muffins the kids call them "Grandma Muffins!"  They LOVE these banana muffins, and I do too!

Gma says these Banana Muffins are more like cupcakes, and I have to say the cake flour gives it a great smooth texture and the sugar gives it the sweetness of cupcakes.  Whether they are cupcakes or muffins, they are delicious! 

My MIL got the recipe from a friend who apparently got them from a restaurant called Queen's Surf in Hawaii.  I have made a few adaptations, and I think it makes them that much better, and a touch healthier aka I got rid of the trans-fats.  .

Enjoy using the black and brown bananas for something truly delicious, and enjoy having the very best banana bread muffins recipe ever. .  

Gma's Banana Muffins
Recipe: Alohamora adapted from Elaine/Queen's Surf
Active Time: 15 minutes 
Inactive Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 15-18 muffins

*A note about your bananas.  Use those ripe/overripe bananas that are black and brown.  You can even peel the bananas and freeze them in bags with 3 bananas each.  If you are using bananas frozen in your freezer make sure you thaw them before.  There will be thawed juice and soggy bananas in your bag, but that is okay, just mash them in the bag and dump the bananas right in your bowl. 

Ingredients: 
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, large
1 c. flour
1/4 c. cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Either grease/flour 18 muffin cups or place cupcake liners/papers in your muffin/cupcake tin. 
2. In a medium bowl or a stand mixer cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. 
3. Add the ripe bananas one at a time mixing between each addition. 
4. Add the eggs one at time mixing between additions. 
5. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed.  Mix the batter together until everything is just combined.  Don't over mix the batter. 
6. Use a large cookie scoop, or pour approximately 3 tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup.  You don't want the muffins more than 3/4 full.   
7. Bake the muffins at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  17 minutes was my magic number. 
8. Remove pans from the oven and allow them to cool.
9. Enjoy banana muffins warm or cold. 
10. Store your completely cooled muffins in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator.  You can freeze banana muffins in small freezer bags and take them out of the freezer as you desire. 

Happy Delicious Gma Banana Muffin eating! 

Lemon Chia Seed Baby Bundt Bread/Cake

Just realized it's Slurpee day aka 7/11.  Slurpees are good, and free Slurpees are great.  However, these Lemon Chia Seed Baby Bundt Breads are down right delicious and so easy to make.  I'd choose one of these baby bundts over a slurpee, but if I could have both... no brainer. Add the refreshing lemon glaze to the tops of these cakes and you have amazingness. 

Happy quick bread baking and eating, and don't forget all of the nutritional benefits of chia seeds.  I like to think this is a healthy okay healthier cake/bread b/c of the added chia seeds.  In case you didn't know chia seeds have lots of fiber, protein, and it's a good source of your omega-3s.  Adding them in this cake/bread make it feel and taste like a a Lemon Poppyseed bread, but you don't have to worry about any drug tests. ;) 

Lemon Chia Seed Baby Bundt Bread/Cake w/ a Lemon Glaze
Recipe: Alohamora slightly adapted from Elaine aka my MIL
Active Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 20-60 minutes
Servings: 6 mini bundts, 2 small bread loaves, 12 donuts

Ingredients: 
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 lemon zested, about 2 Tbsp 
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp chia seeds

Glaze:
1/4 c. juice about 1 lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour or use a baking spray (By the way that baking spray is really expensive on Amazon, just buy it at a grocery store.  I just wanted to give you a visual of what I was talking about.) on your mini bundt pan or small loaf pans. 
2. In a medium bowl or a stand mixer cream the butter, sugar, eggs, salt, and milk together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, and lemon zest to the mixture and stir until it is just combined.  
4. Add the lemon juice and chia seeds to the bowl and stir until it is just combined.  
5. Pour and divide the batter among the greased 6 mini bundts or the 2 loaf pans.  
6. Bake the bundts and loafs at 350 degrees; bake the bundts for 18-24 minutes and the loaf pans for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Bake the donuts at 375 for 10 minutes.
7. Remove pan(s) from the oven.  Let the bundt or donut pan cool on a trivet or a cooling rack for 10 minutes before flipping the cakes/bread out onto the cooling rack.
8. While cakes/bread are cooling make the glaze by whisking the ingredients together.
9. Pour the glaze over the individual bundts/donuts when serving.  Pour the glaze directly over the bread in the bread loaf pans.  
10. Serve bread, donuts, or bundt cakes warm or cooled.  
11. Enjoy!
12. Store leftovers in a ziploc back or airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Happy Refreshing Lemon Chia Seed Baby Bundt Cake Eating! 

      

7 GREEN Mint Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  How are you celebrating?  Are you going for a Leprechaun Hunt with preschoolers or kindergartners? Are you drinking some Green Magic or dunking into Green Dip?  

To be honest, I'll probably do all of those above as well as enjoy something minty.  I'm not sure what it is about Mint, but it just makes me think of St. Patrick's Day.  

If you like mint give one of these recipes a go.  I have quick and easy recipes as well as homemade from scratch.  I'm sure you can find one you'll enjoy! 

Easy Mint Frosted Brownies

So delicious and easy to make from a box.  If you are a BYU fan they are BYU Mint Brownie copycats. Tasty! You can quickly whip these up for a last minute treat. 

Chocolate Mint Devil's Food Cake with a Chocolate Mint Ganache

Can you say oh my delicious?! Moist chocolate cake from scratch, and pouring a ganache over the top is the easiest frosting job ever.  I love it, and I love ganache!  These make great cupcakes too!

Andes Mint Cookies

Nothing says St. Patrick's Day and mint like Andes.  These soft and thick cookies are amazing! 

Double Chocolate Mint M&M Cookies

Now that they sell all green mint M&M cookies these cookies are perfect for St. Patrick's Day as well as Christmas.  These soft, delicious, and chocolaty cookies are scrumptious and a must for lovers of all things chocolate and mint. 

Mint Brownie Pie

Yes, this brownie pie is as delicious as it sounds.  Bonus that it is easy to make and put together in an afternoon.  Just looking at this picture has me craving them. 

Mint Brownie Trifle

This trifle is ready in an hour, and it's a lite aka healthier treat.  Healthier and treat are always a winning combination. 

Mint Chocolate Chip Scones

The last mint recipe for you today seems very English, which is geographically close to Ireland.  Add the mint in there and it is practically the perfect St. Patrick's Day treat. ;)

Happy Mint Eating aka Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

Are you a corned beef and cabbage or a mint St. Patrick's day eater?

Cornbread Waffles {Easy}

I had a co-worker tell me that anytime she and her husband go to a party where chili will be served they bring their waffle iron to make Cornbread Waffles.  

I had never thought of such deliciousness, but that night after work I made Skillet Chili and quickly made some Cornbread waffles to go with it.  B/c my life is so awesome I have the opportunity to hold my 15 month old while cooking.  It makes things really easy and convenient. ;)  Though, I am sure one day i'll miss not being able to hold a baby. Now, if I can make this dinner in under an hour, basically one handed, then you can totally whip this up any day of the week including weeknights.  

The awesomeness of Cornbread Waffles is that it gives the cornbread a slight skillet taste when cooked a little longer in the waffle iron.  I love the skillet slight crunch under chili and when you add a fried egg on top of it all you really get a wow.  However, the deliciousness of Cornbread Waffles doesn't end there.  You can enjoy these waffles with butter and syrup for breakfast, too.  The versatility is fantastic.  

Of course, I'll still make my Light Buttermilk Waffles and my Awesome Cornbread, but it is fun to have variety.  I'm a fan of Cornbread Waffles.  

Cornbread Waffles

Recipe: Alohamora 

Active Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Time: 30 minutes

Servings: About 12 (4 inch) waffles   

Ingredients: 

1/2 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c. oil (I prefer sunflower oil)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. buttermilk

Optional Toppings: butter, maple syrup, chili, fried egg, etc.

Directions: 

1. Preheat your waffle iron and have olive oil or cooking spray near by. 
2. In a medium bowl mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together with a fork, whisk, or spoon.  
3. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.  
4. Add the oil, butter, eggs, milk, and buttermilk into the center of the well. 
5. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until they are combined well.  The batter may be a little runny, but don't you worry about that.  Trust the recipe.  
6. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter (or whatever amount works best for your waffle iron) into the heated waffle iron. 
7. Cook your waffles one at a time to your desired doneness.  I like it a little darker for the skillet cornbread flavor, but my husband likes a lighter cornbread waffle.  Use a fork or whichever tool you desire to remove the waffle from the iron and repeat until the batter is gone.  
8. Enjoy your waffles warm with butter, plain, under chili, with a fried egg, or topped with syrup. It's delicious whichever way you choose.  Just enjoy it!
9. Store leftover cornbread waffles in a ziploc bag in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. 

Happy Cornbread Waffles eating! 

Easy Homemade Breadsticks

I think baking/making bread can appear intimidating.  When I was in high school I had to make this bread, Day of the Dead bread I think, for Spanish class.  To make a long story short the yeast did not rise (probably old now that I think about it) and my bread was so not right.  It was hard and disgusting.  I think I was afraid to make anything involving yeast for years after that.   High school sure can be traumatizing. :)

In college my sister's roommate shared with me several delicious recipes; I think she realized I had no idea what I was doing and seriously needed help in the cooking department.

Amy gave me, among others, this Easy Homemade Breadsticks recipe way back during my sophomore year in college, and I've loved it ever since.

Now, you do have to use yeast, but even with my issues with yeast in the past I have always been able to successfully make these breadsticks.  Major bonus that I can make these fast as well.

Basically, if I can makes these breadsticks, even my college self could, then you can most definitely make these Easy Homemade Breadsticks.

Easy Homemade Breadsticks
Recipe: Alohamora slightly adapted from Amy
Active Time: 25 minutes
Inactive Time: 30-40 minutes
Servings: 10-12 breadsticks

Ingredients: 
1 Tbsp yeast, active dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water, not hot water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 c. flour, all purpose
2 Tbsp butter, melted
dash garlic salt

Directions: 

1. In a cup or small bowl dissolve your yeast in your warm water and let it sit.  
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer combine your sugar, salt, and flour together.  
3. Add the yeast and water mixture to the flour mixture and mix to combine it.  
4. Knead it, I just use the hook feature on my stand mixer, for 3 minutes and then let it rest for 10 minutes. 
5. While it is resting I like to pull out 2 cookie sheets and place silicone baking mats underneath.  If you don't have baking mats spray your cookie sheets with a cooking spray. 
6. On a floured surface make and layout 10- 12 small dough balls.
7. Roll out the individual dough balls into strips.  I like to use my hands to roll it first and then roll them into longer strips right on the cookie sheet. 
8. When you have rolled out all of your strips into breadsticks brush each one with melted butter and sprinkle the top of each breadstick with garlic salt. 
9. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees now. 
10. Let your breadsticks rise for at least 10 minutes, but no more than 30 minutes. 
11. Bake breadsticks at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the top is golden brown.  
12. Enjoy! 
13. Store leftovers in an airtight container. 

Happy Easy Homemade Breadsticks eating!

Apple Butter Rolls- Quick and Easy

My little baby is 3 weeks old now.  She's cute and loves to cuddle with us; sometimes she loves aka strongly prefers to be held a bit too much.  Seriously, she just wants us to hold her and hold her and hold her some more.

I sure love the newborn snuggles just as much as the next, but man it is hard to do any cleaning, cooking, or baking of any kind.  

As a result of this little snuggler, I had to quickly whip up a dessert for a gathering.  I needed a dessert (though this tastes a lot like a danish and could totally pass for breakfast) and I had less than 30 minutes to get it there.  These Apple Butter Rolls fit the bill perfectly.  

Using Pumpkin Butter or Apple Butter as the filling in these rolls taste very Fall-ish.  However, Cookie Butter or Nutella is pretty darn sweet and delicious in these as well.  I've added chocolate and peanut butter as well, but surprisingly peanut butter was not my favorite filling for these rolls.  I mean it's good, but apple butter, pumpkin butter, Cookie Butter, and Nutella is much better.  

With Thanksgiving just next week you should make these rolls for a tasty and light breakfast or an easy dessert.  Plus, with Crescent Rolls on sale everywhere these rolls are very affordable aka cheap to make.  

Apple Butter Rolls are quick, easy, and cheap to make.  Whether you have a newborn (who is on super expensive formula right now- ouch!) or not these rolls seem like a win-win for everyone. 

Apple Butter Rolls

Recipe: Alohamora

Active Time: 15 minutes

Inactive Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 8 rolls

Ingredients: 

For the Rolls:

1 can (8oz) crescent rounds/rolls

Apple Butter, Pumpkin Butter, Cookie Butter, or Nutella

1 Tbsp butter, melted

sugar

cinnamon

For the Glaze/Frosting:

1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbsp butter, softened

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp hot water

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay parchment paper or a baking mat on a cookie sheet if you have them.  They aren't necessary, but helpful.  
2. Open the Crescent Rounds can.  I like the rounds the best b/c they make these rolls so so easy, but you can use Crescent Rolls as well.  You can easily just fill the crescent rolls and leave them like a crescent rolls.  However, you can also use two rolls to make a square and fill, roll, and then cut them in half or thirds at most.
3. Unroll one round, add the filling of your choice, and roll it back up.  Complete this for each of the rolls. 
4. When all rolls/rounds are complete brush your melted butter over the top of each of the rolls. 
5. Sprinkle sugar on each of the rolls.  
6. Sprinkle cinnamon as well if you filled it with apple butter.  
7. Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown.
8. Let the rolls cool for a few minutes while you make the glaze.  
9. In a small bowl mix the powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla.  Add the hot water a little bit at a time stirring the mixture until you reach your desired consistency. 
10. Using a spoon drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls.  
11. Enjoy rolls warm or cooled completely.  
12. Store rolls in an airtight container.  

Happy Apple Butter Rolls making and eating!   

Cornbread, The Absolute Best Cornbread!

We are full on into the month of September now.  Even though it's still 100 plus degrees here in AZ I've started to pull out some of the "Fall" recipes in my repertoire.  I feel a week into September means I can start cooking like it's Autumn even if it is way too hot here.

Growing up we always made cornbread from a Jiffy box.  It was good, but it was all I ever knew.  However, now that I am so much older and wiser ;) I know that Jiffy cornbread doesn't even compare to the sweet delicious taste of The Absolute Best Cornbread recipe I'm hooking you up with today.  

This Cornbread is amazing, absolutely amazing!  

Besides amazing taste, this cornbread is so very easy to make.  I dare say it is the easiest bread ever.

Easy to make, tastes AMAZING, and you only have to dirty one bowl and spoon.  Can it get any better?  I say no.   

Cornbread

Recipe: Alohamora slighly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Active Time: 10 minutes

Inactive Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8-10   

Ingredients: 

1/2 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c. oil
3 Tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs
1 1/4 c. milk

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease/flour a 9x9 inch square pan. 
2. In a medium bowl mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together with a fork, whisk, or spoon.  
3. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.  
4. Add the oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center of the well. 
5. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until they are combined well.  The batter may be a little runny, but don't you worry about that.  Trust the recipe.  
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 
8. Let cornbread cool for a few minutes before cutting into it, but you should know that I consider warm cornbread one of the most delicious things ever.  
9. Enjoy with butter, plain, or over chili!  Just enjoy it!
10. Store leftover cornbread covered in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. 

Happy Absolute Best Cornbread eating, and may your Fall weather be a million times better/cooler than mine. 

Double Chocolate Banana Bread Bites

I'm a big fan of super ripe aka over ripe bananas.  Not necessarily to eat, but to bake with.  I actually buy more bananas than we can eat so I can bake with them.  My Gma's Banana Bread is delicious, and my MIL's banana muffins are basically cupcakes.  I do love those recipes, but I am also a somewhat, okay BIG, fan of chocolate.  

I had some perfect over ripe bananas the other day, and I was craving some chocolate as well.

These Double Chocolate Banana Bread Bites were just the ticket and absolutely delicious.  They are full of chocolate goodness including dark, bitter, or semi-sweet chips, and they have bananas i them so they are totally kosher for breakfast.  

I also love this recipe in bite size form as well for it's easy to grab as you go out the door nature, but you can make this bread into loaf pans as well.

My son could not keep his hands off of these bites.  They were the perfect size for little hands  and mouths to devour.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread Bites/Loaf

Recipe: Alohamora slightly adapted from SmittenKitchen

Active Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 15-60 minutes
Servings: 24 mini muffin bites, 2 8x4 loafs, or 1 9x5 loaf

Ingredients: 
3 ripe bananas, mashed (just over 1 cup) 
1/2 c. butter, melted
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg, large
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1 c. bitter or semi-sweet chips

Ingredients: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour your pan(s).   You can use 1 mini-muffin pan, 1 9x5 loaf pan, or 2 8x4 loaf pans. 
2. In a medium to large bowl mix the mashed bananas and butter together.  I like to use the same fork I mashed the bananas with to mix the two together well.  
3. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla one at a time mixing well between each addition.  
4. Add the dry ingredients (cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt) to the bowl and stir to combine everything.  If you like the cinnamon chocolate combination add it as well.  It's delicious for the cinnamon chocolate people in the world.  
5. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips. 
6. Evenly distribute your batter into the pan of your choice.  
7. Bake at 325 until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.  
8. Bake a 24 mini-muffin tin for 15-20 minutes; 18 minutes was my magic number.  
9. Bake your 8x4 loaf pans for 30-35 minutes.  
10. Bake your 9x5 loaf pan for 50-60 minutes. 
11. Remove the pan(s) when done and allow it to cool for 20 minutes before inverting the loaf(s) or removing the muffin bites onto a cooling rack. 
12. Enjoy!
13. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week if they last that long.  These bites and bread freeze well as well. 

  Happy Double Chocolate Banana Bread/Bites eating for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, or dessert.



Bring your favorite chocolate dessert to Roxana’s home baking #chocolateparty and win amazing prizes from Imperial Sugar®, Gold Medal Flour®, Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Eggs and KitchenAid®