Linda's Frosted Banana Bread Bars/Cake

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (3 medium)
• 1 T. vanilla
• 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt

1. Mix butter and sugar until creamy
2. Beat in eggs, bananas, sour cream, and vanilla
3. In another bowl combine flour, baking soda, pudding and salt
4. Add to creamy butter/sugar mixture and mix well
5. Pour into a greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes.
7. Let cool completely before frosting

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 1 8 oz block of cream cheese (softened)
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla

1. Mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat well.
3. Spread evenly over the banana bread.

This is a marvelous recipe that will work well with carrot cake or red velvet. Perfect proportions!

Coconut Bundt Cake

I am really getting into making a cake on Sunday and then taking it to work on Monday to share. Today I made a coconut cake because Kirby loves coconut and I will leave him a piece before I take the rest to work with me in the morning.

• 1 pkg coconut cake mix
• 1 small pkg vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 1 C. water
• 1/3 C. salad oil
• 1 C. flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup vanilla frosting
• additional coconut for decoration

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-in. bundt pan or use Pam spray on a stick proof pan.
2. Combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, water and oil in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Fold in the coconut. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate.
4. Place frosting in microwave save bowl. Microwave on high power for 10-15 seconds. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over the cake. Sprinkle with the additional coconut.

Kahlua Cake

My sister gave me this recipe with just the ingredients, the oven temp and the baking time. I thought that was strange until I tried it. It is just so simple, you don't need any instructions!

• 1 Box Swiss Chocolate Cake Mix
• 1 Small Box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
• 2 Cups Sour Cream
• 3/4 Cup Kahlua (or any coffee flavored liquor)
• 4 Eggs
• 6 oz Chocolate Chips

1. Mix all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, mix for about 2 minutes on medium speed after all the ingredients are combined.
2. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
4. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan. Place on a plate and dust the top with powdered sugar while still warm.

Abby's Kentucky Pecan Pie

Back about 1970 I found this recipe in the paper from "Dear Abby". Are you old enough to remember Abby? I have probably made this recipe about 80 times since then. It is the best Pecan Pie I have ever had. Enjoy. It is very, very easy!

Kentucky Pecan Pie

• 1 C. White Corn Syrup
• 1 C. Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/3 tsp. Salt
• 1/3 C. Melted Butter
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 3 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
• 1 Heaping Cup Pecans

Combine syrup, sugar, salt, butter, vanilla and mix well. Add slightly beaten eggs. Pour into a 9 inch unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle pecans over all. Bake in 350 degree oven for approx. 45 minutes.

Rhubarb Crisp

This is a great old summertime recipe that I have been making for years. It is extremely easy and always a hit. Serve it warm over vanilla ice cream.

• 6 Cup Diced rhubard
• 1 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 2 T Water
• 1 Cup flour
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup butter

Combine rhubarb, 1 cup of the sugar (reserving 1/2 cup), and water. Turn into a shallow 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish. Combine flour, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees until rhubarb is tender, hot and bubbly, about 50 min. Serve warm over ice cream. Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Almond Biscotti

Recipe Courtesy of Darlene O'Connor Raiente (Bridgeport / Stamford, CT)

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash salt
1/2 cup chopped almonds (toasted)
2 teaspoons milk

DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture. Stir in almonds. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease foil. Divide dough in half; spread into two 12-in. x 3-in. rectangles on foil. Brush with milk and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 300 degrees F. Lift rectangles with foil onto wire rack; cool for 15 minutes. Place on a cutting board; slice diagonally 1/2 in. thick. Place slices with cut side down on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake 10 minutes more. Turn oven off, leaving cookies in oven with door open to cool. Store in airtight container.

Optional: Melt some chocolate chips over a double boiler and dip cookie in on one side or the whole bottom of the cookie to make it look fancy.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cups

Photo Source: Bon Appetit March 2009

BROWNIE MIX
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cups Vegetable Oil
4 Lg Eggs
6 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1 Tablespoons Vanilla
1 3/4 Cups All-purpose Flour
2 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

FILLING MIX
8 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Whipped Cream
20 Maraschino Cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

BROWNIE MIXTURE
Blend sugar, oil eggs, cocoa, and vanilla.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add flour mixture to wet mixture and combine well..
Spoon batter into 20 paer-lined muffin cups.

FILLING
Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, peanut butter and vanilla with mixer until blended.
Spoon 1 rounded Tablespoon into center of batter in each cup, pressing lightly into batter.
Bake 30 minutes or until centers are set.
Cool on rack .
When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and a Maraschino cherry.

Check my other blog: Southern Flavor Zone

Fudgy Brownies by Shirley Corriher

Yield: One 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23-cm) pan, about 24 pieces

• 1 1/2 cups (5.2 oz/149 g) pecans
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons (13 oz/369 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-Tablespoon (0.5-oz/14-g) pieces, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 12 ounces (339 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 ounce (28 g) German's Sweet Chocolate
• 4 large eggs (7 oz/198 g)
• 3 large egg yolks (1.95 oz/55 g)
• 1 1/2 cups (12.6 oz/375 g) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup (4 oz/120 g) confectioners' sugar
• 2 Tablespoons (0.9 oz/2.5 g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.5 g) salt
• 1 1/2 cups (6.6 oz/187 g) spooned and leveled bleached all-purpose flour

1. Arrange a shelf in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 F/149 C.
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. While the nuts are hot, stir in 2 Tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) of the butter. When cool, coarsely chop and set aside.
3. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch (33 x 23 x 5-cm) pan with parchment sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or Release foil (nonstick side up), allowing overhand on both long sides to make removal easier.
4. Place the remaining 1 1/2 cups (12 oz/340 g) butter around the edge of a microwave-safe glass bowl. Place the semisweet and sweet chocolate in the center. Melt the butter and the chocolate in the microwave on 100% power for 1 minute, stirring at least 2 times, and then 15 seconds more, stirring 1 time. Or, place the chocolates and butter together in a stainless steel bowl. In a large skillet, bring water to a simmer. Set aside until the water is no longer steaming. Place the bowl of chocolate and butter in the hot water, being careful not to get water or steam into the chocolate. Stir the chocolate every few minutes until melted.
5. In a large bowl, heat the eggs with a fork just to blend whites and yolks. With a minimum of hand stirring, stir together the eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt.
6. By hand, with a minimum of stirring, stir together the egg mixture and the chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out. Soak cake strips in water and wrap around the outside edge of the pan as directed.
7. Place the pan on the arranged shelf and bake until brownies just begin to pull away from the edge of the pan, about 1 hour. Err on the side of under cooking rather than risk drying out the brownies. A toothpick inserted should come out wet with gooey chocolate.
8. Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Remove the brownies from the pan, using the parchment or foil overhang to help lift out the brownies. When completely cool, wrap the brownies well with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
9. Place the brownies on a cutting board and remove the parchment or foil. Place another cutting board on top and turn over so that the brownies are right side up. Trim the edges and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) squares. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store refrigerated.

Check my other blog: Southern Flavor Zone

"Chocolate Lovers" Fudge Brownie Pie

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3 - 1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup dark karo corn syrup
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 9 inch graham cracker crumb crust or chocolate crumb crust
  

1. In a 2 qt saucepan, stirring constantly, melt the margarine and the chocolate over very low heat.
2. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, corn syrup. flour, vanilla and salt until well blended. Stir in the eggs.
3. Pour into pie crust and place on a cookie sheet.
4. Bake in 350 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is puffed and the center is firm. Cool.
5. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 6 to 8.

Carrot Cake

This recipe was inspired by Cooks Illustrated. I did just a little tweaking. This cake is fabulous. The difference between this recipe and many others is the method. Emulsifying the sugars and eggs makes all the difference in the world. It would be interesting to see if this emulsification method would improve your favorite carrot cake recipe. Go and experiment and post your results!

Yield: 1 - 9" x 13"
CAKE

• 1 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 Tbl butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ozs.) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lb. (6-7 med.) carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup sour cream
  
• 4 lg eggs
• 1 1/2 cups safflower, canola, or vegetable oil

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 5 Tbl unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 12 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 Tbl orange liqueur

CAKE DIRECTIONS

1. Place baking stone on rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Chop walnuts and toast in oven for about 10 minutes. Pour nuts into small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of salt immediately upon removal from oven.
3. Spray 13" x 9" pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with parchment paper and spray again.
4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl and set aside.
5. Shred carrots in food processor fitted with large shredding disk. This should yield about 3 cups. Transfer carrots to bowl and set aside.
6. Wipe food processor bowl clean and fit with metal blade.
7. Process granulated and brown sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds.
8. With machine running, stream in oil through feed tube. Process until light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer.
9. Scrape mixture into another bowl. By hand, stir in carrots, nuts and flour mixture until well incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.
10. Pour into pan and level batter. Drop pan on counter a few times from a height of about 4 inches.
11. Place pan in oven on top of baking stone and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doness.
12. Cool cake in pan on rack for about 2 hours.

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. Cream butter with electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add cream cheese and continue beating until smooth.
3. Add vanilla and orange liqueur and mix to incorporate well.
4. Add sugar 1 cup at a time and mix on low to moisten and then on high to smooth.
5. Chill until ready to use.

NOTE:
It seems to me, if 1/2 cup of oil is omitted, 1 cup of coconut and 1 small can of crushed pineapple could be added and the moisture should be just about right. One could add fresh orange zest to the frosting for flavor and a speckled look.

Lemon Cake - Suzie

My daughter made this cake for Brendan's 18th birthday and it was a great hit. Beautiful and delicious.

Cake
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs; separated, at room temp
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Frosting
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sift before measuring
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup lemon curd, purchased

Filling
• 1 cup lemon curd, purchased

Cake - preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 9"x2" round cake pans; dust generously with flour, tapping out excess. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt. Sift into another large bowl. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed 2 minutes or until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each egg yolk. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. At low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture (about 4 flour additions and 3 buttermilk additions). Beat just until blended. In small bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. With rubber spatula, gently fold egg white mixture, in thirds, into batter. Spread batter in prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes Invert onto racks. Cool.

Frosting - In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter 2 minutes, until fluffy. At low speed, beat in confectioner’s sugar, cream, and lemon curd until smooth. Cover; chill 20 minutes, until spreadable consistency.

Using serrated knife, level tops of layers if necessary. Place 1 layer on serving plate; spread with lemon curd. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set curd. Top with remaining layer. Frost cake; refrigerate. Bring cake to room temperature for serving. Garnish with fresh berries or a lemon wedge, sprinkle with yellow pastel sanding sugar, lemon zest and a sprig of mint.

Awesome Blueberry Muffins

Yield: 6 jumbos

MUFFINS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 lg egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (in frozen state) (I place mine in the freezer for about an hour.)
  

TOPPING

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup butter, cubed
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix topping ingredients in small bowl with fork and set aside.
3. In larger bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder.
4. Place oil in a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Stir to combine.
5. Combine wet mixture with flour mixture.
6. Dust blueberries with flour and fold into batter.
7. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping.
8. Bake for 20-25 min. or until done. (Time is for regular size muffins.) (For jumbos add 5-8 minutes) The best thing to do is test with a toothpick for doneness.

Lava Cookies by Shirley Corriher

Yield: 16 cookies
Prep: 30 min
Refrigerate: 30 min
Bake: 12 min

• 1 1/2 cups pecans or walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 lg eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup bleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Arrange a shelf in the middle of the oven and place a baking stone on it. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Spread nuts on a baking sheet, place in the oven on the stone, and roast for 10-12 min. While nuts are hot, stir in 2 TBL butter. Set aside.
3. Turn oven up to 375F. Spray several heavy baking sheets with nonstick spray and line with release foil (nonstick side up). Set aside.
4. In medium saucepan, melt remaining 6 TBL butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand for 1 min., and then stir. If all chocolate is not melted, place pan on very low heat for 1 min, remove, and stir. Let stand for 1 min, remove, and stir. Let stand for 1 min. and continue stirring. Repeat until all chocolate is melted. Set aside.
5. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla at high speed with an electric mixer for 2-3 min, or until light and pale yellow. Turn mixer down to low and pour in chocolate.
6. In medium mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder, beating well with electric mixer. Stir flour into batter in several batches. Scrape down bowl and across bottom. Stir in roasted nuts.
7. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 min. Using a 2-inch (#30) ice cream scoop, scoop dough place portions approx. 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time.
8. Place baking sheet in oven on stone. Bake for exactly 12 min. Cool for 3-5 min. Best sered warm, but you can reheat each cookie in the microwave for 10 seconds for running centers. You can freeze cookies and thaw or microwave as you like.

Check my other blog: Southern Flavor Zone