Banana Upside-Down Cake

I really don't like over ripe bananas, so I'm always looking for ways to use them up. Tonight I was scavenging the pantry and found nothing readily available but 4 over ripe bananas. So I decided I would actually have to put some effort into my sugar hunt. So here is the fruit of my quest for sugar. Caramelized bananas and pecans over a heavy cake, almost like a pudding. And all of it jam packed with bananas.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 1/2 cup pecan halves 2 medium bananas. sliced CAKE: 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 TBSP  cold butter or margarine 2 medium bananas, mashed or roughly chopped 1/2 cup plain yogurt 2 eggs, beaten 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and butter; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook without stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a greased 9-in. springform pan. (Make sure it seals. And just to be safe put a cookie sheet under it.) Arrange pecans on top with flat side up. (I just chopped them roughly and sprinkled them in) Pour remaining lemon juice into a small bowl; add bananas and stir carefully. Drain. Arrange bananas in a circular pattern over the pecans; set aside. in a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine bananas, yogurt, eggs, lemon peel and vanilla; stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Spoon over bananas. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan; invert cake onto a serving plate.

Basics- Wheat

Bags of wheat! Buckets of wheat! Barrels of wheat! Bushels of wheat! Stored in the forgotten corners of your basement or garage!

Yes, you all know what I'm talking about.

Your food storage.

So....what do you do with it? Years ago my mother set out to answer that exact question, in an attempt to both use our food storage and create an inexpensive alternative to the whole grain bread we buy. It began with a manual hand grinder and about a million and a half bread-making experiments. Now we have two grinders, manual and electric, and we make our own whole wheat, preservative-free bread, bagels, cookies, cinnamon rolls, etc.

First a word about the type of wheat. There are different types of wheat, the most common being red, closely followed by white. The difference though, is less to do with the color and more to do with the protein content of the wheat. We have found that white wheat works best as a replacement for white flour, because of the similar protein content, and can work in pastries and desserts without much change in texture and flavor (just make sure it's ground very fine). Red wheat tends to make baked goods heavier, but can be remedied by adding an extra egg in place of some of the liquid in a recipe. In general high protein flours make good loaves of chewy artisan bread while low protein creates a better crumb for cakes and muffins.

Here is one of our favorite recipes to get you started.

Honey-Whole Wheat Bagels

1 cup water (75 to 85 degrees)

3 cups whole wheat flour (preferably white wheat)

1-1/2 Tbsp. honey

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/2 tsp yeast

For bread machine: place ingredients in bread pan in following order: water, honey, wheat flour, salt. Make small indentation in flour and add yeast to indentation, making sure yeast does not come in contact with liquid. Start bread machine--set on “bagel” or “dough” program.

By hand: double recipe if desired. Measure water into a bowl. Add yeast and dissolve. Add honey to water mixture and stir. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt, and then add to water mixture, saving 1 cup to flour board and knead with. Stir flour into water and then turn out onto floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic. Cover with a cloth and let rise until double.

to finish: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Divide dough into equal pieces (6 for 1 recipe, 12 for double recipe) Roll into a ball and poke a hole in the middle. Roll and shape into a bagel shape. Place on baking sheet. Let rise 20 min. Fill a large pan 3’’ deep with water, add 1/4 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Gently lift bagel from baking sheet and gently submerge in water, cooking 30 seconds on each side. Remove bagel to paper towels and let drain, then place on baking sheet. Bake 20-25 min until bagels are lightly browned and surface is shiny; remove from baking sheet to wire rack to cool. Serve with Honey-Walnut spread.

Honey-Walnut Spread

Mix one 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (reg. or light) or yogurt cheese, softened, with 1 1/2 Tbsp honey. Add 3 Tbsp. walnuts. Chill

Best Whole Grain and Nut Pancakes

 My most favorite pancakes ever! The oats and walnuts make them so light compared to the usual whole wheat pancakes. And They're so good for you! I am thinking about experimenting with changing the oil and sugar content.....

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until fine. In a large bowl, combine ground oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, milk, oil, egg, and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix wet ingredients into dry with a few swift strokes. Stir in nuts, if desired.
3. Lightly oil a skillet or griddle, and preheat it to medium heat. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter onto the hot skillet; cook the pancakes for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until brown. 

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

One cup creamy peanut butter
One cup white sugar
One teaspoon baking powder
One egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Cream the peanut butter and sugar in a bowl.  Beat in the baking powder. Add the egg. Mix until it is all well combined.

The dough will be sticky, so be prepared to get your hands messy. Roll some dough into a ball. (How big? That depends on you. I have found, however, that the smaller these cookies are, the better they hold together. Eat two instead of one!) Roll the ball into white sugar. Line a baking sheet, covered in parchment paper, with sugary balls of dough and press down slightly with a fork.

Bake in the oven for about ten minutes. You will know the cookies are done when they feel coherent, but still a little soft. Take the tray out of the oven and let the cookies rest for at least five minutes. Afterwards, carefully transfer them to a cooling rack. After ten minutes or so, they will have hardened and be glistening with sugar.

Eat them.

Thanks to glutenfreegirl's blog my gluten free roommate and I are able to cook together. While most recipes are wonderful and taste just like the real thing these cookies are actually better. And easier. As all recipes should be.

Basic Granola

Dry Ingredients:
4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1-2 cups nuts and seeds of your choice
1/2 tsp salt
seasonings (optional)

Glaze:
1/2 cup flavorless vegetable oil
1/8 cup water
1/2- 3/4 cup sweeteners (a mixture of dry and wet sweeteners works best: honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, agave nectar, brown sugar, white sugar, etc...)
seasonings (optional)

1/2- 1 cup of dried fruit (optional)

Preheat oven to 275. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Put all of glaze ingredients in a sauce pan, cook over medium heat until they come to a boil. Pour glaze over dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Take the granola mixture by handfuls and squeeze it tightly before placing it on the baking tray. It will soon look like you've created a small mountain range of uncooked granola. This is good; the mountains will turn into clusters, and we like clusters.

Carefully put the cookie sheet in the oven without demolishing your mountain range and set the timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes carefully turn the granola, bringing the edge granola to the middle (you may have to demolish some of your mountains, but try to keep the clusters in tact). Bake the granola for another 20 minutes. Take it out and add any dried fruit you desire and stir it again. You may now break up the mountains into your preferred cluster size (Shoe size? dress size? preferred cluster size?), And bake it for another 20 minutes. Take it out and let it cool. It may not seem done but with dry out as it cools, so don't worry if it's still a little soft when it comes out of the oven. Eat with milk, yogurt, plain, or however else you fancy.

Here is my favorite variation (Beware: This is for adventurous taste buds!):
Spicy Cranberry-Ginger Granola
To dry mix add:
nuts and seeds- pecans, sunflour seeds, seseme seads
1/8 cup turbinado sugar
2-3 tbsp candied ginger (minced finely)
2 tsp allspice

To syrup add:
sweeteners: 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Add: 1 cup dried cranberries during baking.

Dutch Apple Pie

• 6 cups sliced, peeled, tart apples
• 3/4 cup sugar
  
• dash of salt
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  
• 2 Tbsp. margarine
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1 crust pastry (9”)

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Stir in apples. Turn into pastry lined pie plate; dot w/margarine. Cover with crumble topping. Cover edge w/foil; remove foil last 15 min. of baking. Bake until crust and juice begins to bubble around the edge, 40 to 50 min.

Grandpa McAndrew’s Irish Soda Bread (aka Spotted Dog)

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 2 T white sugar
  
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 c buttermilk
  
• 2 T margarine, melted
• 1/2 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie tin. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and sugar. Toss the raisins with the flour mixture until coated. Make a well in the center and add the egg, buttermilk, and melted margarine. Stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few quick turns just to even out the dough. Handle the dough as little as possible. Pat into a flat circle, and place into the prepared pan. Bake the bread for 40 to 45 min. in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden

Whole Wheat Bread

• 2 eggs at room temp. plus enough 80 degree water to equal 1 cup and 2 tablespoons
• 2 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil
  
• 3 Tbs. honey
• 1 Tbs. yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 cups + 3 Tbs. whole wheat flour

Use bread machine or mix eggs & water, oil, honey, yeast, and water in one bowl, and flour and salt in another bowl. Let yeast sit for 5 minutes. Add wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix together. Knead and then let rest 1 hr. Knead a 2nd time and let rise 1/2 hr. Punch down and let rise 15 min. Punch down and let rise 45 min. Bake at 350 degrees.

Half Moon Cookies

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 3 cups flour

Directions:

Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Beat wet ingredients and sugar together. Add dry ingredients. Scoop 1/4 to 1/3 cup and spread like a pancake on ungreased cookie sheet, 6 cookies at a time. Bake for 11 minutes. Cool, bottom side up on a rack. Frost bottom, 1/2 white, 1/2 dark.

White frosting:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tblsp. milk.
  

For dark: previous ingredients plus 1/4 cup cocoa and a little more milk.

Mitzi's Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Brownie batter:

• 1 c. margarine
• 1/3 c. cocoa
• 2 c. sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
  
• 1 1/2 c. flour

Cream margarine, cocoa, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add flour and mix. Set aside.

Cheesecake:

• 2 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. sugar
  
• 2 eggs

Mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs. Mix well. Grease and flour 9x13 pan. Spread 1/2 brownie batter into pan. On top of this drop big spoonfuls of cheesecake and brownie until each batter is used up. Take a utensil and run it through the batters to make a swirl design (don’t mix up to much!) Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until done.

Shawna's Snickerdoodles

In a large mixing bowl cream together:

• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. margarine or butter

Beat in:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl mix together:

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Stir into butter mixture with a wooden spoon until well mixed.

In a small bowl combine:

• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Shape dough into 1"balls roll each one in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place balls 2" apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool on rack.

Cinnamon Rolls

Combine:

• 1 cup mashed potatoes
  
• 1 cup warm water
  
• 2 Tblsp. yeast

Let stand. Scald:

• 1 cup milk
  
• 2 tsp. salt
  
• 2 Tblsp. butter

Mix above ingredients into 3 cups of flour. Add:

• 3 beaten eggs
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 6 Tblsp. shortening
  

Directions:

Add 5-6 cups flour until you have soft dough. Let rise ‘til double. Roll out on floured board; spread w/melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Roll up and cut into 2” slices. Place into pan and let rise until double. Bake at 325 degrees. Check at 30 minutes--keep checking until center rolls are done.

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  
• 2 Tblsp. margarine
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  
• 1 tsp almond extract
  
• 1 to 2 Tblsp. water

Pecan Pie

• 3 eggs
• 2/3 c. sugar
• dash of salt
• 1 c. dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup pecan halves
• Pastry for a single crust pie

Directions:

In a mixing bowl beat eggs slightly with a rotary beater or fork. Add sugar and salt; stir until dissolved. Stir in corn syrup and melted butter; mix well. Stir in pecan. Place a 9” pie crust on a oven rack; pour in pecan mixture. Do not prick pie crust! Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 min. Remove foil; bake about 25 min. more or until knife inserted off center comes out clean. Cool. Cover; chill to store

Fresh Peach Pie

• 4 c. sliced peaches
  
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. Minute Tapioca
  
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• two 9" pie shells

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix above ingredients in a bowl; let stand 15 min. Fill pastry-lined 9-inch pie plate with fruit mixture. Dot with 1 Tbsp. margarine. Cover pie with top crust; seal and flute edge. Cut several slits to permit steam to escape. Brush crust w/milk and sprinkle w/cinnamon-sugar. Cover edges w/aluminum foil. Take foil off the last 15 min. Bake 1 hr. or until juices form bubbles that burst slowly. Cool.

Fresh Pear Pie

• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour or Minute tapioca
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  
• 5 c. peeled, sliced, fresh pears
• 9” Pastry for Single crust pie

Directions:

In a large bowl sprinkle pears w/lemon juice. Combine sugar and flour, mix, and add to pears. Toss to coat fruit. Fill pie crust. Sprinkle crumb mixture over pear filling. Cover pie edge with foil; bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 min. Remove foil; bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until pie is bubbly and crust is golden. Cool.

Crumble Topping for Pie

• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
  
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 c. butter

Directions:

Combine dry topping ingredients; mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle crumb mixture over pie filling.

Never-fail Pie Crust

• 1 1/4 c. shortening
• 3 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1 Tblsp. vinegar
  
• 1/4 c. cold water
• 1 egg

Directions:

Cut shortening into flour and salt with a pastry cutter or knife, into 1/4” bits. In a measuring cup add egg and vinegar to the 1/4 c. of cold water; stir together with a fork. Add water mixture to flour mixture and mix together. Makes enough for 3 pie crusts. Be careful not to under bake.

Easy Freezer Biscuits

• 2 cups all-purpose flour or 50/50 wheat and white
  
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

note: can also be precut and put in freezer. Remove and bake just like philsbery. :)