It finally happened to me. I made a flop. I wasn't really surprised that it flopped after I read the "best by" date on the package as I was throwing it in the trash.
I was trying the recipe for a cinnamon apple bread on a box for cinnamon apple muffins. You know how they often will put a recipe using the dry mix but for something other than what the box was meant to make. I needed something to take to HPC Thrift Shop for the volunteers and I wasn't enthused about anything in particular. I had this box for the muffins in my pantry and decided to try the bread recipe on it. It smelled strong with cinnamon and apple so I decided to go on and bake it after all.
Well, when the timer went off and I opened the oven door, I saw it had not risen any at all and didn't look very appealing.
Fortunately I had made this Peanutty Chocolate Chip Banana Bread on Sunday and still had most of it left. I just sliced it and arranged the slices on a plate and took them in for the volunteers. I explained to a few about what had happened and apologized for bringing in bread that was a couple of days old. They all said it tasted good to them. (I substituted the sugar/stevia blend for the sugar because I was making the bread for just us originally. I always try to reduce the sugar for desserts that I am making for just us.)
Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.
PEANUTTY CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup sugar/stevia blend)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1/3 cup milk (I use fat free)
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons oil
1 egg
1 cup dark chocolate chips, divided
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray bottom only of a 9 x 4 - inch loaf pan.
In a large batter bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.
Add bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil, and egg;
stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened using a wooden spoon.
Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into pan.
Sprinkle peanuts and remaining 1/4 cup chips evenly over the batter. Press down slightly with fingertips.
Bake 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing. Cool completely.
Here I am back on my back porch in KCMO. We got back last night after a quick weekend trip to visit with our older son Jeffrey and his family. We usually drive over on Friday and then come back home on Monday. We hadn't been since Christmas and the birth of our latest grandchild Zachary so it was a special trip indeed.
It seems the weather has been crazy everywhere so I shouldn't have been surprised at the high temperatures being in the low 60s. Somewhere in CO they got 12 inches of snow. Back here in KOMO we got a total of 4.5 inches of rain for the weekend. That was good for all our flowers we have outside. Now that we are back though I have to go back to my frizzy hair with our humidity.😞
I wrote this recipe up before we left but didn't get it published. It was really delicious and I love that it didn't have all of the sugar in it. Probably need to go put the load of clothes in the dryer and do some other cleaning. Make sure you check out my pictures below the recipe from our weekend and do at least one thing special today.
SPECIAL (NO-SUGAR-ADDED) CHERRY DUMP CAKE
1 (20 - ounce) can crushed pineapple in its own juice
1 (20 - ounce) can no-sugar-added cherry pie filling
1 box sugar-free yellow cake mix
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spoon pineapple evenly over bottom of a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan.
Cover evenly with pie filling.
Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the filling.
Cover the cake mix with thin slices of the butter.
Sprinkle the coconut and
pecans evenly over the butter.
Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until top browns.
Cool on a wire rack.
First time holding Mr. Zachary.
Me and 5-1/2 yr old Henry.
Guess who...
Thirteen yr old Hallie with Foster Baby Bella.
Daddy with Mr. Z. (He's a good daddy!)
We always get our last picture just before we leave. Yesterday morning Hallie needed a little extra sleep and she missed being in the picture. I should have taken the picture on Sunday after we got home from church but didn't think about it since we always do it just as we are leaving. Will have to remember that next time.That tall guy is fifteen-yr-old Colby and then eleven-yr-old Sadie along with Henry and Zachary. I love the picture because it always shows how they are growing. There looks otherwise don't seem to change much. Hallie is at least as tall as I am (maybe a little taller😉).
and then one last look at Pike's Peak overlooking CO Springs...
Friend Carla made these Chewy Granola Bars for the small gathering at her house last week for Mexican Train. These homemade granola bars would be perfect for an after school snack. I bet my husband would enjoy several of these during his golf game. I'm planning to make these to enjoy for lunch. Whenever you want to eat them, they are surely going to "hit the spot"!
Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.
CHEWY GRANOLA BARS
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups quick oats
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup sunflower nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray a 9 x 13 - inch pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla. Blend well.
Then stir in remaining ingredients.
Press mixture evenly in prepared pan.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or til light golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack and cut into bars.
Originally we planned to go out to dinner to celebrate my birthday with our son Patrick and his family, but we were kept busy going to baseball and softball games of our grandchildren, Tyler and Madison. Then just five days later it is Father's Day. We did go out to dinner before Madison's softball game two days after my birthday, but my husband asked for the bill. Outside the cafe, dil Lori told Wayne they didn't intend for him to pay, but he said that was okay. I suggested we could just go out again sometime and Lori mentioned Father's Day was soon. The next day Patrick sent me a text and asked if instead of going out to eat, did we just want to come to their house and he would BBQ. Of course I said no. (Just kidding! 😁)
When both of our sons were little, I encouraged them to cook and then they both joined the Boy Scouts and had some awesome experiences. (They both also earned their Eagle Scout Badge.) Both of them help out with the cooking now for their families. When Lori and I were planning the menu for our Father's Day/Birthday dinner, Madison asked if they could make dessert and ask her daddy if he would make his peach cobbler. I thought it was so cute!
We went up to their house early enough in the afternoon to see him prepare the cobbler so I could take pictures to share with you. Lori asked him if he was going to share his recipe and he laughed and said it was in every scout manual there was. I glad he was willing to let me get my pictures.
It was the perfect conclusion for his smoked ribs, brisket, and burnt ends. (I didn't get a picture of them because I was hanging out with Madison when he brought it in the house and had it all cut up and covered with foil to keep warm.) Of course, Boy Scouts would have made over over the burned down campfire, but Patrick has a way to mock that and be able to cook the cobbler without a campfire.
(BSA) DUTCH OVEN PEACH COBBLER
2 large cans of sliced peaches, drained
1 yellow cake mix
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 12 - oz can 7 - UP
Cinnamon
Line the cast iron dutch oven with foil.
Dump peach slices in the bottom of the pot. Spread out evenly.
Sprinkle cake mix over peaches.
Slice stick of butter and place over cake mix.
Pour most of the can of 7 - UP (Patrick left enough in the can for his two children to each have a drink.)
over all.
Sprinkle cinnamon on top
to cover.
Place lid on top. Notice the hook Patrick uses to handle the lid.
Heat up charcoal briquettes.
Place a layer of briquettes on pavement in a circle about the size of the dutch oven. (The Boy Scouts would just set the pot in the fire pit.)
Place the pot over the briquettes and
carefully cover the lid with the rest of the hot briquettes using charcoal thongs.
Cook 30 to 45 minutes. Carefully lift lid to check if cobbler is done.
Replace lid to keep warm until ready to serve.
Ready to eat.... (Patrick says ice cream keeps you from enjoying the full taste of the peaches and cobbler. 😋)
Last weekend my husband's cousin Fred and his family stopped by to visit with us on their mad race across the country. Hearing about their trip was exciting but also very tiring. Actually Fred and his wife Dianne, in a rented RV, traveled across the country from Virginia to California by themselves and then picked up their son Kirby and his wife Stella and their four boys for their return trip. They didn't see everything possible coming across but everyone had their requests and they didn't miss much. We were so glad they chose to stop over a couple of days with us.
I wanted to have a dessert available for them while they were here and chose this recipe called Peek-A-Boo Peachcake from Mrs. Lilian Geyer of Belle Mead, New Jersey. It was in one of my latest finds at an estate sale from Pillsbury Publications called Bake-Off Cook Book from the 19th annual Bake Off. We especially like anything made with peaches so it sounded like a winner.
Mrs. Geyer's recipe called for two cans (1 lb. 13 oz. each) peach slices. I wanted to use fresh peaches but didn't have any more frozen ones in my freezer. I need to replenish my supply soon since they are on sale in the stores. Anyway I bought a 16 - oz bag of fresh frozen peaches from the grocery store. I made one layer of peach slices in the cake. If you wanted to have more peaches, you could make two layers of sliced peaches and use two bags (or use the canned peaches as her recipe called for).
Click here for a printable version of just the recipe or click the print icon at the bottom of the post. You will be given the option to reduce (remove) the images to 0% for the latter.
PEEK-A-BOO PEACHCAKE
2 cans (1 lb. 13 oz. each) peach slices, drained OR 1 - 2 one lb bag of fresh frozen peach slices
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Topping
1 cup reserved batter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dairy sour cream (I used fat free)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray a 8 x 12 - inch pan or a 9 x 13 - inch pan. Set aside.
If using canned peaches, drain thoroughly and set aside. Not necessary if using frozen peach slices.
Beat eggs in a large mixer bowl at high speed;
gradually add the sugar,
beating until thick and lemon colored.
At low speed, blend in milk and vanilla.
Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with a whisk and
then add to egg mixture folding in
until smooth.
Remove 1 cup of batter for the Topping.
Spread the remainder of the cake batter in the prepared pan.
Arrange peaches on top.
Prepare the Topping by combining the reserved batter with the sugar, sour cream, and almond extract in a small mixing bowl.
Stir until well blended.
Spread the Topping over the peaches covering
all of the peach slices.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes for the 8 x 12 - inch pan or 45 to 50 minutes in a 9 x 13 - inch pan. Cool in pan on wire rack.
High Altitude Adjustment - Decrease sugar in cake to 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons. Increase milk to 1/2 cup. Bake at 375 for 50 - to minutes.
We didn't, but you can serve the cake with a dollop of whipped topping on top.
For breakfast the first morning I made them my famous Buttermilk Biscuits and the second morning I treated them to my Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits. I did both of these posts early on when I started my blog and I don't have all the pictures I now have showing the process. I have made other biscuits though and did show lots of pictures. You could probably do a search from the search window in the right hand margin for biscuits and find them.
Spray bottom only of a 9 x 4 - inch loaf pan.
In a large batter bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. 
Add bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil, and egg; 
stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened using a wooden spoon.
Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into pan.
Sprinkle peanuts and remaining 1/4 cup chips evenly over the batter. Press down slightly with fingertips.
Bake 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing. Cool completely.
