BANANA GINGERBREAD

The first things you might notice when you check out this recipe for Banana Gingerbread is that it contains no eggs or oil or milk.  I rechecked the recipe to make sure I hadn't missed them when I was mixing it up.  The batter is thick but the banana and molasses provide enough moisture to make a batter. AND it only has 89 calories/slice.

The recipe came from Sandra Woodruff's cookbook, Secrets of Fat-Free Baking. I have made quite a few recipes from this cookbook and have been surprised how good they are considering they would be thought as "healthy" baked goods.  I made it to take to our son, Patrick's hoping grandchildren Madison and Tyler might like the gingerbread taste with the banana taste. I did decide to cut one of the ends off so I could see how it tasted. I liked it and hope they do also.  I wanted to make another loaf to take to our grandchildren in CO, Colby, Hallie, Sadie, and Henry, but I didn't have enough bananas.  Maybe we could make it while we are there visiting. *

BANANA GINGERBREAD

2        cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4     cup toasted wheat germ
1         teaspoon baking powder
1         teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2  teaspoons ground ginger
1         teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2  cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
1/4     cup molasses

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray 8 x 4-1/2 - inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. (I used a similar size pan that is a little longer but a little narrower than required.)

Combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir to mix well.

Add the banana and molasses to the dry ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spread the batter in loaf pan. 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the loaf.

Cool loaf in the pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Remove from pan and continue cooling before slicing.





Update:
I wrote this post Wednesday night after coming home from our visit with our younger son Patrick and his family.  We are now in CO visiting with our older son Jeffrey and his family.  I had hoped to make a loaf to bring with us but I didn't have enough bananas. 

Friday morning before  we left, I measured out the ingredients and brought them with us to CO.  Saturday morning Granddaughters Hallie and Sadie and I had fun making the loaf. Here are some pictures of our fun morning.

Hallie mashing the bananas....I couldn't let a teaching moment go by though. The only measuring cup we could find was a 1/4 cup. So we had to figure out how many times we would have to fill the cup to make 1-1/2 cups. I loved it! And they did, too!

Sadie stirring up the ingredients....

and stirring the ingredients until finally all done....

Hallie wanted to help put the batter in the pan

In the pan ready for the oven....

and 40 minutes later (the pan we used was bigger)

Grandson Colby said he hoped it tasted as good as it smelled. (It did. Everyone enjoyed it with our lunch.)

NEVER-ENDING CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

You could easily call this Never-Ending Chocolate Bundt Cake "Death by Chocolate" if I hadn't used sugar free products. Jim even thought it was not one of my reduced calorie desserts...it tastes that good. 

I made the cake for Bobbi's birthday on Tuesday when I went to Hillcrest Thrift Shop.  She requested anything chocolate when Dana asked her what kind of cake would she like. Dana asked me if I would make something chocolate for her.  After reading this recipe, I decided I couldn't find anything more chocolate. Lia Wilson chose the perfect name for it in her cookbook Quick Fixes from Mixes. I decided to go the route of the sugar free ingredients; Lia didn't. I'm sorry I only got to enjoy one piece. Guess I will just have to make it again.

NEVER-ENDING CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

1         Sugar-Free Devil's Food Cake mix
1         pkg (4 - serving size) sugar-free dark fudge instant pudding mix
1-1/4  cups buttermilk (1 % okay)
1/2     cup canola oil
1/2     cup sugar-free chocolate syrup
4        eggs
1         cup (60% cacao) dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 12 - cup capacity Bundt cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, buttermilk, oil, syrup, and eggs. Beat on low speed to blend, scrape the sides of the bowl.

Increase speed to medium speed and beat for 3 minutes.

Gently stir in chips.

Pour batter into cake pan.

Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until cake tester comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes on wire rack.

Turn cake out onto cooling rack or platter you plan to serve the cake on.

Prepare the chocolate glaze and then drizzle over the cake.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

1       cup (60% cacao) dark chocolate chips
2/3    cup fat-free evaporated milk

Combine the chips and milk in a small saucepan.  Cook and stir over low to medium-low heat until blended, stirring frequently.

When the chips have completely melted, continue to cook, stirring constantly until thickened. 

Drizzle over cake.  Glaze will thickened even more as it cools so work quickly to drizzle.

APPLE PUDDING

I saw a recipe for Apple Pudding in the "new" cookbook I got last week at an estate sale. In the back of my memory somewhere (way, way back) I think I once made Apple Pudding. I didn't add it to my recipe file or anywhere else where I have stored recipes....so I might not have.  Anyway it inspired me to give it a try.  

I managed to get it ready for the oven as soon as Mrs. Jones' Lemon Chicken finished cooking. That way it cooked while my husband and I enjoyed our dinner. It finished just about the time we finished eating. I waited about 30 minutes before eating any.  I asked my husband if he wanted any (while I was dishing out mine) and he said "not right now....later". Well, I oohed and aahed while eating mine, and before I knew it, he was going upstairs to get some.  He took one bite and said, "This is really good!"  If you follow my blog, you know he usually isn't very vocal with his approvals. I can always tell when he really, really likes something.

This was so easy to prepare. I love when I don't have to use the mixer. The original recipe called for 1 - 1/2 cups of sugar, but I felt that was entirely too much. After eating some, I definitely think it did not need that much sugar. 

APPLE PUDDING

2           eggs
6           heaping tablespoons flour
2 - 1/2  teaspoons baking powder
1/2        cup sugar/stevia blend (or 1 cup sugar)
1/4        teaspoon salt
1            heaping cup of diced apples
1/2        cup chopped dates (sprinkled with a little flour to coat)
1/2        cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Grease or spray an 8 - inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

Beat eggs with whisk in large mixing bowl.

Add the sugar and beat until creamy.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine well.

Fold in apples, dates, and nuts.

Spread into pan.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove and cool slightly before serving.

Add a dollop of whipped topping, if desired.









Inspired by Dana Franck's recipe, Apple Pudding, from Be Our Quest! R.S.V.P.....Theta Cooks. It is a compilation of recipes for today' living by Kansas City Alumnae Chapter Kappa Alpha Theta.

JONES' CAFE LEMON CHICKEN

I'm not sure what we have been eating lately. We eat so much chicken, but it has been a while since I last cooked any. Finding a package of chicken tenders that I had frozen without dividing out into "serving sizes" in my freezer, I decided to do a quick search to see if I could find a new way to cook them.  I found just what sounded good when I picked up Mrs. Jones' cookbook from her cafe in Pine Bluff, AR., the Best of Ruby Jones. 

OMG! Love the lemon flavor! I served it over instant brown rice that I cooked in the microwave and spooned a little of the liquid over the chicken tenders. 

JONES' CAFE LEMON CHICKEN

1        lb. chicken tenders or 4 chicken breasts
1/4    cup + 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2    cup margarine (1 stick), melted
1        teaspoon garlic powder
1        teaspoon poultry seasoning (I used 1 chicken bouillon cube)
1/2    teaspoon salt
1/4    teaspoon pepper
cooked rice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place chicken in lightly greased baking dish (size to fit the chicken).

Combine the remaining ingredients, except rice in a small mixing bowl.

Pour over the chicken. (You can see the bouillon cube in the picture. As the chicken cooked, the cube softened and I basted it over the pieces of chicken.)

Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour  or until tender. (45 minutes might be enough if using chicken tenders). Baste frequently. (I spooned the liquid over the chicken every 15 minutes.)

Serve over hot rice. Spoon some of the liquid over the pieces of chicken.

A SLICE OF HEAVEN

I have often tried recipes in the magazines in the local newspapers, Parade and Dash with very good results. I tore this recipe for Spiced Apple-Cinnamon Bread from a September Dash magazine. Since they pictured Mott's applesauce, I guess it was an advertisement. It was interesting titled "Slice of Heaven".

I did make a couple of changes to add my personal touch but still produced a "delightfully moist quick bread". I made two mini loaves so that I could freeze one while we enjoyed the other one.

SPICED APPLE-CINNAMON BREAD

1       cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2   cup brown sugar blend or 1 cup brown sugar
4      tablespoons margarine, melted (1/2 stick)
2      large eggs
1       teaspoon vanilla
1       cup all-purpose flour
1       teaspoon baking soda
1/2   teaspoon baking powder
2      teaspoons cinnamon
1/2   teaspoon nutmeg
1/2   teaspoon salt
1       cup chopped peeled apple
1/2   cup dried cranberries
a spoonful of flour
1       tablespoon brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two mini loaf pans or one 8 - 1/2 x 5 - inch loaf pan. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of the brown sugar in the bottom of each mini loaf pan or the whole tablespoon in the larger pan.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, brown sugar, margarine, eggs, and vanilla til smooth.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture.

In a small bowl, dust the dried cranberries with a little flour to coat.

Fold in the chopped apples and dried cranberries.

Pour batter into prepared pan(s).

Bake 45 minutes for the two mini loaves or about 1 hour and 15 minutes for the larger loaf. (Since I didn't make the larger loaf, this is what the recipe said. I would check it at an hour.)

Test doneness with a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf.  If the bread is done, the toothpick will be clean. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.

Remove from pan and continue cooling.  Because of the brown sugar in the bottom of the pan, be prepared to hit the bottom of the pan with your hand to loosen it. That is what I had to do.  It came out clean just took a little effort.

BUTTERFINGER DESSERT SQUARES

I started to say since Halloween had passed, I decided to make this dessert with our leftover Butterfinger candy bars. But I have to admit, I did buy two packages of the Fun-Size Butterfinger candy bars just to make this recipe. While I used 1 bag in the dessert and three bars from the second bag to crush for the top, if you wanted to only buy one bag, you could just save 3 of the bars to crush for the topping. BUT if you really like Butterfingers, I would say buy the second bag, use 3 for the topping and then enjoy the rest. You could also use other candy bars, just for best result, I would recommend not using ones with a caramel-like filling. You need to be able to crust the candy bars.

I needed a dessert to take to our monthly Dinner Club dining group Saturday night and thought that this would be a good one to take.  I had to work with the recipe from Taste of Home because I needed to feed 16 people and didn't want to make two pies. Everyone was very pleased with the results.

BUTTERFINGER DESSERT SQUARES

CRUST:

1- 1/2 pkg graham crackers, crushed
1        stick + 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
6       tablespoons stevia

FILLING:

2        pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
2        8 - oz containers whipped topping, thawed
1         bag (11.5 oz) fun size Butterfinger candy bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

In a 9 x 13 - inch baking dish, combine the crushed crackers and stevia. Add the melted margarine and press the crust evenly on the bottom of the dish.

Bake for 8 minutes and allow to cool.







In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese til smooth and light.

Add the whipped topping.

Crush ( I used a sharp knife and shaved, finely chopped the candy bars on a cutting board.) all but 3 of the candy bars. 

Add the candy bars to the cream cheese mixture and stir completely to combine.

Spread the mixture over the top of the crust.

Sprinkle the last three candy bars that you have also crushed over the top.






Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  I made mine Friday night and kept it in the refrigerator until ready to serve Saturday night. It doesn't need to sit out before cutting and serving since it wasn't frozen.

CAKE BARS

CAKE BARS

1         pkg. yellow cake mix
2        eggs
1/3     cup canola oil
1         can (14 - oz) sweetened condensed milk
1         cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4     cup butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil. 

Press two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 - inch baking pan. (Reserve the other third)

In a microwave - safe bowl, combine the milk, chocolate chips, and butter.  Microwave, uncovered until chips and butter are melted. (microwave for 30 seconds, stir, microwave for 30 more seconds, stir....continue til melted and blended well.)

Stir until smooth.

Pour over crust.

Drop teaspoonfuls of the reserved cake mixture over the top.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool and cut into bars.

These delicious Cake Bars was the dessert that Carol served us at Farkle last week. She said they were a favorite of her husband, Keith. We could certainly understand way. They were soooooo yummy. I didn't ask Carol but I am sure you could use a sugar-free yellow cake mix and fat-free sweetened condensed milk. That will help out some on the calories.

BAKED BROCCOLI CHEESE DIP

After greeting many Trick - or - Treaters last night and then having the temps drop into the mid 20s during the night, November is here. I have to say that again....November is here. Where has the year gone? We even saw Christmas merchandise Thursday night at Cracker Barrel. While I wasn't expecting it, I have to admit it wasn't as big of a shock mainly because Friend Janice and I see so much Christmas decorations going to estate sales each week.  But to get on to the purpose of this post.....

Friend Carol made this Baked Broccoli Cheese Dip for the Farkle group on Monday. She had timed it so that she was bringing it out of the oven when we arrived, so everyone got to enjoy it hot.

BAKED BROCCOLI CHEESE DIP

1       pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1       cup sour cream
2       teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
10     oz. frozen, chopped broccoli (thawed and drained)
2       handfuls shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and seasoning.

Add the broccoli and cheese.

Spoon into a 9 inch pie plate.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve with crackers or chips.