Banana Crumb Coffee cake

 

I have a very similar recipe, already here on the blog. But can we ever have too many banana cake recipes?   I don't think so. 

 

Well bananas are my favorite fruit, right up there with strawberries.  When it comes to dessert though, I am not a huge fan of strawberry anything, I much prefer banana flavored.  I guess that's a good thing because bananas are one of those foods in my kitchen that go bad really quickly, so I'm always on the lookout for a good way to use them up.

 

If you're looking for a few recipes to make using your ripe bananas, just do a quick search here on the blog, I have a quite a few waiting for you to try.

 

 

 

The trick to this amazing coffee cake, is to layer the batter and the topping. 

 

Ask me if I did that this time? 

 

No, no I didn't.  I was quickly getting this recipe together, in the middle of cooking dinner, and proceeded to dump the whole batter in.  When I realized what I had done, I grabbed a spoon and just stirred it all up, then added the topping.

 

Not what it is supposed to be, at all, but you know the taste is still there and that is what matters.

 

Besides, who has never made a mistake in the kitchen?  Cause this girl right here, still makes quite a few to this day.  You would think that with as much as I cook and bake, and how much time I spend in the kitchen, I would be an expert, but nope, mistakes are still made.

 

Anyway, this is the perfect coffee cake for a breakfast, a brunch, an afternoon dessert or a family get together.

 

So good!

 

 

 

Banana Crumb Coffee Cake

 

 

Ingredients

Crumb Layers 

1/2 cup cold butter (8 tablespoons), cut into small cubes  

1 cup all purpose flour 

1 cup packed light brown sugar 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

 

Cake 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

3 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp salt 3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed 

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature 

1 cup granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 tsp vanilla 

1 cup milk 

 

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar 

1-2 tbsp 

 

 

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with butter or cooking spray; set aside. 

 

In a large bowl, use your hands or two forks to crumble together the cold butter cubes, flour, sugars, and cinnamon until the mixture resembles a crumbly topping. Set aside the crumb mixture. 

 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer, mix softened butter on medium until creamy, about 2 minutes. 

 

Add the sugar and mix for another minute, until well incorporated. Then add the eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and mix just until ingredients are incorporated (do not overmix!) 

 

Turn the mixer down to low, and alternate mixing in milk and flour until all ingredients are combined. 

 

Pour half of the cake mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with ⅓ - ¼ of the crumb mixture. Then pour the remaining cake mixture on top of that layer and finally, top evenly with the remaining crumb topping. 

 

Bake at 350º for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

 

 

To make the glaze: 

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add more milk as needed until you get the glaze consistency you prefer. Set aside. 

 

Cool at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before drizzling the glaze over the top, slicing, and serving.

 

 

Everyone has their favorite breakfast casserole. That one you keep for special occasions, such as Christmas morning, or when you have family or friends staying over. 

 

I have tried many casseroles, some were good, some were ok.  So it's safe to say that I am always trying new versions, always on the look out for a different one.  

 

But there is a prerequisite for me to give a breakfast casserole a try, they have to be easy, and they have to use ingredients I already have on hand.  

 

 

 

This one comes from one of my newer Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks. 

It was super quick to make, although the recipe calls for refrigerating overnight, but I didn't, I bake it right away.

It got huge thumbs up from the family and I think it could be easily adapted to whatever ingredients your family prefers, or whatever you have on hand.

The only thing I changed was that I used two different cheeses, and I also added parsley and green onion to the egg mixture.

Give this one a try, and let me know what you think.  

 

Hearty Breakfast Casserole

Source: Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks

6 to 8 bread slices 

3-oz. pkg. ready-to-use bacon crumbles

1 lb. cooked ham, diced, or ground pork sausage, browned (I used pork sausage)

2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (I used mozzarella and cheddar)

10 eggs, beaten 

1 c. milk 

1 t. salt 

1 t. pepper 

 

 

Arrange bread slices in a single layer in a greased 13"x9" baking pan; top with bacon and ham or sausage. Sprinkle with cheese. 

 

Whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour egg mixture over top. 

 

Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. 

 

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour, until center is set. Serves 12.

Hashbrown Casserole

Anytime we go to Cracker Barrel, when they ask me what sides I want, Hashbrown casserole is always one of the choices.  So good!!!

It may be because I'm obsessed with potatoes and could eat them every day, any way, without getting sick.  Or it could be that I just love casseroles, and this one is yummy and creamy and perfect for a breakfast get together, or a breakfast for dinner, or heck even as a side dish for  a weekday dinner. 

Whatever you decide, just make it, you won't regret it.

Hashbrown Casserole

Source:  Will Cook for Smiles

30 oz frozen shredded hash brown potatoes thawed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion diced
3 large garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk (can use reduced fat if needed)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup sour cream
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tbsp minced parsley (can use dried parsley if needed)
salt
fresh cracked black pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese topping


Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 casserole baking dish. Preheat medium pot over medium heat on stove-top.

Add oil, heat it through and add onions. Saute onions until they start to brown. Smash and mince garlic and add it to the onions. Stir and saute until fragrant.

Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir well. Stir for a few seconds and start slowly pouring in chicken stock, while stirring. Pour in milk after that while stirring as well.

Let the mixture heat through and start to thicken.

Stir in sour cream, cheese, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture cook and thicken as the cheese melts. Taste to make sure you have enough seasoning. Stir in parsley.

Mix hash browns and cheese sauce in a large bowl and spread the mixture in the prepared casserole dish. Make sure it's all spread evenly throughout.

Spread some more cheese on top and bake for 35-40 minutes, until casserole browned and bubbles around the edges.
 

{ Cast Iron Buttermilk Biscuits }

 
I woke up this morning craving biscuits and gravy for breakfast.

I have to tell you a funny story first.  I'm sure most of you know that before moving to the United States, I lived in South Africa.  We spoke English but with a British/Afrikaans kind of accent, but for the most part everything derived from England's English, so we used terms like Flat (apartment), biscuits (cookies), jelly (jelly-o), Jam (jelly), boot (trunk), chips (fries) and so on.

When I met my husband, who is American, I found some of the words a bit strange and had a hard time understanding what he was referring to.

The first time he mentioned a Sausage Biscuit for breakfast, I almost puked, because in my mind I picture a sausage flavored cookie LOL  And let's not even mention Biscuits and Gravy, that was even worst.

It took me moving to the States to finally realize that what was referred to as biscuits here, was what we referred to as scones in South Africa.

Long story short, I finally tried the biscuits and gravy and sausage biscuits and fell in love.

Fast forward to today, this morning actually, and I wanted some biscuits and gravy but I wanted a new recipe to try, more specifically one that I could use my cast iron skillet with.  I've been trying to use it more and get it nice and seasoned.

I happened upon this recipe on the Lodge Cast Iron website, gave it a try and it was delicious.  Hope you enjoy it as well :)

Brigg's Buttermilk Biscuits

Source: Lodge Cast Iron

2 cups self-rising flour, plus extra for dusting counter
½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, plus an additional 2 tablespoons melted butter
¾ cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons melted shortening


Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet into the oven to preheat.
Measure the self-rising flour into a large mixing bowl.

Using the coarse side of a hand grater, quickly grate 1 stick (½ cup) cold hard butter into the self-rising flour. Working quickly, use fingers to gently distribute the shredded butter into the self-rising flour.

Add the buttermilk, then stir until just combined.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and, using floured fingers, quickly pat to approximately the size of an 8.5x11" sheet of paper, which will be about ½" to ¾" thick. Very lightly dust the surface of the dough with flour from your fingertips, then fold the sheet of dough into thirds, as when folding a business letter. Repeat the patting, dusting, and folding steps seven times, or fewer if you feel the dough begin to tighten–overworked dough makes for a tough biscuit! The final time, pat the dough to a rectangle slightly larger than the size of your skillet. Using a round biscuit cutter or a drinking glass, cut into about 7 round biscuits. Gather up the scraps to form the 8th biscuit by hand.

With a handle mitt, carefully remove the preheated skillet from the oven. Drop melted shortening into the preheated skillet, then return to oven for a couple of minutes, until it is melted. Place each biscuit into the skillet and, using a fork, immediately turn to coat both sides with shortening.

Place the hot skillet into the oven, and reduce the oven temperature to 425°F. Bake until tops of biscuits are golden brown, about 12-18 minutes.

Remove from oven. Brush tops with additional melted butter. Serve while hot!

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Sourdough bread is one of those things that I enjoy but don't always make, maybe because it involves having the sourdough starter and I don't remember to make it that often.

But once in a while, I get one going and then just keep it in the fridge and make bread and cinnamon rolls until it runs out.  Now you can keep feeding it, of course, but after about a week I'm done using mine and just prefer to restart again a few months later.

Last week I quickly threw together a starter, fed it and left it in my fridge.  I made a loaf in the bread machine, and then two days ago I started a sourdough bread and cinnamon roll dough.

I've shared the recipe for the sourdough starter and bread before, but here is the recipe for the cinnamon rolls.  This recipe is from one of my Amish Cookbooks, which I absolutely adore.

Enjoy!!!

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll

Makes 24 large rolls

Sourdough bread dough, prepared through first rise
6 tablespoons of butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

ICING
1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk

After the dough has risen overnight, punch it down and divide in half, form two dough balls.
Take one ball of dough and roll it out as thin as you can on a floured surface.  Brush the dough with half of the melted butter.  Sprinkle half of the sugar and half of the cinnamon.

Roll up like a jelly roll, then cut each roll into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices.  Place slices 1/2 inch apart in a greased jelly roll pan, cover with waxed paper.  Repeat with the second ball of dough.  Then let both  rise for 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake until golden brown about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

For the icing, mix butter with vanilla and 1 cup of powdered sugar.  Gradually add milk and remaining powdered sugar until smooth.  Drizzle over the rolls.

Belgian Waffles

We all have waffle recipes, some we love more than others, some are plain and simple, others are more elaborate like Waffles with Vanilla Custard, or  Banana Nut Buttermilk Waffles.

But there are times when one wishes to try a good ol' Belgian Waffle.

This recipe is super simple to make, they taste pretty good and they also create a nice crispy edge, which personally I love.

Belgian Waffles

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1⁄2 cup oil
2 cups milk


Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Separate the eggs.

In small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.

Mix together the egg yolks, milk and oil and stir slightly.  Add to dry ingredients and mix well.
Fold in beaten egg whites.

Use 1/4 cups mix per waffle in your hot waffle iron.