This sh!t is bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

My friend is actually allergic to the grains in flour so they started using Einkorn flour, from Italy.  It is the only wheat to not have been hybridized. Einkorn flour has 30% less starch and 30% more protein than regular flour.

So I decided to test our the flour and use it to bake them some banana bread from Einkorn flour.

Here is a picture of the bag of flour I used.

Ingredients: 
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup of melted butter
3/4 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon of baking soda
large pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of einkorn flour


Baking Instructions:

1. I did not have any ripe bananas so I put them in them oven at 250 degrees for twenty minutes.

2. Add all of the ingredients into a bowl (I just add them all at once).

3. Then mix up all the ingredients.

4. Add the bananas to the mixing bowl.

5. Change the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

6. Put the bread batter into a pan and then put into the oven for about 20 minutes. It is not an exact science so just try and keep an eye on it.

7. After the bread is done cooking, I put the bread in some foil - this helps keep the bread moist.

The outcome was delicious! She is a physical therapist and her clients were loving it! The bread was moist and tasty!

Try it guys and let me know what you think!

Spinach and Artichoke stuffed Chicken

I LOVE spinach dip. Ask my mom - everytime I come home I ALWAYS ask her to make me some.

I was craving some spinach dip so I thought why not stuff spinach dip in some chicken. So this dish is inspired by spinach dip.

I did not go off a recipe just instinct.

Ingredients: 
1 boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup of spinach
1/2 of artichoke hearts (I used two from a can).
1/2 of shredded mixed or mozzarella cheese
1/2 of ricotta cheese
pinch of salt
pinch of garlic powder

Cooking Instructions:
1. Start by cutting up the spinach and the artichokes. It is up to you with how small you want the pieces to be.

**Alternatively, you could put all of this in the food processor along with the ricotta and shredded cheese.

2. Add the ricotta cheese and shredded cheese to the spinach and artichokes.

3. Grab the chicken breast and slice a slit in the chicken. Ideally, in the middle of the chicken and as far back as you can go.

4. Put the spinach and artichoke mixture into the chicken.

5. Then place chicken in a hot pan until the chicken browns on each side.

6. Then put the chicken in the oven to finish for about 10 minutes on 350 degrees.

*** I had extra spinach and artichoke mixture so I put the mixture in the oven to cook with the chicken.

The result was tasty!!! It was creamy and delicious!

Spinach Dip Filled Onion Rings

My brother has recently gotten in the habit of tagging me in food making videos on Facebook. He recently tagged me in a video of spinach dip onion rings from the Food Network.

When we were together over the holidays - he asked me to make them for him, so I did as an appetizer before Christmas Dinner!

Ingredients:
1 white onion
1 clove of garlic
3 cups of panko bread crumbs
1 cup of flour
5 eggs
1 cup of shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup of romano cheese
1 8 oz. container of chive and onion cream cheese
5 ounces of spinach (I use the frozen rectangles from the grocery store)
1 can of artichoke hearts


To make the spinach dip:
1. Thaw out the spinach. To speed up the process, I put it on the stove with some chopped up garlic.

2. While the spinach is thawing, open the can of artichoke hearts and squeeze out all the liquid from them.

***This is the trick for having a thicker/less soupy spinach dip.

3. Place artichoke hearts in a food processor.

4. Once the spinach is thawed, place it in the food processor with the artichoke hearts.

5. Pulse the processor for a minute.

6. Then add two eggs, 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of romano cheese, and the 8 oz chive and onion cream cheese.

7. Then run the food processor for two minutes or until everything appears to be mixed up.

To make onion rings:
1. Cut the onions into slices. I tried to do about 1/2 inch slices.

2. Lay the rings out on a sheet tray.

3. Add the spinach dip to the onion rings.

4. Then put the onion rings in the freezer for at least one hour.

*** This helps solidify everything together and makes it easier to bread the onion rings.

5. While the onion rings are freezing, set up the breading station. Set up three bowls: one with two eggs (beaten), flour and panko bread crumbs.


After at least an hour

6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

7. It is time to start breading the onion rings. Place the ring in the flour, then the egg, and then panko bread crumbs.

8. Place the rings on a sheet tray.

*** I do not like to fry things because it is unhealthy so I  cooked them in the oven.

9. Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes on each side or until brown.


This was the result!!!

From what I heard, they were delicious! My brother, boyfriend, and even my dad really really loved them!!

Pecan Pie

Happy Holidays! Hope everyone had a great Christmas/Hanukkah! I know my family in particular, is always going in a million different directions so it is always a treat to spend time with them.

This one is a Christmas special for my family, pecan pie! My mom and sister's favorite holiday treat! This recipe has been in my family for years - my grandma tore this recipe out of the Dear Abby column of the newspaper YEARS ago and the recipe has been in my family ever since.

Ingredients:
9" unbaked pie crust
1 cup of light corn syrup (light karo syrup)
1 cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs slightly beaten
1/3 cup of butter (melted)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of pecan halves

Baking instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. I chose to use a pillsbury pre-made pie crust because it is quick and easy but you can of course make your own and I have done it in the past. Put the crust into a 9" pie pan. When doing the crust, I use my fingers to make the crust look "ruffley" if you will. (refer to picture). Use a fork to place tint holes in the base of the crust.


                                             


3. I added all of the ingredients except for the eggs and the pecans into a large bowl.

4. Then add in the eggs. Try to stir the eggs in as quickly as possible but do not over whip the eggs.


                                              


5. Pour mixture into the pie crust. Then I line the pie with pecans, making rings until I reach the center. I do this twice so it has two layers of pecans.


                                                    


6. Then bake in the oven until the pie is firm. Stick a tooth pick in it just to be sure but it should cook for about 40 minutes.

7. Let cool and then enjoy!


                                                       


 I made this pie on Christmas and we brought it to a holiday party - it was a HUGE hit! Needless to say there were no leftovers which in my mind means success!!!

Who You Calling Slutty?

I had no clue that these bars were called slutty brownies. One of my co-workers made them one day and they were heaven.

So when my class and I were gearing up for a 10 hour bus ride to New Orleans, LA., I had to make these.

The first layer of the slutty brownie is chocolate chip cookie, the second is double stuff oreos, and the third is brownie.

Ingredients for chocolate chip of cookie:
2 packages of toll house chocolate chip dough squares

** I have a "famous" chocolate chip cookie recipe that I use that is "magical" so I don't want to share it. But any cookie dough recipe or pre-packaged cookie dough will do. I said the cookie dough squares because those will lay down the best in the pan.

Ingredients of brownies:
1 box of brownie mix
1/3 cup of canola oil
1/4 cup of water (I used milk)
2 eggs

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350

2. Get a 9x11 pan. I lined it with foil so it is easier to get the bars out of the pan. Put Pam on the pan




3. Make the cookie dough mixture or lay down the dough. Make sure it gets in the corner of the pan. It doesn't have to be too thick - it's just preference.

4. Lay down the oreos





5. Make the brownie mix and then pour it on top of the oreos. I made sure it got in all the corners and covered the oreos.




6. Cook in the oven for about an hour. I just eye balled it. You want to make sure the middle isn't too runny.

The result - DELICIOUS!!




I mean just ask Dawon.

Chicken? Plain? Boring? Nah!

Chicken has this perception as a boring protein. Chicken does have a bland taste but when you add flavor to it then its great!!

I am all about marinades - marinades are the best way to impart flavor in chicken. Letting the marinade soak in over night allows it to soak up the flavor and then putting in the oven ensures that it will be tender.

As I do like to be healthy (disclaimer - I don't eat 99% of the desserts I make), chicken is high in protein which is important obviously.

When I am preparing for the week sometimes I will buy a package of chicken and make different marinades for each one. This helps make prep for dinner every night super easy and different flavors keeps things interesting.

This is one of my favorite chicken marinades that I just discovered recently.



Ingredients: 
2 Teaspoons of garlic powder
2 Teaspoons of rosemary (dried)
1/2 Cup of balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons of dijon Mustard
1/8 Cup of lemon juice
1/4 Cup of soy sauce
1/4 Cup of Worcestershire sauce
1 Teaspoon of black pepper
3/4 Cup of brown sugar
2 Teaspoons of salt
1/2 cup of olive oil

To start, I add all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix them.

NOTE: I personally don't like using dried rosemary because all the petals get everywhere and it is not especially pleasant to eat it.



I then trim the chicken of any fat or blood vessels (GROSS!) and then I add it to a plastic baggie with the marinade.














I like to marinade the chicken for at least 24 hours.

To cook the chicken, I start out by cooking in a pan on medium heat. This helps to put some color on the chicken then I put it in the oven on 350 degrees.




Cooking it in the oven ensures that the chicken is tender. I think tough chicken is a deterrent for a lot of people to make it or want to eat it. But cooking chicken in the oven (what I call low and slow) is KEY!

Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Whipped Cream

I just love the holidays! Especially this year I feel like I have so much to be thankful for!

I made this pumpkin pie for my grad school class' friendsgiving and it was a HUGE hit! I had never made pumpkin pie before so I was really nervous but everyone loved it. I also made some vanilla whipped cream.


Pumpkin Pie Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
6 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of (ice cold) water

Filling:
1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree (I used Libby's)
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
1 cup of brown sugar
2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 eggs

Pumpkin Spice Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ginger
1/2 teaspoon of allspice
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of cloves

** Note: I mix all of the pumpkin spice ingredients together and then took the 2 teaspoons from the combined mixture.

Vanilla Whipped Cream:
1 cup of chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

To make the crust: 
To start, make sure you are using ice cold water.

I also melted my butter.

Combine these ingredients together and it will become a doughy consistency.

Then roll out the dough on a cutting board. Make sure to add flour to the cutting board and rolling pin. You want the dough to be rolled to about a centimeter thick. If it is too thick then it won't cook all the way through.

I like to use the 9" pyrex glass pie pans. Apply pam to the pie pan and then add the dough to the pan.

To make the filling: 
I started by separating the eggs yolks from the egg whites. I like to whip the egg whites separately. I use a whisk or a mixer to whip the egg whites until the egg whites appear to be foamy or peaky.



Next, I add the pumpkin puree, sugar, heavy cream, evaporated milk, pumpkin spice, egg yolks, and salt into a bowl together. When it comes to adding the pumpkin spice - I sort of just eye balled how much I thought was enough so I think I ended up adding more than the recipe called for.




After mixing in all of the ingredients together, I slowly fold in the egg whites. You want to make sure NOT to overmix them.

Once all of the ingredients are mixed together, pour them into the dough.























Cooking: 
Set oven to 400 degrees

I cooked the pie for about 30 minutes. It is important to keep an eye on the pie.

The pie should be firm and the fork should come out clean when placing a fork in it.

If it is overcooked then the pie will crack.






To make the vanilla whipped cream:
To start, I put my mixing bowl in the freezer. This helps create stiff peaks.

I put all of the ingredients (heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar) in the mixing bowl and ran the mixer on low speed for 30 seconds before bumping the mixer up to high speed. I only need to run the mixer for about 1 minute. You do not want to over mix it.
It doesn't hurt to stop and check the consistency of the whipped cream and then whip it some more if necessary.
When looking for consistency, you want to make sure the whipped cream can stand on its own. So when you stick your spoon in it, the whipped cream holds its shape.



Any comments or questions - please feel free to post them below!