[ Cinnamon Crumb Banana Muffins ]

OH WOW.

I made these for their lunches tomorrow - and they've already eaten 6 of the dozen for an after-school-snack.  Off I go to make some more LOL.  Probably should double this ... 

Cinnamon Crumb Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

1 + ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking power
½ tsp salt

1 egg
¾ cup white sugar
⅓  cup melted butter
3 mashed bananas

topping

⅓ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 
• Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
• In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
• In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. 
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
• In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. 
• Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
• Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

[ Caramel Popcorn.]

*  my own pic.

Caramel popcorn always intimidated me -- well -- I actually never realized that you could MAKE it yourself LOL.  When my cousin served it to us one night, I couldn't eat it fast enough -- I asked for the recipe and it's now on "snack" rotation.  This recipe is very similar to my cousins -- I found it on Pinterest.  And it was SUPER easy, and SUPER yummy.

Caramel Popcorn:
10 cups (100g) air-popped popcorn
1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (80g) light corn syrup
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Ingredients

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 200F degrees. 

- Spread the popcorn out onto 2 large baking sheets. Set aside.

- Combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, cream of tartar, and salt in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat. 

- Stir constantly and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes.  

- Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the baking soda.  

- Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir gently until all the kernels are coated.

- Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.  

- Allow to cool on the pan and break apart large clusters if desired. 

-  Cover the popcorn tightly once cooled; it will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.

[ Chocolate Zucchini Muffins ]

Last night's NYE fondue left me with a bunch of extra zucchini ... so I got this recipe off of Pinterest --- which sent me to a site called Eat Drink Love.

I made them in mini-muffin tins ... planning on bagging there for our upcoming ski trip.  And extras, put in the freezer for school lunches.

Dry Ingredients :

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Wet Ingredients :

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a muffin pan by spraying cavities with non-stick spray or insert muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and the cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, vegetable oil, milk, and the vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and the chocolate chips.
4. Divide the batter evenly amongst each cavity. Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes -- I cooked them for 12-15 in the mini muffin tins. Let muffins cool. Store leftovers in an airtigth container.

Nutrition (1 muffin): Calories: 221; Fat: 9.3g; Carbs: 34.5g; Sugar: 19.7g; Protein: 3.4g; WW Points Plus: 6

[ Fondue Batter ]

Fondue Batter

Ingredients: 

3 cups flour 

8 tablespoons cornstarch 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

3 cups club soda 

Directions: 

1. Sift dry ingredients 

2. Add water and mix well 

3. Use to coat mozza cubes, onion rings or mushrooms.

Serves approximately 8-10

[ Perfect Banana Bread ]

Perfect banana bread

by Martha Stewart

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I used Fat Free Greek yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional; I didn’t use them)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool. Recipe © 2012 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

[ Hello Dolly Squares. ]

I wanted to add to my Christmas baking repertoire and found this recipe on Pinterest.  Also known as Seven Layer Bars.  Not my image.

Hello Dolly
recipe from Eagle Brand
1/2 cup butter, melted1 
1+1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup shredded coconut


1. Heat oven to 350. 
2. Melt butter and pour into a 9x13 pan. 
3. Mix in graham cracker crumbs. 
4. Pour condensed milk over the crumbs and then layer the remaining ingredients evenly. 
5.  Bake for 25 minutes. 
6. Cool.

[ whipped shortbread ]

These are a standard in our home.  I use Hersey's Chocolate Kisses to decorate tho, rather than maraschino cherries.

Whipped Shortbread

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (not margarine)
½ cup icing sugar
1 + ½ cups flour
Hersey's Chocolate Kisses (small)

Directions:

1. cream butter and sugar
2. add flour and beat for 10 minutes
3. Drop from a small spoon onto a cookie sheet (I use a sil-pad)
4. Decorate with one HCK.
5. Bake at 350F for 10-12minutes

*recipe doubles well.
** not my image