Whole Wheat Banana Cakes

Welcome to Tuesday, the day in which hundreds of Internet bakers join together in preparing a sweet treat from Dorie Greenspan's massive baking tome, "Baking; From my Home to Yours." This week's recipe for banana bundt cake was chosen by Mary, The Food Librarian. (She has a beautiful blog with gorgeous pictures-especially this week's bundt cake.)Since our family of four is equally divided into two groups of banana lovers and banana haters, I knew that making an entire bundt cake would be risky. On the one hand, I could bake the cake and not mention that it contains bananas. I've pulled this one before, but the charges are usually astute enough to notice the sudden absence of the blackened bananas on the counter top. As much as they don't like to eat bananas, they watch the progress of their demise with a mixture of satisfaction and disgust. If I get caught not fessing up about adding bananas, it sets me back months in terms of culinary trustworthiness. My girl, with her aversion to almost all things healthful, will often ask me three questions before eating any of my baked goods: Does this have pumpkin? Chopped up raisins? For the love of pete, does this have bananas?

Early in the morning, while the charges were still in dreamland, I mixed up some whole wheat muffins using bananas from the freezer to keep my secret. The batter was delicious and soon the house was filled with a sweet warm aroma. The Quiet Man and I happily ate our banana cakes, and when the charges woke up they stumbled into the kitchen and asked for some too. My little boy happily gobbled his down, never knowing the fruity truth. But my little girl, ever suspicious, plucked off a golden brown corner, examined it, put the daintiest crumb in her mouth, and then looked at me with one eyebrow up. "What kind of muffins are these?" And then she launched into her three questions, I confessed the truth, and she had a bowl of Cheerios. But at least my little boy loved the muffins, and that changes the score from two to two, to three banana lovers and one banana hater. Aha-I'm making progress.

For the real recipe, click here. I made a quarter batch to get six muffins, using half whole wheat, some maple extract, and some chopped pecans as well. When you've got overripe bananas, peel them, cut them into one inch sections and keep them in the freezer for smoothies, baked goods, and other deep dark secrets.

Up Next:

Blackened Corn Salsa with Cheese Quesadillas

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

Who wants a pancake, sweet and piping hot?

Good little Grace looks up and says, "I'll take the one off the top."

Who wants a pancake, hot off the griddle

Terrible Teresa grins and says, "I'll take the one in the middle."

Remember this silly Shel Silverstein poem with an illustration of a sky high pancake tower? Well, I wish I had a mountainous stack of these sour cream banana pancakes, dripping with maple syrup, slices of banana, a sprinkling of crunchy pecans and a dollop or fluffy whipped cream. (I'd want the one in the middle too, since it would have stayed nice and warm.) These pancakes will make you do a backflip and a somersault! I wouldn't normally go around craving banana pancakes, but now I know what I've been missing. They are fantastic! Count on Ina Garten to create a perfectly not-too-sweet, rich-but-light griddle cake. There is no butter or oil in the batter, just a bit of sour cream, and reduced fat worked just fine, plus I put in half whole wheat to boost the nutrition. Chopped bananas are added to the pancakes as they cook, so it's easy to leave them out for any of your banana-lambasters, like my sister Leslie. The next time I make pancakes, this will be THE recipe. And I'd be happy to eat one off the side, bottom or middle. Wish I had one right now.

Money Saving Tips: A half batch is perfect for a family of four. Use yogurt, sour cream or even buttermilk, depending on what you have on hand. We only used one banana, since half of our group preferred plain, so plan according to your family's tastes. Either way, you'll be saving a stack of cash over a pancake's house prices.

Estimated Cost for a 1/2 batch: $2.50

Link to the Barefoot Contessa's Recipe

Tuesdays With Dorie: Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Banana-Swirl Cakes

Elvis would love me for this one... If you're out there Mr. Pelvis, come on by. It's time for Tuesdays with Dorie. Once a week we bake fabulous desserts created by genius Greenspan. Pick up a copy of her book and bake along.

This week, we've got a gorgeous black and white banana loaf cake. Except mine is tan and black. It's my fault, really, because I can't resist the urge to tinker. Because if banana and chocolate swirled cake sounds good, doesn't chocolate-peanut butter-banana bread sound even better? Better still, you love it tender with a dusting of snowy sugar or a warm peanut butter glaze.

Legend has it that Elvis was a sucker for peanut butter and banana desserts. If you're alive, Mr. Presley, come on by and I'll make you another batch. Ours is all gone....

For a complete original recipe for Black and White Banana Loaf, click here. For my version, see below.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Swirl Cakes

Estimated Cost: $3.00

Notes: I made half batch, then put half of that batter into a 5 inch cake; the remaining I made into a miniature loaf.

1 medium to slightly large banana

2 ounces bitter or semisweet chocolate (1/3 cup chocolate chips)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

4 tablespoons peanut butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup white flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two mini loaf pans. (I used disposable.) In a small bowl, mash the banana. In a separate small microwaveable bowl, melt the chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave, being careful not to scorch. In a large bowl, beat the remaining butter, peanut butter and both sugars; beat for two minutes. Add the eggs one a time, beating for one minute each. Add the vanilla. In a small bowl, combine flours with soda and salt. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture, stirring only until combined. Add the milk, beat on low, then add the remaining dry ingredients. Add the bananas. Pour less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate. Stir in the cocoa powder. Drop alternating spoon fulls of both batters into prepared dish. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes before unmolding. Dust the top with powdered sugar or use the glaze recipe below.

For glaze: Heat 1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter in microwaveable bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon milk and 1 cup powdered sugar. Pour over the top of the still warm cakes.

Coming Tomorrow:

Asian Chicken, Orange, and Avocado Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing

Food and Furthermore: II

First of all, Happy Day After Mother's Day to all. Hopefully, there will be no dishes in the sink to serve as a reminder of yesterday's festivities. With the exception of a popcorn bowl, my kitchen is clean. (Nice work, dear.) Here are some other reasons that I had a wonderful Mother's Day: Two little charges that didn't bicker, banter, squabble, dare, bet or argue for 24 hours. (Although they did "jinx" each other about 7,483 times; I can't quite cure them of that.)Big Stuff (my Dad) and the Quiet Man (my husband) made all the meals AND did all the dishes (except for that popcorn bowl I told you about).

My mom, recovering from foot surgery in a wheel chair, and I twiddled our thumbs and did whatever else we wanted to do, like pose for awkward pictures and ask for second helpings of grilled chicken.

I got this.

And that.I'm a happy mom.
Furthermore, my sister (Little H, sister #7) came to visit for the whole week. I got to play with her chubby pink baby all week. Ain't she sweet?

My two little charges played with their cousins all day long. Their favorite activity? Dressing as twins. They could almost get away with it, too. Especially the cuckoo boys.

And furthermore.....

I received another blogging award from the recipe girl. Hooray and thanks! You'll love her blog. She's got an enormous compilation of mouth-watering recipes with beautiful pics that'll make you want to lick the computer screen.

I don't even have to dust it! But I do need to pass it on. I'm going to do that. This week. It's a good thing I'm not in a relay race. I always hang on to the baton for too long.

Still Furthermore....In the meantime, from recipe girl's extensive collection, I got this yummy banana brown sugar muffin recipe. I made a half batch and baked it in a mini muffin tin. (Estimated Cost $1.50)

Some of the muffins I topped with brown sugar and almonds, others got miniature chocolate chips, but the very best ones got a frozen raspberry and a sprinkling of course sugar. Ohhhh, they were good.

Coming Tomorrow:Cranberry Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Pineapple Rasberry Orange Sherbet

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

I always overdo it when it come to Mexican food. Maybe it's because chips and salsa come in big baskets and bowls, and not in 100 calorie foil bags. Maybe it's because I grew up in southern California and I'm yearning for the flavors of my childhood. Maybe it's because I'm greedy and I can always get a lot of chow for my dollar.....Or maybe it's just because the food is so darn good! The times that I have been the fullest in my life have not been on Thanskgivings. No, they've been after the chimichanga combo platter. So when it comes to dessert, I want something (and yes, I still want something-even when I'm full) that is light and refreshing. Something fruity to play off the spiciness of the meal. This sherbert is a delicious and fitting choice. It's tropical, creamy, orange, and soft with little bits of rasberry, banana, and pineapple. (Please don't tell my sister Leslie that you put in a banana. She'll curl up in a little ball.) Just a little scoop will hit the spot that your spicy dinner missed.
Pineapple-Rasberry-Orange Sherbert

Estimated Cost: $4.50 for about 1/2 gallon

Notes: You can make this without an ice cream maker. Just freeze the mixture in a big bowl and give it an occasional whisk while it's firming up. It works well, albeit the end result is a little less creamy than with an ice cream maker. Just be sure to let it thaw a bit and stir in a bit of extra orange soda before serving. (If you're short on time, make it even easier by mixing the fruit into store-bought orange sherbet.)
Leftovers make a spiffy punch mixed with some extra soda.
1 (14 ounce) can condensed milk
4 cups orange soda (diet works, too)
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juices
1 small banana, chopped
1 and 1/2 cups frozen rasberries, slightly crushed
In a large bowl, stir together milk, soda, and pineapple. Process in ice cream maker until almost set; add in banana and raspberries. Freeze until serving time.

Great Movie Choices for Cinco De Mayo
Nacho Libre-Hilarious Jack Black goes from spartan robes to stretchy pants.
Giant-Rock Hudson and Liz Taylor in a multi-generational Texas epic.
Three Amigos-Silly Chevy, Martin, and Steve in Mariachi gear.
Three Caballeros-Disney's animated tribute to Latin America
Did I miss any? Leave a suggestion in the comments section!