Cream Cheese Banana Bread

At Christmas time, I made cutting boards for some of the teachers and tucked in a loaf of banana bread with it. I thought "I don't need to make the glaze for this. It's just banana bread, what's the big deal?" Well, I'm here to tell you, the glaze makes amazing banana bread AHHHH-MAZING! Seriously yummy stuff.

Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Orange Glaze

3/4 cup softened butter
8 oz pkg softened cream cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 4 medium...I don't measure, I just add 4)
3 cups ap flour
1/2 tsp each: baking soda, baking powder and salt
OPTIONAL: 2 cups pecans (I skip these)


Orange Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp orange zest
3 tbsp orange juice (Use the juice of the orange you zest or use OJ concentrate)

Cream the butter and cream cheese with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure to mix well after each one. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Add dry ingredients all at once and stir until combined. Fold in 1 cup pecans if you are using them.

Pour batter into 2 loaf pans (8x4x2) or 5 mini loaf pans that you've lightly coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (about 45 minutes for minis) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Move to cooling rack, prick with a fork a few times before drizzling with the glaze. Allow to cool about 10 minutes before you remove from the loaf pans to cool completely.

You won't believe this!

I am about to tell you about the best recipe I've had in a very long time. I had these bars at church this weekend and they are PHENOMENAL! I love Snickers candy bars and now I can make my own at home! They are time consuming and are probably better suited as a special treat, but I can't wait to make them! Enjoy!!

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CANDY BARS (Homemade Snickers)

2 teaspoons butter
1 cup milk chocolate chips
¼ cup butterscotch chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
FILLING:
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar
¼ evaporated milk
1 ½ cups marshmallow crème
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup chopped salted peanuts
CARAMEL LAYER:
1 package (14 ounces) caramels
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
ICING:
1 cup (6 ounces) milk chocolate chips
¼ cup butterscotch chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1. Line a 13in x 9in. pan with foil; butter the foil with 2 teaspoons butter and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set.
2. For filling, in a small heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and milk; bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; boil and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the marshmallow crème, peanut butter and vanilla. Add peanuts. Spread over first layer. Refrigerate until set.
3. For caramel layer, in a small heavy saucepan, combine the caramels and cream; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Cook and stir 4 minutes longer. Spread over the filling. Refrigerate until set.
4. For icing, in another saucepan, combine chips and peanut utter; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour over the caramel layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Remover from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cutting. Remove from pan and cut into 1 inch squares. Store in an airtight container.

A Twist on regular Lemon Bars

This weekend, I was on a baking mission! I made brownies (from a mix), Very Berry Pie (recipe coming soon), and these lemon bars. I had some macadamia nuts in the freezer that I wanted to use up and Timmy LOVES lemon bars. The only thing missing was the lemon zest, but even without that, they were the BEST ones I've made yet! Enjoy!

Macadamia Lemon Bars

Crust:
1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
2 cups flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup melted butter

Mix together dry ingredients, then stir in the butter and mix until evenly moist. Press into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Top with filling.

Filling:
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp lemon extract (optional, but I added and could have used more)
1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest (use this, please, it'll really make a difference, but if you don't have it, I understand.)

Mix together dry ingredients, then stir in wet ingredients until light and fluffy. Pour into hot crust and bake another 15-20 minutes. Check it. You should be able to tell if it's set. Keep going at 1-2 minute intervals until it's set. Cool 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside of the pan. Cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar before cutting into pieces. Serve cold.

BAKED Granola

Years ago, I was watching Martha Stewart and there were two dudes on there that owned a little bakery in Brooklyn called BAKED. I can't remember anymore what they were making, but I remember that it looked so good! But, like many things, it was in one ear and out the other. Fast forward to two weeks ago, one of the blogs that I read mentioned this cookbook that she read called BAKED: New Frontiers In Baking....and it was the same two dudes with the bakery in Brooklyn! So, I checked the online catalog for the library and they have it! I ordered it and got it and as we speak, I have granola baking. No HFCS here, folks, just lots of yummy goodness! I had a bit of a hard time finding hazelnuts, but the local food co-op/health food store had them...they are organic, so I guess that's a good thing, but not used to paying organic prices for things. The little bag was about $3 and there's about 1 cup in it. At least that's enough for 3 batches of granola! My house smells awesome with it baking!! Here's the recipe, I'll let you know how it is after it cools and I can add the raisins. I can't wait to try it in a fruit and yogurt parfait!!

Easy Homemade Granola

2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp + 1 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla
1/3 cup whole almonds
1/3 cup whole hazelnuts
1/3 cup golden raisins (I used regular because I had them)
1/3 cup dried cherries (I forgot to buy them, so didn't use)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. (thanks for sending that home, mom!!!)

In a large bowl, mix the oats with the cinnamon and salt.

In a small bowl, mix the honey, vanilla, brown sugar, and oil. Whisk until well combined. Pour over the oats mixture and USE YOUR HANDS to mix it up. Grab it in handfuls, make a fist. Repeat until well mixed.

Pour this on your baking sheet. Spread evenly, but leave some clumps. Bake for 10 minutes. Use a metal spatula to flip the granola, sprinkle with the almonds.

Bake another 5 minutes. Flip again and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

Bake another 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before sprinkling with raisins and cherries. Use your hands to transfer to an airtight container. This will keep for a week. Enjoy!



**Post cooling edit: THIS IS AWESOME!! I love hazelnuts and they fit perfectly in this granola! I am having it on my strawberry yogurt this mornng. TJ loves it, too. It's EASY and totally worth the time!! Try it out!!