I'm finally back to my blog, and just in time for blueberries!

Banana Cake with Blueberry Topping!

Hi fellow foodies! I've been away from my blog for a while... It's a great place to share recipes with friends, meet new people, and find the recipes I forgot to write down for myself last year when I created them. 

 Zucchini muffins, I'm so glad I found you again!

I'm going blueberry picking this week and wanted to share my NEW favorite recipe with you guys.

It is delicious and freezes very well if you wrap it in a few layers of saran wrap.  

Here is the recipe:

Old Fashioned Banana Cake with Blueberry Topping:

from lisa Stephens, adapted from Barefoot Contessa Banana Cake

2 very ripe bananas

¾ c. white sugar

½ c. dark brown sugar

½ c. canola oil

2 large eggs

½ c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Opt. ( grated zest of one orange or lemon)

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

Blueberry Topping:

½ c. pecans coarsely chopped ( or sliced almonds)

¼ c. old fashioned rolled oats

2/3 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen

2 TBSP brown sugar

2 TBSP soft, slightly melted butter

Mix bananas, oil, sugars, eggs, sour cream, vanilla and zest in a mixer until blended.  Stir flour, salt and soda together.  Add dry ingredients to the batter and mix well (about 1 min)

Grease and flour a round 9 inch pan or you can use 2 smaller loaf pans.  I like to make it in a 9 inch round pan. 

 Add the batter to your pan and lightly place your blueberry topping on the top of the cake batter. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 min. until golden brown.  Let stand 10 min then invert to remove cake from the pan. Enjoy!

Try some plain Greek yogurt,  fresh blueberries and a handful of this home made granola! 

( recipe to follow in my next blog)

 

Simply Perfect Sugar Cookies, A Valentines TREAT!

Simply Perfect Sugar Cookies: by Lisa Stephens

4 1/2 Cups All Purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 c. Crisco vegetable shortening

1 stick Land O Lakes Margarine

3 eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Cream butter, sugar, crisco: Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until well blended. At this point you can refrigerate dough for as little as 15 min- an hour. * I don't refrigerate my dough unless it's a hot day.

Roll out a portion of your dough( about 1/3 of the batter) to 1/8 inch thick and begin cutting into your favorite shapes. Valentines, Christmas, Wedding, Thanksgiving...

Bake cookies at 350 degrees on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet for 8 min until light but not browned on the edges. Cool and frost with sugar cookie frosting.

Frosting:

4 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla ext.

4-6 TBSP. milk or cream

2 TBSP. softened butter

Mix all together to your desired consistency. Add a little more milk or water as needed for your consistency.

ENJOY!

Making home made Hummus isn't as hard as you would think...

Home Made Hummus

If you like hummus you should buy some tahini ( sesame paste) and try making it at home.  I like the taste so much better than the store bought packages.  I had a delicious Hummus Plate for lunch one day at Big City Bread in Athens, GA and it spoiled me. It was extremely tasty and was served with fresh olives and a fresh baguette!!!  From that moment I decided to figure out how to make my own, but if  I'm close to Athens, GA I will find Big City at lunchtime....!

 You can also google some videos of people making it.  This is my version.

Hummus                                                                              

2 cans chick peas (a good quality brand, preferably organic) Drain but save ½ c. liquid for the hummus.

2 or 3 cloves garlic (to your taste preference)

1 lemon

1/4 cup Tahini (sesame paste) this will be the hardest ingredient to find.  I found it on sale and bought a big jar to last a while.

1/3 c. olive oil and more to desired consistency

1 tsp sea salt (more to taste)

½ - 1 tsp. black pepper (to your taste)

dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:

In a good food processor add your drained chick peas, garlic cloves which have been chopped a little, the juice of one fresh lemon, Tahini, salt,  & peppers.  Turn on your machine and let it whirl.  Mix until the chick peas are fine.  Drizzle in the olive oil, and then add more olive oil or the liquid from the chick peas until you get a creamy consistency to your hummus.  I then add my sundried tomatoes, fresh parsley or whatever spices I like. Drizzle with olive oil, fresh ground salt and pepper. ( make sure you taste this and adjust the salt, pepper, it may need a little more lemon juice… whatever your taste preference is for Hummus.  Serve with Pita Chips, crackers, carrots, fresh olives, on sandwiches, etc.

Optional things to add to your hummus for different flavor options:

·         Sun dried tomatoes – I use about 1 Tbsp. 

·         fresh parsley

·         any pepper you may like ( crushed red, etc. if you want spicy hummus)

·         flavored dipping oils, such as sun dried tomato, lemon pepper…

·         paprika

·         fresh olives chopped on top

Lisa Stephens, Jan. 2012

stewart/stephens old fashioned family pound cake!

We're celebrating Senior Prom Day at the Stephens house. 

 Friends and family will be stopping by for the fun.

There's gotta be something yummy in the house for the special day!

stewart/stephens old fashioned pound cake



Stewart/Stephens Old Fashioned Pound Cake- by lisa stephens

• 1 stick real butter, salted- room temperature

• 1 stick Land o Lakes margarine (use this brand) – room temp.

• ½ cup Crisco shortening

• 3 cups sugar

• 5 eggs, room temperature

• 3 cups All Purpose flour

• ½ tsp. baking powder

• ¼ tsp. salt

• ½ cup whipping cream- room temperature

• ½ cup whole milk- room temp.

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 tsp. each of coconut, butter, and lemon extracts

• (these flavors are optional and can be left out for a vanilla pound cake)

Directions for mixing: It’s very important to follow each step exactly.

Cream the room temperature butter, margarine and Crisco until fluffy.

Add sugar and continue to beat until very fluffy, at least a minute at medium high speed in a kitchen aid mixer. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt with a wire whisk.

Add alternately with the combination of milk and whipping cream. And mix slowly as you do this. Mix well and add the flavorings.

Mix the batter at medium high speed one last time for about 1 minute until fluffy and no lumps remain. Don’t over mix but mix well.

Coat the tube pan with Crisco and dust with flour. (You can’t skip this step with the pound cake. This helps create the yummy crust!)

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 10 min. Cool 10 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool further. At this point someone will most likely cut into your warm pound cake and ENJOY!



planning for remarkable....

As I am thinking of 2011, I know that I will need to " make time for remarkable".
Remarkable moments don't just happen, most of the time we must plan or have a vision for them.
That's not to say that we don't get SURPRISED by the most wonderful , seemingly small acts of kindness, the warm smile of  a child, or meeting someone with a heart the size of an ocean!

 But I hope to plan a little more time for:

• playing games with my loved ones
• taking time for a non-elaborate, but tasty meals with my awesome friends 
• creating some innovative new recipes with ingredients unfamiliar to me
• drinking lots of 1000faces coffee! (  local coffee roaster, Athens, GA)
• cherishing my moments with Jesus... and living life from the inside out
• finding new ways to support my mom in the battle with ovarian cancer, and treasuring every day with her!
• posting some recipes and pics to the blog...

Have a Happy and Prosperous 2011~
 

zucchini muffins, whole wheat

 -lisa

Zucchini Muffins:
2c. freshly ground soft wheat pastry flour
( 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour + 1 c. AP flour)
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 c. grated zucchini
3 eggs
1/2 c. natural applesauce
1/2 c. canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. coconut
1/4 c. golden raisins
1/4 c. pecans, chopped ( can use 1/2 c. pecans)

Whisk dry ingredients together with wire whisk, including sugars. Add eggs, oil, applesauce,  vanilla and mix lightly.
Add zucchini, coconut, raisins and pecans and mix until blended.  Don't overbeat muffins.  Bake 375 degrees for  about 15 min. until golden as pictured. Makes approx . 22 muffins

a very special Thanksgiving!



this is just part of LONG tables of YUMMY food!!



Ben's surpise entrance to the Family Thanksgiving!

 As you can see, we had more than enough food!  I forgot to get pictures of the tables since I was so busy prepping and hugging family members that I hadn't seen in a long while.  But you can see a portion here.
The highlight of our day was when Ben surprised us, by popping in the door just as we were ready to say the Thanksgiving Blessing!  We all went ecstatic since he wasn't supposed to get away for Thanksgiving...and we were not expecting him. We were still missing Travis in Korea and Lori and Brandon in Hawaii, but having Ben with us was very special!!!!  My mom enjoyed every minute of the day!  Even if we didn't have all the delicious food, just the love of the family would have been enough for me. 

Here is another favorite holiday recipe: 
Cranberry Apple Christmas Casserole-( but it is great for Thanksgiving too)
1 c. white sugar


2 cups fresh cranberries


3 cups unpeeled, chopped apples, 1 inch diced in size


½ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg, optional


Topping:


½ c. brown sugar


½ c. old fashioned oatmeal


½ stick butter, melted


¾ tsp. cinnamon


1 c. coarsely chopped pecans


Mix sugar, cranberries and apples together and place into a greased baking dish.


Mix together the topping ingredients in a bowl, and then top the apple, cranberry mixture with the pecan topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min. until apples are cooked and bubbly.

a new perspective on thankfulness

Well, it's been a while since my last post .....I've been loving on my mom and drawing inspiration and amazement from a very courageous woman as she battles Ovarian Cancer.   The same strength , FAITH, and love that she shared in her everyday, NORMAL life, is now carrying my family through a very difficult time.  To be honest, it's been hard to cook and share food when my mom is only able to drink clear broths and juice right now.   It is clear that our celebrations, ourholidays, even our grievings.... are all centered around food and eating.  I always receive such pleasure in sharing food, recipes and new tastes with my mom.  All I can say is that it is just HARD...no words.....
But one day my mom assured me of this, she said, "Lisa I get pleasure from seeing you and the family enjoying meals and having parties like we have always done.  I want you all to enjoy eating and living."   

my precious mom, June Stewart!

I am preparing now, for "the BIG, crazy, fun, amazing family Thanksgiving we will enjoy next week.  My mom's whole family will be coming from all over the US and we will be having 60 people for our special celebration.  It will be our most treasured and memorable Thanksgiving Celebration. ( and we all have a new perspective on the important things of life...family, FAITH, and friends)

I am also going to begin a lot of Holiday cooking and I will share my favorite recipes. 

This is my mom's FAMOUS, most delicious, sweet potato casserole.... ( with a few tweaks from me)


Sweet Potato Casserole with Glazed Pecan Topping



4 cups cooked and slightly mashed sweet potatoes- Use fresh sweet potatoes


1 c. sugar


½ tsp. salt


2 eggs, beaten slightly


¼ c. butter, melted (½ stick)


½ c. whole milk


2 tsp. vanilla extract


Glazed Pecan Topping:


1 c. brown sugar


1/3 c. flour


1 c. coarsely chopped pecans


3 TBSP. melted butter






In large bowl, mix sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, milk and vanilla on low speed of a mixer until completely blended. I do not whip this mixture.


Place topping ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with wooden spoon until combined. Mixture will be crumbly.


Spray a medium sized casserole dish with non-stick spray. Fill with your sweet potato mixture then add you pecan mixture to the top.


Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min. until topping is slightly browned and casserole is a little bubbly.


Note~ I cook my sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for about 50-1 hour, cool and peel them for use in the casserole. It is usually takes about 6 medium sized sweet potatoes to make 4 cups.