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