Super Moist Banana Bread!

I'm a huge fan of banana bread. It's a great way to use those overly ripe bananas that no one ever wants to eat in the house. My 6 year old always says "I don't like the brown bananas" and frankly who does? Unless.....Its made into some delicious banana bread or banana bread muffins, then EVERYONE loves the brown bananas!!! 

• My family absolutely loves this banana bread recipe, the sour cream makes it super moist. I also like to make it into muffins. They are usually all gone within the first few hours after making them, So good!
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• Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan or muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts (optional) and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf/muffins comes out clean. Cool loaf/muffins in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Next time your stuck with some "brown bananas", don't throw them out...Make some bread instead!

Enjoy and Thanks for reading!

A~

Crockpot Curry Chicken, so good it will have you saying "Lawd A Mercy!"

I am not sure how "authentically" Caribbean this recipe is, but it certainly is delish and my family loved it. 


Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in cubes (or you can also use skinless chicken thighs, which I prefer because makes dish juicier)
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 Cloves garlic crushed
1 small onion chopped
4 tablespoon Curry powder
1 tablespoon Allspice
1 tsp ginger

1  1/2 - 2 cups fat free chicken broth

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 or 2  large Potatoes peeled and diced

salt and pepper to taste (I prefer to use adobo, but that's just out of habit, lol)

Directions:

1. Clean chicken with lime juice or vinegar. Rinse well.
2. Add all ingredients in Slow Cooker
3. Cover and cook on Low 8 hours or High for 6 hours

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

A~

I "Crock" me up!

For Christmas I received a fantastic slow cooker! Yeah I know, what is so fantastic and fabulous about a slow cooker? And why am I so excited about it?

 Glad you asked, in this blog I will tell you, so keep on reading!! :)

  For the past 7 months I have been a stay at home mom. For those of you who don't know me, we relocated from Boston to South Florida in June of 2011. I have been staying home with the kids while they adjust and let me tell you I have been bored out of my mind! I will be returning to work in a few months.  I have always worked, since I was about 15, so this is new territory for me. Anyway, I took this opportunity to start being more creative in the kitchen. I'm sure all you working moms know its hard to be creative in the kitchen when you get home at 6pm and have to rush and make a meal so the kids can eat and go to bed at a decent hour. 

  I watch a ton of food shows and videos, the Food Network is my favorite channel. I finally decided one day I needed to build up my kitchen appliances collection and the first item on my list was a Slow Cooker or Crockpot, what exactly is the correct term for it, anyway? So, I told my hubby that I would like one for Christmas, which technically is a gift for everyone in the house not just me, so I don't think it counts as a Christmas present for mom, but whatever. lol

  Christmas morning came and  my brand new slow cooker was waiting for me under the tree, Yay!! I was so excited I couldn't wait to get in the kitchen to use it...crazy, I know. I am a very strange individual. I took to the Internet and started researching slow cooker recipes, I even asked friends to send me some of their favorite recipes (thanks for the recipes ladies!!!) 

  The first night,  I made some  slow cooked pork chops and let me tell you.... these pork chops were DELICIOUS!!!! and I have been cooking in my slow cooker everyday ever since. It is amazing the amount of things you can make in it. You can make anything from oatmeal, to lasagna! the sky is the limit.

  I do admit, I have had some not so good recipes like the A-1 sauce, dijon mustard steak disaster...don't even get me started on that, but it wasn't the slow cookers fault, the steak was soft as can be, it was the ingredients in the recipe. I even made risotto the other day, I have been obsessed with trying risotto thanks to Chef Gordon Ramsay. It was very good....however my picky eaters weren't crazy about it. 

  I am already looking to purchase a smaller slow cooker to make side dishes in when I am using the big one for meats. If you don't own a slow cooker, what are u waiting for? get out there and buy one! you  will not regret it, I promise. The one I got for Christmas was a 6qt Hamilton Beach programmable slow cooker and it is great, here is the link in case you want to get it on Amazon (have I mentioned, I LOVE Amazon?). 

  Also, I have had a few friends ask me to post my successful recipes, below are 4. I will continue to post new recipes as I try them out. I have so many to choose from this will be an ongoing thing

1. Lasagna -  This is a great recipe to have waiting for you when you walk through the door from work, who doesn't love lasagna? I have my own ingredients that I like to use when I make lasagna, I just took the basic idea and instructions on how to get the lasagna to cook properly in the slow cooker. If you don't know how to make lasagna here is a simple recipe. 

2. Vaca Frita - Vaca Frita (Fried Cow) is a Cuban dish that can be found in every Cuban restaurant, here is a great recipe I found, that tastes Delicioso!

3. Pollo Guisado -  This is another recipe in which I have my own ingredients and way of making it because I have been making it for so many years and it gets made in my house at least once a week. It was really nice to make it in the slow cooker and not have to watch the stove. I found this recipe online which is similar to mine. It's hard for me to post my own recipe because I don't measure anything and most times I throw whatever we happen to have in the house into the pot.  This recipe is the traditional stove top way to make it, just do the same except throw it into the slow cooker minus the potatoes, onions and green peppers, add those in about the last hour or else they will be too mushy. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours and go about your business for the day. Also, I didn't brown the chicken. I just washed, cleaned it and put it in the pot, didn't have to pre-marinate it either.

4. Pork Chops - Here is the first recipe I made in the slow cooker. I made it with some garlic and rosemary roasted potatoes. I also added some flour to the left over broth and made a delicious tasting gravy.

  In conclusion the Slow Cooker Rocks! and it frees up my time to do other more important and fabulous things like my hair, make up and go shopping...So there you have it, that is why the Slow Cooker is Fabulous! 

  I would love to hear any feedback or any new recipes you might like to share. 

Thanks for reading!

A~

Delicious Cookie Recipes...Yummm!!!

With Christmas being in two days, I decided to post 2 of my favorite cookie recipes, for when the fat man shows up. 

Soft and Delicious Oatmeal Cookies.

This right here is one of my kids favorites, they are so delicious.

 Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened 

1 cup white sugar 

1 cup packed brown sugar 

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

3 cups quick cooking oats

raisins, semi sweet chocolate chips or nuts (optional)

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda,and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. If you are using nuts or raisins, mix into dough, combining well. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Makes approx. 36-60 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them, you can also freeze the leftover mix for another day. 

Yummy Pumpkin Cookies with Icing

Cookie Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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• Glaze Ingredients
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Enjoy!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Thanks for reading!

A~ 

Mi Mami's Coquito Recipe....Buen Provecho!

For us Latinos nothing says Holiday's like some good old fashion Puerto Rican Coquito!!

Here is my mom's Coquito recipe, I have modified it a little bit to my taste. Also, this recipe makes about 2 liters. I know that's a whole lotta Coquito right?! I like it because before I add the rum I put some into a separate bottle for my boys, and stick it in the fridge,  they absolutely love it. I also like to make one batch that will last me a few days. The thing with Coquito is the longer it is in the fridge the better it tastes.

2 or 3 cans of cream of coconut (coco lopez)
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 12oz cans of evaporated milk
1 14 oz can of condensed milk
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
Bacardi White Rum to taste

Mix together in a blender, chill overnight or longer.

*add some water to this if it seems to be too thick or too sweet for your taste

Enjoy!



Thanks for reading!!

A~