chocolate chip sour cream banana bread

i made choc. chip banana bread yesterday- it's wicked good- i'm too lazy to post pictures though.

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Banana Bread

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla1
1 1/2 c. mashed bananas (about 3-4; the blacker the better!)
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9X5 loaf pan, making sure to cover each corner with the butter then flour, so the bread comes out easily after baking.
Cream butter and sugars together with mixer on about a medium speed. Let mixer run for a minute or two to whip the mixture.
While that mixture whips together, combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Lower speed of butter mixture and add egg, egg whites, and vanilla. Mix to incorporate.
Add dry mixture and sour cream to butter mixture, alternating a small amount of each at a time, starting and ending with the dry mixture. Blend for a minute to whip and incorporate.
Slowly add mashed bananas to the mix and blend quickly to incorporate.
Evenly pour mixture into pre-greased loaf pan.
Bake for approximately 1hr 10 mins. at 350° degrees.

b-day cake

i made a birthday cake for one of my co-workers: it tasted wonderful! i was quite pleased:


it was a 2 layer white cake with cream cheese frosting & strawberry puree- fabulous!

snickerdoodles

i made snickerdoodles today- i just love them:


Snickerdoodles:

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large egg
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2.Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
3.Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
5. Chill dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.
6. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
7. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture.
8. Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.
9. Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes.
10. Remove from pan immediatley and cool on wire rack

grown up brownies

Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

BROWNIES:
1 cup unsalted butter
3 ounces best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup mascarpone cheese, softened
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp Salt


GANACHE:
6 ounces best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, finelychopped
6 Tbs whipping cream
3 Tbs unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-inch square pyrex pan.Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl; set aside. In a small glass bowl, melt butter in microwave (take it out before it starts bubbling.) Pour butter over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Sift in sugar and cocoa powder.
With a wooden spoon, beat in mascarpone, eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Gently fold in flour and salt.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Place into preheated oven and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Place pan on cooling rack and let brownies cool 10 to 15 minutes while you make the ganache.
Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and butter to just below boiling point, over medium heat. Pour this hot mixture over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth. Pour ganache over brownies while still warm, and spread to cover evenly.
Let ganache firm up before cutting. It's best to refrigerate them until quite firm. Once the ganache is firm and the brownies have been cut, they do not need to be kept in the refrigerator.
Yield: About 16 brownies
i found this recipe & picture on recipegirl.com- it is AMAZING! i made two pans & brought one to dinner at my parent's in law's house & the whole pan was almost gone. it's very rich & fudgy & awesome. good times.
God bless

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

i made cookies today- like i need these: i found this recipe online...

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
dash of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oats (regular, not quick cooking)
2 cups chocolate chips
Directions:
Cream together butter and sugar very well. Add eggs, vanilla, and syrup; beat well. Sift together flour, soda, seasonings, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture. Mix in oats, chips, and nuts. Scoop large balls of dough (about 2 tblsp) onto a greased cookie sheet and freeze until firm. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375° and remove dough from freezer (this keeps them from spreading too much). Arrange on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes-14 minutes. Cool 1 minute on pans and then remove to wire rack. yum!
God Bless

chocolate chocolate cake

I made a birthday cake today- tomorrow is a co-worker's b-day and since it was my b-day was last, i have to provide the cake this time around. i don't mind at all, because of my love for baking and this particular co-worker. she is the sweetest, quirkiest, craziest lady ever. she's also a new grandmother, so while i have to listen to accounts of her grandaughter's latest accomplishments, (i.e. blinking, smiling, pooping) i still love her. sooo, when i was told she like chocolate cake with chocolate icing went to work. in the end, this was the result:

i'm pretty excited about it- i don't really like chocolate on chocolate but i taste tested some and i think it's gonna be a hit. even brandon tried it and he dislikes chocolate on chocolate even more than i, and he said it was good. so i'm pleased.

it's basically just chocolate sponge cake (cut into 3 layers) with chocolate frosting (simple chocolate buttercream) after putting it together & frosting it, i pressed mini chocolate chips into the frosting- the 3 hearts on top are heart shaped York Peppermint Patties. woo hoo!

valentines day cupcakes

i came home & made two different valentine cupcakes:

#1 - buttercream(ish) frosting
this recipe was the much easier & healthier of the two. i'm excited to try them tomorrow!













#2 - cream cheese frosting
these ones came out awesome! they were a little more time consuming and rather fattening but SUPER yummy!

i'm pretty excited to send them off with my husband to work tomorrow. i hope they go over well!

Happy <3 Day!