Banana, Walnut, Coconut, Granola Muffins!

This recipe is one of Ina Garten's (from Food Network).  She actually calls them "Banana Crunch Muffins," but I prefer the more lengthy descriptive name I gave them. haha. These are sooooo good.


3 cups all-purpose flour


2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)

1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)

1 cup small-diced walnuts

1 cup granola

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

 Extra granola or shredded coconut, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line muffin tin with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas in a seperate bowl, and then add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend until mixture just comes together, but DON'T OVERMIX!

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top. Top each muffin with granola or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Focaccia Breadsticks

I made these breadsticks for the first time last week. We were having Cajun Chicken Alfredo and I wanted to try something besides just regular breadsticks. These turned out well and I thought they were very tasty! I actually got the recipe out of my Betty Crocker cookbook. They suggest serving them with a bit of olive oil and shredded Parmesan for dipping. I did try that and it was good. But, of course if you've got your homemade alfredo sauce.... might as well let them take a dip in that!


_ 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
_2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 tbsp dried rosemary leaves, crumbled
_ 1 tablespoon sugar
_ 1 teaspoon salt
_ 1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
_ 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
_ 1 cup warm water
_ grated Parmesan cheese

1. Mix 1 cup of the flour, the rosemary, sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil and the warm water. Beat with electric mixer (or stand mixer... I use my kitchen aid) on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves sides of bowl.

2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead 5 to 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy(I just let my kitchen aid do the kneading for me with the kneading hook....). Place dough in large bowl greased with shortening, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until almost double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

3. Grease 2 cookie sheets with shortening or oil.

4. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces (who cares if they aren't perfectly equal...). Roll and shape each piece into 9 to 12-inch rope, sprinkling with flour if dough is too sticky. Place 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheets.

5. Lightly brush the top of each bread stick with olive oil.Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

6. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

7. Cover breadsticks loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in warm place about 20 minutes or until almost double.

8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Grandma Kirkham's Delicious Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 cup Shortening
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup warmed Milk
1/2 tablespoon Salt
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon Dry Yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
5 1/2 cups Flour
Other ingredients: Butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins (optional)

Cream shortening, sugar, and salt. Add water and milk. Add yeast and let bubble. In separate bowl, beat together eggs, vanilla, and nutmeg. Add to mixture. Add flour and mix well. Cover and let rise until doubled. Put dough onto well floured surface. (The dough is going to be pretty sticky, so make sure you have plenty of flour down so it doesn't stick). Dust the dough with more flour, then roll out to a rectangle. Spread with melted butter. Put a fairly thick layer of brown sugar and dust the whole thing with cinnamon. Add raisins (optional). Roll up the dough, then slice off the rolls using a piece of string or floss.

This is how you slice with the floss (or string).

Coat the floss in flour if needed. Then slide it under the end of the roll.

(in this demo, I am using a rolled up towel and pink shoe laces.... so you can see better....)

Cross the ends over the top....

Then pull them to the sides until the floss cuts through, making a perfect roll!

Place the rolls on a greased pan.

Let rise.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

Frost the rolls once they are cooled a bit (Frosting recipe below). These cinnamon rolls freeze really well. Just individually wrap them each up tight in plastic wrap and pop them in the freezer. When you're ready to eat one, unwrap it and put it into the microwave until warm and delicious!


Frosting
3 cups Powdered Sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons Milk
Mix powdered sugar and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Gradually beat in just enough milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable.