Banana Orange Coconut Muffins

This recipe is originally from damndelicious.net. I have modified it somewhat by substituting wheat flour for half the white flour, reducing the sugar, adding walnuts, and replacing butter with oil. The recipe says this makes 12 muffins, but I reduce that to 8 because I like muffins a little more substantial.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all - purpose flour (or half white, half wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 ripe bananas
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (I used 1/3 cup vegetable oil instead)
1/2 Cup sugar (I used 1/3 cup)
1 Large egg
1 tsp vanilla
Zest of 1 orange (I used 1 t grated orange peel)
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 Cup coconut flakes, plus more for topping
(I added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, mash the bananas.
4. Add the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, orange zest, orange juice and coconut; beat until well combined.
5. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.
6. Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray. Sprinkle with coconut.
7. Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Eggplant Parmesan

I found this recipe on www.marthastewart.com when I had some Chinese eggplant to use and needed a recipe. To my complete surprise, my family (most of them) loves it! It works quite well with regular eggplant, as well. Martha Stewart's recipe calls for baking the eggplant before adding the sauce, but I prefer frying.

Ingredients

Olive oil
2 Large eggs
3/4 Cup plain dry breadcrumbs (I use Italian bread crumbs)
3/4 Cup finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 Large eggplants , peeled and sliced about 1/4" thick (2 1/2 pounds total)
6 Cups store - bought chunky tomato sauce or homemade Chunky Tomato Sauce (48 ounces)
1 1/2 Cups shredded mozzarella

Directions

1. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper. 
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well. Fry eggplant slices in olive oil until golden brown on each side.
3. Raise oven heat to 400 degrees.
4. Spread 2 cups sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. 
5. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Miso Sesame Dressing

This has become my current favorite dressing. It came from Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbsp miso paste
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/4 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger root
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Whisk miso paste into rice vinegar in a bowl until smooth. Stir honey, ginger, sesame oil, lime juice, and sesame seeds into the vinegar mixture.

Waffles

Another Better Homes and Gardens recipe that I use often.

1 3/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat waffle iron.
2. In medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
3. In another bowl, beat eggs slightly. Stir in milk, oil and vanilla.
4. Add egg mixture all at once to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened.
5. Bake according to manufacturer's directions.

Basic Muffins

This recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens, and since I use it quite frequently, I decided I needed to have it handy. I often mix 1/3 cup chocolate chips in the batter. Other options include: grated cheese (1/3 cup), blueberries (3/4 cup), cranberries (1 cup chopped cranberries and increase sugar to 1/2 cup), poppy seeds (1 tablespoon seeds, maybe increase sugar to 1/2 cup), banana (reduce milk to 1/2 cup), oatmeal (reduce flour to 1 1/3 cups and add 3/4 cups oats).

1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease 8-10 muffin cups.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl combine eggs, milk and oil.
4. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened.
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffins cups. Top with streusel topping, if desired.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Streusel Topping

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Double Chocolate Bars

This recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens Cookies and Candies cookbook (1966), a wonderful cookbook that somehow made its way from my mother's kitchen to mine. These used to be a movie night staple for us and are responsible for a number of extra pounds.

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla til fluffy. Add syrup and continue creaming. Beat in eggs and chocolate. Sift together dry ingredients and stir into batter. Fold in chocolate pieces and walnuts. Spread in greased 9x9x2" baking pan. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Cut in bars when cool.