Banana Walnut Bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.
With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap. The banana bread is best if served the next day.

Mushroom - Stuffed Pork Chops

I know this is a desert blog, but this is just too good, I had to put post it!
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup  coarsely chopped fresh mushrooms (such as button, chanterelle, or shiitake)
• 1/4 cup  chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon  butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon  grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon  salt
• 1/4 teaspoon  pepper
• 1 cup  coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup  soft sourdough or white bread crumbs
• 4   pork loin chops or pork rib chops, cut 1-1/4 inches thick (about 3 lb. total)
•   Salt
•   Pepper
• 1/4 cup  ginger jelly or preserves or orange marmalade
• 12   green onions
• 2 teaspoons  olive oil

Directions

1. In a small bowl, soak 8 wooden picks in water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, for stuffing, in a saucepan, cook mushrooms and onion in hot butter until onion is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in grated ginger, the 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add spinach and bread crumbs, tossing gently to combine.

2. Make a pocket in each chop by cutting horizontally from the outside edge almost to the bone. Divide stuffing evenly evenly among pockets in chops. Secure openings with water-soaked wooden picks. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper.

3. In a grill with a cover arrange medium-hot coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Place chops on grill rack over pan. Cover and grill for 35 to 40 minutes or until juices run clear (160 degree F), turning once and brushing occasionally with ginger jelly during the last 5 minutes of grilling. Remove wooden picks before serving.

4. Meanwhile, trim roots and tops of the green onions. In a medium skillet, cook green onions in hot oil for 1 to 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Serve green onions with chops. Makes 4 servings.

Oven directions
To bake stuffed chops, after stuffing and sprinkling chops with salt and pepper, brown them in a small amount of oil in a large skillet. Transfer to a baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until juices run clear (160 degree F), brushing with ginger jelly during the last 5 minutes of baking.

 

Tips: 

I have been using this recipe for  a while, i like sealing the pork on a regular pan with a little bit of butter, when its kind of a  golden brown, I put it in the oven and leave it there to cook thoroughly. 

 

Also, you can try It with chicken! Its delicious!

Pignoli Almond Cookies‏

 

Note: These cookies are super-soft right out of the oven, so be sure to allow them a full five minutes to firm up on the cookie sheet before transferring to racks to complete cooling.

7 ounces almond paste, sliced into 1 inch cubes (not marzipan)

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2  cup pine nuts

2 to 3 tablespoons almond milk for dipping

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a medium sized baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pulse almond paste, salt, baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar in a food processor until mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute.

In a large bowl cream together margarine and remaining 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add almond paste mixture and almond extract and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sift in flour and beat until a slightly crumbly yet soft dough forms. Dough should form a soft mass when pressed together.

Pour pine nuts into a shallow bowl and pour 2 Tablespoons of almond milk into a small saucer. For each cookie, roll 1 tablespoon of dough in palms to form into a ball, dip one end in almond milk and press moistened end into pine nuts. If necessary press pine nuts into surface of ball. Place dough balls, pine nut side up, on baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 14 minutes until cookies have puffed and spread a little, and nuts are are just slightly toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before carefully transferring to cooling rack. Store in a tightly covered container.