REQUESTED ~ BANANA CINNAMON BUN RECIPE

I found this on the net. I'm usually dubious about most recipes but this one in particular turned out rather well. I like this recipe because its easy to make and doesn't take all day. I had a comment on yesterdays blog; its not a secret recipe and here it is:

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
(Most Important Step ~ Turn On Oven Light Now)
 
4 tsp Yeast (bottle says 2-1/4 makes one tsp) I doubled this because I found it makes the dough plump better.
1/2 c Warm Water (I warm the bowl first)
1/3 c Melted Butter (I mix sugar in as well)
1/3 c Brown Sugar
1/2 c Warm Milk (added into the butter/sugar)
5 c     Flour
1 tsp  Salt
1 tsp  Cinnamon (salt/cinnamon mix into flour)
2        Eggs (mixed in with Bananas)
3        Ripe Bananas

• Mix yeast and water according to instructions and set aside to rise.

• Combine butter, sugar and milk to melt together.

• Mix the rest with a dough hook set to knead: 
• I add the flour, salt and cinnamon to the mixer bowl.
• Mix the yeast/water with the melted butter mixture and add it to the flour; mix till combined.

• Add banana and eggs. Mix.

• Add remaining flour and mix. 

You'll have a batter dough that you can 'pour' into a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and place in the oven for 2 hours to rise.

Filling: (already doubled)

1 c Softened Butter
12 oz Brown Sugar (3/4 c x 2)
2 Tbsp Cinnamon

• Mix all together and melt. 

**Roll out dough to 1/4 inch and fill. 
**Roll together and cut into parts.
**Place in parchment lined pans.
**Put in oven to rise until doubled (1 Hour).
**Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

You can Frost or just eat!

Frosting:
8 oz room temperature Cream Cheese
4 oz room temperature Butter
2 c   Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

~~After 30 minutes, frost cooled buns. 

Enjoy!!!

Catspaw           
 

PERFECT PIE CRUST, EVERYTIME? EVERYTIME!

Is anyone a walking disaster in the kitchen when it comes to breads and pie crusts?   

Besides me, I mean!   

Not a month ago I came across a recipe for pie crust that; well, WORKS and I've been using it ever since for quiches, pies and anything else that requires crust.

Seems I can get the ingredients right ~ perfect, actually, though when it comes to the correct amount of kneading - well, that's another matter altogether. I love this recipe because its not only simplicity itself but its also idiot proof and you get to use a food processor to do all the work for you!

This from someone who is worse than all thumbs when it comes to making an edible pie crust  !!!

I fold the dough in so its thicker on the top and I can make a nice edging

Pie Crust
1-1/2 c Flour
2 tbsp Sugar
1/6 c COLD Shortening = 2 tbsp + 2 tsp
1/3 c COLD Butter
1/4 c COLD Water
1.  Toss the flour, sugar and cold shortening in the processor for 15 seconds
2.  Add the cold butter and mix a few more seconds

3.  Dribble in the water as you are mixing in the butter  

All ingredients added makes for a crumbly dough...

4.  Turn out onto a lightly floured plastic board (they are flexible and easier to maneuver the dough without breaking it), put together into a ball and roll out                                                               

It doesn't look like it but it goes together quite easily. 

5.  Turn plastic board and dough over pie plate, carefully place dough.

This is how easy it is to place the dough in the plate using a flexible plastic board

6.  Cut off excess, form crust; put into Ziploc bag and chill 30 minutes

After I trim, I fold the rest under and use a fork to complete the edging.

Into a plastic bag to be chilled in the fridge until the filling is ready to be poured

7.  Pour in filling if its for quiche, lemon/lime or pumpkin pie and bake at 350 for an hour.

Special Note     (you knew this was coming, right):
When baking the crust prior to adding filling, leave more dough around the edge as it will shrink when baked. 

End result: a Wonderful and Edible Pumpkin Pie!

I always keep a shortening and a butter in the fridge along with a jug of water. The colder these particular ingredients are, the better the recipe works because the shortening and butter have different melting points.

Just in time for the Holiday Baking to start, a 'THANK YOU' to all my loyal readers, from...

Catspaw

 

Chocolate Pudding Cake

I HAVE to share this... it's from my Weight Watchers Cookbook and its too~live~for!!

Chocolate ~~ Pudding ~~ Cake...

1 cup minus 1 tbsp Flour
3/4 cup Sugar (I used Brown)
1/2 cup Cocoa
2 tsp Double Acting Bake Powder (or 6 tsp Regular)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Skim Milk
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Extra Strong hot Coffee
1 oz (2 tbsp) chopped Walnuts


350F; 8" greased round cake pan
Mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp cocoa, bake powder & salt
Add milk, oil, vanilla & 1/4 cup water, blend & pour into cake pan
Mix remaining sugar, cocoa and hot coffee, blend till melted together
Pour over cake mixture
Bake 20 minutes
Sprinkle with nuts & bake 10 more minutes


Each serving is 1/8 slice provides: 1 Fat, 1/2 Bread, 105 Optional Calories???
Per Serving: 200 Calories, 7 g. Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 269 mg Sodium, 35 g Carbs, 2 g Fiber, 4 g Protein and 101 mg Calcium


You can substitute boiling water for the coffee

The pudding is on top of the cake & makes it really moist

Its not at all overly sweet because of the Cocoa instead of Chocolate which makes it more rich, rich enough to satisfy with a small piece to fill you without that sense of being jipped out of your dessert. Since I just started overhauling our eating habits and food choices, this fits right in.


Hope you all enjoy this as much as we did. Please let me know what you thought of it by leaving a comment. 


Catspaw