Let them eat cake

We can never seem to finish a bunch of bananas in our house before they spoil. So the solution? Buy less bananas? No! Why waste a good excuse to make something fun (and tasty)?

This has hands-down been my favorite variation of the banana cake/bread/muffin since childhood. One of my favorite things to do is to make a bunt cake out of 1.5 recipes. (Maybe not what Marie Antoinette had in mind...)

1/2C. oil
1 egg
1 C. Sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 smashed over-ripe bananas

1 1/2C. Flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2C. brown sugar
Cinnamon to taste

Mix together first set of wet ingredients, then slowly add the second set of dry. Place in a buttered/floured cake pan (or muffin cups) and sprinkle the cinnamon-brown sugar on top. Swirl in with a knife. Bake at 350F for about 40 min (20 if you're making muffins).

Saturday Morning Treat

We don't tend to be big breakfast fiends at our house. However, Saturday morning is not just an exception, it's an event. For the first couple of years of marriage I would make waffles each and every Saturday morning that would come around. Yet with variety being the spice of life, I could no longer bring myself to perpetuate the monotony. Thus, "It's a surprise" was the only response I would give to my ever curious and ever a creature-of-habit husband. I have to say, I believe he was pleasantly surprised.

Easy Apple Turnovers

1 Box Puff Pastry (preferred brand:Trader Joe's)
3 Apples
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Dash of Cinnamon
2 T. Brown Sugar
1 Egg
Sugar for sprinkling

Let the puff pastry un-thaw and preheat the oven according to the directions on the box. In a small bowl, beat the egg and set aside. Peel and cut the apples into very thin slices (the thinner they are the less time it takes to cook). In a saucepan, place apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and a few tablespoons water over med-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the temp, covering the pot. Meanwhile, cut the pastry dough into squares (typically fourths) and brush with the beaten egg. When the apples have become tender, but not mushy (about 15 min), take them off the heat and place a dollop of them in the center of the pastry squares. Fold over, pinch edges, and brush the outside with the egg. Sprinkle with sugar if desired and bake until golden brown (15-20min). Enjoy!


(Excuse the half eaten pastry...it was just too good to wait)