So it's come to my attention that I am REALLY bad at updating this on a regular basis. My posts are sporadic at best.Anyway, here's a yummy recipe for you...this is my banana bread recipe, one that is constantly requested :)


Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3 (or more) cups mashed overripe bananas
A pinch of saigon cinnamon
A smaller pinch of nutmeg
A small splash of vanilla extract
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Labels: delicioso, food, recipes, sharing

These are one of my favorite things to make; they are easy, yet always a big hit! They are great all year, but I prefer them in the summer...they are the perfect finish to a light summer meal. I have also listed some of my variations. I hope you enjoy! :)

Lemon Squares

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar (the "normal" kind :) )
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
Additional powdered sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit).
2) Mix flour and powdered sugar. Add butter, work into consistent mixture (yes, you will get messy hands!). Press into ungreased square pan, 8x8x2, or 9x9x2, building up 1/2 inch edges.
3) Bake crust 20 minutes.
4) While crust is baking, beat granulated sugar, lemon juice, baking powder, salt, and eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust.
5) Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly in center. Cool; dust with powdered sugar.

Variations:

If you want lemon squares that are more tart, add an additional tablespoon of lemon juice.

If you want them to look bright and vibrant (like the cheap kind you get in a box that never measure up ;) ) add a few squirts of yellow food coloring.

Lime Juice can be used instead of lemon juice, in the same amounts, for a nice change.

Both lemon squares and lime squares taste great with a strawberry sauce. In order to make the sauce, cut up 12-15 strawberries, add 2 spoons of sugar, and some water, and mash with a fork; you want the sugar to dissolve, but make sure there are still chunks of strawberry. Spoon over the top of the lemon squares before serving.

If you want to get fancy with the final dusting of powdered sugar, place paper doilies over the lemon squares before sprinkling. Sprinkle the powdered sugar, then carefully lift the doilies straight up (if you tilt to the sides, the sugar will come off!). Look how pretty that is ;)

Labels: delicioso, food, recipes, sharing

So for those of you who don't know, I had a dream that I was cooking this...I could see everything in precise detail. When I woke up, I wrote down the ingredients and made it. Every one who has tried it loves it. :)


Ingredients
• Some unsalted butter
• 8 to 10 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 cups (1 qt.) homemade or low salt chicken broth
• 10 oz. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 12 or so tomatoes, cut over a bowl (you need the liquid)
• 2 or 3 handfuls spinach, washed &stemmed; coarsely chopped
• 8 to 10 leaves basil, coarsely chopped
• Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the broth and bring to boil.
4. Add the tortellini and cook halfway, about 5 minutes for frozen, less for fresh.
5. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook just until the pasta is tender.
6. Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the grated cheese.

Labels: delicioso, food, recipes, sharing

4 cups semolina flour
A good pinch of sea salt
A good pinch of basil
A small pinch of oregano
1 ½ cups warm water

1. Mix flour, sea salt, basil, and oregano in large bowl.
2. Add warm water to flour mixture. Stir with wooden spoon. Use your hands to finish mixing it evenly.
3. On floured surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes.
4. Form the dough into two even balls. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
5. Divide each ball into quarters.
6. Take dough pieces (one at a time) and roll out to 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick. Be sure to keep the rest of the dough covered so that it stays moist. Use a knife to cut the rolled-out dough into a strip 3 inches wide by 6 inches long.
7. Repeat for the other seven pieces of the lasagna noodles dough.
8. Fill a large pot with water. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bring to boil and add the lasagna noodles one at a time.
9. Cook until al dente (usually 5 min). Use a wooden spoon to gently move noodles around in the pan, making sure none stick to the bottom or sides, or to each other.
10. Drain noodles and layer into lasagna recipe.

Enough lasagna noodles (8-10)
Some chopped onions
Some minced garlic
A Brad handful of chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
7 or 8 really good tomatoes
Some water
Some oregano
Some basil leaves
Other spices(to taste)
1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10 ounce) package chopped spinach, thawed and squeeze dried
Some grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
Lots of shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In skillet over medium heat, brown the onions, garlic and 1/2 the parsley; drain. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, water, other spices, oregano, and basil; mix well. Simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes; stirring occasionally.
3. In a bowl, combine remaining parsley and Ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, and eggs; mix well.
4. In lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish, spread some sauce mix. Begin layering with noodles, some cheese mix, more sauce, and mozzarella. Repeat.
5. Bake covered in a preheated oven at for 45 minutes. Uncover, and sprinkle spices (dried parsley and oregano usually) on top. Bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Labels: delicioso, food, recipes