banana streusel coffee cake

I always buy too many bananas. I'll get the prettiest bunch at the grocery store (always tinged green... I like mine considerably unripe), but inevitably end up with more than necessary.

This past week was no exception. So what is the only acceptable thing to do with brown bananas? (I'm obviously not going to eat them, and throwing them away is wasteful.) Make banana bread. Or you know, something similar.

My search for the perfect banana bread (specifications being that they are low fat, only include ingredients that I actually own,  and have a high taste ranking) led me not to a bread recipe, but one for a banana coffee cake.

Recipe as follows:

Banana Streusel Coffee Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup oats

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 c butter, chilled and cut

1/2 + 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp soda

1 cup mashed bananas, ripe

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup Kahlua (optional)

Combine flours and oats. Measure out 3/4 cup into separate bowl. Add sugar. Cut in the butter and mix.  Set aside 1/2 cup of this crumb mixture to use for topping.  Add remaining crumbs to flour mix, powder, soda, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Beat togther eggs, bananas, and Kahlua.  Combine wet mixture to flour.  Beat well. Pour into greased 8x8 baking dish (or 12-count muffin pan).  Sprinkle reserved butter crumbs and remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon on top of cake.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes (20 for muffins).

Best enjoyed with a tall glass of cold milk or some piping hot coffee. Hence the name "coffee cake."

you knew it was coming... more nutella!

I'm too predictable.

Oatcakes + Nutella = Mmmmm.

Blondie Cheesecake Pie

Now I know it sounds a bit much, but this three-in-one bit of deliciousness is just enough. It started as a Birthday Pie for my boyfriend Drew (the Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie from More From Magnolia). Once I made the crust and started mixing the filling, I realized the only strawberries we had in the house were molded beyond repair, and a contingency plan had to be enacted. A little bit of brainstorming and recipe-tweaking allowed me to combine the two contenders for Drew's birthday dessert (the boy hates customary cake). And thus the Blondie Cheesecake Pie was born.

I lightened up the pie recipe by whipping up a cup of cream in lieu of one of the cups of cream cheese, added some cocoa to the graham cracker crust to make it a chocolate cookie crust, halved the butterscotch blondie batter and added half of THAT to the cream batter, topping the finished pie with the remainder.

Here's the finished product:

Crust

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp cocoa
1/3 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1/4 cup unpacked light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine ingredients. Press firmly into a lightly buttered 9-inch glass pie dish.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Butterscotch Blondies

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg or 3 tbsp egg whites
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt
6 oz chocolate chips

Put butter and sugar in a bowl and blend together until smooth using an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and blend until combined. Scrape down the bowl. Whisk together flour, soda, salt. Add flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips. Scrape batter into greased pan.  Bake 17 minutes.

Pie Filling

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Beat together the cream cheese, whipped cream, and sugar until smooth and creamy.  Add the sour cream and vanilla, and continue to beat until well combined.

Cut baked blondies into small squares, roughing them up but keeping some larger chunks. Stir half of chopped blondies into cream cheese mixture (careful not to overbeat).  Pour mixture into chocolate pie crust. Top with remaining crumbles.

Refrigerate overnight. Serve and enjoy!!!!

Nutella Crepes

So, I did take a hiatus from crepes for the majority of the summer, but birthdays are special occasions, and boyfriend Drew's 22nd was no exception.

The variation du jour was, of course, Nutella and whipped cream.

In case you need a refresher, here's my base crepe recipe again.

For 2-3 crepes:


1 egg white
a little over 1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 scant teaspoon sugar


Mix ingredients, whisk with a fork until smooth (no flour lumps!), and sizzle to your heart's content on a nonstick skillet. Flip.
 
Best done in a crepe pan.
 
Nutella variation:  Spread Nutella on crepe, fold over or roll. Garnish with freshly whipped cream and maybe a sprinkle of cocoa. Mmm.