Chocolate-Banana Coffee Cake

Deliciously different, and easy to build






Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
3-4 mashed ripe bananas
1 TBS Hazelnut syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all filling ingredients together and set aside.

Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Stir in bananas, sour cream, hazelnut syrup, and eggs. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Spoon half the batter into 9 x 13-inch greased pan. Sprinkle with half the filling. Spread remaining batter over filling. Sprinkle with remaining filling. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until browned on top and knife or metal skewer comes out clean when inserted into center.

This is absolutely superb served with a large dollop of hazelnut whipped cream.

Hazelnut Whipped Cream

For each cup of heavy cream:

1 Cup Whipping/Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1-1/2 tsp Hazelnut Syrup
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
3-4 TBS water


Sprinkle 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin over 3 tablespoons cold water and let stand until gelatin is softened. Slightly heat till the gelatin completely dissolves. Cool, but do not let it set.

Beat the cream, sugar and hazelnut syrup until slightly thickened. While beating more slowly, gradually add the gelatin to the whipped cream, then whip at high speed until stiff.

TIP: Place the bowl and the beaters or whip you will be using for the whipped cream in the freezer for 30-minutes or longer before starting to whip the cream. Cover the whipped cream bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate immediately until you are ready for it.

Tuna Noodle/Macaroni Casserole

A super quick meal for a meatless day.

Ingredients:

1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cooked peas
2 tbsp. chopped pimiento
2 6 Oz. cans tuna, drained and flaked
2 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles
2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. butter melted

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 400°F.
Mix soup, milk, peas, pimiento, tuna and noodles in 1 1/2-qt. baking dish.
BAKE for 20 miutes or until hot. Stir.

MIX bread crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle on top. Bake 5 min.

Serve with your favorite vegetables as a side.

Lemon-Lime Pie with Banana Whipped Cream

When I was a pre-teenager, I absolutely hated lemon-lime - of ANY kind. How our tastes change as we mature. This pie is the epitome of lemon-lime ANYTHING!! It's fairly easy to make, but a little time consuming. The end result is beyond description.


Lemon-Lime Pie Filling Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch (or Tapioca Powder)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, well beaten
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 Lemon Myrtle Leaves
2 Lime Kaffir leaves

Procedure:

Blend sugar, cornstarch and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Combine milk and yolks, and gradually stir into sugar mixture. Add leaves and simmer for 10-minutes on very low heat. After 10-minutes, remove leaves. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Set aside. Once pudding boils, stir for 1 minute, remove from heat, and stir in butter. Cover tightly and put in refrigerator until it solidifies.

Make your favorite graham cracker pie crust. Bake until done. Let cool. Spread pie filling over the cooled crust; cover and refrigerate.

Banana Whipped Cream

For each cup of heavy cream:

Sprinkle 1-1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin over 3-5 tablespoons cold water and let stand until gelatin is softened. Slightly heat till the gelatin completely dissolves. Cool, but do not let it set. Beat the cream, granulated sugar and 1/2 small overripe banana until slightly thickened. While beating a little more slowly, gradually add the gelatin to the whipped cream. Whip at high speed until stiff. Refrigerate for several hours.

Be sure to refrigerate the bowl and beater(s) for at least 30 minutes. The cream must be cold when beaten. Do not overbeat.

Milk Chocolate Cake

This is a light textured, light chocolate cake that chocolate lovers will enjoy. The filling can be of your choice, as can the icing. If you like the flavor of a 'light' chocolate, I suggest either a vanilla or rum pudding filling, and a butternut icing.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup boiling water

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and dust two 9" layer cake pans. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with wire whisk until well mixed.Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat well with wire whisk or mixer until combined, about 2 minutes. While beating, heat water in microwave oven to boiling. Stir boiling water into cake batter.

This is a VERY thin batter, so fear not. Pour the thin batter into the two prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan, top springs back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.


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