Easy & Delicious Banana Nut Bread

If you are going to take the time to bake a banana bread, you should definitely make this one.  It’s amazing.  Side note:  I HATE banana’s.  Unless they are baked into this banana nut bread, and then they are fabulous.

Here’s how I do it.

Spray your bread pan generously.

Dry ingredients go into one bowl….

Mix them together.

Wet ingredients go directly into your mixer bowl….

Add your banana’s now – these are okay…

These are better!

Not for eating, but for banana bread, oh yeah.

Mix it all together….

Put your mixer on low speed and start adding the dry ingredients.  Make sure your mixer is on LOW – otherwise, it will be all over your kitchen.

Mix it all together.

Now, its time to add in your pecans, yum.

You can use any kind of nut, I just had a multitude of pecans this day.

I mix these in by hand because I want the pieces to stay relatively intact.

Pour into your prepared bread pan, and bake at 350* for about an hour.  It actually takes mine 1 hour and 10 minutes in my new oven, so you’ll need to watch it near the end.

Once you can insert a toothpick or a piece of spaghetti and it comes out clean, cool it on a rack for at least ten minutes in the pan…. 

Turn it out onto the rack to cool completely.  If you can wait….

        

With or without butter, it’s superb!  Here’s the handy dandy printable:

Easy & Delicious Banana Nut Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

  • Dry Ingredients:
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Wet Ingredients:
  • 2 Egg whites
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 TBSP canola oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk I make mine with 1 cup whole milk and 1 tsp lemon juice!
  • 4 very very ripe banana's (the more ripe they are the sweeter they are!)
  • 1 cup of nuts I used pecans here, you can use any nut you prefer

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a bread pan, generously.
  • Mix your dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  • Mix your wet ingredients and add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
  • I mix the nuts in by hand so that they stay mostly intact. (Personal choice!)
  • Pour into your greased bread pan and bake for about 1 hour. My oven usually takes about 1 hour and ten minutes. Watch the bread! It's done when you insert a toothpick or piece of spaghetti and it comes out clean.
  • Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack until cool. If you can wait that long! Slather with butter and enjoy!

Thick Cut Pork Chop Recipe

Pork chops are one of Denton’s favorite foods.  I am usually like – sigh – okay.  They have never been one of my go-to’s.  After making these however, I may have found another prized recipe to add to our weekly rotation.  They were that delicious!!

Here’s how I make mine:

Start out with thick cut pork chops.  Ours were about 1 1/2 inches.  Dry your chops and then rub them with olive oil on both sides.

Now you want to liberally and I mean LIBERALLY salt and pepper them.  You are going to think that you have put enough salt – but you will need to add more.  The salt and pepper are going to bring out your flavor on the chops.

Next, you want to slice the rind.  This will keep the pork chop from trying to curl when you put it to the heat.  Set your chef’s knife or butcher knife at the edge and carefully whack it.   Be careful!

Put olive oil (or canola oil) with butter in your oven safe pan.  You are going to heat it to the level of what I call screaming hot.  If you have a countertop burner I highly recommend you do this part outside.  I love mine.  I even took it on vacation this past summer!  Otherwise, your house is going to fill with smoke.

Sear your chops one or two at a time for 2 minutes on each side.  Once you have seared all of the chops, put them back into your pan and roast them in the oven until cooked through.  Now here is where I may lose part of you.  All of the great chefs of the world say to cook your chops to an internal temperature of 145*.  I cook mine to 160*.  I just can’t you guys!  I want to make sure that they are done, but not dry!

YUM!

Serve them with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Here you’ll find other awesome sites where I’ve been graciously invited to share my recipes:  Weekend Potluck, Southern Bite, Anna Nuttall, Crafts a la Mode, The Answer is Chocolate, The Country Cook, The Cottage Market, Simply Sweet Home, Tatortots and Jello, Chic on a Shoestring, Easy Peasy Pleasy, Our Mini Family, Strawberry Butterscotch, Pam’s Party and Practical Tips, Finding Silver Pennies, The Lazy Gastronome, My Soulful Home, Life and Linda, Denise Designed,  The Boondocks Blog, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, Keeping It Simple, The Organized DreamFlour Me With Love, Create With Joy, Mostly Blogging, A Pinch of Joy, Dwellings, Sew Can Do, Lou Lou Girls, Make Ahead Meals For Busy Moms, Mrs AOK a Work in Progress, Skip to My Lou, Meet Our Life, Worthing Court, Recipes and Ramblings, Yesterday on TuesdayMy Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, The Sway, Our World Tuesday, Our Home Away From Home, Lori’s Culinary Creations and Celebrate and Decorate

Here’s the handy dandy printable.

Thick Cut Pork Chops Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Thick cut pork chops
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive oil and Butter

Instructions
 

  • Dry off your chops.
  • Rub them generously with olive oil on both sides.
  • Very LIBERALLY salt and pepper both sides.
  • Sear each side of your chops for two minutes in a screaming hot pan.
  • Roast in the oven until cooked through. At my house that's 160*. At Chef Ramsey's house it's 145*!
  • Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

 

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Monte Cristo Sandwich

At least once a week we have a variety of sandwiches for supper.  They are quick and simple, which makes my life much easier.  These fried ham and cheese sandwiches are something you’re going to want to make often because they taste fantastic.  Here’s how I make mine.

By the way, have you tried this Nature’s Own Perfectly Crafted bread yet?  It’s amazing.  A few months ago this bread was the Free Friday Download from Kroger.  Now I actively seek it out at my bread outlet when I’m there.  I love to make my garlic bread with it too.  It’s hearty and slightly sweet, in a good way.

Crack two large eggs into a shallow dish.  Salt and pepper them generously.

Add a 1/4 cup of milk……

Beat vigorously until combined.  Heat your skillet over medium.

Meanwhile, spread your Hellmann’s mayonnaise over the bread in a thin layer.

Draw squiggly lines over the mayonnaise with the mustard…..

Layer on the ham.  Unless you are Olivia and you don’t eat meat…….

Spread the cheese over the ham……

Now you’re ready to dip and fry!

Dip quickly into the egg and milk mixture…..

Gently lower into a buttered skillet…..  

And fry until golden brown on both sides.

Deliciousness on a plate.

Here you’ll find other awesome sites where I’ve been graciously invited to share my recipes:  Weekend Potluck, Southern Bite, Anna Nuttall, Crafts a la Mode, The Answer is Chocolate, The Country Cook, The Cottage Market, Simply Sweet Home, Tatortots and Jello, Chic on a Shoestring, Easy Peasy Pleasy, Our Mini Family, Strawberry Butterscotch, Pam’s Party and Practical Tips, Finding Silver Pennies, The Lazy Gastronome, My Soulful Home, Life and Linda, Denise Designed,  The Boondocks Blog, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, Keeping It Simple, The Organized DreamFlour Me With Love, Create With Joy, Mostly Blogging, A Pinch of Joy, Dwellings, Sew Can Do, Lou Lou Girls, Make Ahead Meals For Busy Moms, Mrs AOK a Work in Progress, Skip to My Lou, Meet Our Life, Worthing Court, Recipes and Ramblings, Yesterday on TuesdayMy Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, The Sway, Our World Tuesday, Our Home Away From Home, Lori’s Culinary Creations and Celebrate and Decorate

Here’s the handy dandy printable.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 Slices of bread
  • 12 slices of ham
  • 1 cup of shredded cheese - divided into four
  • Mayonnaise
  • Mustard
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk

Instructions
 

  • Beat the eggs and milk together in a shallow bowl.
  • Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the bread.
  • Drizzle mustard over the mayonnaise.
  • Layer three pieces of ham onto the bread.
  • Carefully spread 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese over the ham.
  • Place the top piece of bread over your creation.
  • Dip into the egg and milk mixture and gently lower into a heated, buttered skillet.
  • Fry until golden on both sides.
  • Enjoy!!

Fast and Easy Doughnuts

Fast and easy doughnuts

How cold is it at your house today?  It’s an unbelievable 5* this morning at my house.  The perfect morning to make doughnuts.  You’ll be so, so glad you did!

The first thing to remember about this recipe is to use cheap canned biscuits.

Pop them out of the can – try not have a heart attack waiting for the pop – and cut them into four pieces.

Deep fry them in hot oil until they are golden brown and drain on paper towels.

While they are frying, pour about 1/2 cup of sugar in to a gallon sized ziplock baggie and add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Close it up and shake it until it’s combined.

After you drain the doughnuts, while they are still warm, drop them into the sugar/cinnamon mixture and shake until they are covered.  Fast and Easy Doughnuts

Then try not to eat them all before your family figures out what you’ve created!

One thing to note about these doughnuts is that they are absolutely divine – when they are warm and just made.  But, they do not keep well.  So, just keep in mind that you’ll have to eat them all when you make them.  It won’t be hard, I promise.

Here’s the handy dandy printable recipe.

Fast and Easy Doughnuts

Ingredients
  

  • Canned biscuits the cheap kind is best!!
  • Hot oil for deep frying
  • Sugar
  • Cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Cut each canned biscuit into quarters.
  • Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Mix sugar and cinnamon in a gallon sized ziplock baggie.
  • Put warm fried doughnuts into the baggie and shake.
  • Hide in your kitchen and eat the doughnuts until your family discovers what you've made! Enjoy!