Moist and delicious, Banana Bread is a crowd-pleaser for audiences young and old. Easy to make and delicious for breakfasts and snacks, there’s a reason they even gave this quick bread its own National Day. What gives this particular recipe its winning edge? We found caramelizing the bananas gives this recipe mega-flavor!
Ingredients
1 lb ripe bananas, peeled (3-4 bananas)
1 ¼ cup brown sugar, divided
10 Tbsp butter, softened and divided
1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup buttermilk*
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup toasted pecan or walnut pieces
Optional: ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°. Grease 9” x 5” loaf pan.
In large frying pan over medium heat, add sliced bananas, 2 Tbsp butter and ¼ cup brown sugar. Stirring often, allow bananas to brown slightly. Add cinnamon and nutmeg, continue cooking 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla extract.
In a large bowl, add remaining ½ cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar. Beat until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Add egg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
To mixture, add buttermilk, Then, alternately add flour and caramelized bananas, mixing well between additions and ending with flour.
Stir in toasted nut pieces, mini chocolate chips (if using) and pour batter into prepared loaf pan. At the 20 minute mark, using a knife, score the top of the banana bread “skin” down the center from end to end (about 1/8th of an inch in) to create that beautiful professional slash look. Bake an additional 30-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before removing from loaf pan and slicing.
*Or clabber whole milk by adding ¼ tsp vinegar to it and let it sit for a couple of minutes before adding to recipe.
Gear up for the Big Game with our take on an old classic. Adding caramelized onions is a score for the home team!
Ingredients
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 cup cream cheese or neufchatel, softened
½ cup mayonnaise
1 recipe caramelized onions (see below)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Directions
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together first three ingredients until well-combined. Add caramelized onions, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Mix until just incorporated.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and stir a few times to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 2 hours, up to one week. Serve chilled with potato chips or veggie crudités.
Ingredients for Caramelized Onions
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced
½ tsp sea salt
Directions
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until starting to soften.
Add salt, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 50-80 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until onions are very soft, golden brown and caramelized. Timing will depend on your type of pan, size of onions and heat of your stove.
If onions start to stick to the bottom of pan, reduce heat to low. To speed things up after 50 minutes, turn the heat higher for more caramelization. Stir continuously to prevent burning.
Garnish with green onions, chives, or parsley for a hint of green.
March can be a shoulder season for local produce, but citrus fruits are always a great choice for a spring-in-your-step dessert. Try fresh-squeezed lime juice instead of lemon and whipped cream instead of meringue for a fresh spritely and super easy DIY pie.
Ingredients
Your favorite graham cracker crust
2 large egg whites
4 large egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp lime zest
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 *.
Bake your graham cracker crust in a 9” pie or 10” tart pan.
While it cools, beat egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl, whisk together yolks, condensed milk, lime juice and zest. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the mixture at a time, just until incorporated.
Pour into shell and bake until set in the center – about 20 minutes. Let cool on counter, once cooled, chill in refrigerator for at least two hours. You can prepare the pie up to 2 days ahead.
Whip cream and vanilla with whisk or mixer, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, until medium peaks form. Spread or dollop casually on pie. Garnish with lime wedge. You can chill the pie for another 6-8 hours.
In large pot, cook apples, apple cider, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cloves and salt over medium heat until apples are very soft – about 1 hour.
Blend the mixture until smooth using a hand blender or by adding it in batches to regular blender.
Put puree back into pot and cook, uncovered, until thick and smooth and creamy – about an hour. Stir occasionally. It’ll also be a deep mahogany brown color.
Stir in lemon juice, transfer mixture to jars, and refrigerate.
These are a delicious and handy snack, and you don’t even have to turn on the stove! When you buy apples at The Patch, we give 10 cents for every pound purchased to help local schools’ garden programs. grow!
Ingredients
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup peanut or almond butter
½ cup whole pitted medjool dates (not chopped)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp chia seeds
¼ cup dried cranberries or cherries
Directions
Add everything except dried cranberries/cherries to a food processor and process until well-combined, stopping as needed to use a spatula to clean the sides and get everything near the blade.
Once well-combined, put in a bowl and stir in dried cranberries/cherries. Divide into 12 equal parts and roll into balls. Refrigerate for at least one hour. These taste best chilled and right out of the fridge!
Easy to make, and you can enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. When you buy apples at The Patch, we give 10 cents for every pound purchased to help local schools’ garden programs. grow!
Ingredients
Filling:
10 cups apples peeled, cored, cut into ¾ inch pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp water
Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
¼ tsp salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Cooking spray
Optional toppings: ice cream, yogurt, sour cream Taste for seasoning.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 9” x 13” baking pan with cooking spray.
Make filling: Place apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and water in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Pour apple mixture into prepared pan in even layer.
Make topping: In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, walnuts and salt. Pour in melted butter and stir everything with a fork to combine evenly. Sprinkle topping evenly over apple mixture.
Bake: Place pan in oven and bake 35-40 minutes until topping is deep golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Cool 10 minutes. Serve by itself, or topped with ice cream, yogurt, or sour cream.
