Category: Snacks

Best Ever Banana Bread

One bowl, one whisk, and the best banana bread ever, the name of this recipe says it all! Another super quick breakfast or snack idea, and perfect for a friend in need or to take to a new neighbor, this is the one banana bread recipe that I come back to, over and over. It is found in Barbara Fairchild’s brilliant cookbook, The Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook.

2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts, delicious with or without the nuts
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 T. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 by 5 by 3 inch metal loaf pan (mine is ceramic and it seems to work fine, plus I just spray it with Baker’s Joy for greasing the pan.)

After mashing the bananas in a large bowl, whisk banana and eggs to blend in the same bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to mix well.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake bread until top is golden brown and splits slightly and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. (Be sure and check it earlier though, ovens vary and you don’t want to overcook it.)

Cool in pan on rack 20 minutes. Turn bread out onto rack and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ONE AT A TIME – Barbara says this recipe doesn’t double well. To make two loaves, you’ll need to make two separate batches of batter.

Coconut-Pecan Cereal Bars

These cereal bars are some of my favorite treats! They are good for breakfast, after school snacks, or dessert. In fact, I always love to make these for dessert when we grill hamburgers! Toasting the coconut and pecans really brings out their best flavors. I found this recipe in the July/August 2007 edition of Everyday Food.

1 (7 oz.) package sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
nonstick cooking spray
1 (10 oz.) package marshmallows
4 T. unsalted butter
4 cups cornflakes

Preheat the oven to 350. Spread coconut on one side of a large rimmed baking sheet, and pecans on the other side, keeping them separate. Toast until fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Meanwhile, coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line with a strip of wax paper (leaving an overhang on two sides). Spray paper.

In a large nonstick pot over medium-low, heat marshmallows and butter until melted, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in cornflakes, coconut, and pecans. Transfer to prepared pan; press firmly with a metal spatula (coated with spray to prevent sticking). Cool until firm, about 2 hours. Remove from pan; peel off paper. Using a serrated knife, cut into squares.

Yield: 16 bars

Chicken Quesadillas

Quick and easy, these yummy quesadillas have only five ingredients! I’m not sure about you guys, but this spring seems to be extra busy to me, and I am needing quick supper ideas. By combining the filling for the ingredients in a bowl and keeping it in the fridge at the start of the week, this makes for a quick start to a meal, perfect for an on the run snack or supper! This is a Paula Deen recipe from an issue of her Quick and Easy Meals magazine.

2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (8 oz.) package Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, shredded
5 T. black bean and corn salsa
1 (16 oz.) package taco-size flour tortillas
1/2 cup butter, divided

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cheese, and salsa. Spread 1/2 cup chicken mixture evenly over half of tortillas. Top each with remaining tortillas.

Ina a large skillet, melt 1 T. butter over medium-high heat. Add 1 prepared quesadilla, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until, golden brown. Repeat procedure with remaining butter and remaining prepared quesadillas. Cut into wedges to serve. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

Makes about 8 servings.

Jack’s Party Mix

I found this recipe in the September/October 2009 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen magazine. For some reason, the combination of this sweet and salty snack mix is always one of the first to come to mind, when I think of quick snacks to make for travel, after school munching, or to leave out in a bowl when having sleepovers for the kids. I think it’s fun, easy, and very addictive!

4 cups brown sugar-oatmeal squares
4 cups mini pretzels
3 (6 oz.) packages dried cranberries
1 (15 oz.) box raisins
2 cups candy-coated chocolate pieces
2 (6.6 oz.) bags Cheddar-flavored fish-shaped crackers

In a large bowl, combine oatmeal squares, pretzels, cranberries, raisins, chocolate pieces, and crackers.

Yield: 18 cups
Will last up to a week, when stored in airtight containers.

Black Bean-Corn Salsa

This dip is out of my 2004 Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook, and it is a definite keeper! Super bowl is coming up and this would be perfect for snacking on during the big game. Fallon loves this. Creed is more quiet regarding this. I think 1 out of 2 kids is pretty good, don’t you? For green and healthy looking things… Serve with tortilla chips or fritos and watch it disappear!

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 oz.) cans sweet whole kernel corn, drained
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 T. minced fresh jalapeño, I used an entire large jalapeño and left the seeds (it wasn’t too spicy, but follow your gut on this depending on how much heat you like.)
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 avocado, chopped
Tortilla chips

Combine first 10 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Add avocado just before serving. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

Peanut Butter Snowballs

I just finished a book called The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn. Every time I encounter a book, I’m always thinking of a menu to go along with it. Years ago, I used to belong in a book club and it was a really fun way for me to always be dreaming up things to cook. I’m no longer in one, but I still think up menus with every book I read! In this book, there is some snow. Yep, I’m feeling ultra creative. Ha. But these are ultra good, so any reason is a perfect reason, to bring up these little numbers!

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 T. butter, softened
1 pound white candy melts or almond bark
Silver sugar sprinkles

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, peanut butter, and butter until mixed well. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Move dough balls to the fridge while you work on the next recipe step.

In another medium sized bowl, melt candy coating according to package directions. Dip balls gently in the candy coating, using a two-pronged fork to move the balls around and then lift them out. (I just use a regular fork. No two prongs in my drawer!) Place balls on prepared baking sheet. If desired, immediately sprinkle the tops with sprinkles. Refrigerate until chilled.

Makes 24 to 30 snowballs.

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Cucumber Sandwiches

I cannot express how delicious these little sandwiches are! They are the perfect comfort food after heartbreak, the perfect food to celebrate with, such as baby showers or wedding showers, and they are just the perfect light and tasty bite on any day of the week, and for any reason whatsoever! This is a recipe from Southern Living’s Comfort Food Cookbook.

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 T. mayonnaise
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1 (16 oz.) loaf sandwich bread
Garnish: cucumber slices

Drain cucumber well, pressing between layers of paper towels.

Stir together cucumber and next 4 ingredients. Spread mixture over half of bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices.

Trim crusts from sandwiches, and cut in half diagonally. Garnish, if desired. Store sandwiches in an airtight container in refrigerator.
Yield: 16 sandwiches

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Chocolate-Banana Bread Puddings

The last time I made this recipe, my son Creed was 4 and he is now 12. That has been waaaay too long! My, how the time slips away. This is from a 2011 December issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine. These would make a great breakfast or afternoon snack with coffee, and the caramelized bananas baked in the rich vanilla-E, eggy, bread-E, custard, with melty bits of Hershey bars are just…..mmmmm, mmmm, yumm-E. What’s not to love?! My mom was an English teacher. I’m sorry mom, my English is getting all jacked up! And Lucky, if you’re out there, I still need help with my commas…. Love ya’ll!

1 tsp. unsalted butter
2 T. brown sugar
3 bananas, sliced 1/3 inch thick
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
10 slices of white bread, lightly toasted
6 (1.55 oz.) Hershey milk chocolate bars, broken into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners. (I used Baker’s Joy to spray my pan and didn’t use liners.)

In a nonstick skillet, melt the butter with the brown sugar over moderately high heat. Add the banana slices and cook, turning once, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. the banana should be softened and sticky. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla.

Stack the toasted bread, slice off the crusts and cut the bread into 4 triangles.

Add the bread to the custard and let soak until the custard is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooled caramelized bananas and the chocolate. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin cups. Bake the puddings until puffy and golden, about 25 minutes.

I garnished mine with a bit of powdered sugar mixed with milk to make a thick glaze to make them pretty. But they certainly don’t need it.

Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

My daughter, Fallon, and I made this peanut butter cup smoothie for lunch today. With it being January 2nd, I want to resolve to make more smoothies and healthy type foods throughout the year! That being said, the title to this recipe tells you where my heart truly is! This is quick, delicious, healthy (at least in my book), and totally yummy! Happy New Year!

3/4 cup whole milk
2 T. peanut butter
2 T. hot cocoa mix, I used Sillycow Farms Hot Chocolate
1 cup frozen banana chunks

Place all the ingredients into the blender, and blend until smooth.

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Corn Dip

Ross Ann Hill was a fun teacher I taught with, my first year of teaching in Idalou,TX, so many, many years ago! Did you catch that? I was trying to see how many times I could use a form of teach in a sentence back there….I’m quite talented! Yeppers. Any who…. she brought this to the hospitality room for a UIL meet that year. 20 years later, this is still my “go to” dip! It works for all occasions, all year long. Thanks, Ross Ann! And if you need it for Christmas, garnish it with diced red and green bell peppers, like I did. Works like a charm.

1 can of Mexi corn
1 small white onion, chopped finely
1/2 stick of Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. mayonaise

Mix well and serve with Fritos.