Banana coconut upside down cake

I kind of tweaked the recipe a bit... Lol

Copied & Tweaked This Recipe from a Facebook post:

Banana Coconut Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

·        1 yellow cake mix

·        3 whole eggs

·        1/4 cup oil

·        1/2 cup sour cream

·        1/2 cup water

·        4-6 bananas sliced 1/4 inch thick

·        1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

·        1 cup packed brown sugar

·        1/2 cup butter

·        2 Tablespoons lemon juice

·        2 Tbsp. EACH Malibu (coconut rum), Rum, and Banana Liqueur

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 2 (8 inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.

2.    With an electric mixer, beat cake mix, eggs, oil, water, and sour cream on low until combined. Beat on high for 2 minutes.

3.    Place banana slices evenly on the bottom of the two cake pans.

4.    In a small saucepan melt butter. Add brown sugar and lemon juice and heat until dissolved. Pour half of the brown sugar mixture into each of the 2 round cake pans over the bananas. Sprinkle coconut over brown sugar sauce.

5.    Pour cake batter on top of the coconut into the two pans, dividing equally.

6.    Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. 

7.    Sprinkle or brush on 1 tbsp each Malibu, Rum, Banana Liqueur. Allow to soak in.

8.    Invert onto serving dishes. Slice to serve. Sprinkle on 1 tbsp. each liqueur. Allow to soak in. Serve. 

Banana coconut upside down cake

I kind of tweaked the recipe a bit... Lol 

Banana Nut Waffles

I love, love, love my new waffle maker. The Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker. It was less than $40 and it's really turned out to be a great little machine. If you are making regular waffles, it cleans up pretty easily. 

The only time I've had trouble cleaning it, was when I got the hair brained idea to make Garlic Parmesan Waffles. (Basically take a can of croissant dough. Slather on some room temp butter, sprinkle in parm, garlic and Italian seasoning. Fold up and cut into pieces that fit in waffle maker. The  I don't know if I'll ever make those again... IT WAS A ROYAL PAIN TO CLEAN UP!)


If you are after a plain easy, from scratch waffle recipe, I would recommend the Waffle I recipe on Allrecipes.com for American waffles. Or, if it's a European style (like you would get in France or Belgium) the Belgian waffle recipe. I think it's my favorite so far! It is worth the extra waiting time.


Today, I had some very ripe bananas sitting on the counter, so I made banana nut waffles.

Banana Nut Waffles

You will need: 
2 c. all-purpose flour (or 1 1/2 c. APF + 1/2 c. whole wheat flour)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp. fine table salt)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
3 ripe banana, crushed
1 c. milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c. canola oil or melted butter
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. banana flavoring (optional)
2 tbsp. dark rum or banana liqueur (optional)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I used almonds... use what you like, or leave it out)

Whisk together dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in wet ingredients. Stir together just until incorporated. You can stir the nuts in now, but I prefer to add to the waffle maker. This way if you have a family member who doesn't like nuts, they can have a nut free one! Let batter sit for 10 min.


Scoop an appropriate amount into your waffle maker. Mine held a heaping 1/2 cup. Sprinkle on the nuts if you didn't mix them in.

Close waffle maker and wait about 3-4 min. or until all the steam has dissipated. Yield: 5 large waffles

Yogurt

Some quick ideas for yogurt:

My favorite yogurt! :) Yummy! So many possibilities.

Layer yogurt and vanilla wafers. Top with a dollop of lemon curd. You can eat it
immediately, or you can store in the refrigerator until the cookies soften slightly.
Tastes like a decadent dessert. If you measure your ingredients judiciously, you will
have control over the calories you are using. Don't want cookies? It's great with just a
teaspoon of lemon curd. 

Top with your favorite granola. I like to place fruit in a bowl, top with
yogurt, then granola on top. 

More ideas:

• Plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of granola
• Summer oatmeal: Basically, combine equal parts oatmeal, yogurt, milk. Let set in refrigerator overnight. Serve cold. Top with fruit. 
• Try with a dollop of Nutella
• Try crushed up cookies, graham crackers
• Add lime curd
• Add chocolate chips or crushed candy
• Use banana and vanilla wafers for a banana pudding type experience. 
• Stir in fruit pie filling
• Add unsweetened apple sauce (another favorite of mine)
• Add a chopped up apple.
• Stir in apple butter

I'm looking forward to your comments. What do you add to your yogurt? 

Banana Pudding

Easy, homemade and sure to please, Granny Koonce's Original Recipe has undergone many updates. This time, I did it mom's way and made it in the microwave.

Facil et fais maison, un classique américain "Banana Pudding" que on peut faire au four micro-ondes!

Microwave Pudding Procedure: In a microwave-safe bowl combine: 2 eggs¾ c. sugar 2 tbsp. flour¼ tsp. salt 2 c. milk Place in microwave and zap for 2 min. Stir. Microwave in one minute intervals stirring each time until it reaches desired consistency. Remove from microwave. Stir in 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Banana Pudding fait au four micro-ondes: Dans un saladier mélanger bien: 2 œufs ¾ tasse sucre 2 cuillère à soupe farine ¼ cuillère à café sel 2 tasse lait entier Placez à micro-ondes pendant 2 minutes. Remuez. Répétez intervalles d'une minute en remuant à chaque fois jusqu'à ce qu'elle atteigne la consistance désirée. Retirer et incorporer 1 cuillère à soupe de beurre et 1 cuillère à café de d'extrait de vanille ou du rhum.  Dans un bol mettez un coussin de biscuits vanille et des rondelles de la banane. Vers le pudding dessus. Répétez jusqu'à il reste plus de pudding. Mettez des biscuits vanille et haut. Placez le dessert au frais au moins 4 heures. Servir frais.

The Evolution of Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

Mom’s banana pudding recipe is one she learned from her grandmother. I’m starting to think that Granny Koonce didn’t really have a recipe, because my aunt’s copy was slightly different than mom’s. Either way, it will turn out, and you will layer this delicious, smooth and velvety pudding with bananas and vanilla wafers.  It’s gone through some updates through the years. But we do not add whipped topping, and you will not use pudding from a box or you will get chased out of town….

Aunt Tutu’s recipe:

Granny Koonce's Banana Pudding 2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 3 Tbs. flour 1 1/2 cup milk Mix flour and sugar together and set aside. Whisk eggs in a saucepan, add milk and slowly add sugar - flour mixture. Continue to stir over low heat with the wire whisk. After it thickens, add 2-Tbs. margarine and 1 tsp. vanilla. Layer with sliced bananas and vanilla wafers. Serve warm or chilled. Double or triple recipe as needed. (Trust me, it will be needed.)

Mommy’s Recipe:

Granny Koonce's Banana Pudding Mix 1 egg and ½ c. sugar in a sauce pan. Sift together ¼ c. sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, ¼ tsp. salt. Add to egg mixture. Stir in 2 cups milk. Cook over low heat until boiling or desired thickness. Stir constantly. Remove from heat add 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Why the change between butter and margarine, one egg or two? Why is there is a difference in the amount of milk or flour? My guess, that’s what was in the house the day each girl was taught to make it. I really don’t know.
Basically, you are going to need: eggs, butter, flour, sugar, milk and vanilla. I don’t recommend using margarine, ever! Use the best vanilla you can get. Add another egg if you want a richer pudding. Use whole milk, or replace part of your milk with half and half or cream for a richer texture. Mom has been known to use canned milk, and it turns out just fine.

OK, I know it says stir constantly, but don’t freak out yet! Like I said over the years, it’s gone through some updates.  Mom now makes hers in the microwave and it turns out great. I usually use the same procedure as making pastry cream. I get to use the stove and it doesn’t take as much time stirring.

Microwave Pudding Procedure: In a microwave safe bowl combine: 2 eggs ¾ c. sugar 2 tbsp. flour ¼ tsp. salt 2 c. milk Place in microwave and zap for 2 min. Stir. Microwave in one minute intervals stirring each time until it reaches desired consistency. Remove from microwave. Stir in 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Pastry Chef procedure: In a heavy sauce pan, heat 1 ½ cups milk and ½ cup half and half to boiling. If you have a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds out and place seeds and bean in the pan with the milk. Place a mixing bowl on a towel and just before your milk is boiling, whisk together 2 eggs, 2 tbsp. flour, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¾ c. sugar. When milk is boiling. Temper eggs (while stirring quickly, add hot milk to egg mixture). Return mixture to sauce pan over high heat and stir until it thickens. Remove from heat, pass mixture through a strainer (in case you have any cooked egg bits).  Add a tablespoon of unsalted butter. Add vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste if you did not use a vanilla bean.

Ok now that you have your pudding. Put down a layer of vanilla wafers and sliced banana. Top with pudding, repeat layering until you have no more pudding. Top all this with another layer of vanilla wafers. Sure, you can dig in now, but it will be much better later when it’s cold and the cookies have softened. Store in the refrigerator. J

Not My Mama's Banana Pudding!

OK, browsing the web tonight, I found a Pinterest photo with some banana pudding raving that it was the best stuff ever!

I click the link... {had to sounds so yummy} I find a recipe that boasts it's better than my mom's:

Momma Didn’t Make It Like This! 

... Hmmm... Highly suspect, as my mom's stuff is pretty good... This recipe was a derivative of a Paula Deen recipe called Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding.

No kidding it's not my mom's... she doesn't use cool whip or instant pudding. Ewww.... I'm sure the addition of all the other sugary and fatty ingredients does make it yummy, but my mom's banana pudding would whip your mom's banana pudding BLINDFOLDED and CHUCK NORRIS STYLE.

I will make it my business to post Mom's recipe {Actually passed down from her grandmother} this weekend. That blogger claimed she was spoiled. That she only eats this banana pudding now... I don't think she knows spoiled. I'm spoiled. We asked for pudding and mom went in the kitchen and got out eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla.... No instant powder! eek!

I'm the spoiled one!

*disclaimer: I think I may be the only one in the family that hates "whipped topping". It just never made it onto the banana pudding. It freaks me out to think about it.

Banana Cake

To Die for Banana Cake

from ButterYum (Hey, with a name like that you know it has to be good!)
Makes one 8x8-inch pan (double recipe for a 9x13 pan)

Cake:

2/3 cup sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 mashed super ripe bananas (about 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¼  c. heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or equal amount of pure vanilla extract)
1 ¼ c. confectioner's sugar

To make cake (easily mixed by hand…really it is… I did not get out the KitchenAid! I used a wooden spoon.):

Mash the bananas with a fork then stir in. 

Preheat the oven to 375°F (350°F if using a glass pan.).  Cream together sugar, sour cream, egg, and 2 tablespoons softened butter.  Add mashed bananas and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Add flour, salt, and baking soda; mix well.  Pour into greased 8x8 pan.  Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting:
Cream butter and confectioner's sugar together until smooth.  Slowly add the heavy cream; stir until smooth.  Stir in the vanilla bean paste until fully incorporated.  Spread on cooled cake. 

I wonder if the frosting is what makes it so good? So delicious and simple!

Not dense like banana bread, this cake is light and moist.

Ice Cream for Your Diet

Ok, I don't remember which website I got this idea from... I jotted it down some time ago, and it's taken me this long to try it... I don't know why I didn't know about this sooner... YOU MUST TRY IT!!!

And yes, I know it's not really ice cream. But it's a cool, creamy, yummy dessert.

There's not an exact recipe, so even better if you aren't  a cook.
1) Take some bananas. Peel them and slice them thinly.
2) Line a cookie sheet or platter with plastic wrap and lay the banana slices on it in a single layer.
3) Freeze it.
4) dump frozen bananas into food processor. Pulse until it resembles ice cream.
5) Eat it and enjoy.
(The website said to eat immediately, but I saved some for JF to enjoy at luncheon so I will let you know how that turns out.)

It is very creamy and you won't miss the dairy, but why stop there?

There is no chocolate! 

I threw in a spoonful of nutella. You could add strawberries, peanut butter, hershey's syrup, some nuts, what ever you like that your diet allows you....Let your imagination go wild!


I hope you try it! Let me know if you do....

Banana Nutella "Ice Cream"