Chocolate Chip Pecan Banana Bread

I had four bananas that needed to be used....stat!!  I started to search the web and came across this decadent Banana bread recipe that called for .... 4 bananas.. Perfect..
The Chocolate chips and chopped pecans make this bread more of a dessert than a bread, that's for sure... Kudos  and five stars to Prairie Palate for this recipe.   ( her link is at the bottom).  It's over the top moist, rich and delicious. 

Ingredients:

1 Stick Butter, Softened to Room Temperature
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Whole Eggs
4 Large Ripe Bananas
1 Tablespoon Milk
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Mini Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Chopped Pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 Degrees and spray a 9x5x3 Loaf Pan with cooking spray.
Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.
In a separate medium size bowl, mash together the bananas, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.  In a third medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Pour the banana mixture into the creamed mixture and combine.  
Add the dry mixture and combine but do not over mix.  Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. 


Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.  

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.  Bake for one hour, after one hour insert tooth pick in the middle of the loaf and check to see if it comes out clean.  If it doesn't, continue to cook and  re-check ever 5 minutes.  Once the toothpick comes out clean, remove from oven. 

Run a knife along the sides of the pan, invert and remove.  Cool on wire rack.

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Recipe slightly adapted from Prairie Palate

RAINY DAY BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

 It's a blueberry muffin kind of day.  Why's that you ask???  Because it's a heavy rain, flash flood , stuck in the house kind of day and I have a freezer full of blueberries just waiting to be eaten!

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat vanilla bean Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries ( I used frozen)
• Cooking spray for muffin tins

 
Directions:
Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 F. 
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl.  Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Alternating 1/2 at a time, beat in the dry ingredients and yogurt until a smooth thick batter forms.  Gently fold in the blueberries.

Spray 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or coat lightly with butter.  Use a large ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among cups.
  Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 minutes.  Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.  Remove muffins from tin and serve warm. 

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The Only Muffin Recipe You Might Ever Need 

Cookie Bar

Here are some photos of the cookie bar my daughter and I put together for my new daughter in law's Bridal Shower.  Everyone got to take home an assortment of cookies to share with their families!  
Here are some of the recipes we made,



http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/lemon-sugar-cookies/

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cookie/chocolateaggie.htm

http://www.sprinklewithflour.com/2010/07/brown-butter-pecan-shortbread.html