Banana Chocolate Gorilla Bread

OMG...I LOVE monkey bread...this is better!

Nonstick cooking spray
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 (12-ounce) tubes refrigerated crescent roll dough
6 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
2 bananas, sliced 1/4-inch thick
4 ounces (about 2/3 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar with the butter over low heat. Break open the crescent roll packages and separate the triangles of dough. Brush each triangle with sweetened condensed milk and top with 2 banana slices and 1 teaspoon chocolate chips; fold the edges of the triangle together and seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar.
Put half of the walnuts in the Bundt pan and top with half of the dough packets. Pour half of the brown sugar-butter mixture over the dough and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake until puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer it to a rack and allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Put a platter on top of the Bundt pan and invert. Slice and serve warm.
Servings: 8 servings

carrot chips

This is probably the shortest recipe. I love carrots...what a good idea for  kids. Will experiment with other spices like cinnamon to add to what is sprinkled before baking. 

Carrot Chips (Serves 4)
4 Carrots
Salt to taste
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Using a mandoline or a knife, thinly slice the carrots into rounds.
3. Place the carrot chips on a silpat or parchment-lined cookie sheet, sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for 45 minutes.
4. Serve.

Upside Down Mushroom Cheese Tartlet

Martha Stewart had these on the Today Show. An easy way to use MUFFIN PANS. I could think of other things  to add to this recipe as well, like bacon, onion, peppers? Anyway it's easy and really good.

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into six 3-inch rounds
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for muffin pan
• 1 large shallot, diced small
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
• 3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place puff pastry rounds in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate while mushrooms cook.
Filling 
In a large skillet, heat over medium high: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Then add 1 large shallot, diced small, cook, stirring, until soft for 3 minutes. Then add 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced, cook, stirring, until soft and browned, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves. Remove skillet from heat. Muffin tins Lightly oil 6 jumbo muffin cups with olive oil. Divide among cups the mushroom mixture and 3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese (2 ounces). Top each mixture with chilled round pastry. Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Run a small knife around cups to loosen tartlets. Place a rimmed baking sheet or large plate over pan and invert to release tartlets. Sprinkle with more thyme. Serve warm. Serves 6.

Coconut Cream Bread Pudding

If I had to choose between coconut and chocolate I'd have a hard time...but this recipe has BOTH...topped with Chocolate sauce. Anytime you see cream of coconut in a recipe or drink, you know it's gonna be good.

• Butter, for dish
• 1 (16 to 20-inch loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 (13 1/2-ounce) can cream of coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch mace
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, plus 1/2 cup, toasted for garnish
• Chocolate Velvet Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Lightly butter the bottom of a 9-inch square flameproof baking dish. Arrange the bread cubes evenly in the dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the yolks, whole eggs, coconut milk, cream of coconut, salt, nutmeg, and mace. Stir in 1 cup of the coconut flakes. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, pressing the bread cubes gently to soak up the custard. Let the mixture stand for 1 hour, covered, in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sprinkle the top of the pudding with the remaining 1/2 cup coconut flakes. Cover the baking dish with foil, poking a few holes in the top to release the steam. Put the baking dish into a roasting pan on the oven rack. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until the pudding is firm to the touch, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more. Remove the baking dish from the water bath and run it under the broiler, at least 4 inches from the heat, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Let the pudding cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Pour the sauce over individual pudding servings, as desired. Top with toasted coconut and serve.

Chocolate Velvet Sauce:

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Make the chocolate sauce right before serving the pudding. Put the chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over low heat; immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth.

Notes

The chocolate sauce can be reheated in a saucepan over low heat. Add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed, to return it to the desired consistency.

Red Velvet Brownies

Lucy LOVES red velvet cake...now this is an easy way to make them and take them on a cookout or picnic. Also a way for Lucy to take one to school for a snack. 

1 cup flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon red food color

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (you know, I only use mexican)

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil. Spray foil with no stick cooking spray. Mix flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

 2. Mix eggs, granulated sugar, sour cream, food coloring and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Gradually stir in flour mixture until well mixed. Spread in prepared pan.

 3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack. 

 4. Spread Chocolate Buttercream Frosting evenly over cooled brownie. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into 24 squares.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: Mix 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in small bowl. Beat 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened, in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract; mix well. Gradually add cocoa mixture alternately with 1 tablespoon milk, beating until light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick to spread, gradually beat in additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Plum Cake Tatin (Caramel)

The caramel is what makes this delicious. Best thing is you could use peacher or even better apples with this instead of plums.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the dish
10 to 12 purple "prune" plums, cut in half and pitted
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the plums in the dish, cut side down.

Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the plums.

Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.

Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If a plum sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

 

mini beef wellingtons

What a cute idea...appetizer.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 24 (1-inch) cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (recommended: Dufour)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season all sides with salt and pepper. Quickly sear the beef on 2 sides only until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes total; do not overcook. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Add the mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown and release liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and continue cooking until mushroom mixture dries out, is golden brown and shallots are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Preheat to the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

On a work surface, roll 1 sheet of puff pastry to a 10 by 14-inch rectangle. Put teaspoon-sized mounds of mushroom mixture on the pastry, evenly spacing them in 4 rows of 3. Top the mushroom mound with a piece of beef, seared side up. With a sharp knife, cut the pastry into even squares around the meat and mushrooms. Working 1 at a time, pull 2 opposite sides of pastry up over each beef piece, then fold the ends over the top to make a packet. Invert and arrange the packets seam side down on the baking sheet and press them lightly to seal the pastry. Repeat with the remaining beef, mushrooms, and pastry.





Bake the Wellingtons until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven to a serving platter and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.