A Cooks Best Friend

Here’s a delicious recipe for banana bread that is sure to make an impression on your family and friends; it’s also a great snack to satisfy a craving!  In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need a mini loaf pan for baking.Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ cups flour
Dash of salt

Directions:

Preheat you oven to 350 F.  Mix the butter and the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl, then add the additional ingredients mixing in the flour last.  Pour the mixture into a buttered 6 inch mini loaf pan.  Bake for about 60 minutes, or until the bread begins to rise, then cool on a wire rack.

Here’s a delicious recipe for lemon cookies sure to please all your friends and family.  In addition to the ingredients, you will need a mixer, wax paper, cookie sheets, and a wire cooling rack.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter (melted)
1 large egg
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Dash of salt

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  In another bowl, beat the sugar with the butter until it’s light and fluffy, then beat in the egg, lemon juice, and zest.  Combine the two mixtures, then once the dough has formed roll the dough into two long rolls and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Once the dough is done chilling, preheat your oven to 375 F.  Unwrap the dough and cut it into slices about 1/4 inch thick.  Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes, then let cool on your wire cooling rack.  Store the cookies in an airtight container; makes about 5 dozen. 

Bake a cake effortlessly by using great cookware that won’t let you down. The Kaiser Bakeware Classic Nonstick Bundform is a round cake pan made of high-quality steel. These are some of it’s great qualities:

~Provides even and gentle heat distribution.

~Nonstick coating that allows for quick and easy release of baked goods, and makes cleanups a breeze.

~Black exterior which makes it possible for consistent and even browning as well as shorter baking time.

~Lifetime warranty

Here is a delicious recipe for a pumpkin pie inspired flan; a unique variation on the holiday favorite!  In addition to the ingredients, you will need a saucepan, a blender and a flan pan. Ingredients:

1 cup pure cane sugar
1 can pumpkin pie filling (14 oz.)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz.)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (5 oz.)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. allspice
6 eggs

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 F, and melt ½ cup of sugar (not all of it!) in the flan pan over medium heat.  Continue to cook until it caramelizes, being careful not to burn it.  Heat up a large saucepan with about an inch of water in the bottom, and move the flan pan into the saucepan.  Combine the pumpkin pie filling, milks, eggs, remainder of the sugar, vanilla, and allspice in a blender, and blend until smooth.  Pour the mixture into the flan pan when done.  Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (often about an hour).  When done, refrigerate for 3+ hours.  Serve with whipped cream or fresh fruit!

When it comes to donuts, most people think of purchasing them from a local bakery, but it’s possible to make delicious donut pastries at home.  Here’s a recipe for honey donuts sure to delight friends, family, or co-workers.  In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need a donut pan. Ingredients:

3 eggs
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp. shortening
1 ½ cups honey
1 cup sour milk
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. lemon extract
5 ¾ cups flour
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Cream the shortening, honey, and sugar together, then add the eggs and mix well.  When mixed, add the milk, lemon extract, flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar to the mixture.  Spoon the mixture into your donut pan, then put in the oven for about 8-12 minutes.  It’s done when the donuts start to turn a light brown.  Makes enough for an army! 

Here’s a recipe for delicious homemade apple pie.  In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need a pie pan and a saucepan. Ingredients:

1 9 inch double pie crust (yes we could make our own, but this is so much easier!)
½ cup unsalted butter
3 tbsp. flour
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
¼ cup water
8 apples (peeled, cored, and sliced)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Melt the butter in a saucepan, and then add the flour, stirring until it is thick.  Add water, sugars, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer.  Place the bottom crust in your pie pan, and put in the apples.  Cover with the second latticed crust, and then pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust, ensuring you pour slow to prevent spills.  Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 F until the apples are softened.  Let cool, serve, and enjoy!

Here is a recipe for excellent banana nut muffins—enjoy!

• 2 eggs
• 2 ripe bananas (mashed)
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1 stick of butter (softened)
• 2 cups of flour
• ½ cup of chopped pecans
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
  

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F, and grease your standard 12 muffin pan.
2. Beat together butter and sugar, then add eggs and beat thoroughly, then beat in bananas until the mixture is smooth.
3. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and then stir the flour mixture and buttermilk into the egg mixture.
4. Stir in the chopped pecans and vanilla.
5. Spoon batter into the muffin pan, filling each tin about 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Some people shy away from stainless steel bakeware because they are afraid food will stick to the surface, making it difficult to work with. But there are several benefits that need to be addressed about these kitchen products.For one, stainless steel is extremely hygienic. Unlike wood or other surface material, stainless steel does not have any cracks or pores. That means it is very difficult for bacteria to grow or dirt to hide.

Maintenance is another major benefit, as the surface is extremely difficult to rust or corrode. It’s also difficult to chip.

Also, food taste is not compromised with stainless steel. While other surfaces interact with the food and alter the taste, stainless steel does not.

And you’re certainly getting more bang for your buck. Stainless steel is projected to last upwards of 100 years when properly cared for.

With these benefits, stainless steel cooking and baking sets are at least worth a try. Experiment with the nonstick surface, and see if you can make it work for you. In my kitchen, I use stainless steel for the majority of baking and cooking items and reserve nonstick pans for select items such as eggs. Maybe a setup like this will work for your kitchen.

Here is a delicious treat that’s sure to be a hit with your family and no special bakeware is needed to create these treats. We could not make enough of them for friends and family. Give them a try. I am sure you will agree with me that they are a winner!

Crust

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping

2/3 cup corn syrup
¼ cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (12 oz.) package (2 cups) peanut butter chips
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except marshmallows at low speed until crumbly. Press firmly in bottom of an un-greased 13 X 9 inch pan

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven and bake for another 1 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Remove from oven to cool while you are preparing the topping.

In a large saucepan, combine all topping ingredients except cereal and peanuts; heat just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in cereal and peanuts. Immediately spoon the warm topping over marshmallows and spread to cover. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars.

Makes 36 bars.

For a nonstick muffin pan, you don’t want to use anything abrasive. The simplest method is to put it through your dishwasher. Rub degreaser or solvent on the affected area, let sit for awhile and put in the dishwasher.

Your other choice is to spray some Easy Off oven cleaner on a paper towel, then rub it on the areas that need to be cleaned; put the pan inside a grocery handle bag and tie closed, leave overnight and clean in the sink with sudsy water the next day. We even use this method on our grill racks and put them in a garbage bag overnight. It works