Banana Muffins

Don't let those over-ripe bananas go to waste!

Okay, here it is... The banana muffins recipe! It's a basic banana bread recipe that I add a streusel topping to. I like making muffins instead of a loaf because they cook faster and evenly. By the way, this is a lot of batter - it made 30 muffins so use a big mixing bowl.

Muffin ingredients:
5 super ripe bananas
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Streusel ingredients:
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Streusel directions:
- Using electric-mixer, beat butter until creamy. Mix in granulated and brown sugar.
- Add flour and cinnamon until well blended. Mix will be crumbly.
- Set aside

Muffin directions:
- Preheat oven to 315 degrees
- Mash bananas then mix in eggs. Using a electric-mixer, mix in vanilla, shortening, applesauce, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Sift flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to batter. (I mixed it until it was super smooth)
- Fold in pecans/walnuts
- Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full of batter
- Sprinkle each cup with streusel, covering the entire top of muffin (I liked the ones that were totally covered, see picture below. The ones above were lightly sprinkled)

- Bake for 30-35 minutes. Insert toothpick to check for doneness (it should be clean when removed from middle of muffin)

Strawberry Tarts

Bite-size strawberry tarts served with chocolate dipped strawberries

I found the easiest fruit tart recipe ever from Paula Deen! I tested it on my cousins, and even though they weren't pretty the first time, they loved them. Instead using an assortment of fruit, I opted for strawberries with a strawberry glaze. I also made them bite-size by baking them in mini-cupcake lined (to give that tart pan crease effect) mini muffin pans. This recipe will make about 24 bite-size tarts or one regular tart.

Crust ingredients:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and sliced

Filling ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh strawberry slices

Strawberry glaze ingredients:
2 tbs and 2 tsp white sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon strawberry flavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- For crust: Combine crust ingredients in a food processor (I used my mixer) until it forms a dough. Press the dough into a tart pan or into lined mini-muffin pans. Bake until light golden brown (For mini, I baked for about 8-10 minutes). Set aside to cool.
- For filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread over cooled crust (I piped it in). Top with strawberry slices.

- For glaze: Combine ingredients and boil for one minute then remove from heat. I painted the glaze onto my strawberry slices. If you make a large tart, you can also toss the strawberries in the glaze then place on the tart.

All packed up for Sheila's baby shower!
Tip: Save your plastic containers for transporting goodies. This one was from Costco's bbq ribs



Enjoy!

Hello again!

Dear friends,

I haven't been blogging because I promised myself to stay away until I passed the NCLEX-PN. Well, I passed! I am a licensed nurse! My next step is continuing my education in the Fall to pursue my BSN/RN, but for now I have a little break for the summer. I'm also working part-time in a home health office handling compliance paperwork. Yes, all of this in addition to the whole wife and mommy thing... Basically, I'm a busy bee!

Until my life gets all crazy hectic again in the Fall, I'll share some of the yummy recipes and "secrets" that I've encountered these past couple months. I've also taken up crocheting, which I learned from YouTube (I know, I know, where do I find the time? Sleep is overrated!). Interested in learning? Check out this chic, Theresa. She's an excellent instructor, and she does slow-mo, really slow-mo edits so that you can follow. Here are some of the projects I've completed after I got the basics down.


Baby beret with flower


Rasta hat with brim


Baby paperboy hat


Panda hat with smile


SF Giants inspired Panda


Baby cupcake beret