Nana's Banana Bread

Isn't it funny how the moment when bananas look almost unedible is the moment that they become perfect for banana bread. Seriously, it's like that moment when they turn completely black, and they are just about to give off swarms of fruit flies, that they become the perfect ripeness for banana bread. This is another relic from Nana's recipe book. I grew up on this banana bread recipe and I still love making it, and they aroma it gives off through the house.

I also want to thank Emily who works at America's Test Kitchen and Patricia of Technicolor Kitchen for sending me two new carrot cake recipes. I will surely try both of them because they are so completely different from each other. Emily's is a tropical carrot cake, and Patricia's is a Brazilian Style carrot cake, which seems like worlds more fun than a Brazilian Style bikini wax. I'm just saying, it probably is.

Farfalle with Pistachio Cream Sauce

Every year for Christmas CB gets bags upon bags of pistachios. I think one day CB said in passing to my mom or nana or whoever, "yeah I love pistachios" and this is what that comment has morphed into, pounds and pounds of pistachios forced on him during the holiday season. It's been almost three months since Christmas and we still have bags we haven't opened yet. So I began the task of trying to find the easiest way of using the pistachios up, and came across this great recipe on Nicole's website Pinch My Salt. I can't tell you how insanely jealous I am of Nicole, she lives in Sicily, and her ambitious goal for 2007 is to write her own cookbook. If her blog is any indication of her talent, she's well on her way.

Recipe: Farfalle with Pistachio Cream Sauce
8 oz. farfalle or penne pasta
1/2 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
1/4 C. ground pistachio (unsalted nuts, ground in a blender or food processor)
2 T. olive oil (plus a little extra)
1/2 - 3/4 C. heavy cream (according to taste)
crushed red pepper
salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.


2. In the meantime, chop onion and grind the pistachios until the pieces are very small but not completely uniform.


3. Add pasta to water and boil according to package directions.


4. While pasta is cooking, begin sauce:


5. Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan, add onion and cook until translucent but not browned.
   Add pistachios and enough oil to moisten them (if needed). It should be a paste-like consistency.


6. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for about one minute (do not let the pistachios take on any color).


7. Add cream, stir until heated through, then remove from heat.


8. Add crushed red pepper, black pepper and plenty of salt to taste.


9. When pasta is al dente, drain well then add to the sauté pan with the sauce. Toss well to coat and serve immediately with lots of fresh grated parmigiano reggiano.

I have not altered Nicole's recipe nor her directions, and I thank her heartily for letting me use her recipe in my blog. Enjoy!

Rating = So Good

No Chocolate for 40 Days and 40 Nights

That's my Jesus promise this year. No chocolate chip cookies, no hot cocoa, no brownies, no truffles, no chocolate cake - and my birthday is two weeks away! (that's ok, carrot cake is my favorite cake) anyone got a great recipe for carrot cake?

Last year I gave up bread. That was in two words twice. FRIGGIN HARD. Damn It.

I briefly, oh, ever so briefly thought about giving up alcohol for Lent, but upon deep introspection realized that was a terrible idea. I mean, maybe not as terrible as shaving my head and getting two tatoos in one night, but terrible none the less, and probably laced with unforseen ramifications.

So that's it. Be preapred for posts that will all be SANS CHOCOLATE for 40 days people.

Bourbon Pecan Smashed Sweet Potatoes

As is evident by my last few postings, I seem to have a never ending supply of pecans and also a bottomless bottle of bourbon hanging around the house. I just can't seem to get away from the nut and alcohol laced recipes. This particular recipe is from Rachael Ray, who could possibly be the most annoying person on the planet. I used to be able to watch her show, but honestly the last few times I tried, I found myself foaming at the mouth within a few seconds. She just does not shut up, she talks and talks for what seems like forever, and then you realize she hasn't taken a breath in about 6 minutes and you wonder how she hasn't turned blue yet from lack of inhilation. And then there are those rumors about her husband and a hooker and a foot fetish, good god, no wonder Miss Ray has started lacing her mashed potatoes with bourbon, wouldn't you. Well, I can see her excuse, but what's mine? Hmm.

Recipe: Ray Ray's Thanksgiving in a Flash

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans, a couple of handfuls
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 ounces bourbon
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and cook 12 to 15 minutes until very tender. Drain sweet potatoes in a colander. Return pan to medium heat. Add butter to the pan. When butter melts, add nuts and toast for 2 minutes. Add sugar and let it bubble. Add bourbon and cook out alcohol, 1 minute. Add orange juice and the cooked sweet potatoes. Smash with a masher and season the sweet potatoes with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Rating = Damn Good

Chocolate Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Brown Sugar Bourbon Pecan Sauce

As a rule CB and I do not celebrate Valentine's Day, no chocolates, flowers, dinner reservations, cards, nothing. I just hate Valentines day. I get very excited about certain holidays, Halloween, Christmas, Fourth of July, in all honesty if Valentine's Day fell off the calendar I'd be more than happy; elated even. I'm sure if you dig deep into the cockles of my heart you would find serious scaring episodes that have turned me against this God Forsaken Hallmark Holiday, but I just find it so trite. It's my personal opinion on the holiday, and I am friends with plenty of people who truly embrace this holiday with open arms, get it open arms, oh geesh I'm a fucking comedian.

Anywho, last night CB and I just ate dinner and I made this dessert, because I had some buttermilk left over from when I made the turkey tamale with the cornbread crust. I did a search on the food network for buttermilk and this was the only dessert that popped up. I had all the ingredients on hand, so this is what I made. I still have a bit of buttermilk left over if anyone has any other good recipes to finish it up I'd be interested in trying something else.

This is an Emeril recipe and I do highly recommend it because it is really easy and delicious. I'm sure it would pair well with a nice port too.

Recipe:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs

Topping, recipe follows Vanilla ice cream, accompaniment
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and lightly flour an 8-cup loaf pan (10 by 5 by 3), knocking out the excess flour.
Into a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, molasses, and vanilla.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, beating about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after the addition of each. Alternating, add the wet and dry ingredients in 3 additions each, mixing just until combined and being careful not to overwork.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is risen and just set and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. (If cake gets too brown, tent it with foil).

Cool in the pan 40 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice cake into pieces, top with pecan topping, and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Topping:
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons bourbon

In a saucepan, combine the ingredients, and simmer until thick. Serve over top of cake.

Rating = So God Damn Good

Orange Almond Biscotti

Seriously, I should just open a bake shop, and maybe while I'm at it, invest in a store that only sells pants with elastic waist bands, because that's what I'm going to need if I keep eating all of these delicious baked goods that I obviously cannot stop baking. There should be an off switch for baking and eating all of these delicious goodies, but you know what, there isn't, or if there is, I can't seem to find it amongst all the cookies.

This recipe comes from CB's cousin Dina, a glorious Italian woman who seems to know how to cook and bake everything. She's a menace in the kitchen and an amazing person to know, she's one of the few in-laws that I have that I am so glad I can now call mi familia.

Recipe:
2 1/4 C all purpose four
1 1/4 C sugar
1 pinch salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C sliced almonds
1 Tbsp orange zest
3 eggs beaten
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp almond extract

Grease and flour baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350.

Ina large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, almonds and orange zest. Make a well in the center and add eggs, oil and almond extract. Stir or mix by hand until mixture forms a ball. Seperate dough into two pieces and roll each one into a log about 2 ilong wide. Place logs onto prepared baking sheet amnd flatten so they are about 3/4 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Coll slightly and remove from baking sheets slice diagonally into 1/2 inch slices with a serrated knife. Set cookies on their side back onto cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes more flipping halfway through.

Rating = So Damn Good