Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
5 over ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup water
1 cup oil
1 tsp pumpkin spice plus a pinch extra
1 cup walnuts, toasted
3/4 to 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add all the wet into one bowl and the dry in another and mix thoroughly. I mashed the bananas first with a potato masher then added the rest of the wet ingredients. I slowly added some wet to dry and mixed. I know it is usually the other way around, but the bowl I was using for the wet was too small. Grease two loaf pans and split batter between the two. Bake for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you use less bananas it will take less time. To toast walnuts place to baking pan and place in oven for 5-10 minutes or so. They can burn easily so keep an eye out. Can also toast them in skillet as well. I wasn't going to add the chocolate chips, but my husband really wanted them.

Blueberry Salsa

I got this from a magazine and then I altered it a bit.

1 cup whole blueberries
2 cups coarsely chopped blueberries
(together is 2 pints)
2 seeded and minced hot banana peppers
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
3-4 Tbsp fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt

You could do jalapenos/anaheim peppers or mix two different peppers. You only need 1 lemon for the juice if if it a pretty good sized lemon otherwise you may need two. Comine in bowl and chill til ready to serve. I use the blue corn tortillas to scoop salsa.

45 calories without the chips

Purple Kind of Day

My husband's friend, Matt, made this chair in high school. He is in the middle of trying to move to Brooklyn in NYC and is getting rid of a lot of things he will not be able to take with him. When he offered, I graciously accepted and decided to paint it dark purple.

That Creative Spark

I love weekends that inspire creativity. Whether it be cooking, home decor, crafting... etc, I love it when I get that urge to create. So I urge you to create something.. anything! Start small and then try to take on bigger projects. Take classes, seek out people, and read books that can teach you something new. This weekend has been full of consignment/thrift shopping, blueberry muffins, blueberry salsa, visiting with old friends, comforting family, and crab cakes.

Projects I am working on: finishing the (other) outdoor chair, constructing a pub table, oil cloth cushions, converting the wicker chest into an ottoman, reupholstering two pub chairs from a consignment, creating tiered platters, canning produce, and multiple new recipes.

Pesto Pasta Salad

This is a new recipe for me and I love it. A much needed break from regular Italian dressing style pasta salad.

First we need to make the pesto. After making your own pesto and realizing how easy is it, you will not need to buy pesto again! For those who grow a lot of basil, you can double/triple this recipe and freeze it in small containers.



2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olive
1/3 cup of nutritional yeast or Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Pluck off basil leaves and measure 2 cups packed. Add to processor along with pine nuts. Pulse a few times until basil is chopped. Add garlic and pulse a few more times. Combine a little oil and pulse. Keep doing so until you used 1/2 cup of oil. Add yeast/cheese and pulse until blended.

If you are dairy-free then nutritional yeast is good to have on hand. When kept in a cool dark place and in an air tight container, it can last indefinitely. It is an inactive yeast and found in the bulk aisle of natural food markets. It is a complete protein and has some the of B-complex vitamins too. It has a cheesy/nutty flavor and can be used in many recipes to thicken or add that cheese flavor.

This can be frozen in an air tight container as well.

Now for the pasta. I use rotini pasta because the pesto get tucked into the little spirals. I cook the pasta, drain, place in a bowl, set in refrigerator and then move on to making the pesto.



Almost a full box of pasta which is about 4 cups and some will be left over
1 cup pesto
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup frozen peas, cooked
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a few drops extra
12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta and refrigerate. Make pesto. Add pesto to pasta along with pine nuts, and tomatoes. Mix. If you feel it is a bit dry then add a few drops of oil and mix again. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and refrigerate. You could also add olives, but we aren't fans. I was going to add goat cheese since it has a low lactose count, but I got the wrong kind. This serves about 6-8 people. I am in a family with big eaters so if they were all coming to dinner I would double it. I had an uncle who could eat about 5 dinner rolls so when planning out the food, you always had to count him as 2-3 extra people.

Zucchini Nut Bread

This is my mother's recipe and it is quite good. I never liked zucchini growing up, but always loved this bread. You can make it with or without nuts, but I prefer nuts.

2 cups grated zucchini, skin on (3-5 depending on size)
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs lightly beaten
3 cups flour
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts or pecans)

Slice zucchini and place in food processor. Grind until smooth. I add all the dry in a bowl then I add all the wet including the zucchini. Mix until creamy. Divide between two small loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

I usually freeze one so we can have it for later. I made this recipe (sans nuts) for my friend, Tiffany, since she was so kind and made us banana bread. Then I made it again (with nuts)!

Thai Iced Coffee

This was easy and fun to do. I got this recipe from my friend, Megan. I am not a coffee drinker, but I thought my husband would like this. I did try a lactose-free version which is much different and I still do not like it because of the coffee. However, if you enjoy coffee then by all means please give this one a whirl.

3/4 of a cup of a medium/dark roast coffee (whole bean)
5 green cardamom pods
4 1/2 cups water
14 oz sweetened condensed milk

Put the coffee and cardamom pods in a coffee grinder and pulse until a fine ground. Empty into coffee maker. Add 4 1/2 cups of water and brew. Pour into a pitcher and add the condensed milk. Let it come to room temperature, place in refrigerator and cool for about 2 hours or overnight.

I did two batches. One following the recipe above and the other substituting the condensed milk for vanilla soy milk and some soy french vanilla creamer. It is not as sweet and will taste different, but if you like coffee you may enjoy it.

I used a medium organic Ethiopian roast. My husband is not a huge fan of dark roast coffees and someone will have to finish the rest of the unused coffee beans. You can definitely double this recipe if having people over since this will only make a small batch. Most natural food markets will have the cardamom pods. I called ahead just to be sure.