Pumpkin Banana Bread with Cinnamon Swirl

 During autumn this the perfect bread recipe-it's not only healthy because of all the spices but it's moist and in the oven it gives the whole house a warm inviting aroma due to the cinnamon, allspice etc. While you wait for it to cool to put the glaze on its soooo hard to wait because the aroma wraps around your nose and gives it a big kiss.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

3/8 teaspoon allspice

3/8 ground cloves

pinch of cardamon [optional]

2 eggs, room temp.

8 oz of canned pumpkin [1 cup or half of 15 oz can]

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup water

1 ripe banana, peeled and mashed

Cinnamon Swirl

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and spray a 9X5 loaf pan with baking spray. Set aside.
2. In medium bowl, sift together, salt, soda and flour.
3. Add all the spices to flour mixture and whisk together until blended. Set aside.
4. In small bowl mix together cinnamon swirl and set aside.
5. In large bowl mix together banana, pumpkin and eggs.
6. Add both sugars and beat until blended.
7. Add water, vanilla and oil and mix together.
8. Slowly add flour mixture and beat with electric beater until smooth.
9. Pour half of batter into pan. Sprinkle cinnamon swirl mixture evenly over the batter. 
10. Pour remaining into loaf pan, completely covering swirl mixture. 
11. Bake for 1 hour, or 10 extra minutes if its not done yet if toothpick doesn't come out clean.
12. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. 
13. Whisk together glaze and drizzle over bread. 

Caffeinated Sugar Cookies

 What is the perfect combination [in my opinion] on a day when you need a dosage of caffeine and cookies-CAFFEINATED SUGAR COOKIES!!! I wouldn't recommend sharing these with your kids on the count of they might be bouncing off the walls from the sugar and caffeine. They are a good pick me up.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons coffee granules

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

Instructions

1. In bowl of stand mixer or with hand operated mixer cream butter and sugar together.
2. Once it is nice and fluffy beat in egg, coffee and vanilla.
3. Mix until well combined.
4. Stir in soda and salt.
5. Mix in flour slowly until it's just combined.
6. Remove and wrap dough in plastic wrap, place in refrigerator for at least 12 hours. 
7. Preheat oven to 350 F.
8. Form dough into 36 dough balls [about a heaping teaspoon each] and place 2-3 inches apart from each other on lined cookie sheet.
9. Bake 12-13 minutes or until edges are nice and golden brown. 
10. Allow cookies to slightly cool before transferring to cooling rack. 

Out And About

Greetings again! My camera batteries have died so I must wait to get rechargeables to upload my recipe. So here are some more photos I took; some are from when I was at the lake.

More Photos!

Another post viewers in the same day! Lately I haven't had my camera so I am pretty back up with photos. Also it seems that portfolios cost money which I don't have online and there isn't much choices for me to get my work known out in the world let alone to make money from it... So forgive me for the back up of photos....incoming!

Coffee Sugar Cookies

I am sorry my viewers I neglected my page but I will try to do some more food blogging if I can remember to. Autumn is here so I am have baking like crazy with pumpkin everything and it hits me today that I should blog again! I started to use Pinterest and I always find delicious recipes and there were two I recently found that I could do. So it was either Coffee Sugar Cookies  or Pumpkin Coffee Cake [of course].. I chose the cookies...

I'm not much of a coffee connoisseur, more tea so I would usually find cookies that has tea leaves in it. But I tried once coffee shortbread cookies and they were alright so without further delay...caffeinated cookies!!!

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp fresh ground coffee [or you can use also instant crystals or powder]
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar.
2. In small bowl, combine eggs, vanilla and coffee until incorporated.
3. In separate bowl add together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. Slowly incorporate egg mixture to the butter mixture until well combined. Next slowly add flour mixture until fully combined, do not over beat.
5. Chill dough for at least one hour or overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. 
7. Roll out dough on floured solid surface to about 1/2 inch thick. Using circle cookie cutter, punch out circles and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
8. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until edges turn golden. Allow cookies to cool completely before covering in icing.

Now I don't have any cookie cutters nor did I roll it out on a floured surface; which probably would have been helpful otherwise my hands were covered in dough. Nonetheless despite the abstract shape of the cookies they turned out yummy and see the pretty specks of coffee.

I haven't been adding photos lately since I have been focusing on recipes. Lately I haven't been cooking or baking so I will add some photos!

 

What's Cookin'?

So I decided to try cooking since at the time I was deeply in love with someone. Since I am living with my sister she is letting me cook once a month; unless otherwise. If you watch The Pioneer Woman you'll love these.

Quesadillas

Ingrediants:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds skinless chicken breasts
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of taco or Cajun seasoning mix
1 large onion, halfed and sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into slices
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into slices
12 tablespoons butter, for frying
12 large flour tortillas
2 1/2 cups grated cheese (Monterey Jack is best)
Pico de Gallo, for serving

Pico de Gallo:

12 Roma tomatoes (slightly under ripe is fine)
3 red or yellow onions
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
2 to 3 jalapenos
1 lime
salt

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, 

pepper and taco seasoning. Add the chicken to the skillet and saute over medium-high heat 

until done, about 4 minute per side. Remove from the skillet and dice into cubes. Set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet over high heat. Throw in the onions and 

peppers and cook until the peppers have a few dark brown/black areas, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Remove and set aside.

Sizzle 1/2 tablespoon of butter in separate skillet or griddle over medium heat and lay flour tortilla in skillet. Then build the quesadillas by laying grated cheese on bottom of tortilla, then arranging the chicken and cooked peppers and onions on top. Top with a little more grated cheese and then second tortilla on top. 

When bottom tortilla is golden on the backside, carefully flip quesadilla to other side (I placed a plate over the top and carefully flipped it), adding another 1/2 tablespoon butter on skillet at the same time. Continue until second side of tortilla is golden. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings.
)
Pico de Gallo

Dice up equal amounts of tomatoes and onions. Roughly chop up the cilantro.

Slice 1 or 2 jalapenos in half. With spoon scrape out the seeds (if you like it a little spicy leave some of the white membranes). Dice up the jalapenos very finely; you want a hint of heat and jalapeno flavor but don't want to burn your mouth. Now dump the four ingredients into a bowl. 

Slice lime in half and squeeze juice from it onto the ingredients. Sprinkle with salt until combined.

What Am I Waiting For?

Things haven't been too well for me... I was kicked out of school because we couldn't pay for tuition and I have NO luck whatsoever with finding work, I don't even have decent pants to look for work. My brother has gotten much more WORSE with his addiction; without his fix he's agitated, violent and volatile. There is no brain inside anymore-its like its a 15 year old in a 30 year old body. All he does is sit on his bum and smoke, eat and complain. Maman and I cannot cope with him anymore but we can't help him when he is 30 now. Father is just like his father with his brother; too stubborn and blind to what happens at home when he is not here. No one really knows how unhappy I am here and I can't really discuss it with my 'family'. The only person who makes me smile now is my beloved Holly.

I am so sick of it here that I looked up colleges where I can breathe and be myself at. Since I want to be a photojournalist the closest one I know is at Duluth and it is LGBTQ friendly!! However I a nervous about wanting to go there. The people I live with may not be family material but if I am 8 hours away I need a support system close by. I don't know anyone in Duluth...

Heaven In A Bite [Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Cheese Squares]

This is what I made for Thanksgiving. If you love cream cheese, peanut butter and chocolate all in one, then these are the first class ticket to heaven for you. YUUUUUMMMMMY!!!!!!! This sweet treat is super rick and is really good in case you have a dire need for chocolate. It is fairly simple to make and kids would love it.

 

Serves: 16 squares

Ingredients

• 2 cups Oreo crumbs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup chopped peanut butter cups

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease the pan).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the Oreo crumbs and butter. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Let cool completely.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream and sugar until creamy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Beat in the cream and vanilla.
4. Remove half of the batter and place in a bowl. Beat in the melted chocolate until blended. Set aside.
5. With the remaining batter, beat in the peanut butter until smooth. Spread the peanut butter batter over the cooled crust then spread the chocolate batter on top. Top with the chopped peanut butter cups. Bake 35-40 minutes or until the center slightly jiggles. Cool completely to room temperature then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Halloween Franken Cake/ Apple Filled Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Caramel Pecan Drizzle

I have decided to add my recipes I have baked. For my sister's Halloween party I made this Apple   Filled Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Caramel Pecan Drizzle and just added vanilla cook and serve pudding with red food coloring on top. It was very good and everyone loved it!


Servings 8-10

Cake with cream cheese filling
 

 2 large apples [peeled and diced]  

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp  cinnamon

1/2 cup butter [softened ] + 2 tbsps [divided]

2 cups flour

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar + 1/2 cup [divided]

3 eggs + 1 egg [for filling]

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup milk

8 oz cream cheese

Zest of one lemon

Caramel Drizzle

 

4 tbsps butter

1/2 cup brown sugar [packed]

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup pecans [chopped] [[optional]]

1. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced apples, nutmeg and cinnamon. Cook until apples are soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
    

   2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees (f) and prepare a Bundt pan with butter and flour.

    

   3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together one-half cup of butter with the sugar. Add three eggs, one at a time and beat well. Mix in vanilla and milk. Combine with dry ingredients. Fold in cooked apples. 

    

   4. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, one egg, 1/2 cup sugar and the zest of one lemon. Mix until smooth in texture.

    

   5. Pour half the cake batter into prepared Bundt pan. Spoon cream cheese filling evenly over batter and then cover with remaining half of the batter. Bake for 50 - 55 minutes, or until cake is done. You can test doneness by pressing lightly on the cake to see if it springs back. Cool completely.

    

   6. Prepare caramel glaze with pecans. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring until sugar is melted completely. Add salt and cream and continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove cake from pan and spoon glaze evenly over cake. Sprinkle chopped pecans over top.

    

 

My Favorite Spot

Today I took some more photos from my favorite spot!!!

Time Has Passed

I am sorry readers I haven't been on for awhile. So many things have been happening to me!!! First off is school; it has been kicking my ass for awhile. I managed to keep up my grades and now that finals are over I can breathe again. I also had my birthday! No, it didn't turn out like I wrote about. I went to my sister's house and had cake there and the stay over night was terrible. First of all my sister never told me she had another boarder living in her basement but the worst part is we had uninvited company. They were acting rude all night and since I had to sleep on the floor I could hear people having sex in the basement!!! That really pissed me off... I had to yell at them to knock it off. I am never going to their house again.

Now I also can continue typing up my story now that school is over. We cannot afford school anymore; the price has been risen to $4000 now and there is no way we can afford the price. So I am going to wait till I turn 24 to file financial aid for myself.

Good news though! Yesterday I got a new camera so behold the new photos I took today!!!