America's test kitchen ultimate banana bread

This really is the ultimate banana bread! Recipe from America's Test Kitchen.  Sorry there's no picture this time...

Also, I have new, much better cooking blog here: Mama's Home Cafe


Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 large very ripe bananas (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled (see note)
8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees (180 C).
2. Spray 8 1⁄2 by 4 1⁄2-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.
4. Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 cup liquid).
5. Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1⁄4 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth.
6. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
7. Slice remaining banana diagonally into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1 1⁄2-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
8. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes.
9. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:

• Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or even black) bananas in this recipe.
• This recipe can be made using 5 thawed frozen bananas; since they release a lot of liquid naturally, they can bypass the microwaving in step 2 and go directly into the fine-mesh strainer.
• Do not use a thawed frozen banana in step 4; it will be too soft to slice. Instead, simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with sugar.
• The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8 1⁄2 by 4 1⁄2 inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes earlier than advised in the recipe.
• The texture is best when the loaf is eaten fresh, but it can be stored (cool completely first), covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

Flourless Chocolate and Cream Cheese Marble Cake

This cake is just like the flourless chocolate torte I made the other day, but this one has cream cheese in it.  YUM! Will definitely make again!  Got it from here.

Ingredients:

For the cream cheese batter:

• 8 oz. (225 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the chocolate batter:

• 10 oz. (283 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 141 g (10 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Pinch table salt
• Cocoa powder for dusting

1) Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F (150 C). Lightly grease a 9×2-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.

2) To make the vanilla batter: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating until well blended and no lumps remain. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until blended. Set aside.

3) To make the chocolate batter:  Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave. Whisk until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium high until the mixture is pale and thick, 3 to 4 min. With the mixer on low, gradually pour in the chocolate mixture and continue beating until well blended.

4) To combine and bake: Spread about half of the chocolate batter in the bottom of the pan. Alternately add large scoopfuls of each of the remaining batters to the cake pan. Using a knife or the tip of a rubber spatula, gently swirl the two batters together so they’re mixed but not completely blended. Rap the pan against the countertop several times to settle the batters.

5) Bake until a pick inserted about 2 inches from the edge comes out gooey but not liquid, 40 to 42 min.; don’t overbake. The top will be puffed and slightly cracked, especially around the edges. It will sink down as it cools. Let cool on a rack until just slightly warm, about 1-1/2 hours.

Loosen the cake from the pan by holding the pan almost perpendicular to the counter; tap the pan on the counter while rotating it clockwise. Invert onto a large flat plate or board covered in wax or parchment paper. Remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment from the bottom of the cake. Sift some cocoa powder over the cake (this will make it easier to remove the slices when serving). Invert again onto a similar plate so that the top side is up and carefully remove the wax or parchment paper. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight, or freeze.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Oh man, this was great.  It was fantastic right out of the oven and it was just delightful the next day straight out of the fridge.  Will definitely make again.  Found it from here.

Ingredients:

•  400 g 70% dark chocolate, chopped – use the good stuff here, don’t go for the cheapo stuff.  You want a good chocolate that melts well. I only used 200 g and it was still amazing 
• 10 tbs. room temperature unsalted butter, cubed + some for coating pan
• 5 room temperature eggs, separated
• 2 drops lemon juice (not a drop more!)
• 2 tbs. granulated sugar + some for coating pan

Directions:

1. Preheat to 325F (162 C).  Place jelly roll pan filled with water on bottom rack.  Grease a 9” springform pan with butter on the bottom and sides.  Cut a round of parchment paper to fit your pan and place in the bottom.  Dust the sides of the pan with sugar, it will stick to the butter.
2. Beat your egg yolks a bit with a whisk until they start to foam a little.  In a separate large DRY bowl, add your egg whites and 2 drops of lemon juice.  Beat with a whisk or hand mixer until it becomes foamy, then gradually add in the 2 tbs. sugar as you continue to beat to stiff peaks.  Remember to stop beating when you *just* get to stiff peaks.
3. Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave (stir after every 25 secs).  When completely melted, take off heat and whisk in egg yolks.
4. Fold about 25% of egg whites into the chocolate to “loosen” it up a bit, and then gently fold all of the chocolate back into the big bowl of egg whites.  Fold until it just blends together, there will be some white streaks still.  If you fold until all the color is exactly the same it will be too much.
5. Pour into springform pan, smooth out with a spatula, and tap to get rid of any big air bubbles, then bake in the oven on middle rack for 40 min.  Take out and cool on a cooling rack.  Eat or then refrigerate overnight.

Refrigerator Pizza

This is my new favourite pizza!  It tastes great.  Just look in your refrigerator and see what you have lying around. 
 Make your pizza crust dough and bake the crust ahead of time (or use store bought).  Then preheat the oven, and pizza stone if using, to 500° (260 C) while you prepare the toppings.

The ingredient prep is easy.  Clean the vegetables (listed below), then slice the mushrooms, red onion and red pepper into thin strips.  Chop the spinach coarsely.  Rip the basil leaves. Mince the garlic.  Set aside.

If your cheese isn’t already grated or crumbled, now is the time to grate it.  Set the cheese back into the refrigerator while you gently sauté the vegetables.

For pizza topping, sauté these vegetables in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil while the crust bakes:
8 button mushrooms
One red pepper
¾ of a raw red onion
3 cups of raw spinach
cherry tomatoes

For additional flavoring, I added these during pizza assembly:
Feta cheese
Grated parmesan cheese
Grated mozzarella cheese

For my finishing touches, I complimented the pizza with some aromatics and a garnish:
1 bunch of basil leaves, torn, not cut
4 minced garlic cloves
Garlic Olive oil
4 thinly sliced green onions that I used as a colorful garnish (optional)

To begin, drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of good quality olive oil over the pre-cooked crust.
Here’s the quick 1-2-3 for Pizza Assembly:

1. For the first layer of flavor, sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the drizzle of olive oil.
2. Next spread those colorful sautéed vegetables, one by one, over the pizza.  Their order doesn’t matter.  Once the vegetables are arranged, sprinkle the basil and garlic olive oil over the top.
3. To finish off the pizza and to prevent the topping from burning, crumble the feta cheese over everything and then end with the mozzarella cheese.

Place the pizza in the 500° (260 C) oven on the preheated pizza stone. If you don’t own a pizza stone, a pizza pan works just fine and doesn’t require preheating.  If you don’t have a pizza pan, use a cookie sheet.  It cooks fairly quickly, so watch it and remove when it starts to brown.

Apple and cheddar cheese melts

Um, how have I never thought of this before? I got the idea from here.  What an easy way to give a simple grilled cheese sandwich a twist. 

All you do is butter one side of two slices of bread.  Put a slice of cheddar cheese, a few thin slices of granny smith apples, another slice of cheese in between the bread slices (buttered sides out).  Then, fry it in small frying pan! Voila! It was great!

Chocolate Souffle

Found this recipe here. It was really good! And it happens to be gluten free!  I stupidly didn't use enough chocolate, and you know what? I think it was perfect!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 100 grams 70% dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 large eggs, separated

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Butter and sugar four ramekins, as desired. Beat egg whites with the sugar at medium speed, until they just hold stiff peaks. Add vanilla.
2. Mix chocolate and heavy cream and microwave for 30 seconds. Let sit for another 30 seconds and stir until combined (if chocolate is not fully melted, microwave for an additional 15 seconds). Allow to cool for a minute and then stir in the egg yolks.
3. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites. Fill 4 ramekins almost to the top. Bake approximately 12-12 minutes, or until the soufflés are puffed and just set. Serve.

Lemon-Herb Slow Cooked Chicken

I just made this and it was fantastic! I'm loving my new slow cooker!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds, giblets removed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 head garlic, peeled, trimmed, cloves left whole
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 medium lemon, juiced and zest removed
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (about 3/4-ounce)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 potatoes, thickly sliced
• Fresh basil, rosemary or lemon slices, garnish, optional

What you do:

1. Rinse chicken and place in large bowl. Set aside.
2. Place onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, basil and rosemary in bowl, stirring to combine. Pour half of basil-rosemary mixture over chicken, coating chicken inside and out. Place quartered onion and bay leaf inside chicken cavity. Tie legs together at end of drumsticks if desired and place in large slow cooker (crock pot), about six-quart size.
3. Toss potatoes and quartered lemon in remaining half of basil-rosemary mixture. Add to slow cooker with chicken. Cover and cook 4 to 6 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low heat. Chicken is done when temperature reaches 180°F on meat thermometer. Remove chicken and vegetables to serving dish and garnish if desired with fresh basil, rosemary or lemon zest. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.