Banana-Nut Pancakes

It's no secret that I am obsessed with using bananas in recipes...these pancakes were just another delicious product!

Banana-Nut Pancakes
makes twelve 2.5-inch pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoonsalt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 ripened bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• extra banana slices

Directions

1. Combine the flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, milk, oil, and bananas.
2. Gradually add the flour mixture into the banana mixture.  Add the walnuts.
3. Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat.  Pour the batter into the pan and cook until bumbles start to form on the tops.  Flip and cook for another minute. 

Crab Rangoon Dip

This is the perfect appetizer for a large group!  I made a few changes to Sandra Lee's original recipe, including omitting Worcestershire sauce and using low-fat cream cheese instead of regular.  I used claw crab meat instead of lump because it was cheaper at the supermarket.  Since I couldn't find the shrimp bisque in the soup aisle, I took the suggestion of a reviewer and used a 10.5 oz. can of cream of mushroom as a substitute...My results were still very good.  A very simple recipe that will feed a crowd.

Hot Crab Rangoon Dip
makes enough to fill a 8" round dish
Adapted from Sandra Lee's Hot Crab Rangoon recipe (Food Network)

Ingredients

• 16 oz. package of "1/3 less fat" cream cheese
• 1 can (10.5 oz) lump crab meat, drained and shredded
• 1 (10 oz.) can condensed shrimp bisque
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat broiler on HIGH.
2. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and stir to combine.  I used two forks to mix everything together, but you may use a wooden spoon instead.  Place in a broiler-proof serving dish and broil for 10 minutes (or until hot and bubbly). Dip will be slightly charred on top.  You can serve with Stacy's Pita Chips or crackers of your choice.  

Orange Marmalade

My greatest challenge yet!  We had so many oranges and tangerines left over from Chinese New Year that I needed to find a recipe that was both entirely citrus and useful.  After a bit of Googling, I stumbled on this recipe that is based upon Ina Garten's homemade Orange Marmalade.  It seemed like a lot of work (2 day process!!), but I was on vacation; so why not?

Homemade Orange Marmalade
makes about 8 cups

Ingredients

• 4 seedless oranges
• 1 lemon
• 1 tangerine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 7 cups water
• 6 cups granulated sugar

Directions

  Wash your fruits and cut the oranges, lemon, and tangerine in halves.

 Slice each half into thin slices and add them to a large stainless steel pot.

Add the water to your pot and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.  Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until it dissolves.  Add the vanilla extract and stir.  Cover and allow to stand at room temperature overnight. 

The next day, bring the mixture to a boil again.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 2 hours.  Turn the heat to medium and boil gently for another hour, stirring often.  Cook the marmalade until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.  I didn't have a candy thermometer; so I followed the directions for double-checking the marmalade: 

"Place a small amount on a plate and refrigerate until it is cool.  If it is firm (neither too runny or too hard) it is done.  It will be a golden orange color.  If the marmalade is runny, continue cooking it.  If it is too hard, add more water."

 Store in jars and keep up to one year.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

The sudden craving for chocolate chip pancakes led me to Joy the Baker.  Her description and photos of her pancakes were just too good to pass up!  The results were not as sweet as I expected, but that could have been because I used bittersweet chocolate chips-- mmmm.  They were still good though, especially with loads of syrup.  I halved Joy's recipe and achieved success; however, I was surprised at the 15 pancakes that resulted in the batter.  Over the top for just one person?  Maybe if that person wasn't me.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes
makes about fifteen 2.5-inch pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (Don't have buttermilk?  Possible substitutions listed below.)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, semisweet or bittersweet
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• cooking oil
• maple syrup (optional)
• confectioners sugar (optional)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg.  Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla.  Mix well before adding flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk the mixture together and fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.  Let the batter set for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a skillet set over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons of oil and allow it to heat. 
3. Using a small ladle, pour about 2-3 tablespoons of the batter into the skillet; my skillet fit 3 pancakes for each batch.  Cook the first side until bubbles form and pop; then, using a spatula, flip the pancakes over to cook for another minute.  Repeat until all the batter is gone.  Serve with maple syrup or confectioners sugar. 

Buttermilk Substitutions (also attributed to Joy the Baker)

1. MILK AND CREAM OF TARTAR: Whisk 1 cup of milk with 1 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar.  To avoid lumps, mix the cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons of milk first; then, add the rest of the cup of milk.
2. MILK AND LEMON JUICE:  In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.  Top the juice with milk.  Stir and let sit for 2 minutes. 

Fruit Salad

My sister bought one of those lovely Edible Arrangements for me for Valentine's Day.  Of course, I ate everything covered in chocolate first; then, I didn't know what to do with the rest of the fruit.  I decided to make enough fruit salad for two lunches, and then saved the rest for a snack.  The fruit was so ripe and delicious...Thanks, Sister! :)




Fruit Salad

Ingredients

• 3 slices of cantaloupe (cut into inch-long cubes)
• 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
• 4 large strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup grapes
• 1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1/4 Craisins

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the water, sugar, and Craisins and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cantaloupe, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, and pecans.  Add the Craisin mixture.  Toss and put in the fridge before serving.