Saturday, October 29, 2011

Entertainment Debut

MM and I are getting ready to host a dinner party at our house tomorrow night.  I am super excited, but nervous as well.  I have never had to plan out a dinner so that everything came to the table at the same time and at the time it was called for.  Everyone will be waiting around anxiously for the food to hit the table.  But my excitement of the outcome is out-weighing my nervousness.

I am going to make the pot roast that I made a couple months ago for MM and the kids.  They devoured it.  It was amazingly good.  The epitome of comfort food.  The pot roast cooked for almost four hours.  The house smelled of heavenly aromas.  I served it with creamy dreamy mashed potatoes.

The suggestion was made that I make the same meal for others.  "Others" turned into an additional six guests.  I couldn't help myself.  I wanted to invite everyone.  I couldn't wait to share this comfort, my new family, my new home, my experience, laughter, hugs and stories.  This will be the first meeting of MM's parents and mine.  Finally three of my four cornerstones will be in the same place at the same time.  Maybe they will understand what each does for me individually, and what they collectively do for me.  MM and Drmr have met.  Running Girl and MM have met, but Drmr and Running Girl have never met.  They all know each other through me.  I can't wait to watch the three of them together.  The more the merrier.

Tomorrow while I cook, guests will come over to watch the Broncos game before dinner.  Guests will scream and yell at the television while they are enticed by the smell of the pot roast cooking.  I can't wait to feel the energy in the house.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Wheaties FUEL Banana Bread

Two rather ripe bananas, and Wheaties FUEL.  Why not?  I haven't had a chance to bake in a few weeks.  The need to quell the urge was getting quite demanding.  So, looking around at what was in the kitchen, I had all the necessary ingredients for banana bread.  And, why not try to incorporate the Wheaties FUEL?  I have plenty of that around the house!  There are plenty of Oatmeal Banana Bread recipes, so really I just substituted the Wheaties FUEL for the oatmeal. I adapted the recipe from a Cooking Light recipe. Baking craving cured.  For now anyway!
The usual suspects, plus one unique ingredient.


1 cup packed brown sugar

Add 1/4 cup + 3T vegetable oil to the brown sugar.

2 egg whites + 1 egg

Blend brown sugar, vegetable oil and eggs until well combined


Two ripe bananas

One cup Wheaties FUEL


1/2 cup milk


Add milk to bananas and Wheaties FUEL

Blend bananas, Wheaties FUEL and milk...

...until well comined

Add banana mixture to sugar mixture.  Blend until just combined.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon to a medium bowl

Whisk dry ingredients together.


Blend dry ingredients with wet ingredients until just combined.

Spray a 9"X5" loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Lovingly spoon the batter into the loaf pan.  Somehow there is always just enough batter left in the mixing bowl for a good spoonful of batter to make it into my mouth.  Okay, maybe more than one spoonful.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for  60-70 minutes until a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Look at the beautiful brown crust.  The edges are perfectly crispy.  Not all bread forms a good crispy crust, and not all should.  The crust on this loaf just begged to be tapped on and heard, and  I couldn't wait to take a slice.  I am a butt girl.  The butt of bread loaves is what I am talking about of course!

MMM.....the camera didn't capture the steam that was coming off of the fresh slice.  I should have taken a picture of me devouring the first piece.  Quality control of course!


Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 7 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 2 large)
  • 1 cup Wheaties FUEL
  • 1/2 cup fat-free milk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • cooking spray

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat well at medium speed of a mixer. Combine banana, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.