Whole Wheat Banana Bread

In a recent thumb through my recipes, I came across this one which I used to make regularly when the bananas in the house ripened before they could be eaten as is.  I don’t if it’s good or bad but it’s been a while since a banana in my house has gotten too ripe to eat. 

Whole Wheat Banana Bread  (yield: two loaves)

1/3 cup canola oil

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

(approximately) 1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour

(approximately) 1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Place oven rack on medium rung and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease two 9 ½” x 5” x 3” loaf pans.

In a medium to large bowl, mix oil, sugar and eggs.   Add 1 1/4 cup of the whole wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix.  Add honey.  Mix.  Add bananas mix.

Gradually continue to add flour, about 1/8 cup at a time, until batter is dough like, but not dry. Depending upon the amount of banana and honey, more or less than the 1 ¾ cup flour listed will be used.  Dough should be thick and require slight effort to stir.  Add walnuts (optional). Mix.

Pour into well-greased 9 ½” x 5” x 3” loaf pan. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until fork comes out clean.  Reomve from pan; cool on rack. 

Julie’s version of Whole Wheat Bread

I don’t make this recipe as much as I used to but in my opinion nothing beats the smell or taste of fresh baked bread on a cold winter’s day in New England.  This is a variation of the Entire Wheat Bread recipe from the 13^th edition of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook which I’ve found to be versatile:  it can be made as one full size loaf or 4 mini loaves, it freezes well, it can be made the night before and baked the following morning or made in one day. 

Julie's version of Whole Wheat Bread

2 cups hot milk

½ cup molasses

1 ½ teaspoons table salt or 1 1/8 teaspoons kosher salt

1 package dry yeast

4 cups whole wheat flour 

In a large microwave safe bowl, heat milk by microwaving for about 4 minutes.  Add the molasses and salt to milk and let cool to lukewarm.  In a small bowl, proof yeast as per instructions on the package.  Add proofed yeast and flour to the first mixture.  Mix until all flour is absorbed and a somewhat sticky dough forms.  Seal bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in bulk or place on shelf in front of refrigerator and let rise overnight.    

Once dough has doubled, place oven rack on middle rung.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit.  Grease either one 9” loaf pan or four mini loaf pans.  If making one loaf, put dough in loaf pan.  If making four mini loaves, divide dough in quarters while still in bowl and put one quarter in one mini loaf pan.  

Bake bread for about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.  Remove bread from pan and cool on rack.  Serve.  Store any leftover bread in air tight container or place in freezer safe storage container for freezing.  Frozen bread should be consumed within 3 months of baking. 

Whole Wheat Bread sliced and

ready to serve

Fast Salmon Patties

As much as I know salmon is a brain food loaded with omega-3 fatty acids but should be eaten in moderation due to mercury levels, I find it a challenge to cook salmon in a way that is fast, affordable and appeals to me. For years, I would make and serve salmon the way my grandmother did,--mix canned salmon with mayonaise and serve with peas and mashed (in my case baked) potatoes. Ventures to try baked glazed salmon, salmon cakes using corn flakes in lieu of bread crumbs were unsuccessful.

With ingredients I keep in the house,--eggs, soy sauce, non-stick cooking spray, I decided in 2016 to try making salmon patties. This time it was fast, affordable and appealing to my palette.

Fast Salmon Patties – makes 4 patties

1 – 6 ounce can boneless, skinless salmon, drained
1 large egg
2 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari or worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
non-stick cooking spray

1. Place oven rack on middle rung. Preheat oven to broiler setting.
2. Line a medium or large cookie sheet with aluminum foil, tucking in ends. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, break up salmon into small pieces with a fork.
4. Add soy sauce, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder and ginger to salmon. Mix until blended.
5. Add egg and mix until blended.
6. Divide mixture into fourths. Roll each fourth into a ball, flatten to a patty and then place on cookie sheet.
7. Spray top of patties with non-stick cooking spray.
8. Place patties in oven on middle rack. Cook 3 – 5 minutes until top is golden brown. Flip patties, spray top of patties with non-stick cooking spray and cook for another 1 -2 minutes. Remove from oven. Serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.  

Salmon Patties ready to serve

 

Whole Wheat Orange Biscuits

This is based on the “Drop Whole Wheat Biscuits” recipe in the 1933 copy of Better Homes Recipe Book by Marjorie Mills. Where there is no rolling or cutting of the dough these are not beautifully shaped discs. They are fast to make. The total number of biscuits you end up with depends on how large or small you make them.

Whole Wheat Orange Biscuits (yield: 4 – 6 biscuits depending on size)

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon shortening at room temperature or slightly melted
3/8 – ½ cup orange juice (this is 6 – 8 tablespoons, 2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup)

1. Place oven rack on middle run setting. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
2. In medium bowl and if desired soften/melt shortening
3. Add flour and baking powder and combine with shortening.
4. Add orange juice 1/8 cup or 2 tablespoons at a time until dough congeals into one ball moving away from sides of bowl. Do not go beyond ½ cup or 8 tablespoons.
5. Using a spoon, drop on to non-stick or greased baking sheet.
6. Bake for 5 minutes, turn and bake for another 5 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of center biscuit comes out clean.
7. Remove from baking sheet to either cool or serve.
8. Store any leftovers in air tight container. 

Whole Wheat Orange Biscuits

ready for serving

Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies from scratch in under 45 minutes

Loving sweets as I do, this was a regular dessert I would make when invited to dinner at the last minute. My fastest time was 37 minutes from none to done.

½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
(optional) ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Place oven rack on middle run setting. Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit.

Grease 8-inch x 8-inch pan.

In medium to large microwave safe bowl melt butter.

Stir in sugars, eggs and vanilla extract by hand lightly until combined.

Stir in flour and baking powder until well blended.

Add chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread mixture evenly into greased pan.

Bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely in pan until cutting and serving. Store any leftovers in air tight container.

Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies 

ready to be cut and served

Quick fudgy brownie recipe

Back when I could eat dairy, sugar and cocoa without abandon this was my all-time favorite recipe to make, and the fudgier the brownie the better. While it is frowned upon these days, there was a time when I would scrape the bowl clean of any batter that didn't make it to the pan,--sometimes it was half the batter. This is why I credit this recipe with solidifying my method for scraping bowls and pots clean.

In playing with the recipe on the box to make the fudgiest brownie I could, here are four things I found successful to do to this: use butter instead of oil, melt or soften butter so it can be easily mixed by hand, use a 8-inch x 8-inch pan, add ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to batter.


One box, DuncanHines Chewy Fudge Family Size Brownie mix
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened or melted.
2 large eggs
¼ cup water
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Place oven rack on middle run setting. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
2. Grease 8-inch x 8-inch pan.
3. In medium to large bowl add butter, brownie mix, eggs and water. Stir until well blended (about 50 strokes by hand)
4. Add semi-sweet chocolate chips and until blended (about 10-15 strokes by hand)
5. Spread brownie mixture evenly into greased pan.
6. Place brownies in middle of oven rack and bake for 31 – 34 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely in pan until cutting and serving. Store any leftovers in air tight container. 

Brownies ready to be cut and served

Eggplant Caviar or Julie's variation on this Alice Waters recipe

This recipe was on the same page as the Olive Oil Rosemary cake recipe I wrote about two years ago. Always on the look out for new recipes which meet my dietary needs of no dairy, low sugar and looking for new ways to cook eggplant, I added this one to the list of recipes to try. I made this recipe for the first and second times in 2016 when eggplant was in season and for the third time in 2017, once again, when eggplant was in season.

I cannot tell how the leftovers of this taste as it's usually gone by the time it cools to room temperature as it's that popular in my house. I can tell you I'm looking forward to this year's crop of eggplant, garlic, onions/shallots to make this recipe again and maybe have some leftovers.

This is a variation of the recipe as it appeared in the September 2010 issue of Yoga Journal,--a reprint from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters. This version includes measured amounts for eggplant, salt, pepper, olive oil and shallots, substitutions for garlic cloves and shallots and a trick on how to easily clean the baking dish used to roast the eggplant.

1 large globe eggplant or 4 cups diced eggplant, peeled
¼ teaspoon kosher salt or ½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon olive oil, plus more to taste
1 ½ tablespoon water
2 shallots or ¼ cup diced shallot or ½ cup diced onion
2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar, plus more to tase
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
(optional) ¼ cup fresh parsley or cilantro (chopped)

1. Place oven rack in middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. Spray 1 quart covered baking dish or 13-inch x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2.  Peel eggplant and cut into cubes, approximately 1-inch in size. Place cubed eggplant into baking dish, season with salt and pepper, and toss with 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with water, cover with either baking dish cover or with aluminum foil. Bake until eggplant is very soft and can be easily mashed with a fork, about 30 – 40 minutes.
3. While eggplant is baking, peel and dice shallot/onion. Place in medium to large heat resistant bowl. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and soak for 10 minutes. Peel and mash garlic if using garlic clove and add garlic to shallot/onion mixture.
4. Add cooked eggplant to shallot/onion mixture, mash well with fork and cool to room temperature. Stir in parsley or cilantro, and add olive oil and vinegar to taste. 

Eggplant Caviar on a cracker

ready to eat