Southern Style Banana Pudding

When my husband refers to this dish, it sounds more like "Aunt Ran-cisses Nanner Puddin'" but don't be confused. He is, of course, referring to his Aunt Frances and her classic Southern recipe for banana pudding. This is one of those dishes that I wasn't familiar with at all until getting married but am happy to say that I can enjoy it too. Just don't think of it as mushy bread products and you'll be fine!














Pudding

• 1 box Nabisco Vanilla Wafers
• 5 large bananas, sliced thinly
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 T. flour
• 3 cups milk

Meringue

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup sugar

In a large casserole dish or oven-ready bowl, start putting down alternating layers of bananas and wafers, ending with a layer of wafers on the very top.

In a double boiler, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, flour and milk. Continue to cook on medium heat, stirring often to avoid clumps and overcooked eggs. This is the longest part of the process - be patient! Pudding is done when sauce is thick. It will not be as thick as a traditional pudding but should hold together fairly well. Pour hot pudding over the wafers and bananas, completely covering them but leaving enough room for the meringue.

Whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the pudding, sealing the edges and being just as decorative as you'd like to be. (I whipped mine too early in the process and couldn't shape it very well by the time I got around to spreading it on. This has no impact on the taste but it's something to keep in mind.)














Turn your oven to broil but keep it as low as possible. Put the dish in the oven and keep an eye out. It shouldn't take longer than about 10 minutes and may be as short as 5! Don't even think about walking away!

The pudding is finished and ready to enjoy although you can let it set for a while in order for the wafers to get softer. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and eaten later either warm or cold. Those bananas are gonna turn brown pretty quickly though so don't be surprised.

Scrumptious Pumpkin Scones

I can't take much credit for this recipe. I found it online at recipezaar, and followed the directions to a T. The result? Unbelievably addicting and mouth-watering. 

These scones surprisingly need no toppings (jam, lemon curd, butter, etc) -- AND they taste great after a few days (which is very rare for scones). Please do yourself a favor and bake a double or triple batch of these immediately. A normal size can of pumpkin puree is enough for a triple batch (1.5 cups).

INGREDIENTS: 

SCONES

2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg

POWDERERED SUGAR GLAZZE
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.

4. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three slices diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake for 14–16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE PLAIN GLAZE:

1. Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth.

2. When scones are cool, use a brush to paint plain glaze over the top of each scone.

Eat and repeat often.

Recipe originally found at: www.recipezaar.com

Grilled Chicken with Havarti

I don't have a picture of this recipe (perhaps because I scarfed it down too fast), but you have to take my word that it is DELICIOUS and so easy!

Grilled Chicken with Havarti

- Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Italian salad dressing (Bernstein’s Restaurant Recipe Italian is the best)
- Two slices of Havarti cheese

Place (thawed) chicken breasts in a shallow dish and coat both sides of chicken with Italian dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (more if you’d like).

Once the chicken is done marinating, heat outdoor grill to medium-high heat (around 350 degrees if it has a thermometer). Lightly oil the grill with non-stick spray. Place the chicken breasts directly on the grill and close grill cover.

Check after about 7 minutes and flip chicken to the other side. Continue grilling until chicken is done (no pink!). Flip chicken to the opposite side and top each with a slice of Havarti, being careful that it doesn’t hang over the sides too far. Cover grill for one minute and check to see if the cheese is melted.

Serve with a side of grilled vegetables.

Grilled vegetable ideas: place slices of red bell pepper, zucchini, butternut squash, onions, cherry tomatoes, or other desired vegetables, into a grill basket or wrap in double-foil. Place directly on the grill while the chicken is cooking. If using foil, be sure to add a splash of olive oil to the vegetables to prevent sticking.

This is so moist and delicious.. you will love it. Enjoy!

Key Lime Bars

My parents-in-law recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary so all of the siblings put together a Hawaiian-themed party for them and their friends. Being one of the primary organizers/bakers, I was faced with finding foods that were either definitively Hawaiian or at least tropical in nature. The family has Southern roots so their traditional key lime pie came to mind as a good crossover option. However, it's not so great at serving large groups as it tends to be a little messy, especially if children are helping themselves! My next resort was to take a lemon bar recipe from allrecipes.com and adapt it for our use. These tangy and delicious bars were perfect for the occasion - cold, slightly exotic and possessing a summertime flair.

Crust:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
  
• 1-1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened

Filling:

• 6 eggs
  
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
  
• 6 T. all-purpose flour
  
• 1 cup key lime juice
  
• 3-4 drops green food coloring, optional
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Combine the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of the pan. Bake crust for 20 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, beat or whisk together all filling ingredients until frothy. Pour filling over hot crust and return to oven for an additional 20-25 minutes. Bars are done when lightly golden on top and the filling has set all the way into the middle. I jiggle the pan to see that it doesn't make the filling move. Cool the bars and cut into squares to serve. You may need to use a relatively sturdy knife for this task since the crust is thick.

Note: The original recipe says to sprinkle extra powdered sugar on the bars to decorate them after cooling but I found this to be unworkable. The filling is generally too wet and absorbs all the sugar, leaving you with a mottled looking top that is anything but decorative!

Delightfully Forgiving Quiche

Quiche, quiche, how delicious you are. There is something about homemade quiche that really makes my mouth water. What I really enjoy is that I normally have most of the ingredients lying around; no special trip to the store required. Also, whatever vegetables I happen to have in my fridge can usually be incorporated. For this particular quiche I did not add any meat, and it was still very good.

Quiche

• 1 recipe Single Pie Crust (below)
  
• 8 beaten eggs
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
  
• 1/ tsp salt
  
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 1 seeded, diced red bell pepper
  
• 1 cup boiled potatoes, chopped into small pieces (I used Yukon Gold)
  
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar and pepper jack)
  
• 1 tablespoon flour
  
• dash of nutmeg
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped up (optional)

Prepare and roll out the pastry for the pie pan (or cheat and buy a ready made crust). Work the pastry into the pan and crimp the edges. Line the pastry with two sheets of foil, and bake in a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake 4-5 minutes more until pastry is set.

Reduce oven temp to 325 degrees.

Cook bacon in a large skillet, if using. Remove from heat and chop into bite-sized pieces.

Boil potatoes until slightly tender. Allow to cool slightly and chop into bite-sized pieces. Skin can be left on or removed, as desired (I left it on for the Yukon Golds).

In a large bowl, stir together eggs, sour cream, half-and-half, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg if you have it on hand. Stir in onions, potatoes and red pepper. Add the flour to your shredded cheese and toss with your hands until it is coated. Add the cheese to the egg mixture and stir to incorporate.

Pour egg mixture into the hot pastry shell. Cover the edge of the crust with foil to prevent it from browning too much. Bake in the 325 degree oven 45 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Pastry for Single Crust Pie

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut shortening in until pieces are pea-sized.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cold water into the mixture, and toss with a fork. Push the moistened pieces to the sides. Repeat until all the flour mixture is moistened. Form dough into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll Out from center to edges with a rolling pin until about 12 inches in diameter.

To easily transfer to pastry, roll it around the rolling pin and ease into your pie pan. Trim pastry 1/2 in beyond the edge of the pan and fold edges under, crimping with your fingers. 

Quiche is great reheated for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The very forgiving nature of quiche means that you can easily substitute other vegetables or cheeses without worrying about exact measurements. 

Possible alterations/additions:

• 1 - 3 cups spinach (fresh or frozen)
  
• 1/2 chopped onions for the green onion
  
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, feta, Swiss, Havarti or Monterey Jack cheese (yum!)
  
• 3/4 cup ham, chicken or crabmeat for the bacon
  
• light cream or milk for the half-and-half

If you only have bacon, onions, and cheese on-hand, you can still make a really simple and delicious quiche! Feel free to experiment - it's hard to go wrong. 

Emily's Rather Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was adapted from a brilliant chocolate chip cookie recipe that my mom has been in possession of for the last several years. While the original is delicious, it's not so great for those of us watching our sugar intake and such. For those not familiar with agave nectar, it is a great alternative ingredient for, in this case, both brown and white sugar. Less of the nectar is required for an equivalent amount of sweetness and the glycemic index is drastically lower.

Thus...a healthier version is born.

• 1/2-3/4 cup butter, softened
• 12 oz. agave nectar (this can be found at Trader Joe's and in the health food section at Fred Meyer's)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups Quick Oats
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2-1 cup chopped nuts (I usually use pecans)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and agave nectar together until well incorporated. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and mix well, adding more flour or oats if the batter seems too wet or sticky. Drop batter in large rounded tablespoons (I use a medium-sized cookie scoop) onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Keep in mind that cookies will not tend to flatten or change shape from how they were originally placed on the cookie sheet. After a few minutes, transfer cookies to a wire rack or a sheet of waxed paper to cool.

Almond Cake Surprise

When I asked my director at work what he'd like for a birthday treat, he sent me a link to one of Giada's almond cake recipes. I thought, hey, no problem! Consider it done! Then I realized that I'd need to double the recipe and then I couldn't find almond paste at the regular grocery store and then...well, so here is my version that is inspired by Giada's!

Almond Cake with Vanilla Glaze

• 1 cup fine cornmeal (I used Alber's)
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• 1-2 tsp pure almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 eggs
• 6 egg yolks (yes, you read this correctly!)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10" springform pan.

Beat together butter, almonds and almond extract on high until smooth. Reduce the speed and slowly add powdered sugar, mixing until fluffy. With the mixer on high gradually add the vanilla extract, eggs and egg yolks and mix until well combined. Reduce speed and add sour cream along with all dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated but do not overstir!

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth off the top. Place on the lower rack of your preheated oven to bake. Bake for at least 45 minutes - cake should be golden, slightly pulling away from the edges of the pan and pass the toothpick test. As a side note, I didn't do this last part which resulted in a cake that wasn't fully baked and fell somewhat flat after removing it from the oven. Don't be like me!

Cool cake completely and remove outer ring to springform pan. Spread vanilla glaze over the top of the cooled cake, let it harden up a little bit and then dust with some extra powdered sugar. This may not be a winner in the looks department but the taste is said to be divine.

Note: I think that using ground almonds and almond extract provides a more authentic flavor than using almond paste. I know some people have made their own paste with almonds and marzipan but, not being a fan of marzipan, I took the more obvious route. If this makes too large of a cake for you, just half the recipe and use a 8 or 9-inch cake pan instead.

Florence's Red Velvet Cake

If you've ever lived in the South for any length of time, you've eaten red velvet cake. I hear tell that it's even served in kids' school lunches! I got this classic recipe from my grandma, Florence Williamson, a West Virginia woman through and through. Simple, tasty and not in the least bit dry, it's a great choice for larger family gatherings and potlucks.

CAKE

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup plain yogurt or 1 cup milk with 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable or peanut oil
• 2 T. cocoa powder
• 1/2-1 oz. red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat all ingredients together except for food coloring until all lumps are gone. Add food coloring slowly (you don't want red splatters on the wall!) and mix until completely incorporated. Grease a 13x9x2 baking pan and pour batter into pan. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out of the center cleanly. Cool completely.

ICING

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 box powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Spread onto cooled cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. It's best to store this cake in the fridge due to the cream cheese frosting but don't worry about having it out for a couple hours at an event - it'll be fine! I've also added frozen coconut flakes to the frosting for a little extra flavor. Another fun variation is to make the cake blue or green instead but that's a little too radical for some people!

What was left of my most recent red velvet cake once my coworkers had gotten to it. I think they liked it...

Welcome to Bakers Anonymous!

This recipe blog serves a simple purpose - it is a clearing house for culinary successes! These recipes have been handed down through the generations, gleaned from various cookbooks and enhanced through countless hours of experimentation. Whether we're talking about baking or cooking, healthy or fatty food, sweet or savory, there's a place for a little bit of everything here. I call these delights anything but ordinary. Join us in our quest for the perfect collection of recipes and feel free to comment to your heart's content!