Banana Bread

I love this recipe for banana bread because it is light and there are no spices to mask the banana flavor. And unlike most bread recipes that make two loaves (leaving me with an extra loaf every time), this one just makes one -- perfect for two people.

Toni's Banana Bread
Source: Cooking Light

• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium)
• 2/3 C sugar
• 1/4 C vegetable oil
• 1 large egg white
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add the flour mixture to banana mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon the batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350° for 40 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 rack.

Note: To freeze individual slices, place in heavy-duty zip-top plastic bags. Remove excess air from bags; seal and freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw, let stand at room temperature.

Baked Potato Soup and Sweet Dinner Rolls

This recipe for baked potato soup was so thick and creamy -- you won't believe it is "light." This recipe for rolls is my "go-to" recipe. The rolls have just a hint of sweetness -- they pair perfectly with savory dishes. I do not have a breadmaker, so my altered directions are in red. I have made these into crescents (as directed), knots, and, as today, clover rolls. I used about a third of the dough for 6 rolls, and I froze the remainder.




Baked Potato Soup

Source: Cooking Light

• 4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2/3 C all-purpose flour (about 3 oz)
• 6 C 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 C (4 oz) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 C reduced-fat sour cream
• 3/4 C chopped green onions, divided
• 6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Source: AllRecipes

• 1/2 C warm water (110 degrees)
• 1/2 C warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 C butter, softened
• 1/3 C white sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 3/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 C butter, softened

1. Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 C butter, sugar, salt, flour, and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BREAD MACHINE: Combine water, milk, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let sit five minutes, or until foamy. Add egg, 1/3 C butter, and sugar; mix until combined. In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Slowly add to the egg mixture until combined. Switch to the bread hook, and knead on medium for 10 minutes.
3. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 C softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point-side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. (You can also shape into knots and place on cookie sheet, or shape into balls and place in muffin tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Allow to rise for one hour, and brush with melted butter before baking.)
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

Cheese-Garlic Biscuits

I saw these on MrsPresley's blog and as soon as I read that they were like Red Lobster's biscuits I knew I HAD to make them immediately. To be honest, though, I can't take too much credit -- my lovely husband whipped these up while I was cooking dinner. We served them with Chicken Stuffed Shells -- I'm not going to share that recipe, because I was not overly crazy about it. But, back to the biscuits -- they were AWESOME and so easy! We cut the recipe in half since it was just the two of us, but we could have easily eaten an entire batch.



Cheese-Garlic Biscuits
Source: Bisquick

• 2 C Bisquick
• 2/3 C milk
• 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese (2 oz)
• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• pinch dried parsley

1. Heat oven to 450.
2. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, and cheese until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir together butter and garlic powder (and parsley); brush over warm biscuits.