Mamma can cook

Once again, I find myself staring at 2 aging bananas which nobody in my house will eat, and so I hunt down another banana bread recipe. This time I found one which includes coconut and coconut milk, both of which I love, soooo I had to try it. It is really yummy and quick to make. Coconut Banana Bread 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup mashed banana (2 med-large) 1/2 cup coconut milk 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup shredded coconut Preheat oven 350F and lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until well combined, then whisk in the mashed banana, coconut milk, butter and vanilla extract. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until just combined, making sure no streaks of flour remain. Stir in shredded coconut and pour batter out into prepared baking pan. Bake f...

We are a household of chili lovers. Derek typically makes the chili in the house, but when I came across Barefoot Contessa's Chicken Chili, I knew I had to try to make this one. I added some ingredients that I felt she had left out, like BEANS!!! Who doesn't add beans to chili? I also used San Marzano tomatoes because they are the tastiest little red beasts ever!!!!!!! Oh and I did not use ANY of the peppers, because I hate peppers, and refuse to eat them, and stomp my feet on the ground if they are in my food. So here you go....I will put into parenthesis what I added to the dish. Ingredients * 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions) * 1/8 cup olive oil, plus extra * olive oil, for chicken * 1/8 cup minced garlic (2 cloves) * 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced * 2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced * 1 teaspoon chili powder * 1 teaspoon ground cumin * 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes * 1/4 teaspoon ca...

I don't have any sort of story behind this soup, except that I always fancied it. I believe I first experienced this soup while working at the hospital, and was brave enough to enter the cafeteria where my choice was this or a chicken noodle soup that had what appeared to be pink chicken, need I say more about what my choice was. After that I always had a soft spot for this soup, not only because it saved me from what could have been a delightful case of salmonella, but it was quite tasty. I still could not help but wonder what it was really supposed to taste like, because let's face it, the hospital cafeteria is not the best place to have a taste test. I decided to finally hunt down a recipe from John Villa. It's a versatile dish: Serve it as a one-course meal at lunch or as a light supper in the evening. What's crucial when preparing it is that the kale is cut into extremely fine slices; that's what creates the soup's distinctive...

I am not really a tree hugger making my own granola, BUT I did buy some the other day and looked at the label, and thought why are all these ingredients in something that is supposed to be au naturale? Well, I took care of that didn't I? I browsed the pantry and found a container of Organic rolled oats which I don't know why I even had because I am not one to stand over a pot of old fashioned oats for a half hour in the morning but I am glad I had them. Then, I grabbed the different nuts, at which point I wished I had some sort of sunflower or sesame seeds because that would be a great addition but I got over it. I also added the chocolate because as much as I would like to pretend that I can consume plain granola over plain yogurt and be satisfied ,I really can't, so with some dark chocolate I can now be happy. The great thing about making your own granola is you can add whatever you like!! If I had more ingredients in my pantry I would surely add pineapple, sunflower seed...

That is not a mistake, and no I am not scared of Vampires, au contraire I love them ever since Twilight so don't let the amount of garlic scare you away. This produces a sweet mild garlic flavor which is perfectly balanced with the white wine and cognac which how can you resist? I followed this recipe exactly exceptt for the whole chickens because I have issues with cutting up the whole chicken into pieces so I bought an equal amount of breast on the bone and legs so the dirty work was already done for me, yeah I'm a baby. 3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves 2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons good olive oil 3 tablespoons Cognac, divided 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons heavy cream Directions Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set a...

The title never grabbed my attention because I am not really into thick soups but now that I am trying to eat like normal people do (this means no rice krispie treats for breakfast, danish for lunch and a fattening pasta dish for dinner). This recipe comes from Ina Garten and it got rave reviews, so I decided to try it and since it is so healthy I was hoping I would like it!! Well, we all loved it!!! It is really filling, it is a meal on it's own and you can add anything to it. Serves 6-8 people 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on Good olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 cups chopped onions (2 onions) 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks) 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots) 4 large garlic cloves, chopped 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomato...

So, I have never made this fantastic bread before and I am such a fan of the "no knead bread" recipes, that when I found this one, I had to try it. Ethan was supposed to attend a party at a friends house and this is where this Challah was supposed to go, but of course the child who never gets sick is under the weather so I am now stuck with this huge Challah loaf while on a low carb diet. Lovely! This beauty will be great for the rest of the men in my family though, it will be enjoyed sliced and toasted then spread with butter, jam, nutella etc, the rest will be sliced and used for the best french toast, because it is a fact that only THE best French toast is made with Challah. I added some cinnamon sugar to the top of this with slivered almonds, to be a little fancy shmancy but you don't have to. Hello you Beautiful Braided Beefcake!! 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water 1 1/2 tbl instant yeast 1 1/2 tbl kosher salt (1 1/2 tsp table salt) 4 lg eggs, slightly beaten 1/2 cup honey 1/...

Ok first let me say this cake really is delicious. Every time I have made it everyone has asked for it again...that being said it is really one of the only recipes I have that is made with actual "box cake"...although this is not a "box cake" by any means, you still tell people it is made from scratch because seriously you are adding a lot more ingredients and it is not just add egg and water and to me that is scratch so there! Cake: 1 box yellow cake mix 1 small package INSTANT vanilla pudding mix 4 eggs 1/2 cup cold water 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup rum (dark or light is fine) 1 cup chopped pecans Brown sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour Bundt cake pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. If desired, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar over the nuts. Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Smooth out ’til the top is even. Bake 1 hour, or a little less if the pan is black. Do not overbake! Glaze: While cake has te...

I have made these crustaceans many times, many different ways... scampi, marinara, cream sauce.... but NEVER has the recipe been this easy and delicious. I couldn't believe it!! My expectations were not that high because there are like 4 ingredients in here but I guess it goes to show that less is more!! If you like shrimp and spicy food then print this sucker and have a restaurant quality meal in about 10 minutes. I put my shrimp over brown rice, but you can do whatever your little hears desire. This would be delicious on it's own as an appetizer. Ingredients * (Frozen) Raw Shrimp // I’m using the 26-30 per pound size and I’ll be cooking about 2 dozen of them. These shrimp have been de-veined already. This is a good feature…kind of like cruise control. * Good quality Orange Juice // We’ll need 3/4 cup today. Drink the leftovers…it’s cold and flu season. * 2-4 Cloves of Garlic // This depends on how much you hate vampires. I happen to really hate them. * 3 Tablespoons Salted...

I can't believe I have not posted this amazing recipe yet. I was at a friends house yesterday and we were mulling over what we will be making for Christmas. She said the only thing she will buy "pre made" is the bread which I then informed that she was not because I have the easiest bread recipe which you DON'T HAVE TO KNEAD (for those of you that don't know about bread making the key for most recipes is the endless kneading that will leave you trembling in pain afterward). This recipe is adapted from the famous Sullivan Street Bakery. The hardest part is waiting for it to rise literally that's it... you dump ingredients mix until they combine and then wait and bake..... and OH LAWD you will be high-fiving yourself because once you see what comes out of that oven you will be in heaven!! Everyone that tries this is amazed at the flavor and appearance of this rustic bread. Go along now make the damn thing and thank me for passing this on. Also... you can add w...

I haven't posted anything in so long and I HAVE been making stuff and taking pictures but just haven't posted, my apologies. ANYway, yesterday my grandparent's were coming over and I wanted to bake something they can have with coffee and as I reached for my apron I thought of Heather who gifted me the adorable pink beauty and then I thought of one of her favorite cookies, and so this is how I ended up making the linzer tart. Everyone was really enjoying them too. You can use any flavor Jam in the center, we just happen to be big fans of the Raspberry Preserve. *The cookies are pictured on the Apron because it is just too cute!! ¼ cup + 2 Tbs. butter, softened ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 large ...

So my family has been been making Potato Pancakes or Latke forever. I have always LOVED them. Recently I went into the city with Karen and we ordered a batch of Potato Pancakes which arrived with applesauce and sour cream on the side. I prefer sour cream. ANYway.... these latke were so good because they were MINI ones, and I am a sucker for anything in mini version. I don't know why, but I just am. The other night my mother was making these and we decided not only to make them mini but to change our version to this one that I found on NYCnosh and we loved them!!!! They were perfectly, fluffy and crisp and most imprtantly delicious!!! Mind-blowing Homemade Latkes: 2 3/4 lbs. (1.25 kg.) white potatoes 1 large onion 2 eggs, well beaten 1.5 Tablespoons matzoh meal (or flour) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Peel and cut half of the potatoes into one-inch chunks. Boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes). Drain and pass through a food mill (or process smooth in a...

Easy....Quick....Yummy!!! Need I say more? and no ROULADES is not part of my daily vocabulary, but I am considering it. Ingredients : 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts 8 basil leaves 3.5 ounces of Pancetta thinly sliced 2 TBLSP Olive Oil Salt & Pepper Pound Chicken with a meat mallet. Place two of the basil leaves on each portion and season with salt and pepper generously. Roll up, wrap in the pancectta slices and secure with toothpicks. Heat the oil in the skillet, add the roulades and cook, turning frequently, until browned all over. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, adding 1 TBLSP hot water if necessary. Serve with a raddicchio salad.

I called my brother today and said "Rich are you coming over for dinner tonight?" and he of course said "yeah" and I followed up with "is there anything in particular that your taste buds desire" and before even taking a breathe he said "Oh Yeah!! a Big stuffed potato with all the works." I thought about it for a second and thought when WAS the last time we made these bad boys? and I realized it has been a looooong time, so I agreed and got all the fixing's ready and he brought the potatoes. Now... you may be wondering ummm hello how hard is it to stuff a potato and that is not why this is up here, it is posted because I really didn't know how exactly to COOK a baked potato so it had a nice crispy outside and soft on the inside. Sooo, here is what I found and it worked and it was DELICIOUS!!! Oh my goodness so damn satisfying and Derek made his famous cube steaks which were a great accompaniment. Baking a potato: While Russet Potatoes ar...

This recipe comes from Jamile Oliver's cookbook and is called Torta di Nada. I was intrigued by it since it uses Olive Oil and I love blueberries so we gave it a go! My dad loves these types of cakes it is a pound cake type consistency but I don't think it was sweet enough for me but I am a SWEET girl, hahaha. I did enjoy it and it is quite beautiful!! Recipe: Adapetd from Jamie’s Italy - 4 large eggs at room temperature - 1 ¼ cups sugar - ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil - ¾ cup milk - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract - 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted - 1 ½ tsp baking powder (This is the one I use all the time) - A good pinch of sea salt - Zest of 2 lemons, grated - Zest of 2 oranges, grated - 6 oz fresh black raspberries or blueberries or red sweet grapes such as Muscat or fragola - A bit of butter to grease the pan Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter a 9-inch pan and line the base with waxed paper. Set aside. Either by hand or in a ...

I am not sure why I keep buying bananas because they keep sitting on my counter turning brown and then I have to find a new recipe to use with the bananas instead of throwing them away. The good thing is that most recipes call for ripe bananas and I have had really good luck with the recipes I have found. This one I found in Bon Appetit it is from a restaurant in Oakland, California by the name of Bakesale Betty and it is one of the best sellers. This bread got rave reviews from everyone and is definitely a keeper. I threw in a handful of walnuts just because, but you don't have to. This is a cross between banana bread and coffee cake. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup p...

Ok so maybe this title is a bit extreme because it was not said by a real food connoisseur but both my husband and my brother said it, and they have had their fill of blueberry muffins, so I took it and ran with it. ANYway.... we tend to go blueberry picking several times in the summer and this past weekend they were beautiful and ripe and the kids were poopin' blue for days (sorry I know but I had to go there). We collected about 12 pounds of blueberries and well we have been eating them A LOT but there comes a point when you need to start baking. My mother made 2 blueberry pies which were fantastic, I decided to make these. Derek has been chucking them into cereal. Not only are these fantastic berries delicious but the health benefits Fugghettaboutit. They are chock full of antioxidants “When it comes to brain protection, there's nothing quite like blueberries, according to Tufts neuroscientist James Joseph,”. “I call the blueberry the brain berry, says Joseph, who attributes...

I am not a HUGE ice cream fan, but Derek is and so are the kids so when I came across this recipe I figured I have to try it. I love the fact that I know all the ingredients in here and there are no strange fillers always a plus for our health ya know. Soooo, I made this for July 4th and I was surrounded by Ice cream lovers. They LOVED it. I must say it is delicious. You can add whatever you would like to it. I have chocolate chip fans, but you can really add any extract and make whatever you would like. I think next time I will try this with Pistachio extract and real pistachios, mmmm. The hardest part of all of this was the wait. I would say it is about a 6 hour wait until it is fully frozen and ready to scoop. Yummy!!!! Oh Yeah I just threw the green in for garnish of course, we are not weirdos like that and eat garnishes with our ice cream, but it does look fancy shmancy doesn't it? *Salmonella Note.....Yeah I know there are raw eggs here, SOOO if you are freaking out about th...

These are the cutest things I have made and seen in a long time. Ethan is having his 3rd birthday party celebration at school today and I had to bring something. He told me he wanted cookies that are letter E's and the number 3's. Ok that was easy, but I needed something else just because. Sooo, I thought cupcakes but HOW messy to transport and for them to eat. Ethan licks off the icing and calls it a day. THESE little darlin's were perfect!!! They LOOK like a cupcake but they are a hard candy/chocolate shell on the outside with cake in the middle and they are oh so "popable" in Derek's words. I had so many left over I just took them and packed them in bags along with the cookies and will give them all to the kids to take home. Yes, after working all night I realized these are THREE year olds they don't care if I run to stop & shop and get some nasty cupcakes filled with Partially Hydrogenated oils hahaha, but the fact is Ethan has been telling me all ...

Not only are these really simple to make but they are actually really healthy. You can leave out the bacon of course but only 3 strips adds plenty of flavor and is the only fat in the muffins. My Dad and Derek eat a whole dozen in one day. 2/3 cup cottage cheese (I used low-fat) 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese + 1 T for topping muffins if desired 1/4 cup flour. (I use whole wheat flour) 2/3 cup almond meal (I use 2/3 cup almonds ground in food processor for this, which makes it slightly chunkier) 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 3 T water 4 eggs, beaten 3 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, fat blotted with paper towel, then crumbled 3 T thinly sliced green onion (scallions) Preheat oven to 400 F. In mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, white whole wheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, water, and beaten egg. Mix well. Gently mix in crumbled bacon and green onion, until well distributed in batter. Spray muffin cups with nonstick spray, or use foil muff...