Darlene's Pumpkin Bread

 I thought I had a great recipe for pumpkin bread until my neighbor, Darlene, brought us a loaf of hers as a Christmas gift. This bread is moist and soft due to the addition of pudding! It might become my favorite pumpkin bread!

INGREDIENTS

5 eggs

1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 (3 ounce cook and serve - Not instant) butterscotch pudding

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Beat eggs, oil and pumpkin. Add flour and remaining ingredients.

Pour into greased 5x2 1/2 x 2 inch mini loaf pans.

Bake 50 - 55 minutes at 325 degrees.

Makes 5 mini loaves

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

 Every year I seem to find one new zucchini recipe to add to my collection and to provide some variety when the garden is pumping out zucchini. This recipe from Taste of Homes has crushed pineapple as an added ingredient which adds moisture and sweetness to the bread. This might just be a new favorite.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoons baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking powder

3 large eggs

1 cup  olive or canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla

2 - 3 cups finely shredded zucchini

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup golden raisins

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8x4 inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

Place shredded zucchini in colander to drain out excess moisture.

In large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and baking powder. 

In mixing bowl, beat eggs for one minute. Add sugar and beat one more minute. Add oil and vanilla and continue to beat until thick and foamy.

Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Add dry ingredients. Add nuts and walnuts.

Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with knife. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool.

Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Bread

 Moist tender gluten free bread with lots of lemony flavor.

Ingredients

1 3/4 (245 grams) all-purpose gluten free flour

3/8 cup (54 grams) cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest from one lemon

3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar

6 Tablespoons soft unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sour cream at room temperature

2 eggs at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

For glaze - combine lemon juice and confectioner's sugar to desired consistency

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, lemon zest and sugar.

Add eggs, sour cream, butter, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix to combine.

Add batter to loaf pan. Spread to an even layer.

For a more even loaf, with a very wet knife, slash the loaf down the center about 1/4".

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean - about another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to wire rack and allow to cool completely. Glaze with icing.

Chocolate Chai Mini Loaves

 Perfect for holiday giving, this recipe makes four small loaves of delicious chocolate chai bread.

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

3 Tablespoons chai tea latte mix

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sour cream

FOR THE FROSTING

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 Tablespoon butter, softened

1 Tablespoon chai tea latte  mix

1/2 tsp, vanilla

4 - 5 tsp. milk

INSTRUCTIONS

In microwave, melt chocolate with the water. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

In large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy - about 7 minutes.

Add eggs, one at the time, and beat well after each addition.

Beat in vanilla and then the chocolate mixture.

Combine flour with latte mix, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternatively with sour cream.

Transfer to four greased 5 3/4 x 3 x 2 inch mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan and cooling on wire rack.

For frosting, combine all ingredients to achieve desired consistency. Frost top of loaves.

Apple Oat Breakfast Cake

 A healthy option for breakfast or even dessert - this cake is made without flour or refined sugar. To make it gluten-free, just be sure you use gluten-free oats. The batter is mixed in the blender for easy prep.

This recipe comes from "Her Highness, Hungry Me"

Ingredients

1 cup oats

1 large apple, peeled and chopped

3 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 Tablespoons yoghurt

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon melted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Put all ingredients in a blender, with exception of using only 3/4 cup oats. Process until smooth and then stir in remaining 1/4 cup oats.

Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper so that is hangs over the edge. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle additional oats on top.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool and then slice cake into 9 squares and place in airtight container.  Store in the refrigerator for at least an hour before eating.

French Bakery Baguettes

Project cooking is not a "quick and easy" recipe; it isn't a sheet pan or dump cake type of recipe. Project cooking is a recipe that takes time and the joy of making it is exactly that - the careful time and attention to make it turn out just right.
It is March, 2020, as I post this recipe. We are in the midst of a global pandemic of the coronavirus. We, along with a huge portion of the U.S. and global population, are under orders to stay at home in an effort to slow the spread of the virus and ensure hospitals are not overwhelmed.
And so, we all have time on our hands as days of home isolation turn into weeks. Project cooking is a perfect activity for these times. I have always wanted to make traditional French baguettes and this was the time to try. I wasn't disappointed. Crispy on the outside and soft inside - I could almost be in Paris!

This recipe comes from the website at King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

For the Starter

1/2 cup cool water
1/16 tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Dough

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons lukewarm water
All of the starter
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt

Instructions

Prepare the starter the evening before you want to make the bread. Combine all starter ingredients together to make a soft dough. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature overnight. The starter should have expanded and become bubbly.

To make the dough, mix together all ingredients in Kitchen Aid mixer. Knead for 4  minutes on speed of 2. The resulting dough should be smooth and soft and should stick a bit to the bottom of the bowl.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a tea towel. and allow to rest and rise for 45 minutes. Then, gently deflate the dough and fold its edges into the center. Turn it over in the bowl and allow it to ride for another 45 minutes. It should be noticeably puffy.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased work surface. Gently deflate it and divide it into three equal pieces. Round each piece into a ball by pulling the edges into the center. Cover with greased plastic wrap and all to rest for 1 hour.

Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough slightly and fold it almost in half (but not quite), sealing the edges with the palm of your hand. Turn the dough around and repeat, fold and flatten. Repeat this process again, The should have started to elongate itself.

With the seam side down, gently roll the dough into a 16" log. Taper each end slightly to create the baguette's typical pointy end.

Place the logs, seam side down, onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise until they are slightly puffy. They should look lighter and less dense than when you formed them, but not anywhere near double in size. This should take about 45 minutes.

Towards the end of the final rising period, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet on the lowest possible rack in the oven. Start heating 1 1/2 cups of water to boil. Place a second rack in the middle of the oven.

Using a very sharp knife, make 3 - 5 diagonal cuts on the top of each baguette.

Place the baking sheet with baguettes into the oven on the middle rack. Quickly pour the boiling water into the cast iron skillet and quickly shut the door, capturing the steam.

Bake the baguettes for 24 - 28 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Remove and cool on wire rack. For a crispier crust, turn off the oven, crack it open about 2 inches, and allow the baguettes to cool in the oven until the baguettes and the oven are both at room temperature.

Store in paper bags overnight or freeze for longer storage. Thaw and reheat just before serving.

No Knead Rustic Bread

When the kneading step is eliminated, making homemade bread is easy!

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
1 packet active dry yeast ( 2 1/4 tsp)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups warm water

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Pour in warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a wet sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place (around 70 degrees) for 12-24 hours. The covered dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days.

About 2 hours before baking, cover a working surface and your hands with flour. Remove the dough from the bowl. Fold the dough on opposite sides in thirds. Then fold again in half. With the folded seam on the bottom, form the dough into a ball by stretching the top and tucking the dough under the bottom. Turn the dough in a circular motion as you stretch the top. Once a ball has been formed, transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper and cover with a clean tea towel. Allow to sit for 2 hours.

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Place an enamel dutch oven in the center of the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the towel from the dough and sprinkle a little flour on top. Make a couple of 1/2 inch slits on the top. Remove the dutch oven from the oven. Place the dough and the parchment paper in the dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and slip out the parchment paper. Bake uncovered for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Transfer bread to a cooling rack and let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Soft No-Knead Rolls

Homemade bread without all the work of kneading the dough! Everything is mixed with a spoon in one bowl and allowed to rise. Then form the dough into small balls, allow a second rise and bake. Done!  These rolls are soft and taste similar to a brioche bread. They are best on the day they are made  and even better straight out of the oven. (There is a reason that day old bread is on sale in bakeries!) If for some reason, you don't devour them all on the first day, warm them in the microwave to soften any leftover rolls.
This recipe is a great introduction to bread making for kids. With no requirement to knead the dough, they can watch the yeast work it's magic and turn a sticky ball of dough into soft fluffy goodness.
This recipe comes from Recipe Tin.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon dry yeast (Note that this is more than one package of yeast. You will have to open two packages of yeast and measure out one Tablespoon)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar + 2 teaspoon sugar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup lukewarm milk
3.5 Tablespoons + 1 Tablespoon melted butter
2 room temperature eggs, beaten with a fork.

Instructions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. When it reaches temperature,  turn off the oven. This will allow the oven to cool, but remain a warm environment for rising the bread.

Place the yeast and 2 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Add warm water, stir to combine, and allow to sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon,
Make a well in the center of the flour. Add eggs, butter, milk and foamy yeast mixture.
Mix until combined with a wooden spoon. The resulting dough will be thick and sticky,

Leave the dough in the bowl, cover with a clean wet tea towel and place in the warmed oven. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until almost tripled in volume.

Line a 9x13 inch cake pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang the edges.
Remove the dough from the warmed oven, remove tea towel and punch the dough down.
Dust work surface and dough with flour so it is easy to handle.  Form the dough into a log.
Cut the log into 4 equal pieces. Cut each quarter section into three pieces (12 total).  Form each piece into a smooth ball and place in the prepared baking pan. Repeat with remaining balls of dough, lining them up in the pan 3 x 4.

Spray the surface of the rolls with oil and place saran wrap on the top.
Allow the bread to rise for 30 - 45 minutes, until it has increased in size by about 75% - less than double in size.  I do the second rise on the counter, since it is necessary to preheat the oven at this time to 390 degrees.
After the rolls have completed the second rise, place in preheated 390 degree oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. The surface should be golden brown and the rolls should sound hollow when tapped.
Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter.
Use overhanging parchment paper to remove from pan and allow to cool to warm on rack.
ENJOY!

MAKE AHEAD: Follow recipe up to rolling the balls and cover with cling wrap. Then refrigerate for 4 - 24 hours. Take them out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Berry Almond Scones

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup dried berries of your choice (blueberries, cherries, cranberries)
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a baking sheet.
In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder.
Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in 2/3 of the 1/2 cup of milk, the egg and the almond extract.
Add the berries and almonds and stir until just combined.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll or pat it into a disc of medium thickness.
Cut the disc into 10 wedges.

Place on baking sheet and brush the top with the remaining milk.
Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
Best served warm.

Monkey Bread

Start these rolls in the evening and enjoy hot fresh caramel rolls in the morning.

Ingredients

1 package (24 to 28 rolls) frozen yeast rolls (such as Rhodes)
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Place the frozen (do not thaw) rolls in a greased Bundt pan.
Dissolve brown sugar in melted butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add cinnamon and mix well. Sprinkle nuts over the rolls in the Bundt pan. Pour the sugar/butter mixture over the rolls and nuts.
Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise on the counter (not the refrigerator) overnight.
The next morning the rolls will be thawed and will have risen to the top of the pan.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking to prevent over browning.
Let stand one minute after removing from oven, then invert onto a large plate.
When cooled slightly, everyone can dig in and pick away the the caramel roll deliciousness!

Corn Flake Crumb Muffins

When my daughter was growing up, these muffins were her favorite. Now that she is all grown up, I still make them for her from time to time and she still loves them!
It is like a bowl of corn flakes in a muffin.They are best served fresh and warm with butter.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup corn flake crumbs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup  milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil


Instructions

In mixing bowl, beat egg. Stir in milk and oil. Add all remaining dry ingredients and stir only until just combined.
Do not over stir.
Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray.
Pour batter into muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
Makes 12 muffins.

Easy Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
6 eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Combine flour with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
Add pumpkin oil and eggs. Beat to combine.
Pour into loaf pans.
Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack.

Banana Pecan Oatmeal Bread

Great for breakfast!

Ingredients

For the Topping

1/2 cup Quaker oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar

For the Bread

1 cup Quaker oats
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom only of 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, combine all topping ingredients. Set aside.
For bread, combine milk and oats in small bowl; set aside. In large bowl, combine all dry ingredients; mix well. Add bananas, oil and eggs to oat mixture;  mix well. Add oat mixture to dry ingredients all at once. Stir just until ingredients are moistened. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with topping mixture. Press gently into batter.
Bake 55 - 60 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Overnight Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

The holiday season gives us permission to make decadent breakfasts - like this one!

Ingredients

For the French Toast

1 8-ounce cup soft cream cheese
1 loaf (16+ slices) white potato bread
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
12 eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk

For the Blueberry Sauce

2 Tablespoons corn starch
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tablespoon butter

Instructions

Trim crusts from bread slices. Spread cream cheese over each slice and then cube the bread into 1-inch pieces. Grease a 12x9x2 inch pan. Place half of the bread cubes into the pan. Sprinkle with blueberries. Top with remaining bread cubes.
In mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and syrup. Mix well. Pour the milk mixture over the bread cubes and blueberries. Cover and refrigerate over night.
In the morning, remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover with foil and bake 30 - 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 - 30 minutes more or until golden brown and firm. Cut into squares. Top with blueberry sauce.

For the sauce, combine cornstarch and sugar. Add water and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in blueberries and reduce heat to simmer for about 10  minutes or until berries burst. Stir in butter until it melts. Serve over the french toast.

Gingerbread Muffins with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients

For the muffins

2 3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup molasses
1 1/3 cup cold water

For the lemon glaze

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease muffin tin. Mix flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a medium bowl to blend. In separate bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add eggs. Beat in molasses. Add half of the dry ingredients. Beat in remaining dry ingredients. Gradually add cold water and beat until incorporated. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and place on rack.
For lemon glaze, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon over the top of the muffins, using about one Tablespoon of glaze for each muffin.

Make Ahead Bran Muffins

This is an old recipe, but still just as good today. What I love about this recipe is that you prepare the batter and keep it in the refrigerator. When you are ready for breakfast, you just scoop it out, bake it, and have fresh muffins.It makes a large batch of muffins, so you can keep it on hand and have fresh muffins every day for a week.


Ingredients

5 cups flour
15 ounce box bran flakes cereal with raisins
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup canola oil
4 cups buttermilk

Instructions

Combine flour, cereal, sugar and baking soda in large bowl. Mix well to combine.
Add beaten eggs, oil and buttermilk. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Cover bowl tightly.
Store batter in refrigerator for at least 24 hours before using.
You can store batter in refrigerator for up to three weeks.
When you are ready to make muffins, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
Scoop the batter into prepared muffin tins, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and top springs back when touched lightly with fingertip.

Zucchini Muffins

With warm September days, the garden is still producing lots of zucchini. So, I keep looking for new recipes to use it up.  This recipe was posted on Simply Recipes website. They are moist and delicious. No mixer is needed to make these muffins - just two bowls and a spoon.

Ingredients

3 cups grated zucchini
2/3 cup melted butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch of salt
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees,
In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in zucchini and then melted butter.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir just until well combined.

Coat each muffin cup in muffin pan with vegetable oil spray. Put muffin mix in each muffin cup, filling to the top. Bake on middle rack in oven for about 25 minutes or until the top of the muffin bounces back when you press on them.
Cool for five minutes on wire rack and then remove from muffin pan and cool completely.

This recipe makes about 18 muffins.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

As the zucchini keeps coming out of our garden, I seek new recipes to keep up. This recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Bread comes from "gatheredtable.com".  With 4 cups of zucchini, it is moist and full of chocolatey flavor.

Ingredients

4 cups grated zucchini
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (use natural unsweetened, not Dutch processed)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon almond extract OR 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Place freshly grated zucchini in a sieve over a bowl to drain any excess moisture while you prepare the other ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium size bowl.
In separate bowl, beat together sugar and eggs until smooth. Add melted butter, instant coffee, and almond or vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
Discard the liquid collected from the zucchini. Add the grated zucchini to the egg mixture. Mix to combine.  Add the flour mixture in three additions, stirring to combine after each addition.
Work quickly and divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean and easily. Remove from oven and place on wire rack. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then insert knife around the edge to separate the bread from the pan. Remove loaf from pan and allow to cool on the rack completely.

Grilled Bruschetta Loaf

Perfect addition to a summer barbeque

Ingredients

1 long loaf French bread, halved lengthwise
1/2 to 1 cup Italian salad dressing (depending on the size of the loaf of bread)
4 sliced plum tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup minced fresh basil

Instructions

Brush cut side of bread with Italian dressing.
Grill, cut side down, for 3 minutes or until toasted (alternatively, you can broil rather than grill).
Remove and turn the bread right-side-up. Layer with tomatoes and cheese.
Return to grill (or broiler) and grill cheese-side-up for another 2 - 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Sprinkle with basil and serve hot.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Who wouldn't want to wake up to one of these muffins?

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup firmed packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups (about 3 large) ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease bottom only of muffin tins or line with paper liners. In a large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Add bananas, milk, vanilla and eggs. Blend well.
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir just until dry ingredients are mixed in and moistened. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Cool for 3-5 minutes before removing from pan.
Best served warm.