Cinnamon Toast Crunch Banana Bread

Happy Spring everyone!  I know you've all been sitting on the edge of your seats for another posting, so I apologize for dry spell. I promise I am working to make my site a happier, brighter, and better place to be, so thank you for hanging in there with me. I am committed to keeping up with my New Year's resolution, so I promise not to let you down.
To further explain my commitment - the other part of my New Year's resolution is to no longer buy gossip magazines. Anyone who is into reading these, knows just how tough it can be to simply check out at the grocery store or take a flight to the other side of the country. On the bright side, I have saved a good chunk of money and also gotten time with some great books.

Today I have yet another breakfast treat!  This is a small twist on banana break that found on the site www.littlebittybakes.com. I happen to love banana bread, but am always disappointed to find nuts. This is a great alternative to nuts to a sweet crunch to the bread. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe banana, mashed
4 Tablespoons of Canola Oil
1 Cup of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract
1/2 Cup of sugar
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1 1/2 Cups of flour
2 Cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray two 8-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, stir the bananas, oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla until mixed well.  In a separate small mixing bowl, stir the sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just mixed.  Stir in 1 cup of the cereal.

Spread the batter into the prepared pans.  Sprinkle the remaining cereal over the top.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.  Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. 

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I like to make thin 'bread bars' so I use 2 8-inch loaf pans. If you want to make a thick true loaf of bread, just spray one and cook long enough for a knife to come out clean.

 

Mix together bananas, oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla

 

In a separate bowl, mix sugar, salt, baking power, baking soda and flour

 

 

Spread batter into loaf pan(s) and top with crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch

 

Bake for about 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.



 

 

Enjoy - Cool and enjoy warm :)

 

 

Valentines Peanut Butter Kisses

Happy Valentine's Day!  Today, I have one of the easiest recipes you'll ever see on here.  This is a simple twist to the classic peanut butter kiss cookie.

INGREDIENTS:

1 package of peanut butter cookie mix
1 egg
1 Tablespoon of water
1/2 cup of sugar
3 Tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
1 package of chocolate hearts (Reese's, Dove, etc.)


DIRECTIONS:

Pre-Heat oven to 375 and mix cookie mix, oil, water and egg until dough forms well

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

As soon as cookies are ready, pull them out and immediately begin placing chocolate hearts into the middle of the cookie

Yumm! Enjoy!
Best right out of the oven of course!

Brown Sugar Cookie Bake

In honor of my best friend's birthday and my brother and sister-in-law's 2 year wedding anniversary, I have decided to post a very yummy recipe that I originally found on http://www.bakedperfection.blogspot.com/.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter - melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg - beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup M&M's


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat mixure until mixed well.

Slowly add in four mixture

Mix well. Add in M&Ms (leave a few for top of cookie)

Place dough into a round 8 inch pan. Spread evently and top with extra M&Ms

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  It will smell WONDERFUL when you open the oven!

Let your cookie cool for plenty of time.  I have this handy pan with a removable bottom - so I just push up - and out pops the cookie with perfect edges :)  I highly recomment a pan like this. I got mine from my mother-in-laws collections, so unfortunately I dont know where to tell you to get out----but get one!!

Enjoy!

Sprinkles On The Cake

That's right - I'm going to go ahead and call this recipe 'Sprinkles On The Cake.'  This is a super easy cake to make and you can relate it to any holiday, baby shower, or just a fun cake!  I originally saw this cake when I Googled 'Candy Cake.'  Then I joined the female equivalent of Fantasy Football and joined Pinterest - and also saw it there.  I just took basic recipes and put it together by sight. I hope you enjoy and have fun making this for others.  It's a great conversation piece to say the least.


SPRINKLES ON THE CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

1 package of M&Ms (whatever colors you prefer)
2 boxes of cake mix (whatever flavors your prefer)
1 tub of frosting
3 sleeves of wrapped KitKat candy bars

DIRECTIONS:

Follow instructions on cake mixes and make 2 round cakes

Allow cakes to cool and cut off tops to make them even

Ice the top of one cake, and place the other layer on top

Completely ice the cake

Begin stacking KitKat bars around the cake

Pour M&M's on top of cake

Take matching ribbon and tie around cake.  Enjoy!

Red Hot CrockPot Applesauce

Hello February!  Everyone is always saying how they can't believe its already February, or July or how the kids are going back to school - but seriously - I can't believe its February.  Maybe its because we haven't had any real snow this season in central Ohio or maybe its because Greg and I are getting ready to celebrate our THREE year wedding anniversary!
I have always loved Valentines Day, so this entire month will feature Valentine's Day themed desserts.  I used to love Valentines Day in school growing up when our class always had a contest for the best homemade Valentine box.  I remember one year, in 4th grade, I won with a TV design. I remember trying to decide what was going to be playing on the TV and I decided to do Reading Rainbow since we watched it every Friday in class. Needless to say, the class LOVED it! 
Speaking of school memories...this recipe comes from a memory in first grade, 1991 for those who are counting.  When I wasn't busy getting pink slips for flushing someone NKOTB trading card down the toilet - I was enjoying classroom holiday parties :) Valentines Day in first grade, my mother came in to help with the party and we made crock pot applesauce. YUM! The day doubled as a lesson on Johnny Appleseed too...which my brother and I were just discussing the validity of that story...hmm.

Anyway, here is a SUPER easy, warm treat for any time of the year.

RED HOT CROCKPOT APPLESAUCE

INGREDIANTS:

About 15 apples ( I use Gala)
1/2 Cup of Water
1/2 Cup of Apple Juice or Cider
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1/2 Cup of Cinnamon Red Hots (Amount is optional - On a scale of 1 to 10, using 1/2 cup would be about a 5)


99% of your time for this recipe will be spent peeling the apples.
Peel and core apples. Cut into small pieces.

Place all ingredients in the CrockPot and place the heat level to low - about 6-8 hours.

About every hour or so, go in and smash the ingredients around - also, enjoy the aroma with every lift of the lid :)

Smell.All.Day.Long...

Once apples are completely broken down, you will have a beautiful RED HOT cinnamon applesauce. Enjoy! This also heats up very well.

YUMMMMMM.....



Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

I'm going to revisit breakfast again..I apologize...but I just can't help it!  This recipe may be intimidating, but trust me, its SUPER easy.  As usual, this is best straight from the oven, and maybe even some extra melter butter poured over top...YUM!  Enjoy this quick and easy recipe and warm your tummy this weekend!

INGREDIENTS:

     DOUGH-
                     2 3/4 Cups of Flour + 2 extra tablespoons
                     1/4 cup of sugar
                     2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (or 1 envelope)
                     1/2 teaspoon of salt
                     4 Tablespoons of butter
                     1/3 Cup of whole milk
                     1/4 Cup of water
                     2 large eggs
                     1 teaspoon of vanilla

     FILLING -
                     1 Cup of sugar
                     2 tablespoons of cinnamon
                     1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
                     4 Tablespoons of butter, melted until browned

DIRECTIONS:

In a mixer, combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt and set aside. 

In a saucepan, melt butter and milk together. Once butter in completely melted, take off stove top and add in water and vanilla. It is best to let the mixture cool for about 5 - 7 minutes.

Scramble up eggs and add into the butter and milk mixture.

Slowly pour in the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.   Add in 3/4 C. of flour and mix well.  The mixture will be very sticky - this is normal.



Pull out dough and place into a medium greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.

Once the dough doubles in size, knead in 2 tablespoons of  flour. Cover and let rise for another 5-10 minutes.

While you're waiting for the last 5-10 minutes - Start the filling. Mix together sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl.

Next, brown butter in a small pan, this should take about 5-8 minutes. Once browned, take off head and set aside. Once the dough is ready, roll it out onto a floured surface. Brush dough with browned butter and add on the sugar mixture. Make sure everything is covered.

Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 2 inch strips. Try to make them as equal as possible.

Stack all the strips on top of each other and cut into six equal squares.

Place squares side by side in a bread pan and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cover dough for another 10-15 minutes to rise.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until outside of bread is golden brown.  Eat up! YUMM