I didn’t have any butter when I was preparing to make it, so I thought maybe I could substitute for coconut oil.  I’ve not yet ventured out into substituting cooking oil in my baking items, but I had no issues.  I quickly did an internet search to see if I needed to modify the amount of coconut oil vs. the amount of butter called for in the recipe.  Some of the instructions I found said to use 2/3 of the amount…so instead of using 1/3 cup called for in the recipe, I used 1/4 cup.  Is it exactly 2/3?  Probably not…but it was close enough.

I thought for sure you would be able to taste the coconut oil, at least in the batter, but nope.  It was fantastic and didn’t taste any different.  The banana bread loaf baked up just as perfect as always.

Banana Bread is a great way to use up those brown bananas that didn’t get eaten.  I always throw them in the freezer to use in smoothies or bread later.

Makes 1 loaf

1 c. sugar

1/3 c. margarine or butter, soft (or 1/4 c. coconut oil)

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. mashed bananas (usually 3-4 bananas)

1/3 c. watr

1 2/3 c flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. baking powder

Mix sugar and margarine.  Add eggs, mix.  Add bananas and water, mix.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until moist.  Bake at 350 for about an hour (335 if using a dark pan).

I use a stone loaf pan, so I don’t worry about spraying it, but if you’re using a standard loaf pan, spray or butter the pan before putting in the banana bread batter.
Mash the bananas

Coconut Oil

Ingredients

Sugar & Coconut Oil

Mix the sugar & coconut oil. Make sure your oil is slightly soft

Add eggs

Mix

Add bananas & water

Add the rest of the dry ingredients

Mix well

Pour into loaf pan

Bake

Let cool, & enjoy!

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I like more sauce, so I generally make 1 1/2 times or double the recipe amount.  Really, I just measure the amount out by the recipe, and add more….of whatever I feel like. There’s really no rhyme or reason to my method, and it always turns out good.

On to the recipe….I have modified it with the ingredients I use most.

Servings: Makes 6 side-dish or 4 vegetarian main-course servings.

For peanut dressing
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon chopped/grated peeled fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove, chopped/pressed
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes or a splash of the hot sauce or chili paste of your choice

Puree dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Heat skillet/pan over medium with approx 1-2T Olive Oil, and cook vegetables below (you can always add different veggies according to what’s in your fridge.  Sugar snap peas, green beans, carrots, squash, cauliflower, etc)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strip
2 c brocolli
Half of a seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
1 can water chestnuts
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (I always forget these)

Cook noodles in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain in a colander, then rinse well under cold water.

After veggies are a bit soft, add the noodles, then the sauce.  Mix well, heat for a few minutes on medium.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Fresh Veggies, ginger & garlic

No fancy blenders here, folks. The Magic Bullet does a perfect job for this type of blending!

Finished Sauce

Frozen veggies. This is Kirkland Stir-Fry Blend from Costco. (I picked out the baby corn and mushrooms)

Added fresh veggies

Add noodles & sauce

Stir well and cook for a few minutes.  Enjoy!

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Here are my favorites, all taken with the Tokina 100mm 2.8 macro lens

I love the texture and distortion in the glass

And the whole collage.

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• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
  
• 1 package (6 oz., 1 cup) Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Place corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated. Press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray or butter (I prefer butter). Set aside.

2. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.

A few things I have learned over the years:

• Rice Krispies brand cereal is best.  The generic brands just don’t taste the same or have the same crispiness.
• Use Nestle Toll House chocolate chips.  Generic or store brands don’t melt the same.
• Don’t overboil the sugar mixture.  Just bring it to a boil, otherwise your treats will be hard instead of soft and chewy.
• Crunchy peanut butter changes the consistency and flavor a bit.  Not necessarily bad, but I don’t prefer it.

The ingredients (I see a sneaky wine glass *innocent*)

Corn Syrup & Sugar

Bring to a boil

After adding peanut butter

Mix syrup/peanut butter into Rice Krispies

Lightly press into buttered dish (there’s that wine glass again *no comment*)

Chocolate & Butterscotch chips melting on a low temperature

Spread the topping onto the rice krispie mixture. Let cool & ENJOY!

The post Random Recipe Wednesday appeared first on Treasure Valley ~ Idaho~Engagement, Couples, Wedding & Boudoir Photographer.

We headed to Indian Creek Winery again.  It’s so neat to see the change in the growth since two weeks ago when we were there last.

I’m not really sure what kind of flower this is, but I can’t wait to see them when they have bloomed.

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After we were done with the session, the light was so beautiful, I took a couple of pictures of her.

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