Purple Monstrosity

Purple Monstrosity

Ingredients:
2 Bananas
1/2 cup Blueberries
1 cup Orange Juice
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions:
1.  Peel and chop bananas
2.  Combine all ingredients in blender
3.  Puree in blender
4.  Enjoy

Mark's Notes:
Last summer, Abby took a "Kids in the Kitchen" class at MSU's Kellogg Center.  This is a recipe from that class.  It's basically a fruit smoothie.  It's called Purple Monstrosity because it turns out quite purple.

Cook's Country Texas-Style Blueberry Cobbler

Texas Style Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces AND

8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled

1 1/2 cups sugar (1/4 sugar for lemon zest mix and 1 1/4 sugar for dry ingredient mix).

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

3 cups (15 oz) blueberries

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Place the 4 tablespoons of cut-up butter in 13x9 baking dish.

3.  Transfer to oven and heat until butter is melted (8-10 minutes)

4.  Pulse 1/4 cup sugar and the lemon zest in food processor until combined - about 5 pulses.  Set aside.

5.  In a large bowl, mix blueberries and just 1 tablespoon of the lemon-sugar together.  Mash with a potato masher until blueberries are coarsely mashed.  Set aside until step 10.

6.  In a separate large bowl, combine flour, 1 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.

7.  Add milk and 8 tablespoons cooled butter to the flour/sugar mix. Whisk until smooth.  

8.  Remove baking dish from oven and transfer to a wire rack.

9.  Pour sugar/flour/mil/butter batter into baking dish.

10.  Dollop mashed blueberries over the batter.

11.  Sprinkle the remaining lemon sugar over the blueberries/batter.

12.  Bake until edges are golden brown - 45 to 50 minutes - rotate pan half way through.

13.  Let cool for 30 minutes.

14.  Best if served warm.

15.  Enjoy!!

Mark's Notes:

This is a recipe I got from the Cook's Country Facebook feed.  I saw it, it looked really good, and so I made it.  I did make one mistake - in step 6 when I was to add the 1 1/4 cup sugar, I added the remainder of the 1/4 cup lemon sugar mix.  Once I realized this, I added the 1 1/4 cup sugar.  The batter didn't get sprinkled with the lemon sugar in step 11, but it still turned out incredibly well.  I'm sure I'll make this again.  Then I'll get it right.

Here is the link to the Cook's Country recipe:

http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/Texas-Style-Blueberry-Cobbler-Recipe-Cook-s-Country/30914/?social=true&network=fb&extcode=N00KSF100&fb_action_ids=10200543657105206&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

Mother's Day Cheese Omelet

Mother's Day Cheese Omelet:
(serves two)

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup cheddar cheese

Instructions:
1.  Whisk the eggs and salt together.
2.  Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
3.  Swirl the butter to coat the skillet.
4.  Add the eggs.
5.  Stir gently in a circular motion until slightly thickened 
(about 45 seconds)
6.  Use a rubber spatula to pull the cooked edges of the egg toward the center of the pan.
7.  Tilt the pan so the uncooked egg runs to the cleared edge of the pan.
8.  Repeat until the bottom of the omelet is just set but the top is still runny.
9.  Cover the skillet, reduce to low heat, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
10.  Remove the pan from the heat.
11.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the eggs.
12.  Cover and let sit until the cheese partially melts (about 45 seconds).
13.  Slide half the omelet onto a dish, then tilt the skillet so the remainder of the omelet flips over onto itself.
14.  Cut in half and serve. 

(the cook times have been adjusted so the eggs cook a bit longer - we like our eggs a little more well done rather than runny).

Mark's Notes:
I have never made an omelet before!  For Mother's Day, I decided I would make an omelet.  I did a practice omelet Saturday morning.  On Mother's Day, Trisha's mom came over for a Mother's Day breakfast.  It turned out very well.  

Next time I make this, Abby would like a cheese and tomato omelet - an omelet with cheese and little bits of tomatoes.  She likes tomatoes.

This recipe is based on Cook's Illustrated recipe for a Family Sized Cheese Omelet.  I modified the ingredients and cook times to serve two.  

Banana Bread Brownies

Banana Bread Brownies

Ingredients:

Banana Bread Bars:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3 or 4 ripe bananas
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup butter 
(Mark recommends cutting this in half to 1/4 cup butter)
4 cups powdered sugar 
(Mark recommends cutting this in half to 2 cups powdered sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
(Mark recommends using 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
3 tablespoons milk 
(Mark recommends still using 3 tablespoons milk)
1 banana cut into slices (optional)
(Mark highly recommends adding the optional banana slices).


Instructions:
For the Banana Bread Bars:
1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees
2.  Grease and flour 15x10 jelly roll pan
3.  In a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy
4.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract
5.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt
6.  Blend for 1 minute
7.  If using walnuts, stir in walnuts (optional)
8.  Spread batter evenly into pan
9.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown

For the Brown Butter Frosting:
1.  Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.
2.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat.
3.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk.s 
4.  Whisk together until smooth - it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting.
5.  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the banana bread bars while the bars are still warm - it is easier to spread the frosting on while the bars are still warm.
6.  Spread the thin banana slices evenly on top of the frosting. (optional)
7.  Enjoy!!

Marks' Notes - 
This is a recipe Trish sent me that she wanted me to try.  I made two mistakes in the making of this batch.  Instead of using 1/2 cup butter for the banana bread bars, I only used 1/4 cup thinking that for some reason the recipe required only a 1/4 cup.  The other mistake I made is that I used 2 tablespoons vanilla extract rather than 2 teaspoons.  Both mistakes are somewhat inconsequential.

This recipe turned out extremely extremely rich.  In my opinion, slightly too rich. After the first time I made it, it was way too rich. The second time I made this, I cut the butter and the powdered sugar in half.  It turned out well.  There was enough of the frosting to spread around.  Then I cut up another banana into slices and placed those on top of the frosting.