Pumpkin Banana Oat Bread

I did it again. I bought more bananas than I could possibly eat before they turned all spotty and mushy. And since my mom isn't here to eat my brown bananas (I promise I don't force them on her, she actually enjoys them!), I did the only logical thing: feed my banana bread addiction with another sweet variety!

I know it's not technically pumpkin season, but that lonely can of pumpkin puree in my pantry has been staring me down for months. Plus, it's stinkin cold outside and I had to scrape frost off my windshield this morning and I worked out for nearly a full hour this afternoon and all I want is something warm and cozy to stuff in my mouth. There. Now I feel justified.

Pumpkin Banana Oat Bread (no butter or oil added!) [click to print]
Makes one loaf

• 1-1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 c. old fashioned oats
• 2/3 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 medium, very ripe banana, mashed (about 1/3 c.)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9x4 loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing at least 2" overhang on each side of pan, or generously coat with nonstick cooking spray. 

2) In bowl of stand mixer, whisk together all dry ingredients, including sugar, spices and oats. Beat in remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. 

3) Pour batter into pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly. Allow to cool in pan about 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. To serve, dust with powdered sugar. 

Source: Jasey's Crazy Daisy

Cherry Vanilla Love Monsters (aka Whoopie Pies)

Let me just tell you one more time. I love holidays! Seriously, there might not be anything better than cutesy themed dessert and containers filled with festive sprinkles and sharing some goodies with friends! These Love Monsters don't take too long to bake or assemble and they're just so cute, who wouldn't wanna get bitten by the love bug today? Happy Valentine's Day!

Cherry Vanilla Love Monsters [click to print]
Makes about 36 whoopie pies

For the cake

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs, large
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 c. flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 pkg. candy eyes (I used Wilton Candy Eyes)
• Sprinkles

For the filling

• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 jar (7.5oz) marshmallow fluff
• 1 c. cherry vanilla compote (or pie filling)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

1) Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 

2) In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating well between each addition. Beat in milk and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, powder, salt and soda; gradually add to batter in about three additions. Beat until just combined. 

3) Scoop heaping teaspoons of batter onto prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Add candy eyes to half of the cookies, placing eyes about 1/3 of the way towards the center of the cookie (otherwise the eyes melt when they bake). Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for about 10 minutes or until edges are just barely golden. Allow to cool on baking sheet about 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. 

4) For the filling, beat butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add fluff, vanilla and salt. Stir in pie filling, mixing until just combined. Spread filling on half the cookies and sandwich with the eyeball cookie halves. Fill small dish with sprinkles and roll edge of assembled whoopie pies in sprinkles to coat. 

Source: Adapted from Just Baked

Snake Butter Cookies

It's that wonderful time of year again...time to huddle under piles of cozy blankets with the frigid wind whirling outside, to make chili and, perhaps most importantly, time to watch some Kung Fu Panda and eat snake cookies. It's most definitely time to celebrate The Year of the Snake! Happy Chinese New Year!

These are a classic butter cookie and have such a rich flavor and make me go weak at the knees when you snap off a bite. Also, these are great make-ahead cookies. So whip up a batch and freeze the already-baked cookies in a zip bag for about 1 month!

Snake Butter Cookies [click to print]
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 c. flour
• red nonpareils
• green sanding sugar (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

2) In mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth and gradually add sugar. Slowly add egg and vanilla, continuing to beat mixture until well combined. Add a small scoop of flour and stir until mixture just starts pulling together. Add remaining flour all at once and mix until just combined. 

3) Scoop dough into large pastry bag fitted with #3 star tip. If the dough is too firm and you can't pipe it, return dough to mixer and, in separate bowl, beat another egg. Add a tiny tiny bit of egg (about 1/2 tsp. at a time), mixing completely between each addition, until the dough is soft enough to squeeze through the piping tip. Once you have the right consistency, pipe dough directly on parchment in an S-shape about 2-3 inches long, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Gently press two red nonpareils in place for eyes. Sprinkle with colored sugar as desired.

4) Refrigerate cookies about 5 minutes to firm. Bake 8-11 minutes or until edges are just golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet.

Source: Adapted from L'Academie de Cuisine

Microwave Salted Butter Caramel

I'm not gonna lie to you. Every once in a while, I eat cheap store cookies. I'm not talking Oreos, here. I mean those really cheap $2 giant store brand packs that are so full of artificial ingredients that you can practically feel your body getting preserved with each bite. And yet, I still give in. But when you're craving something fast and good, you can't beat homemade. I don't think I need to convince you of that.

I'm sure at this point your eyes are rolling around in your head, totally unconvinced that something so delicious as homemade caramel could actually be fast and easy. But it's true, my dear friends! Take 10 minutes and give this a try. You, and everyone around you, won't be sorry!

Microwave Salted Butter Caramels [click to print]
Makes about 3 dozen caramels

• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. corn syrup
• 1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 c. salted butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1) Line square pan with parchment paper, allowing at least 2" overhang on each side of pan. For normal caramels, use 8x8" pan, or 6x6 for thicker caramels. If you're going to sub foil for parchment, be sure to coat foil surface very generously with nonstick cooking spray.

2) In a large microwave safe bowl (emphasis on the large...this mixture will bubble up a lot as it's cooking so you'll want a bowl with taller sides), stir together sugars, syrup, milk, salt and butter until well combined.

3) Microwave on high for 6-8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes for first six minutes, then each minute thereafter. For soft, chewy caramels, microwave 6-7 minutes. For firmer caramels (still chewy!) that hold their shape well, microwave 8 minutes.

3) Stir in vanilla and pour into pan. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt and allow to cool until firm or place in refrigerator for about 1 hour. Remove caramel slab from pan by lifting parchment overhang. Use a sharp knife to cut caramel into small pieces and wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap to store.

Source: Adapted from The Yummy Life

Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

I went for a run after work today wearing my hot pink jacket. Normally, hearing the radio announce that it is a bitter 33 degrees outside would keep me cozied up inside, but I found determination and got my rear in gear.

And then I baked. Mostly because I've been stressed and baking seems to help, but also because the second I stopped running I got really cold and then found out that my heater was broken. Boo.

So here's to a well-earned pan of chocolate and peppermint deliciousness! These bar cookies are fast and easy and very moist. If you're not big on frosting, first of all, I feel sorry for you, and second of all, you can skip it and you'll probably be survive.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Bars [click to print]

For cookies: 

• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 1/3 c. cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 egg, large
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. peppermint bark, coarsely chopped

For frosting: 

• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 4 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3-4 T. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• gel food coloring (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9x13 cake pan with parchment paper, allowing about 2" overhang on each side of pan, or coat with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside. 

2) Whisk together flour, cocoa, salt and powder; set aside. In mixing bowl, beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla until well combined. Gradually add flower mixture, in about three additions, and continue mixing until smooth.

3) Press dough into prepared sheet pan and sprinkle peppermint bark over top of dough. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the cookie surface is no longer shiny and the edges look dry. Allow cookies to cool in pan about 10 minutes. Pulling on parchment overhang, lift cookies from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack. 

4) For frosting, whip butter in stand mixer until smooth. Add about half the powdered sugar and 2 T. cream. Add remaining powdered sugar and gradually add cream, mixing well between each addition until desired consistency is reached. You want it to form soft peaks. Add extracts and food coloring then frost cookies when completely cool. Cut into bars and serve!

Source: Adapted from Mountain Mama Cooks