Banana Toffee Bread

Banana bread is one of those recipes that are very versatile.  You can add all sorts of things to banana bread.

Toffee is so good in banana bread.  It gives banana bread a nice rich flavor.  The right amount will make you think of bananas foster.

Toffee is also a good change to chocolate chips.  Not that chocolate chips are bad but if you are thinking of switching things up then toffee is the way to go.

Banana Toffee Bread

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, soften
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 overripe bananas
2 eggs
4 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup toffee pieces

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a mini loaf pan (4 mini loaves)
2.  Beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Should be a nice cream color.
3.  Beat in eggs one at a time.
4.  Add the rest of the ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix!
5.  Mix in toffee pieces.
6.  Pour mixture into prepared mini loaf pan.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This bread is moist and sweet.  Perfect with a cup of coffee or milk.  AND it smells amazing!  I really love cooking and baking my own food.  There is something about choosing your own ingredients and knowing what you are feeding your family that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.  

Keeping cooking friends!

XOXO

Banana Bread

Okay, I am really trying to leave my banana phase.  Especially because we are in spring and there are so many fruits and berries to choose from. So many fruit stands ... strawberries, oranges, blueberries, raspberries, etc.

So of course my mother would drop off brown bananas to me.  Of course I cannot waste food.  Of course I made a banana bread.  Blame my mother. 

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, soften
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 overripe bananas
2 eggs
4 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toffee pieces

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a mini loaf pan (4 mini loaves)
2.  Beat butter and sugar until creamy
3.  Beat in eggs one at a time.
4.  Add the rest of the ingredients until just combined.
5.  Mix in toffee pieces
6.  Pour mixture into prepared mini loaf pan.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This bread came out nice and tender.  I personally feel like it was full of banana flavor.  However, it was sweet.  Definitely could pass as dessert.

Hopefully the Tzu Chi math tutoring students and volunteers enjoyed the bread.

Sometimes laziness just takes over and there is nothing we can do.    Of course when you are a pup it seems to happen quite often.  The pup must be tired from guarding the house all day.  Well done!

Keep baking friends!

XOXO

Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies

What is better than a chocolate chip cookie?  NOTHING!  Okay wait ... how about a chocolate chip cookie with toffee in it?  Oh yeah!



These cookies are amazing.  Just amazing.  They are chewy and light.  Yet packed with flavor.  My picky Asian mother ate 2 in one setting.  That says a lot. 



Any dough that calls for melted butter instead of soft butter is my friend.  Come on!  Who has the patience to wait for butter to soften.  Melt that sucker and lets make some cookies!



I have come to the conclusion that cookie batter that is made with melted butter instead of soften butter really should be refrigerated before baking.  It just gives it more umph.  You know what I mean?  Of course you now what I mean.  

Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies
Adapted from The Baker Chick

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped toffee

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2.  Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3.  Mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined.
4.  Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until combined
5.  Add dry mixture and beat until just combined
6.  Stir in chocolate chips and toffee
7.  Refrigerate cookie dough for about 1 hr (more is even better)
8.  Use a cookie scooper to scoop cookies.  Bake for about 11 minutes.
9.  Cool on cookies sheet until able to lift without breaking.  Cool on wire rack.

These cookies have been moved to the top of my cookie list.   I will be making these again for sure.

Khloe the pup is always up for a adventure.   She always has her eye out for when she gets to go somewhere.  And oh man she is always excited.

Keep feeding your friends and family good food. 

XOXO

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip & Toffee Cookies

So I promised to make cookies for this charity event to help kids with math and reading. I wanted something different than the normal chocolate chip cookie. So I whipped these up as a treat for the kids.

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup regular milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee bits (I like the Heath Bar kind)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.

3. In another bowl cream butter and sugars. Whisk in egg and vanilla extract until combined. Next add the peanut butter until combined scrapping down the sides of the bowl.

4. Slowly stir in the dry mixture to the wet mixture until just combined. Next add in the oats and mix until evenly distributed.

5. Add in mini semi sweet chocolate chips, regular milk chocolate chips, and toffee pieces and mix until even distributed.

6. Using a cookie scoop, drop onto a non stick baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 9 minutes or until cookies turn a golden brown. Keep a eye on the cookies because they will be a little darker than normal because of the wheat flour.

7. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5-10 minutes on baking sheet. Then move to cooling racks to cool completely.

These cookies came out really yummy and just chewy enough. All the chips made it super yummy. Oh and the wheat flour and oats made them healthy. Right? Muahahahaha!

But, something happened and the event was canceled. However, no one told me about this. So guess what they did. Some of the volunteers just divided up my cookies and ate them! I guess at least someone got to enjoy them. Wish it were me!

Enjoy!

XOXO