Buttermilk Banana Bread (best recipe ever!)

 

BUTTERMILK BANANA BREAD

yield: 12 SERVINGS (1 LARGE LOAF)

 

prep time: 20MINUTES MINS

cook time: 50MINUTES MINS

total time: 1HOUR HR 10MINUTES MINS

Source: melskitchencafe.com

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened
• 1 to 1 ½ cups (318 g) sugar (see note)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 to 1 ½ cups (about 226 g) mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas) - (see note)
• ¼ cup buttermilk (see note)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ¾ cups (249 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9X5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. 
• In a large bowl, with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. 
• Add the eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla and mix until well-combined. 
• Add the flour, baking powder, salt and soda. Mix until no dry streaks remain; it's ok if the batter is slightly lumpy. Don't over mix. 
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the top lightly springs back to the touch and a thin knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Add time as needed until the bread is baked fully. Or for muffins, divide evenly between 12 liners and bake for 20 minutes.
• Turn the bread out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Chicken Salad

 Source: Aunt Denice

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (I use rotisserie chicken from Costco)

1T lemon juice

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/3 cup toasted almonds, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped 

1-2 cups purple grapes, sliced in half

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve on croissants or as is.

Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken Breasts

CHEESY BASIL STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

PREP TIME: 20 MINS 

COOK TIME: 25 MINS

FROM: MELSKITCHENCAFE.COM

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see note)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise, lowfat or regular
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

DIRECTIONS:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons of the minced basil, cream, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Cut a pocket in chicken breasts (like in this recipe), stuff with cheese mixture and seal, using a toothpick to help close the slit, if necessary. Transfer the stuffed breasts to 13 by 9 inch baking dish and spread tops evenly with mayonnaise.
In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, remaining garlic, remaining fresh basil, and one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle crumb mixture over chicken, pressing lightly to adhere.
Toss tomatoes with remaining tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange the tomatoes in the baking dish in and around the chicken. Bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through (registering 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer) about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

NOTES:


The chicken breasts called for in this recipe need to be on the thicker side because a pocket is cut into the thickest part of the chicken breasts (similar to this recipe) and the delicious cheese-basil filling is stuffed inside. Thinner chicken breasts won’t work well for that crucial step. (I pounded out my chicken so it was thin and folded them in half, so this is an option as well)


Make Ahead Instructions: Follow the recipe instructions with the following modifications: unless you are baking right away, don’t preheat the oven until you are ready to bake the dish. Stuff the chicken as stated in the recipe and place them in the baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs, garlic, basil and olive oil and transfer to a small resealable plastic bag or tupperware. Arrange the tomatoes that have been tossed with the oil/salt/pepper around the chicken. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate the chicken and the bread crumb topping separately for up to 10 hours. Before baking, sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the chicken. Bake as directed, adding an additional 10 minutes, if needed since the dish was refrigerated.