Some of my favorite recipes..

I was talking to one of my friends the other day and he was saying he wanted to start baking bread and yummy things so I told him I would make a post about my favorite baked things.  ( Hi Francis :P ) The first recipe I am going to suggest is a good ol' Banana bread. Cant go wrong with that.. and pretty sure everyone loves it. 


Banana Bread

• Prep time: 10 minutes
 
• Cook time: 55 minutes
 
• Yield: Makes one loaf
 

INGREDIENTS

2-3 ripe bananas 

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup if you would like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

preheat oven to 350 degrees, and butter a 4x8 inch loaf pan. 
In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas. 
Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour. 
Pour the batter in your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack. Remove the banana bread from the pan and slice. 

It is a pretty simple recipe but it is yummy. 

Another recipe I make quite alot is...
Apple Crisp!


I found the recipe from a cookbook that I had, called Teens Cook by Megan and Jill Carle. It has a bunch of really great recipes.. 

Apple Crisp

It makes one 9x13 inch pan (but i think I've made it in a smaller pan) 

Crumble Ingredients

2 cups flour 

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup oatmeal 

3/4 melted butter

Filling Ingredients 

6 apples 

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup water 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Directions

To prepare the crumble: Place the crumble ingredients in a bowl and stir with a fork(or your hands) until the mixture is completely combined. 

To prepare the filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Peel the apples and cut them in half. Remove the cores and cut the apples into 1/4 inch thick wedges. Place the sugar, cornstarch, salt, water and vanilla in a large bowl and stir until combined.  Add the apples and toss until coated. 

Place one half of the crumble mixture in an ungreased pan and pat it down to form a crust.  Pour the apple mixture into the pan and spread the apples evenly over the crust.  Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the apples and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.. Enjoy! 

My third recipe is for cookies... Wooo.. Sugar cookies to be exact. 

Warning: If you make these for anyone you will be asked to make them again. and probably forever..,. they are that good.  

Sugar Cookies

• 1 -½ cup Butter (I use unsalted)
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 whole Eggs Yolks
• 4 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 teaspoons Almond Extract
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1. In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes.
2. Add in 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks and mix until combined.
3. Add in vanilla and almond extract; mix until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly (about a cup at a time) add flour to butter mixture and combine. You can use a mixer or not, just depends on how strong you are.
5. I usually just mix ingredients until they are combined, as I have heard that if you over-mix this dough it will get tough.
6. Put dough in some Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.(very important step) 
7.  When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out, cut out cookies, and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Hope you all enjoyed some of my favorite recipes, let me know if you want some more. 

Have a good day, off to make some lunch!