Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bars:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2-3 mashed bananas
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon, optional
Cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs, mixing well. Stir in bananas. Dissolve soda in sour cream. Add flour, salt and cinnamon to batter alternately with sour cream mixture until well blended. Pour into greased 10x15 baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
6 oz. cream cheese (I use 8 oz. because I can't find a 6 oz. cream cheese)
4 tbsp. butter, softened
2 tbsp. milk or cream (I use milk)
2 cups powdered sugar (I use 2 1/2 to 3 cups because I like thicker frosting)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Mix all ingredients together with electric mixer.  A mixer will give you a fluffier frosting than mixing by hand.  Spread over cool bars.

Banana Bread

I believe this recipe came out of one of the many cookbooks mom has.  She has used this recipe as long as I can remember.

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 cup nuts, optional
Cream shortening and sugar until light.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth.  Add mashed bananas, flour, soda and nuts.  Bake in 2 greased and floured loaf pans at 350 degrees F for 60 minutes.  (I bake it for 30 to 40 minutes).  Can be doubled or add chocolate chips.

Strawberry Jam

The same sugar cookies with the jam a top them inspired me to make strawberry jam.  This recipe made 2 one pint jars.

2 lbs fress strawberries, hulled  (smashed equals around 4 cups)
4 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

In wide bowl, crush strawberries until you reach 4 cups (or there about) of mashed berries.  In heavy bottomed sauce pan, mix together strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.  Stir constantly over low heat until sugar is disolved.  Increase heat to high, and continue to stir; bring mixture to full rolling boil.  Boil until mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C).  Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/4 inch headspace and seal.  Process in water bath.

Blueberry Jam

I came across a recipe of sugar cookies with jam a top of them.  Those of you who know me I never cook simply so instead of going to the store and buying blueberry jam, I decided to make my own blueberry jam.  This recipe fills about 4 one pint jars.

6 c. smashed blueberries (8-10 cups unsmashed)
6 c. sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, grated
1 box (2 packets) liquid pectin

In large pot add smashed blueberries and sugar.  Bring to boil.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest and juice.  Continue to cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add pectin and bring to roilling boil for full 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and fill jars.  Wipe rim and apply lid.  Process in water bath.

Peanut Butter Fudge

My mom used to get a little peanut butter fudge when she went to craft shows.  She no longer goes to craft shows so I decided to find a peanut butter fudge recipe and make it for her.

1/2 cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar and milk.  Bring to boil and boil for two minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat.  Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.  Pour over powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth; pour into a 8x8 inch dish.  Chill until firm and cut into squares.

Chocolate Peanut Fudge

This fudge recipe is simple and only requires three or four ingredients.  I have no clue where I got this recipe from.

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pkg milk chocolate chips

3 large snicker candy bars cut into small chunks (I use 4)

nuts optional

Melt all ingredients together in sauce pan.  Be careful, it scorches easily.  When all melted, pour into 8x8 dish.  I would suggest buttering the dish because I have a hard time getting it out when the dish is not buttered.

Divine Brownies

I tried this recipe and brought it to work.  Even the ones who are not fond of chocolate really enjoyed these brownies.

9 1/2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I could only find a bar as big as 8 1/2 oz. so I used it instead of 9 1/2 oz.)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease or butter 9"x13" pan and line bottom with parchment paper. (I didn't do the parchment paper thing and they still turned out fine).  Melt butter and chocolate together over a double broiler or in microwave, making sure to use short increments of time between stirring.  Stir until completely smooth.  Beat eggs, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl until combined.  Beat in chocolate mixture.  Fold in flour until fully incorporated.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

I found this recipe in the Sweet Journey  A Recipe Calendar for 2010.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I use the recipe off the back of the Nestle Toll House bag of chocolate chip and typically double the recipe as one batch just isn't enough.  The posted recipe is for one batch only.

The recipe (not doubled) says it makes 60 cookies but that all depends on what size you make them.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 9 minutes
Cooling time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. package) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped nuts (I have never put these in as my family isn't a big fan of nuts)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe states: May be stored in refrigerator up to 1 week or in freezer up to 8 weeks.  I leave my cookies set on the counter in a covered container until they are gone.