Lovin' From the Oven

Day 7: Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Day 7 of my 12 days of cookies: Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies. Bananas are a great tool in baking. They hold desserts together, lock in moisture, add a touch of sweetness, and guarantee a soft and chewy texture.

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Last time I used bananas in a cookie, I was into making vegan desserts. I was using the banana to replace eggs in a chocolate chip cookie. Can you believe that post was five years ago?! I was taking pictures at night in my dark lit kitchen on a paper plate. Luckily, we’ve progressed a bit since then. I’ve added some real plates to my kitchen cabinets.

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This cookie is extremely soft. It’s also very sweet. With all the sugar, banana, and peanut butter, it’s bound to be. I would cut down on the sugar the next time I made these. Also, the more ripe the bananas are, the sweeter the cookie is going to be.

These cookies need quite a bit of time to set. Let them sit out for a while before doing anything with them, as they’re fragile when they’re warm.

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From How Sweet It is and makes about 18-20 cookies.

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Day 7: Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 6 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
  • 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Cream together the peanut butter, butter, and both sugars. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla.
  3. Mix in the mashed banana until combined. Don't worry if it's not smooth, it won't be!
  4. Slowly stir in the flour, salt and baking soda. Fold in chocolate chips.
  5. Roll the dough into balls and drop onto baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the middles are puffy – do not overbake!
  7. Cool completely before storing or moving.
https://lovintheoven.com/day-7-peanut-butter-banana-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal

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You know what the worst activity in the world has got to be? Clubbing. I went for my first time this past weekend in Vegas at Tryst and was completely miserable.

First, there’s getting into the club. We were lucky for our group of twenty or so to get in without a cover charge, especially since there were more boys than girls. Who wants to pay $20-$40 bucks just to wait in a Disneyland-sized line?

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Then, once you’re in, you get packed together like a can of sardines on the dance floor and you’re stuck trying to wiggle out an arm to dance. How is that appealing to anyone?

Not only that, but you have to shout at the top of your lungs just so the person standing five inches from you can sort of make out what you’re trying to say.

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So after you find your spot and get as comfortable as you’re going to be for the night, a six foot girl in five inch stilettos comes by and stomps on your poor little feet without even realizing it. As if you weren’t cozy enough already in your own heels.

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Looking around the club, I’m curious as to where these people came from. I’ve never seen so many creepers in my life. There’s the 55 year old man walking around completely sober scoping out the 20 year old girls that can barely walk a straight a line, let alone walk. Then there’s the man who’s rubbing up against every girl in a skintight dress. Again, do people like this?

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Then there’s drunk people. Don’t even get me started on that. Sometimes, drunk people when you’re sober can be funny. Most of the time, it’s just annoying. That’s probably my fault for putting myself in that environment, though, since I’ve never been drunk (or even buzzed) in my life.

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Bottom line? That was my first and last clubbing experience. Sorry, Vegas. I’ll gladly stick to your shopping, food, and “Deal or No Deal” slot machines.

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Have you ever had baked oatmeal before? If you haven’t, you’re truly missing out. It’s so easy to whip up, can be refrigerated for a couple of days, and warmed up to eat whenever you want. It tastes just as good as when it came out of the oven. This recipe slightly adapted from Annie Eats is also very easy to change. Mix up the fruits or kind of nuts and you’ve got yourself a different dish that tastes just as great!

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Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • ¼ cup chopped slivered almonds
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen), divided

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375˚ F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. Combine the rolled oats, half of the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
  3. In a liquid measuring cup, mix together the maple syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.
  4. Lay out the bananas in a single layer on the bottom of a baking dish. Evenly spread out half of the berries on top of the bananas. Place the dry oat mixture over the fruit and then pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats. Top with remaining nuts and berries.
  5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until just brown and set. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
https://lovintheoven.com/blueberry-banana-baked-oatmeal/

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Oh, and to announce the winner for my latest giveaway,
Congrats Jamie! I will be sending out an email very soon so keep an eye on your inbox!

Banana Streusel Coffee Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

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For work, we have random drug testings every now and then. You never know until you finish a trip and step off of the plane, where there’s someone waiting for you with a clipboard. It’s kind of like jury duty. You never know when the summons is coming and it might even take a couple of years, but you know it’s eventually coming. One day, you’ll just see it in the mail when you least expect it.

The funny thing about today is that my coworker and I were just talking about random drug tests while waiting for the passengers to deplane. Neither of us had had one yet, and since our flight got in so early, we mentioned how much it would stink if we had to stay behind and get drug tested instead of being able to go home right away. Literally five seconds later, our phone on the plane rang saying that there was a clipboard waiting for one of us. What are the chances?

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I found out that I was the one the clipboard was waiting for. The pilot told me that I better drink a lot of water for the drug test since they’ll be needing a urine sample. I’m really bad at drinking water and even suffered from dehydration once– maybe it’s because I have the bladder the size of a peanut. I hate drinking water because it makes me go to the bathroom every fifteen minutes. That’s not even an exaggeration.

I chugged two water bottles and went off to get drug tested. I had to wait twenty minutes before they took me in, and by that time, my little bladder was about ready to burst (Sorry if it’s TMI). The nurse asks me if I’ve done this test before and I answer, “Yes, I had to do it prior to starting my job,” as she pulls out a black box filled with a portable electronic machine.

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She goes on briefly mentioning how I’ll have to blow into the mouthpiece for five seconds as I stand there utterly confused. Wait, I’ve never done this test before. What am I doing? I quickly tell the nurse that I misunderstood and thought that I was doing a urine test. I also let her know that in order to prepare for the test, I downed two bottles of water. Turns out I drank all that water to do a breathalyzer test… meaning I drank all that water for nothing.

We laugh it off, she does the breathalyzer test, and then quickly shows me the way to the restroom. Luckily, the nurse was such a sweetheart so I wasn’t too embarrassed. Oh well, that’s my life.

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Are you tired of using those brown bananas for plain ol’ banana bread? Spruce it up with a salted caramel glaze! This cake is to die for. The caramel takes some time and patience, but I promise that it’s worth it. The streusel topping just puts it over the top. Use your leftover bananas to make this. Heck, buy new bananas just to make this. Recipe from Portuguese Girl Cooks.

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Banana Streusel Coffee Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

Ingredients

    For the cake
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4-5)
  • 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
    • Streusel Topping
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 2oz) softened unsalted butter, cut up into small cubes
    • Salted Caramel
    Makes about 1 1/4 cups
  • 1 cup (225g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, preferably fleur-de-sel
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

    Streusel Topping
  1. Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the softened butter until crumbs form.
    2. Cake
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
  3. Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, yogurt, and mashed bananas.
  4. Slowly add in both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until just combined.
  5. Pour the cake batter evenly in the prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle the streusel topping on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  6. While the cake is baking in the oven, make the salted caramel (directions below).
  7. Once the cake is done baking, poke holes in it with a fork. Drizzle the salted caramel on top, using as much as you'd like.
    8. Salted Caramel
  8. Using a medium saucepan, spread the sugar in an even layer over the bottom and heat over medium low heat.
  9. Once the sugar begins to bubble and liquify, use a heatproof spatula and continue to stir until it is completely melted. When the mixture turns into a deep amber color, remove the pot from heat.
  10. Slowly pour in half of the heavy cream while continually whisking (the mixture will bubble vigorously and extremely hot, so be careful!). Once that is evenly mixed, stir in the remaining cream. Whisk in the vanilla extract and the salt.
  11. If the sauce hardens, just give the mixture a stir over low heat.
  12. The caramel can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator if needed. It can also be reheated in the microwave or over the stovetop.
https://lovintheoven.com/banana-streusel-coffee-cake-with-salted-caramel-glaze/

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