Banana Oatmeal Bread

The sun is starting to shine a little more and more each day, trees are budding, and bulbs are spouting. Hooray! Spring is here. I cannot wait for warm weather and sunny afternoons with my boys, even if it means breaking out the shorts.... or dare I say bathing suits.  Which brings me to this recipe. I have already posted my most very favorite banana bread. It's the one Momma Daisy has always made and probably one of the most perfect comfort foods I can think of! So why post another? For several reasons. First, my kiddos have this weird allergy to the dairy protein as infants {they magically outgrow it around the age of 2}, and with our little Baby A on the way, I am on the quest to add some dairy free recipes to my collection. I also like to have a stash of healthier recipes (which you'd never know from the length of sweet things in my recipe box) to treat my family to. I stumbled across this recipe and was intrigued... bananas, oatmeal, and without dairy. However, I wanted to beef things up with some whole wheat flour, and didn't want to mess around with throwing any part of the eggs out, so I adapted the recipe to suit my needs. This isn't a super sweet bread, not that I minded, but most of all, my kids didn't seem to notice as they gobbled it down. I think it would be fabulous spread with Nutella, or dotted with chocolate chips, particularly because it's not overly sweet as is, but we enjoyed sliced warm and plain jane. Maybe next time. Supposedly, this bread freezes well when sliced and wrapped tightly into individual pieces. I haven't tried it yet, but intend make a loaf for my son's school lunches and will let you know how it works out.
Banana Oatmeal Bread
*Adapted from Joy of the Baker

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats
2 medium eggs
3 large ripened bananas
3 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a loaf pan, set aside. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients including oats and cinnamon.

In mixing bowl, beat eggs well. Add bananas one at a time and beat until smooth and mixed well. Add oil and vanilla and beat until mixed well. Add dry ingredients, in three additions, mixing until well incorporated.

Pour batter into pan and bake until loaf is firm to touch, 45-50 minutes. Remover from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out and cool on wire rack. Slice and enjoy.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Cinnamon Bun Chex Mix

Nuts or not? That seems to be the question around here lately. I like them, but the hubby and kids DO NOT (at least baked in treats), so I end up leaving them out most of the time. However, I did make this treat both with and without (even though it is pictured without) and I really love the flavors that the nuts bring to this yummy snack mix. Its flavors are reminiscent of our favorite sweet rolls and everyone seems to love it. I would love to hear what you think!

Cinnamon Bun Chex Mix

*Recipe by Crazy Daisy

3 cups brown sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 pound butter

1 cup white corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup white chocolate chips

2 (14 oz.) boxes of  corn Chex cereal 

2 (6 oz) bags pecan halves (@ 3 cups), optional

2 brown paper bags from your grocer’s checker

First, open paper bags and place one inside of the other. Pour Chex cereal and pecans into bags. Set aside. Cover table or counter top with wax paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. In a large kettle, combine and stir cinnamon and brown sugar until well mixed. Add butter and corn syrup and bring to a boil on the stove, stirring frequently as not to burn. When everything is all melted and incorporated, take off heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir until foamy. Pour over the double bagged Chex. Roll down top and shake well. Microwave for 2 minutes and shake well. Microwave for 2 more minutes and shake again. Make sure to turn the bag on all sides each time you shake to spread the caramel. Open bag and check to make sure the caramel is spread evenly throughout the Chex. If not, shake again. However, you should be able to dump the Chex onto the sprayed wax paper. Spread the mix as thin as possible. Pour white chocolate chips into zip-loc bag. Place in microwave for 20 seconds and use fingers to mix. Repeat until white chocolate is melted. Cut a small corner off of the bag and drizzle white chocolate over cereal mix. Let stand until chocolate sets. Serve immediately, or package in your favorite containers to share as gifts.

If you give it a try, let me know what you think. And nuts or not~ what is your preference?

I'm sharing this yumminess at these parties!

PS - If you like Chex cereal mixes, you might like this Caramel version or this Chewy Coconut Almond version.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Popcorn Cake (Trick-or-Treat Cake)

My junior high years are laced with memories of this cake. We made it all the time - not only did we use it as after school snacks, we used it for Christmas and even birthday gifts!!! It's sort of like a popcorn ball gone WILD - the giant, chewy version bold enough to sneak in some M&M's and peanuts.   SUPER YUM! I made this one with the M&M's left over from my little brother's wedding, it is also missing the peanuts because sadly, my kiddos are weird about nuts in their desserts. I have even used Peanut M&M's before and skipped the peanuts - a two-fer if you like (a little cheaper than buying both the peanuts and the M's, but you still get both fabulous tastes)! And suppose, if you really love nuts, you could go crazy adding both Peanut M&M's and peanuts. Why not use almonds... Ok, I think you get the picture. 

I hope you all had a very happy Halloween! With the exception of a sick three year old, before candy sick, we sure did. And while I was looking at those huge buckets of candy, it hit me - why not use some of it in a popcorn cake? You could totally substitute any assortment you want for the M's! Reeses Pieces, candy corn, Milk Duds, maybe even mini Twix chopped into two pieces, I bet you could even chop Twizzlers into bite-size pieces. The possibilities are endless! And what a totally fun way to get rid of,  use some of that mountain of candy we all have piled around just tempting us! I think I will call it Trick-or-Treat Cake! 

Popcorn Cake (Trick-or-Treat Cake)

*Recipe by Crazy Daisy

3 qts. popped popcorn

1 (16 oz.) bag mini marshmallows

1/4 cup oil

1 stick butter

1 cup salted dry roasted peanuts

1 (16 oz.) bag M&M's.

Grease bundt pan (angel food cake pan or 9x13 works, too) using butter or cooking spray.

Pop corn. Remove kernels. Pour it into a large bowl.

Melt marshmallows, oil, and margarine. Gently stir in popcorn. Add peanuts and M&M's and stir gently. Press into prepared pan. After cool, turn on to plate to cut and serve.

If you decide to make Trick-or-Treat Cake, use about a total of three cups of your added candies and nuts. Let me know how it turns out! 

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Coconut Almond Chex Mix (Goblin Grub)

This isn't an original recipe, in fact, it's been around forever and you may already have this recipe in your stash. But, I had to share it with you just in case you haven't ever had the chance to try it before - its simply that good. It has a zillion names, Chewy Chex Mix, Coconut Almond Chex Mix, and many more. My favorite, especially at this time of year is Goblin Grub - fitting for Halloween, don't you think? My little ghouls gobble it right up, and I am sure yours will to. And just to make things better, it's just as easy to make as it is tasty!

Coconut Almond Chex Mix (Goblin Grub)

6 1/2 cups Rice Chex

4 1/2 cups Golden Grahams cereal

1 cup sliced almonds

2 cups coconut

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter - not margarine

1 cup sugar

1 cup light Karo syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

Spread wax paper over counter tops or on table top. Spray with cooking spray.

Find a very large bowl and combine cereals, almonds, and coconut. Set aside.

In a soup sized kettle (seriously, you want a HUGE pot, or you will end up with sticky goo all over your stove top), combine butter, Karo Syrup, and sugar. Bring to a boil and then reduce and cook for about three minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal mixture and stir well until everything is well coated. Make sure to do this while the syrup mixture is still hot.

Spread onto wax paper and stir every 10-15 minutes until dry. Keep in an air tight container. I find a large baggies works well. Serve from a from a bowl or wrap into treat bags as gifts or pre-portioned servings.

Yummy! Enjoy!

PS - If you like this recipe, you might want to check out my Caramel Chex recipe. I am telling you, it's to die for!

I am sharing this recipe with the

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Pink Cinnamon Applesauce

`

It's harvest time - and apples are at their peak. To celebrate the season, I thought I might share one of my favorite recipes. Just like Grandma makes.... applesauce that's good enough to eat for dessert. It's flavored with Red Hot cinnamon candy - just a few! It's amazing what a few little red candies can do! So yummy!

Pink Cinnamon Applesauce
* Recipe by Crazy Daisy
8-10 medium apples
1 cup water
*1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup Red Hot cinnamon candy

*Note - Due the fact that apple size and number may vary, I always add half of the sugar (1/4 cup) first and go from there. Sometimes, half is plenty and sometimes I need the full amount. Same goes for the Red Hots - if you like more cinnamon taste - add more. 

Wash, peel, and slice apples. I slice them pretty thin so that they cook and mash a little easier. Place them in a  5 qt. saucepan, add water and cook over medium-low heat covered for 20 minutes or until tender. Mash apples with a  potato masher. Add sugar and candies. Cook, uncovered, until sugar and candies are dissolved. Stir occasionally. If applesauce hasn't reached desired consistency, simmer over low heat, mashing and stirring occasionally, until sauce is finished. Store in refrigerator.

If you like the idea of this applesauce, but would rather not make it homemade or just don't have time, simply buy a large jar of applesauce, pour it into your saucepan, stir in your candy, and heat until dissolved. Remember, a little of these candies go a very long ways, so start small and add as needed. I won't tell that you cheated if you don't.

And, what's more, it makes a really fun gift. Kind of a different twist on the classic teacher's apple, or homemade Christmas gift. I pour it into a mason jar tied with a ribbon...

What a fabulous gift! Just make sure to tell your friends to keep it refrigerated as it hasn't been properly canned for storing in the pantry.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Ultimate Rice Krispie Treats

Seriously, Rice Krispie Treats, you ask?!?! YES! Rice Krispie Treats, but these aren't your average krispie treats! These are super thick, soft, and chewy - really the super hero of treats! Truly delish and just how Momma Daisy makes them! Perfection and just in time for those lunch boxes we will all be packing or for sharing with a glass of milk around the table after school! 

Ultimate Rice Krispie Treats

*Recipe by Momma Daisy

4 1/2 Tablespoons butter

1 (16 oz) bag of  regular marshmallows

6 cups of  Rice Krispies

Grease 8x8 square pan with cooking spray or butter.

Melt butter and marshmallows together.

Stir in Rice Krispies. Keep stirring until all those Krispies are evenly coated!!!

Pour into prepared pan. Spray spatula or fingers with cooking spray and press mixture until evenly spread. Cool and cut into squares. Enjoy!

Sharing this recipe with
 

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Chocolate Toffee Crunch Popcorn

Gourmet popcorn is one of my favorite treats! Except for the gourmet price, I can't think of anything I don't like about  it. Problem solved - make your own! What a perfect treat for this August heat- NO BAKING required! With a few ingredients and a microwave you are set!

Chocolate Toffee Crunch Popcorn

*Recipe by Crazy Daisy

20 cups popcorn (or two bags microwave popcorn)

1 (8 oz.) bag Heath Bits

1 (12 oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips (or 2 cups)

1 (11 oz.) bag butterscotch chips, divided

1 tablespoon Canola Oil or shortening 

Spread waxed paper onto over two cookies sheets. Spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Pop corn. You will want to make sure to take out all  of the unpopped kernels. Pour into a very large bowl and add Heath Bits.

In microwave-safe bowl, melt semisweet chocolate chips with one cup of butterscotch chips for 2-2 1/2 minutes stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.

Pour over popcorn mixture and gently stir until combined. Spread onto prepared cookie sheets.

Place remaining butterscotch chips in a zip-lob bag. Place in microwave for 1 minute.  Every thirty seconds, take bag out and use fingers to knead to mix. When smooth, clip a tiny piece of the corner off of the bag and drizzle over popcorn (to quicken this process, place in fridge or freezer). Let dry and break into pieces. Wouldn't this be fun wrapped in treat bags for gifts? Enjoy!

PS - Tuesday Tastes is back! Click here for this week's party!

Sharing this recipe with

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Blueberry Muffins

If you have spent much time around here, you know that there are tons of recipes that I love! You also know that I am always on the hunt for that perfect recipe; the one that stops my search and I will make forever more. I do believe that I have found that recipe for blueberry muffins! These are soooo good! I usually have pretty good self-control, and I am almost ashamed to admit it - but I have already eaten THREE of these scrumptious muffins! That's not counting the pieces I snuck off of my kids' blueberry cupcakes (that's what the three-year old calls them!) Moist, sweet -but not too sweet, blueberry heaven! They are wonderful and perfect for a Mother's Day brunch! I don't know what it is about brunch on Mother's Day, but it is my very favorite way to celebrate (it probably has nothing to do with homemade berry syrup, muffins, quiche (I LOVE QUICHE), sticky buns, fresh fruit... ok, I better stop there). I think you get it, I heart these muffins and I hope you do to!

Blueberry Muffins
*From Fine Cooking SweetCakes


Vegetable oil or cooking spray for the pan
3 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
10 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, OPTIONAL
1 1/2 cups freshed (washed and dried) or frozen blueberries (don't thaw)


*Note - I was hurrying to make these and forgot I was out of milk. I used water instead, and they were delish! I also left out the lemon zest because I wanted a more classic taste, but add it if you prefer. I also just used softened butter instead of melted and cooled butter. And one last thing - I misread the egg yolk and used an egg white instead - this recipe must be pretty forgiving because there isn't much I stuck with and they were so yummy. Now you get to decide how you want to make them.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease the top of the muffin pan (this keeps tops from sticking) and line with paper cups.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk sugar, butter, milk, sour cream, eggs, egg yolk, and optional zest until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until ingredients are mostly moistened. The batter will be lumpy with quite a few streaks of dry flour. Sprinkle blueberries on the batter and fold in until everything is just combined. There will still be lumps. Don't wait to mix berries in our the batter will become over-mixed.

Fill the paper cups so that the batter is evenly spread and mounds a little over the top of cups. (I ended up with 16 muffins. You could easily stretch the batter if you use less batter per cup.

Bake until golden brown and muffins spring back lightly when pressed in the middle, 30-35 minutes. Let  muffins cool on a rack for 15-20 minutes. Use a table knife to separate the tops (they will probably meld together) and pop out the muffins.

After eating all those muffins today, I have a date with Jillian.

Happy Mother's Day!

Caramel Chex

This is one of those recipes that everyone asks for. It never fails, Birthdays, Superbowl Parties, even fishing with my husband, no matter where I take Caramel Chex, people rave about it! Besides its extreme yumminess, there are several reasons I love this recipe. First, it doesn’t require too many ingredients, and most of them I usually have on hand – as long as I remember the two brown paper bags from the grocer’s checkout. With this in mind, I always ask the checker for four bags, that way I always have two secretly tucked away just incase. Second, you end up with a ginormous (gigantic plus enormous) mountain of Caramel Chex, which is a good thing because it never ever lasts long. And , it is so easy to wrap up and give as gifts (which everyone seems to love). In fact, some of my husband's colleagues put in special birthday treat  requests. Trust me, you will want to try these!

First, open paper bags and place one inside of the other. Pour both boxes of Chex into the bags. Set aside.

Cover table or counter top with wax paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bring the first three ingredients to a boil on the stove in a large kettle, stir frequently as not to burn.

When everything is all melted and incorporated, take off of heat and add vanilla and baking soda.

Stir until foamy.

Pour over the double bagged Chex. Roll down top and shake well. Microwave for 2 minutes and shake well. Microwave for 2 more minutes and shake again. Make sure to turn the bag on all sides each time you shake to spread the caramel. Open bag and check to make sure the caramel is spread evenly throughout the Chex. If not, shake it up again.

However, you should be able to dump the Chex onto the sprayed wax paper.

Doesn't that look good? Gently spread the Chex around a little. Give the mix a stir every once in a while as it cools, so that it doesn’t dry in one huge clump.

This is usually the time that the nibbling begins. I always have little, and even big fingers sneaking tastes and hear lots of “uhmmmms” and once in a while “this is the bestest snack ever, huh,” from my little ones.  Not to worry, even with the nibbling, there's plenty!

I always have enough for either 2 big bowls, 2 gallon-sized bags, or one of each!

And don't forget, it makes great gifts!

Caramel Chex

1 pound butter
3 cups brown sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
2 (14 oz.) boxes of corn Chex cereal
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 brown paper bags from your grocer’s checker

First, open paper bags and place one inside of the other. Pour Chex cereal into bags and set aside. Cover table or counter top with wax paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bring the first three ingredients to a boil on the stove in a large kettle, stir frequently as not to burn. When everything is all melted and incorporated, take off of heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir until foamy. Pour over the double bagged Chex. Roll down top and shake well. Microwave for 2 minutes and shake well. Microwave for 2 more minutes and shake again. Make sure to turn the bag on all sides each time you shake to spread the caramel. Open bag and check to make sure the caramel is spread evenly throughout the Chex. If not, shake it up again. However, you should be able to dump the Chex onto the sprayed wax paper. Gently spread the Chex a little. Give it a stir every once in a while as it cools, so that it doesn’t dry in one huge clump.

Now to give credit where credit is due. My mom has this friend, Wanda, and even though she doesn't cook a lot, she seems to have a knack for fun entertaining recipes. Kudos to Wanda for this one!

Don't forget to check out the Tuesday Tastes Party at Crazy Daisy. Click here...

Link'n up to...