Banana Pineapple Bread

I compulsively buy bananas every Sunday. Especially when they look so sunny and yellow. I just can't resist them.

But they're not as appealing to me at home. So they sit on our blue kitchen counter until they get brown

and then browner

and browner.

Until I'm worried that they're rotting and my family is disgusted.

And then I throw them out.

(Lots of people do this, right?)

So I'm trying to find more creative things to do with brown bananas. This banana pineapple bread is definitely a winner.

Banana Pineapple Bread (2 loaves or 6 mini loaves, 70 min)

3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 c oil
2 tsp vanilla
4 medium bananas, mashed
1 c crushed pineapple, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Add oil, vanilla, banana, and pineapple. Mix.
3. Add flour mixture to large bowl. Stir until combined. Do not overmix; batter should be lumpy.
4. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake regular loaves for 60 min, mini loaves for about 40 or until toothpick comes out clean.

Notes:

*Brown bananas work best since they are sweeter than yellow ones

*This bread can be frozen

VERDICT:

Yes, I know you can't buy banana pineapple bread in the store. I'll just compare it to banana bread.

Cost:

Storemade: $3.29 (1 loaf from the grocery bakery...or $3.99 for a sliced loaf)

Storemade: $2.00 (1 loaf from a box/bag mix)

Homemade: $1.10 (1 loaf)

Overall:

Homemade banana bread ALWAYS wins with me for both taste and cost. This banana pineapple bread is a tasty way to add variety. The pineapple adds a fun, distinct sweetness to the bread. I think it would taste even better with walnuts or some coconut sprinkled on top. (Unfortunately, Anna won't touch it if I put nuts in it) I will definitely make this again. Anna kept asking to have it as her dessert!

My inspiration

Buffalo Chicken Fingers

Chicken fingers, strips, tenders, nuggets.

I'm sure I'm missing another name for cut-up chicken.

It doesn't matter what you call it. Put some breading on it, and my husband is happy.

These are his favorite homemade chicken fingers.

Or chicken strips?

Either way, they help dull his weekly (daily?) urge for fast food.

Buffalo Chicken Fingers (4 servings, 30 min)

Nonstick cooking spray

3/4 c crushed corn flakes

3/4 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 eggs

2-3 TB cayenne pepper sauce (aka hot sauce)

1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breast tenderloins (about 3 breasts' worth)

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine crushed corn flakes, seasoned salt, and pepper in bowl or large bag. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs and hot sauce.
3. Dip chicken in egg mixture; coat with corn flake mixture. Place chicken on baking sheet. Spray chicken with nonstick spray. Bake 20 min or until golden and cooked through.

Notes:

*To save money, I don't buy the tenderloins. I cut up regular boneless chicken breast.

*Can be served with chunky blue cheese salad dressing for dipping

*Adjust hot sauce to your tastes

VERDICT:

Cost: (for 4 servings)

Fast Food: $12.00

Storemade: $5.99

Homemade: $3.49

Overall:

Homemade wins. These are a regular at our house. They were the first meat that Anna ever willingly ate! They are crispy, yet the chicken stays tender. The hot sauce and seasoned salt adds a kick which trumps other homemade chicken strips.

We used to go through at least a storemade bag of chicken a week, which put a serious dent in the grocery budget. These are a much better bargain. Plus, I like knowing that I'm eating actual chicken breast rather than ribmeat and other strangely textured bites that pop up in bags of chicken.

My inspiration: adapted from Kraft Foods magazine recipe

Rhubarb Bread

(I know they don't sell rhubarb bread in stores. I just enjoy this recipe so much that I have to share it.)

I want to grow rhubarb in our yard.

Andy says we need to grow grass first.

Thankfully, my mom has an over-abundance of it. She gave me a bagful - and her rhubarb bread recipe.

She always made the best rhubarb bread. I hated rhubarb until I tried it in her bread.

P.S. Did you know rhubarb is a vegetable??? I always thought it was a fruit.

Rhubarb Bread (2 large loaves, 80 min total)

Batter:

1 1/2 c diced rhubarb

1 c sugar

1 c brown sugar

2/3 c oil

1 c sour milk (1 c milk + 1 TB vinegar)

1 egg

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 TB butter

1. Preheat oven to 325. Sprinkle 1 c sugar over rhubarb and set aside while making the rest of the batter.

2. In large bowl, mix brown sugar, oil, sour milk, and egg. Add flour, salt, soda, and vanilla. Mix well. Fold in sugared rhubarb.

3. Pour batter into two 9x5 greased and floured bread pans.

4. Cut butter into sugar and cinnamon for topping. Sprinkle on top of batter. Bake for 55-60 min.

Notes:

*Optional to add 1/2 c walnuts

*If using mini loaf pans, bake for 50-55 min.

VERDICT:

Cost: Homemade cost me $1.08 to make two loaves. Most storemade quick bread mixes cost about $1, but only make 1 loaf.

Overall:

This bread is delicious. It is an incredibly moist bread with a crunchy topping. It has the perfect balance of sharp rhubarb and sweet sugar. I think I'll be making this bread every year now... I just need to grow some rhubarb of my own!

My inspiration: An old recipe card of my Mom's, listing Sandra Geilfuss as the creator

This recipe is linked to more rhubarb recipes at Tammy's Recipes In-Season Recipe Swap

Tortilla Chips

Someone should start a blog: 365 Tasty Things to do with Ground Beef. I would be a huge fan.

Because ground beef is cheap, and tacos get boring every single week (I should know, I made them every week for months.)

Variety is good.

So are these homemade tortilla chips. They're are a great alternative to taco shells and complement salsa, too.

Homemade Tortilla Chips (Varies, 15 min)

Flour tortillas

Oil cooking spray

Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400. Lay out tortillas on cutting board. Spray each one with cooking spray. Sprinkle tortillas very lightly with salt.

2. Turn tortillas over. Spray again with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.

3. Place tortillas in a stack. With a pizza cutter, cut stack into four wedges or quarters.

4. Lay quarters on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 6-8 min or until crisp.

Notes:

*Easy on the salt! You can also use seasoned saltor Mexican seasoning.

*Tortillas can also be cut in eights for smaller chips.

*Chips can be cooled and stored in airtight container or plastic bag.

*Use as many tortillas as necessary. I generally use 2 tortillas for each person.

VERDICT:

Overall:

Homemade wins. They are much healthier since they are baked instead of fried and have less salt and oil. That does make them less addictive, though.

Homemade tortilla chips are cheaper than a bag of chips or storemade taco bowls. They work great for taco salad or tacos, although they are a bit messy. They are simple to make. My 2 year old loves helping!

My inspiration: American Heart Association Kids' Cookbook

Rice Krispie Treats

Crispy or sticky?

I like them sticky, Andy likes them crispy.

At least you have that choice when you make them.

When you buy them, you're stuck with the same thing every time. And no matter how hard I try, I cannot like store-made Rice Krispie Treats. They have a strangely chemical taste.

It can't be replicated at home.

The homemade ones are better anyways.

It's a classic: Rice Krispies, Marshmallows, and Butter.

Rice Krispie Treats (12 bars, 10 min)

6 c Rice Krispies (or any crisped rice cereal)

10 oz (4 c) mini marshmallows

3 TB butter or margarine

1. Put butter and marshmallows in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave 1 more minute.

2. Add Rice Krispies. Stir until evenly coated.

3. Press into 9x13 pan.

Notes:

*This makes more sticky treats. To make them crispier, increase the amount of cereal.

*To help pat them into the pan, coat hands with butter and press by hand.

VERDICT:

Cost: Storemade: .50 - $1.00 for one bar, Homemade: $1.59 for a 9x13 pan (equivalent to 10-12 storemade bars)

Overall:

Homemade definitely wins. They are simple to make, and there are none of the chemical-tasting preservatives. You can change them to fit your tastes. And the best part is you can add leftover Christmas sprinkles!

My inspiration: The Rice Krispies box

Wendy's Frosty

Aren't 99 cent menus great?

They make me feel all excited like I'm getting a bargain.

Except Wendy's 99 cent Frosties. They are pathetically small.

So I was intrigued when I came across a recipe to make them at home.

The ingredients are REALLY intriguing! No ice cream!

Frosty (Chocolate Milkshake) (4 10 oz servings, 5 min)

1 1/2 c cold water
1 1/2 c dry milk powder (the powder, not reconstitutued)
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
2 TB oil
A 5-second squirt of cooking spray
1 to 1 1/2 trays of ice cubes

1. Put all ingredients into blender, including the 5 second squirt of cooking spray.
2. Blend for 2 full minutes. Pour and enjoy!

** 5/22 Update: If you have extra, freeze it in popsicle makers. It makes great fudgsicles!


VERDICT:
Cost: 99 cents for a tiny one (6 oz?) at Wendys, 25 cents for a 10 oz homemade one

Overall:
Homemade wins. They are cheap and easy to make with basic ingredients. They have a surprisingly rich chocolate taste. Plus, there are none of the inherent problems with milkshakes: the consistency battle and the icy chunks. This homemade Frosty doesn't have the exact smooth texture of a Wendy's Frosty, but it is definitely simple and delicious.

My inspiration: this site also gives variations and tips

Vacuum Sealer

I came so close to getting one of these.

It was on sale at Kmart, and I had a coupon.

I was psyched.

I went to Kmart.

I forgot it.

Now every time I discover freezer burn on a bag of mystery meat or vegetables, I think, "Man, if only I had remembered to get the vacuum sealer at Kmart."

My life is pretty rough, eh?

Now I have my own vacuum sealer.

It's called a straw.

And it works wonders.

But be careful not to suck up raw meat.

Items Needed:

Straw

Ziploc bag

Food

1. Put food in bag.

2. Zip bag shut except for small opening.

3. Put straw in opening. Suck out air.

4. Remove straw and finish zipping bag.

VERDICT:

Cost: Ziploc Vacuum: $6-10, Straw: Free from McDonald's!

Overall:

The straw does the job. It definitely isn't perfect, but it's plenty good enough for short-term freezing (a month or so). It's a huge improvement over my frosty bags of shredded chicken waiting to be tossed into a pot pie (or thrown away). No need to spend money on the Ziploc Vacuum and its special bags, unless you're freezing for months in advance.

But I did get light-headed after sucking air out of 8 bags of strawberries.

This post is linked to Tammys Recipes