I can't believe I'm posting a recipe that involves baking. It's been way too hot to bake in the last few weeks, but a few weeks ago I did heat up the house to make this banana bread again. I originally made it on Easter for both of our family gatherings, and at both it disappeared in a flash. JR was disappointed it went so quickly and has been requesting it ever since. He describes it as "the best banana bread ever" and "bangin' good".

• 1 cup flour
• 3⁄4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup oil
• 1⁄3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed

As I mentioned in my last post, this month was my turn to host What's Baking! I was so excited to be hosting at a time when Spring produce is at its finest! Our farmer's markets are starting to open around here and I'm always looking for ways to use the produce we find. At some point I hope to make everything submitted this month, and I hope something in this round-up inspires you to seek out Spring produce at your local farmer's market. There are so many great posts this month!

 

Finger foods Day 3. I had leftover buttermilk from Irish Soda Bread, so I knew I wanted to incorporate this into a dip for my vegetable platter. I was happy to come across this Buttermilk Pepper Dip on Simple Bites which I used for my base (by the way, isn't their presentation adorable!). I love using low-fat buttermilk in recipes, and the fact that along with light sour cream it helps cut back the calories and fat while boosting flavor!

 

• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp Penzey's Sunny Paris Seasoning

Before this year, I would use this recipe for Irish Soda Bread, however, every year I would get comments about the bread being a little dry. This year I opted to try a new recipe with great success. I must even admit that this adaptation from Emeril's Every Day is Party cookbook was much moister, tastier and simpler.

• 4 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup raisins 
• 2 cups buttermilk

 

• 2 medium zucchini
• sea salt
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 ears corn, kernels cut off 
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• Canola oil, for frying
• salt 

I'm so happy to be back participating in What's Baking!  This month's theme, Bake Local, was chosen by Lindsey from Our Share of the Harvest.  Lindsey's blog is dedicated to cooking local and a great resource when it comes to cooking from a CSA share.

It wasn't until this week that I nailed down a recipe and I'm glad I waited.  Zucchini season is now in full force, and every year I'm on the hunt for ways to use it.  Let's face it, zucchini is great, but it grows so rapidly that it tends to get overwhelming!  So began my hunt for a new way to use it.
 
The original of this recipe can be found on Baking Bites.  I think I did pretty good with the local ingredients, aside from the staple pantry baking ingredients.  In keeping with the local theme, I made several changes, subbing local honey for molasses, using local milk instead of buttermilk and adding corn.  I have to say that this experience was a real eye opener for me.  While I shop at farmer's markets, grow my own garden and look for local products at the grocery store, there are so many more opportunities for me to consider. 

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter* 
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup whole milk*
• 1 egg*
• 1 egg white*
• 2 Tbsp honey*
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter*, melted
• 1 corn cob*, kernels removed
• 1 cup grated zucchini*, squeeze off excess liquid

As much as I like to cook homemade, I have no problem using boxed items from time to time.  Suddenly Salad Ranch & Bacon is one of those boxed items that I tend to go to for cookouts, because it goes over well with my family, particularly those who are less adventurous and/or don't like vegetables.  I am one of those people who likes to prepare enough side dishes so that there is at least one for each guest to eat (but sometimes I secretly want to just make what I like!).

• 1 lb bowtie or other shaped pasta
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 lbs bacon, cooked crisp and divided
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise with olive oil
• 1 packet powdered ranch salad dressing mix
• black pepper to taste

It just so happened we had a late work night the day I planned to make this pasta salad I had seen in Cooking Light's June 2011 magazine for dinner.  Needless to say, I was starving by the time I left work and that usually means I'd order take-out to pick up on my way home.  While take-out was tempting, I knew this recipe was planned for dinner and I thought I could make it quicker than I could gnaw my arm off.

• 8 ounces uncooked medium shell pasta (I use whole grain)
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 lb small-medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used the small, sweet, pink Maine shrimp)
• 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise with olive oil
• 1/4 cup low fat buttermilk
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh chives
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

I remember a few years back having extra buttermilk and looking for recipes to use it up.  I was tired of throwing away perfectly good buttermilk.  It took me a while to figure out there are a number of uses for it: pancakes, waffles, fried chicken, biscuits (which I don't particularly care for), and I've even used it in my macaroni and cheese.  Buttermilk pie was one thing that always seemed strange and unappealing to me.  Pie is my favorite dessert, so I finally decided to give it a try, and boy was I surprised.  It was good, really good!

Recently I had extra buttermilk and began my search for even more uses.  I thought back to that first buttermilk pie I made, and began searching for other pie variations.  When I came across this recipe I was intrigued; a cross between buttermilk, custard and crumb top apple pies.  I immediately set out to make it!

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 green and 1 red apple, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup sugar (I used brown sugar)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp butter

• 1 pie crust (I used a frozen one)

I recently joined What's Baking, a group of women who bake once a month based on a theme chosen by one of the group members. February's theme is Baked with Love which was chosen by Dunne' of With a Cherry on Top. I know a lot of you are thinking this was a Valentine's theme, but I decided to go another direction with it.

You see, there is a special woman in my life who happens to have a birthday in February. I met her about 6.5 years ago, but I don't think I realized how much my heart grew for her until about 2 years ago. That was when I realized how important it was for me to have her stand up in our wedding, and today I am happy to call her my sister-in-law.

Unfortunately, last year the unthinkable happened. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, and it absolutely broke my heart. I never let her see it, but there were many times I cried and worried for her, her husband, her children and her grandchildren. While her diagnosis is that this is treatable, and beatable, it still broke my heart to know the amount of pain and life changes she would go through, and is going through. But she is tough, and boy has she proven it through the last 9 months. 

I've been craving chicken pot pie, seriously craving it.  I knew this was not going to be good for my weight loss efforts, so I began searching for something that would satisfy my craving without sending me off track. I found this recipe by Ellie Krieger.

• Cooking spray
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks (I used leftover rotisserie chicken)
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (I used 1 leek and 1/2 an onion)
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (I used frozen corn instead)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups lowfat milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup peas, thawed if frozen
• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (I used 3/4 tsp dried thyme)

• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk