Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

 Streusel

3/4 c. chocolate chips of choice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

1 tsp cinnamon

Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

3 ripe bananas

3 tbsp buttermilk or milk (or alt. milk)

Preheat oven to 350'. Butter a 9 inch round or 8 inch square baking pan.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together the streusel ingredients and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, or in an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until well combined. Beat in egg until the mixture is fluffy. Stir in mashed bananas and milk. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until blended.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Top evenly with half of the streusel. Cover with the other half of the batter, spreading evenly, and top with the remaining streusel.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Let cool and enjoy.

Jelly Donut Muffins

2 cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (or non dairy milk)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup jelly of choice


Topping 
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400'F. Grease a 12 muffin tin.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in superfine sugar.
Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix in milk, butter and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.
Spoon half the batter into each muffin pan. Add a teaspoon of jelly, then top with remaining batter. Bake for 20 mins until well risen, golden brown, and firm. 

While muffins are baking (or cooling), melt butter for topping and pour into shallow dish. Place sugar in a separate shallow dish. After muffins are ready and have cooled about 5 mins, remove from muffin pan, dip the tops of the muffins in the butter and roll in sugar. Serve warm or transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Mini Pumpkin-Bourbon Cheesecakes

For the crust
1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbs finely ground pecans
2 Tbs sugar
pinch of salt
2 Tbs melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350' F and prepare greased muffin liners. Mix together the first four ingredients. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until evenly moist. Press about two tablespoons of the mixture into the bottoms of each muffin cup. Bake for about 5-8 minutes or until slightly browned. Allow to cool completely.

For the filling
8 oz cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 Tbs Bourbon
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice

Using an electric mixer combine the cream cheese, sugar and brown sugar and mix until completely blended. Add the pumpkin and eggs one at a time until combined. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the cups evenly and bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. (The cheesecakes should still be a little jiggly in the centers). Allow them to cool and then carefully remove each cake from the pan.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter, softened or melted

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 TBS. water

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

2 TBS sugar (optional)

Preheat over to 350'F. Sift together flour, spices and salt. Set aside.

In a seperate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

Beat in egg, then stir in molasses and water. Gradually stir in the flour mixture.

Shape dough into walnut sized balls and roll in the 2 TBS of sugar.

Place cookies several inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets and flatten.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Raspberry Scones (Vegan)

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 TBS. baking powder

1/3 cup veg oil

1/3 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup hot water

1 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350'F. Line baking tray with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix oil, syrup, and vanilla. Mix into flour mixture.

Add hot water until everything is incorporated. Add raspberries.

Pour 1/3 cup of dough at a time on parchment sheet for each scone.

Lightly brush the tops with oil and syrup.

Bake for 14 minutes, rotating 180' after 7 mins.

When scones are ready, take tray out and cool.

Before eating, slice (optional), brush with syrup, and bake for another 10 mins at 400'F.

Vegan Summer Peach Pie

Crust:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup canola oil

5 tablespoons cold non dairy milk or water

Filling:

2-3 large peaches

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 TBS. flour

1 tsp vanilla 

Mix flour and salt, add oil. Add milk or water by tablespoon until dough is formed. Create two balls, wrap in plastic and flatten to a 6 inch disc. Refrigerate 15 mins.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and flour. Slice and pit peaches, place in bowl and mix in sugar mixture. Add vanilla. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350'F.

When the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface to create a 10 inch circle. Press into 9 inch pie baking dish and trim off any excess pieces. If the pie dish does not already have holes at the bottom, poke holes with a fork all over bottom. 

Pour peaches into baking dish and set aside. 

Roll out second ball on floured surface. This will create the pie top. You can choose to make it in a variety of ways. I prefer a lattice top. For detailed instructions on making a lattice top, check out: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_a_lattice_top_for_a_pie_crust/

When the top is complete, brush it with maple syrup and bake about 30-35 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

Cool and enjoy. 

Italian plum tart

Crust:

1 1/4 cups unbleached flour

2 TBS. sugar

1 tsp. salt

7 TBS. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces (replace with margarine or vegan butter for vegan option)

Plum filling:

1/2 cup sugar

3 TBS. flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1.5 lb. Italian plums

2 TBS. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

For the crust:

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt. With your hands, or a food processor, mix butter into dry ingredients until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in 3-4 TSP. cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough holds together. Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a 6 inch disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1-24 hrs.

Preheat oven to 425'F. Roll out dough on a floured surface, using a rolling pin to spread dough to 11 inches. Fit into a round tart pan with removable bottom, carefully pressing into corners of the pan. Trim excess dough off top. Cover with plastic and refrigerate 15 mins.

Pierce bottom of shell all over with a fork. Line with foil and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and weights, bake 5 more minutes. Place on a rack to cool.

For the filling:

In a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/3 c. mixture on pastry bottom. Slice plums, arrange on tart as desires; sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture and small chunks of butter.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350'F and bake another 30-35 minutes, until mixture is bubbling around edges.
Cool and serve warm.