Chunky Monkey Pancakes

You will feel like you have died and gone to heaven with these pancakes! Oh my what an amazing combination this is! It tastes like you are eating banana bread with peanut butter on top. So good!

Chunky Monkey Pancakes

{Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Peanut Butter Syrup}

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 1/2 C flour

3 Tbs sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 C buttermilk *

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbs canola oil

1 large or extra large egg

2 small-med ripe bananas

1/4 C mini chocolate chips (or reg. chips roughly chopped) tossed with 2 tsp flour

Cooking Spray or butter for pan

1 C maple syrup

1/2 C peanut butter

*As a substitute for buttermilk, place 1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 1/2 C measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk.

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined. Place bananas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Fold into batter. Add the chocolate chips that have been tossed with flour and stir.

For syrup, heat peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add maple syrup and gently whisk to combine. Heat in the microwave for another 30 seconds, whisk, and then set aside. Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with little butter and then pour on pancake batter. Use1/4 C batter for large pancakes (4-6") and 2 T for kid-sized ones (2-3"). Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip. Reheat syrup if necessary and pour over warm pancakes.

Yield: 28-30 2-3" pancakes (using 1/8 C batter measure) 14-15 4-6" pancakes (using 1/4 C batter measure)

Freezer Instructions: Let cooked pancakes cool to room temperature. Place in a single layer in the freezer until frozen and then place pancakes in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Reheat in a microwave or toaster until heated through.

Cranberry Sweet Potato Muffins

I cut this recipe out of a magazine years ago but just finally tried it last week. I didn't have high hopes because I can't even remember which magazine and you just never know. But these were so yummy! Perfectly risen, perfect texture and delicious taste! This is a new fall favorite around my house!

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar (i used brown sugar)

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cold mashed sweet potatoes (i opened a can of sweet potatoes and mashed them with a fork, paige ate the rest for dinner)

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries (i used craisins)

Cinnamon-Sugar

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, sweet potatoes and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in cranberries.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 375 (i did it at 350) for 18-22 min. (i always error on the under-done side) or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes.

Homemade Granola

Making this stuff is better than any potpurri or scented candle. It's guaranteed to put you in the fall spirit!

10 cups oats

1 cup wheat germ

1 1/2 cup coconut

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

3 cups chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)

Stir together in very big bowl or stock pot.

In medium pot, stir together remaining ingredients stirring over med heat. Do not boil! When everything is dissolved and warmed, pour syrup over the oat mixture and stir until well coated.

SYRUP

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup molasses

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp vanilla

Spread over 3-4 jelly roll pans or cookie sheets and bake at 300 for about 20 min. Stir occasionally. Cool and add raisins or dried fruit if desired. Totally enjoy!

PB &J cookies

This recipe is from an old friends blog. It's all about baking and beer, check it out here. It goes against everything in me to not put a hershey kiss in the middle of these guys, but try it with the jam, they are divine!

PB&J Cookies

makes about 3 dozen

1/3 Cup unsalted butter

1/2 Cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky

1/2 Cup light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 Cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Strawberry preserves or jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and egg with an electric mixer until creamy. Sprinkle in the flour and baking soda, mixing well to combine. Roll into one inch balls and place 2 inches apart. Use your thumb to make a well in the center of each cookie, flattening each ball as you go. Fill the well in each cookie with strawberry preserves. Bake on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet for 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

The Best Brownies

The name doesn't lie! These brownies are honestly the best I have ever had. I actually got the recipe from Stacy Torfin a while back after she brought them over for our family. They really are so good!

1 ½ C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
1/3 C. Cocoa
Mix together then add;
3 eggs (beaten) stir lightly
While this is being done melt 2 cubes of butter in the microwave
Then add 1-1 ½ Tbsp. Vanilla (to the butter)
Pour into mixture and mix well
Add 1-2 large scoops of Marshmallow Cream and stir till swirled.
Pour in a 9x13 (sprayed) glass pan
Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes

There you go! I like it with 2 scoops of mallow cream and they are best a bit under-baked, you know what I mean? I also like them a little thicker so I used a pan that was just a little smaller than a cake pan.

Peach Ice Cream

• 
• It's peach season here in the east so you can make this YUMMY treat with "nature's candy," fresh peaches! I cut this recipe in half and there was still too much for my counter-top ice cream maker, so we get to make more tonight! But I bet this would be perfect if you have a big ice cream maker that takes ice and salt!
• 
  
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 3 1/2 cups white sugar
• 10 fresh peaches, pitted and chopped
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In large bowl, mix together eggs and sugar until smooth; puree peaches in blender or food processor and stir 5 cups of puree into egg mixture. Stir in cream, half-and-half, vanilla and salt and mix well.
2. Pour mixture into freezer canister of ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

(I wisked together the eggs, cream, half & half, vanilla and salt in a bowl. I put the chopped peaches and sugar in the blender and then poured some of the milk mixture in to blend them all up.)

Lemon Cheesecake

From my new favorite recipe site, My Kitchen Cafe. It was light and refreshing and totally worth all of the effort.

The Best {No-Bake} Lemon Cheesecake
*Note: the cheesecake can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Also, it is really important to have the cream cheese at room temperature. If it is too cold, it won't mix well and there will be a lot of lumps.

*Serves 12

Crust:
9 whole rectangular graham crackers (for about 1 1/2 cups crushed)
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Lemon Curd:
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Filling:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
1 envelope (2 3/4 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 pounds (3 bars) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, room temperature

For the crust: preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust an oven rack to the middle position. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they are finely ground. Add the butter and lemon zest and pulse until combined. Alternately, the graham crackers can be crushed in a resealable bag with a rolling pin and then poured into a bowl where the zest and butter can be stirred in. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until it is lightly golden brown, about 8 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a wire rack before filling.

For the curd: while the crust is cooling, whisk the egg, egg yolk, sugar and salt together in a small saucepan. Whisk in the lemon juice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and pudding-like, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cream. Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or sieve into a small bowl and refrigerate until needed.

In a small bowl, put the 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let it stand until the gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave the mixture until it is bubbling around the edges and the gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

For the filling: In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the cream and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the gelatin mixture and 1/4 cup of the refrigerated lemon curd. Beat until the mixture is smooth and airy, about 3 minutes.

Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Following the photos below, pour thin lines of remaining curd on top of the cake and lightly drag a pairing knife or skewer through the lines to create a marble appearance. I found it wasn't quite as easy as I thought to "pour" the lemon curd into lines. I kind of scooped it out of the cup onto the cheesecake and spooned it into lines. It doesn't have to be perfect since the imperfections are somewhat hidden after you drag through the lines.

Refrigerate the cheesecake until set, at least 6 hours. Remove the sides of the pan, cut into slices and serve.