banana crumb muffins

sometimes i'm just in the mood to bake something...anything. to see something through from beginning to end. from scratch. the husband and i came home yesterday from a nice little hike in malibu and i was craving the kitchen. i found this recipe on my fellow blogger friend, krista's blog, and i couldn't help but try it. it sounded delicious. turns out, it was. serve these babies warm and they are mouth watering good.  i'm not ashamed to say that the whole muffin tray was gone by this morning. i want to make more today.

banana crumb muffins

muffin ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

crumb topping ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp. flour

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbsp. butter, softened

directions:

preheat oven to 375 degrees. line muffin pan with muffin papers (also works for mini muffins!).

in a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. set aside. in another bowl, beat together sugar, butter and eggs. add bananas and vanilla.

slowly add the banana mixture into the flour mixture until moistened. spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

in a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour and cinnamon for topping. add butter and combine until mixture resembles course cornmeal. sprinkle over top of muffins.

bake for about 18 to 20 minutes (13-15 for mini muffins). let cool for 5 minutes before taking out of pan **.

**cort and i have never made it the 5 minutes for anything. the smell was too inviting and they were delicious scorching hot, even though they burnt our fingers. enjoy! xo. 

sliders with chipotle mayonnaise and sweet potato fries

this isn't one of the healthiest meals i've ever made, but it seemed kind of fun, and i justified it by making some of the burgers with bison (which is surprisingly lean and healthy), and the fries out of sweet potatoes. adapted from the food network, this is a fun, fast and easy meal.

sliders with chipotle mayonnaise

ingredients

chipotle mayonnaise:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 chipotles in adobo sauce (found near the salsa/mexican food aisle)

1 tablespoon adobo sauce

1/2 lime, juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

sliders:

1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, bison or turkey (your preference)

salt and fresh ground black pepper, for seasoning

cheese slices

mini burger buns

burger bar:

chipotle mayonnaise

pickles

red onion slices

chipotle mayonnaise directions:

add all ingredients in food processor and puree. season with salt and pepper.

slider directions:

preheat grill over medium high heat (medium low for bison).

form the meat into 2-3 ounce portions, pack tightly. season with salt and pepper. if using bison, wait until after meat is cooked to season. 

place the sliders on grill. wait until they are nice and crusty on the first side, about 4-5 minutes and then flip to cook another 4 minutes. when the sliders are about done, top with cheese slice and close the grill to let the cheese melt. ** if using bison, flip at about 3 minutes (bison should be slightly pink inside).

place the slider on the mini bun and top with chipotle mayonnaise and other desired toppings.

sweet potato fries

ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or if you can't find this seasonal item, use some cinnamon and cumin)

1 tablespoon low-sodium chili seasoning mix

salt and pepper

directions

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. line baking sheet with aluminum foil. set aside.

use peeler to peel sweet potatoes. cut potatoes in half length-wise, then cut into 1/2 thick fries.

place sweet potato fries in a large mixing bowl. add oil and spices and mix until they are thoroughly coated with spices.

spread fries in a single layer over prepared baking sheet. place in preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, turning once to ensure even cooking. remove from oven and serve hot.

**these were also great dipped in the chipotle mayonnaise. thanks patti! xoxo.

ravioli with balsamic brown butter

Giada of Everyday Italian from the Food Network is by far one of my favorite people to watch. I want to eat her, she is so adorable and classy. I made this for sunday dinner and it was a hit. pasta, cheese, balsamic vinegar? you can't go wrong with this combo...

ravioli with balsamic brown butter

ingredients

-18 to 20 ounces store-bought ravioli (cheese, mushroom or squash)

- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

- 1/4 cup grated parmesan

directions

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. drain ravioli onto a large serving platter. 

meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. when the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. let cool for about 1 minute. stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

transfer the ravioli to the pan saucepan with the balsamic brown butter. sprinkle walnuts and parmesan over the top. 

serve immediately.

enjoy! xo.