Blue Cayenne

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Banana Bread
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 C. light brown sugar (packed)
• 1/4 C. granulated sugar
• 1/4 C. liquid-state coconut oil
• 1/4 C. Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 2 t. vanilla extract (I used vanilla paste)
• 1 C. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
• 1 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• pinch of salt
• Powdered sugar to garnish
For the Cream Cheese Filling
• 1 large egg
• 4 oz. softened brick-style cream cheese
• 1/4 C. granulated sugar
• 3 T. all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan by oiling it and dusting it with flour. Alternatively, spray with a flour and oil baking spray.
3. Mix the egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, coconut oil, Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and vanilla extract (or paste) together.
4. Mash bananas and stir into the sugar and oil mixture.
5. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the banana/sugar mixture. Stir to combine ingredients but do not overmix.
6. Prepare cream cheese filling. Combine egg, cream cheese, sugar and flour in a bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until the mixture is smooth.
7. Pour about 1/2 of the banana batter into your prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top of the batter. Spoon all of the cream cheese filling over the banana batter. Smooth the cream cheese mixture and, using a spatula, spread the mixture evenly across the top of the batter and to the edges of the pan. Top with the remaining batter. Using a spatula, smooth the top to spread the batter to the edges of the pan.
8. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until the top of your banana bread is rounded and golden brown. (At 30 minutes, remove the bread from the oven and cover it with a layer of foil to keep the top of the bread from burning.) Return the covered bread to the oven. At the end of baking, you will want to check that the cake batter is set with a skewer inserted into the center of the cake. The skewer should come out clean. Remember that you have a cream cheese layer in the middle of your banana bread and that part of the bread will not give you a totally clean skewer. Remember, too, that this bread, with the cream cheese and the mashed bananas, is a very moist bread.
9. Cool the bread on your counter. When it is cooled, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight before cutting.

Nutrition

Calories

4636 cal

Fat

93 g

Carbs

629 g

Protein

80 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Bailey’s Irish Cream Poundcake

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cake:
• 1 C. unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 2/3 C. all-purpose flour
• 2/3 C. light brown sugar
• 1/2 C. granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. fine sea salt
• 1/2 C. Irish cream liqueur
For the Glaze:
• 1 1/4 C. confectioners' sugar
• 3 T. Irish cream (or more as needed-I used more to get a pouring consistency)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare a 9-inch loaf pan by spraying it with non-stick spray and dusting it with a bit of flour.
2. Cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time while running the mixer at medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after the addition of each egg. This should take about 30 seconds for each egg.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Slowly, add this dry mixture to the butter mixture in your mixer bowl and mix until the dry mixture is fully incorporated. This will only take about 30 seconds. Add the Irish Cream and mix on low to combine for about 15 seconds more.
4. Pour your batter into the loaf pan you have prepared and spread it so that it makes an even layer.
5. Bake cake at 350 degrees F. for 55 to 65 minutes. When your cake is done, a skewer inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean. (I baked my cake for about 60 minutes. For the last few minutes, I put a piece of foil over the top of the cake to keep it from getting too done on top.)
6. Set cake on your counter to cool for about 10 minutes and then unmold it onto a wire rack to cool completely before applying the glaze.
7. To make the glaze, mix confesioners' sugar and Irish Cream until you have the glaze at the consistency you want for your cake. Pour the glaze over the cake and let it cool.
8. Cook's Note: I covered my cooked cake in plastic wrap and let it sit over night. Both the texture and the flavor of the cake were better on the second day. This cake dries out very quickly. Be sure to keep it tightly wrapped.

Nutrition

Calories

3731 cal

Fat

186 g

Carbs

509 g

Protein

23 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Pearl Couscous With Creamy Feta and Chickpeas

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pints grape tomatoes (halved)
• 1/4 C. sliced scallions
• 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 T. balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 1/2 t. kosher salt or to taste
• 1/2 t. black pepper or to taste
• 3 oregano, rosemary or sage sprigs (I used fresh oregano)
• 2 C. vegetable stock
• 1/3 C. chopped cilantro or parsley
• 1/2 t.finely-grated lemon zest (from 1/2 lemon)
• 3/4 t. ground cumin
• 8 oz. pearl couscous (I usedTrader Joe's Israeli couscous)
• 1 C. quartered artichoke hearts (I used Trader Joe's frozen artichoke hearts)
• 1 15 oz. can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 1 C. feta (crumbled)
• 1/3 C. freshly-grated Parmesan or Asiago (I used Asiago)
• Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley
• Serve on a bed of sauteed spinach
• Garnish with a few sliced grape tomatoes
• Drizzle finished dish with some extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Use a 9-inch gratin dish, cake pan or baking dish. Toss tomatoes, scallions, 2 T. oil, 1 T. vinegar, garlic, 1/2 t. salt, pepper and oregano sprigs together in your baking dish and roast the mixture for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, boil stock and stir in 1 t. salt (or to taste). Stir in cilantro, lemon zest and cumin.
3. Toast the couscous in a small amount of oil and then stir it into the roasted tomato mixture. Add the chickpeas and the hot stock. Stir to combine. Cover the baking dish securely with foil and bake in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the couscous in done and fluffy.
4. Take the mixture from the oven and add 3/4 of the feta and the Asaigo or Parmesan. Return the pan to the oven and bake (uncovered) until the feta just begins to melt. This will take about 5 minutes. While your dish is getting its final baking, sautee some spinach in a little butter until it is wilted but still bright green.
5. Serve couscous hot on a bed of sauteed spinach. Garnish with more feta and chopped cilantro or the herbs of your choice. Garnish with a few sliced grape tomatoes if you wish and drizzle each portion with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
6. This is even better on the second or third day when the flavors have had time to marry.

Nutrition

Calories

1369 cal

Fat

53 g

Carbs

145 g

Protein

74 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info