We have a lot of frozen bananas and decided to try this NYT recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020899-chocolate-chip-banana-bread?unlocked_article_code=1.tlA._8nF.4xy-IUtCydSN&smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, instead of plain Greek yogurt, we used 1/3 cup Siggi’s nonfat vanilla Icelandic yogurt. Second, because our bananas were on the larger side, we had extra batter for a mini-loaf (pictured above) in addition to a 9×5”…… Continue reading Banana bread with chocolate chips and nuts
Tag: fruit
Lemon-garlic sour cream dip
I had a craving for French onion dip, but wanted to try a version using fresh ingredients. We tried this recipe, which combines full-fat sour cream with fresh lemon juice and zest, salt, and 1 clove microplaned garlic: https://www.allrecipes.com/3-ingredient-sour-cream-dip-11989936. Despite not having dried onion, it does evoke French onion dip and is very tasty. (June…… Continue reading Lemon-garlic sour cream dip
Simple frozen fruit smoothies
Years ago, my husband loved ordering fruit smoothies from Whole Foods’ kiosks. Those smoothie bars are long gone, but we had a craving this weekend. Taking inspiration from recipes such as this one (https://www.thekitchn.com/pineapple-smoothie-recipe-23761690), we experimented with two flavors: Pineapple smoothie: 1/4 cup Greek vanilla yogurt (we used Siggi’s Icelandic-style), 1.5 Tbsp honey, 1.5 cups…… Continue reading Simple frozen fruit smoothies
Sumac chicken with apricots and olives
In honor of Passover, we tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021962-roast-chicken-with-apricots-and-olives?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share&cgs=c Our modifications: first, we combined all ingredients (including the white wine) in the marinade. Instead of Calvestrano olives (which we find bland), we used 1 cup Queen Spanish pimiento-stuffed olives, cut crosswise in half, plus 2 Tbsp olive brine. We marinated the chicken pieces for 8…… Continue reading Sumac chicken with apricots and olives
Simple pumpkin pie with a frozen crust
We misplaced our pie weights, so we weren’t able to blind-bake (prebake) a frozen pie crust. We decided to try this recipe, which calls for a frozen crust: https://startcooking.com/pumpkin-pie-for-beginners. Our modifications: first, we placed a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet in the oven before preheating to 425. Second, in lieu of 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice,…… Continue reading Simple pumpkin pie with a frozen crust
Easy banana chocolate chip bread
We had three overripe bananas, so we decided to try this recipe: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread/ Our modifications: first, we used 1/2 cup white sugar. Second, after folding in the flour, we added 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter. (Oct. 2025)
Applesauce Pumpkin Bread
We craved pumpkin bread but wanted a healthier option, so we tried this recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230579/applesauce-pumpkin-bread/ This recipe uses applesauce instead of oil. Our modifications: first, we used unsalted butter to grease two standard loaf pans. Second, we reduced the white sugar to 1.5 cups (from 2 cups) and utilized unsweetened applesauce. For the pumpkin puree,…… Continue reading Applesauce Pumpkin Bread
Banana pancakes, shortcut style
We are on a restricted diet that cuts out whole grains and fresh fruit. So, we gave into our cravings and made this shortcut recipe using a boxed mix (Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix) and a ripe banana: https://www.loulougirls.com/krusteaz-banana-pancakes/ It was easy and tasty, with a subtle banana taste. (Nov. 2024)
Small batch mixed berry and grape jam
We buy fresh fruit every week, mainly for breakfast and afternoon snacks. We ended up having 1 lb strawberries, 1/2 cup blueberries, and 1 cup black seedless grapes leftover, so we decided to try this recipe: https://kickassbaker.com/mixed-berry-jam/ Our modifications: first, we reduced sugar to 1/4 cup. Second, we found the jam was ready in about…… Continue reading Small batch mixed berry and grape jam
Apple crumble
It’s apple season, and we decided to make a crumble: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018638-apple-crumble?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share We halved the recipe (see Note below) and used a deep, slightly wide 8×8″ dark blue baking dish. We followed the recommendation to use a variety of tart apples; we used 1 of each: Pink Lady (Cripps Pink), Cosmic Crisp, Macintosh, and Granny Smith.…… Continue reading Apple crumble