Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble

We eat bananas around here like crazy!  I'm surprised I had some brown up for once.  I decided to try a new recipe this time around, and I found this little number with the cinnamon crumb topping.  The pin I found was pinned over 13,000 times, so I figured it was probably a good one.  It was...it was REAL tasty!  Enjoy :) 

Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble

Bread:

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 overripe bananas, mashed

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

In a large bowl of a mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, egg and vanilla until combined. Add the butter and beat until smooth and the butter is fully incorporated. Beat in the buttermilk and bananas.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet until all the flour is incorporated. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and pour in the batter. * Note that not all loaf pans are the same size. You may have extra batter, so just pour in enough so there is still about an inch or 2 of space before the top of the pan.

Make the crumb topping by combining the powdered sugar, flour, cinnamon salt and melted butter. Using your hands, crumble the mixture over the batter in the pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 Recipe Source:  Little Bits Of

Marshmallow Fruit Dip

 In my chruch, I am in charge of a group of 8-year olds, doing bi-weekly activities to help them progress towards finishing goals.  It is AWESOME!  I only get boy stuff at my house, so this is my time to let my girlie girl come out.  This last week we talked about personal hygiene, painted nails, and had some yummy "girlie" snacks.  This fruit dip is super simple, and makes plain 'ole fruit a little more exciting for the kiddos (who am I kidding, I LOVE it too :)

Marshmallow Fruit Dip

1 Jar Marshmallow Cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together with hand mixer, chill until ready to serve.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swig Style Cookies

 Sometimes I just really really wish we lived in Utah with our family and friends.  We don't...probably never will again.  I am going to be ok with that someday (we've been away for 7 years)!  We have missed out on a lot of growth in the area I grew up the last 7 years.  When we go back to visit, we always hit up our favorite spots and rarely try new things.  

This Swig sensation that is sweeping across Utah is one thing we've missed out on, and so I decided to try a few copycat recipes so I don't feel like I'm missing out :)  I tried the original Swig copycat recipe a few months ago ( see here for that recipe). This version turned out delicious, just like that one, and it being my hubby's favorite combo of chocolate and peanut butter, this one definitely is #1 is his book :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swig Style Cookies


For Chocolate Cookie Dough:
½ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup shortening, (butter flavor is best)
1½ cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon almond flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

For shaping cookies:
¼ cup granulated sugar
cooking spray
*glass with flat bottom, see notes below

For Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting:
½ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup full fat sour cream
3-4 cups powdered sugar (or more to desired consistency)


Preheat oven to 350 or 325 on convection setting.

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together.  Add sour cream and almond flavoring. Mix. Add the cocoa and mix again until smooth. The mixture should be creamy, with no specks of white. Turn the mixer off.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt all at once. Mix just until all of the flour disappears, on the lowest setting. This should take about 20-30 seconds.

Using a 1¾ inch to 2 inch scoop, place the dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Lightly spray the bottom of a glass with cooking spray. First press the glass against a cookie, then dip the bottom of glass in sugar to flatten cookie a bit. Continue dipping the bottom of the glass into the sugar after flattening each cookie.

After all of the cookies are flattened a bit, go back and lightly sprinkle sugar on top of each cookie.  Bake for about 9-10 minutes at 325 convection, or about 10-12 minutes at 350.  The cookies should be barely firm on top. Do not over cook!  Let cool completely on cookie sheet. Frost when cool.

Yield about 18 large cookies or 30-32 small to medium cookies.

For Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting:

Cream butter until it lightens in color.  Add peanut butter, vanilla extract, salt and sour cream. Whip until very smooth 2-3 minutes.  Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, then mix on high until very smooth. Continue adding powdered sugar to the desired thickness. If you add too much powdered sugar add a little more sour cream to balance it out.

Recipe Source: Fresh and Happy

Berry Mint Chocolate Bliss Smoothie

Well, after having my FANTASTIC Mint Juleps a few days ago for the Kentucky Derby, I had some mint left over.  And I just happened to see this recipe on my Ibotta App (do you Ibotta?  You should!  It is such an easy way to get cash back on groceries!).  Not to mention I am trying to clear out my freezer for fruit season coming up, so this was perfect :)  I love almond milk for smoothies, and it packs a whole lot less calories than milk.  So this is basically a win-win-win smoothie for me!!

Berry Mint Chocolate Bliss Smoothie

makes 1 serving

3/4 c. Almond Milk, any flavor

1 mint leaf

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1/2 c. frozen raspberries

1/2 Tbsp chocolate chips

1/2 Tbsp almonds

Mix all in blender and pour into glass. Garnish with mint leaf.

Recipe Source:  my Ibotta App

Grilled Thai Pork or Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Dipping Sauce

 We just busted out our first kabobs of the year.  There is seriously nothing more satisfying than grilling or smoking your own dinner outside and having it taste completely awesome!!  I love trying out new marinades with different meats to find tasty combinations.  This one was a winner indeed.  A little kick, and the peanut sauce on the side was fab.  We served it up with some grilled asparagus freshly picked from down the street and some couscous.  So, so good!

Grilled Thai Pork or Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Dipping Sauce


3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
Juice from 1 lime squeezed 
3 Cloves of minced garlic
1 Tablespoon of Siracha
Shake of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
Cubed chicken/pork

Mix all ingredients, place in freezer bag or large bowl.  Marinate for at least a few hours before grilling (Can be frozen for easy meal prep ahead of time).  

Recipe Source:  Ms. Simplicity

Peanut Dipping Sauce


3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
½ tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. siracha hot sauce
¼ cup water
chopped peanuts to taste

Recipe Source:  Favorite Family Recipes

Mint Julep (Non-Alcoholic)

My hubs served a 2-year mission in Kentucky for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  While there, he learned of the craziness that comes in May during the Kentucky Derby (Kentucky's claim to fame...well that and the fried chicken!)  While we were living in Ohio, we got to travel down to Louisville and visit some of his old stomping grounds, and we got to visit Louisville hotspots.  We went and ate at the Claudia Saunders Dinner House, went through the Louisville Slugger Museum, and went to Churchill Downs.  It was a FANTASTIC experience!  

So during Derby time, the drink of choice is the mint julep.  Being as we don't drink alcohol, I went searching for an alternative and came across this lovely recipe.  It is very refreshing and the mint...WOW!  I need to start putting it in all my summertime drinks!

Mint Julep (Non-Alcoholic)


6 mint leaves, rinsed
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. cold water
3/4 c. lemon juice
4 c. fresca (or any flavor of lemon-lime soda pop)
2 c. ginger ale

Place sugar, water and lemon juice in large bowl.  Mix until sugar dissolves and add mint leaves.  Let sit for 1 hour.  Fill a large pitcher with ice and pour sugar, lemon juice mixture over ice.  You can discard the mint leaves at this time.  We left them in because we wanted a stronger mint flavor.  Add fresca and ginger ale.  Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Source:  The Farm Girl Recipes