The Very Best Banana Bread

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2-3 very ripe bananas (about 1and 1/2 cups)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Technique

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9” by 5” loaf pan.  In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition.  Add the bananas and continue to beat until smooth.  Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract and beat until combined. 

Sift together the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg and salt.  Add dry ingredients gradually to the banana batter and beat until just combined.  Stir in the nuts. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix a bit more to be sure all of the ingredients are combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, making sure that it is no more that two-thirds full.  Bake for 55-60 minutes.  Insert a cake tester into the center of the loaf.  It should come out clean.  The loaf should be should be golden brown and dry to the touch.  Let the loaf rest in the pan on a rack for about 5 minutes and then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely.  Cut into thick slices to serve.  

How to Make Delicious Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

1-pound chicken cutlets or tenderloins trimmed of all fat

1-cup flour

1-egg plus 1-tablespoon water whisked together to make an egg wash

1-cup breadcrumbs, homemade preferred

Salt and pepper

¾ cup peanut oil

½ cup Parmesan cheese

½ pound mozzarella cheese sliced

2 cups homemade Italian tomato sauce (Recipe on The Garlic Rose Blog)

Technique

1.     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  When it reaches 350 turn the broiler on.

2.      Gather and prepare all of the ingredients.  Place the flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs in three separate dishes.  Add a pinch of salt to each dish. 

3.     Lightly salt and pepper each piece of chicken.   Coat the chicken cutlets with a fine dusting of flour. Dip each one in the egg wash, letting any excess egg wash drain off.  Then coat them with the breadcrumbs. 

4.     Place the cutlets on a tray, preferably with a rack and set them aside for about five minutes to allow the coating to set. 

5.     Heat a large sauté pan, add about ¼” of peanut oil.  Fry the chicken cutlets, being careful not to crowd the pan until golden brown, .  Fry them in several batches if necessary.  Drain the cutlets on paper towels. 

6.     Put a layer of the homemade tomato in an ovenproof baking dish.  Put one layer of the fried chicken cutlets on top of the sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place a slice of mozzarella cheese over each piece of chicken. And a small dab of sauce over each piece of cheese – but don’t cover with sauce.

7.     Place in oven, under broiler for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to turn a light golden brown

Italian Red Sauce

Italian Red Sauce

Ingredients:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions medium diced

2 tablespoons garlic finely diced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

3 sprigs fresh thyme

3 – 28 ounce cans whole peeled imported san marzano tomatoes

¼ cup fresh basil roughly chopped

Technique:

1.    Heat a saucepan over medium heat.

2.    Add olive oil and when it is barely hot and beginning to shimmer, add the onion and sauté until they are translucent and soft. 

3.    Add the finely chopped garlic stirring for just a minute.  

4.    Add the salt, pepper and thyme. 

5.    Add the canned tomatoes and crush them with a spoon or potato masher. 

6.    Simmer for about an hour, stirring frequently. 

7.    Roughly chop the basil and add it to the sauce.

8.    Simmer for an additional 10 – 15 minutes.

9.    Pass all of the sauce through a food mill, scraping the bottom occasionally.