Crumb Topped Banana Muffins

These light and tender banana muffins are topped with a crunchy cinnamon crumb 

topping that makes them simply irresistible. Bake a batch on the weekend 

and individually wrap them for a quick and delicious breakfast on the go! 

HELLO, friends! It's been awhile since I've been here. How have you been? I hated being away for so long, but 2018 really got the best of me. I've had quite the hard time finding the right balance between my full time job and the blog. OK let's be real here, there hasn't been any balance! My job keeps me busy 9-10 hours a day so there isn't much time left for me and blogging once you throw in cooking, cleaning, walking the dog, exercising, seeing my kids....you get the drift. But I've come up with a plan for 2019 so that I finally have some BALANCE and can work and blog. It's a work in progress so bear with me, but I'm hoping to start posting one to two new recipes per week starting in January. I'm setting a goal to do a minimum of one but I'd love to do two. Baby steps, that's what I keep reminding myself.

Bananas Foster Ice Cream Tartlets

These five ingredient Bananas Foster Ice Cream Tartlets are just as delicious as they are adorable! 

They make a perfect dessert for birthdays, holidays, or any other special occasions.

Happy April, friends! It was somewhat warm here this weekend with lots of sunshine and it definitely got me into the spring spirit. I dusted off my grill and got my table and chairs ready to go on the deck. I shopped at the local farmers market and picked up tons of fresh produce. Over the weekend I enjoyed heirloom tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash. Can you tell I'm really ready for warm weather??

Speaking of warm weather, my friends at Hudsonville Ice Cream sent me three of their brand new flavors to try out before they hit stores. You know how much I love ice cream and these new flavors are out of this world! I can't wait for you to give them a try. The new flavors are Bananas Foster, Peanut Butter Cheesecake and Peanut Butter Pretzel. Mouthwatering, amiright? The new flavors will be in stores later this spring.

Banana Layer Cake with Banana Buttercream Frosting

This Banana Layer Cake with Banana Buttercream Frosting one of my favorite family recipes, handed down to me from my grandmother. Although it's a simple cake, it's definitely a showstopper for the holidays or any family gatherings!

Not only do I love baking during the holidays, but I especially love baking with my family. We always set aside a day that we bake cookies together (SO many cookies!), and I enjoy pulling out the tried and true recipes that have been handed down to me. I've got a cute old fashioned recipe box just filled with recipe cards for cookies, cakes, homemade candy, and so much more. This amazing Banana Layer Cake with Banana Buttercream Frosting just happens to be one of them!

Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Bowl

This delicious and simple oatmeal bowl is topped with bananas, blueberries and sliced almonds, 

and will help you start the day off right!

This post was sponsored by Milk Life on behalf of Influence Central.

One of my goals for 2016 is to up my breakfast game. It's not the weekends I worry about, it's the weekdays. Too often I grab a granola bar or cup of yogurt to go with my cup of coffee and call it good. Now there's nothing wrong with a bar or yogurt, but that's not enough to sustain me or give me enough energy to power through my morning. I definitely need more protein. 

Did you know that many nutrition experts now recommend getting 25-30 grams of protein before noon for the best daily nutrition, yet Americans get, on average, only 13 grams at breakfast? I know personally I don't even get close to that amount! So I've been on a quest to up my protein intake not only all day, but especially at breakfast. 

Pumpkin Banana Bread

This soft and tender Pumpkin Banana Bread is simple to make and is the perfect addition to your Fall table!

It's been absolutely gorgeous here in Michigan lately. We're finally getting the perfect Fall weather - cool mornings, warm afternoons, and the leaves are starting to turn glorious colors. I've been spending lots of time in the kitchen baking with all of my windows open, enjoying the breeze and the rustle of the leaves outside my back deck. 

Between baking cookies, cakes and brownies and making slow cooker meals, it's nice to create something simple, yet a little bit decadent, that the whole family can enjoy. This pumpkin banana bread is just that! It's a quick bread, so it doesn't take a whole lot to put it together, and you should have most of the the ingredients on hand.

Banana Pecan Coffee Cake

The brown sugar, cinnamon and pecan topping on this deliciously sweet banana coffee cake 

goes perfectly with your morning cup of coffee or tea! 

I have a well known love affair with bananas. Whether they're in my cereal or yogurt, or made into bread, I always have bananas of some kind around my house. Last week I had some nice mushy ones on my counter, begging to be baked into something glorious. But instead of going with a usual bread - and believe me, I have many different versions of banana bread - I decided to go in a different direction and make a coffee cake.

I love me a good coffee cake. I mean, what isn't to love? It's perfectly acceptable to eat coffee cake for breakfast. That's what it was meant for actually. And you can eat it for dessert, too. Or even as a snack. Or maybe I just want to eat it at every meal. And maybe I did one day! Just maybe. Who knows. 

Banana Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting

If you're a fan of banana bread then you will love these delicious banana cupcakes 

topped with a decadent brown sugar frosting! 

Thankfully for you I have an obsession with bananas. We've discussed this before (many times actually), but I cannot wait until my bananas get brown and soft and mushy. That means it's time to make something fun. Like banana bread. Or banana waffles. Or even banana ice cream.

Or, or, or.....these cupcakes...

Banana Pecan Pound Cake

This light and tender cake is filled with delicious bananas and pecans and makes a perfect dessert for any occasion!

Lately I've become quite obsessed with my Bundt pan. First off, it makes adorable cakes. Second, said cakes are delicious. Third, they are so very versatile. Plus they are simple to make. You can dress them up with a fancy glaze or drizzle for a party or get together, or just dust them with a little powdered sugar to give it a little extra somethin' somethin'. Any way you decide to make it, these cakes are downright delicious.

Since I also have a banana obsession, I thought I'd marry my two favorites - bananas and my Bundt pan. So here we have a Banana Pecan Pound Cake. Pecans are also my love. So many delicious things in this cake, and it's a breeze to make. I'm calling it a pound cake versus a Bundt cake because the texture is most definitely like a pound cake. And there isn't a glaze or a frosting, just a simple bit of powdered sugar. 

Mini Banana Cream Parfaits

This simple dessert takes less than five minutes to make and is delicious, healthy, and beautiful!

I'm a huge fan of dessert. That's pretty obvious though, huh? The kids and I have dessert after dinner just about every night. Even if it's just a piece of chocolate, it's something.

I bake quite a bit (another obvious statement), so we usually have something in the house at all times. Could be cookies, lots of time it's brownies, or maybe even a cake. But there are plenty of times when it's nice to have a quick dessert. Something easy to put together that doesn't require baking. Something that can be thrown together when someone unexpectedly shows up on your doorstep for a visit. These parfaits are the answer.

Mini Banana Bread Squares

These light and fluffy little banana bread squares are great for breakfast, to pack in a lunchbox, or as a snack anytime of the day! 

I think I have a problem with bananas. I buy a bunch each shopping trip just so I can let them sit on the counter all week and start to turn brown. You know, because brown bananas mean I can make stuff. Lots of good stuff.

I've made many versions of banana bread, from oatmeal banana bread to caramelized banana bread to whole wheat strawberry banana bread, I haven't met one that I didn't like. And my kids are the same way. They love it when mom makes banana bread. And the smell in the house while it's baking? It's like no other!

Oatmeal Banana Bread

A twist on your everyday banana bread, this recipe is filled with oats and makes a hearty breakfast or snack! 

I've professed my love for banana bread many times. It's pure comfort food to me, and always reminds me of my childhood. My mom made homemade meals for our family almost every night, and she is the one who taught me how to cook and bake. Between her and both of my grandmothers, I learned a lot of family secrets!

Now this bread is no family secret, just something I came up with recently when I discovered I had too many overripe bananas sitting on the counter. I wanted to do something a little different, and the oats are a perfect addition to the standard recipe. They make the bread hearty, which is perfect for breakfast on a busy day or an afternoon snack when you need a pick me up.

Oatmeal Banana Bread
Recipe written by The Chef Next Door
Print this recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup light brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup oats (I use Bob's Red Mill Thick Rolled Oats)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the brown sugar and butter until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Next add the mashed bananas.

In a medium bowl whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the mixer, in about two additions each. 

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes, then remove it from the pan and allow to finish cooling on the rack before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Banana Buttermilk Belgian Waffles

Light and fluffy Belgian waffles filled with bananas, perfect for breakfast any day of the week!

Well, it's that time again. Summer is over and school has started, and I'm a bit sad about it too! My oldest is off to college, and my youngest started his sophomore year in high school almost two weeks ago. I'm not sure what happened. Wasn't I just holding these tiny babies in my arms?? My oh my how time has flown by!

So, getting back to this whole school situation. Now that school has started, our mornings are hectic again. There is so much to do in the morning and so little time! Breakfast is one of the most important parts of the day and I like my kids to eat something healthy that will get them fueled up and ward off hunger until lunch. These waffles will do just that! They are light and fluffy, yet hearty, and I love the bits of banana throughout.

Carrot Banana Pecan Bread

A moist and tender banana bread filled with little carrot and pecan jewels!

I love banana bread. Seriously, I'm a self-professed banana bread junkie. During the fall and winter I definitely make a loaf every couple of weeks. I mean, what's not to love about it? 

First off, the scent of fresh baked bread in the kitchen is incredible. Breads with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg especially. It literally perfumes the entire house. A perfect time to bake is when you have company coming over. No candles needed, just the delicious aromas of banana bread wafting through the air.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bread

I love banana bread. I know, I've told you this before. I'm just telling you again in case you forgot.

I had a bunch of bananas that were about to go bad so I decided to kick my standard banana bread recipe up a notch. Remember the peanut butter cupcakes I made last week? I used the Jif Whips spread in those and now I'm obsessed. I mean seriously, that stuff is like a drug. I can eat it by the spoonful straight from the jar.

So I added some of that peanut butter and chocolate spread to my bread. Oh and chocolate chips too. I mean, why not? 

The bread came out super moist and tender, probably due to that fluffy peanut butter spread. Totally delicious. And my boys gobbled it up too.

Banana Cream Pie

So last week I had some bananas that were getting a bit too ripe. I know, I know...here I go with bananas again. LOL

I asked my oldest what he thought I should make, and he instantly said banana cream pie. I don't make pie very often, so I thought what the heck! Let's go for it.

This banana cream pie is literally the EASIEST pie you will ever make. Did you hear me? The easiest!

Whip it up this weekend, you won't be sorry!

Banana Cream Pie
Serves 8
Printable Recipe


Ingredients:
2 medium ripe bananas, sliced
1  ready-to-use graham cracker crust 
2-1/2 cups milk
2 pkg.  banana instant pudding
2 cups thawed whipped topping, divided


Lay half of the banana slices on the bottom of crust and set the remaining banana slices aside.

Pour the milk into a large bowl and add the dry pudding mixes. Beat with a whisk for about 2 minutes or until blended well. Gently fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping. Spoon half of the pudding mixture into the crust. Top with remaining banana slices, then cover with remaining pudding mixture.

Refrigerate the pie about 3 hours, or until set. Spread the remaining 1 cup whipped topping over the top of the pie. Keep leftover pie covered in the refrigerator.

Bon Appetit!