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Banana cake plated

Since we both like bananas, I decided to whip up this banana cake the other day.

Boy, was that a delicious decision.

After scarfing down his piece, Captain Cavedweller looked at me and said, “If you add walnuts next time, I’ll like it better than carrot cake.”

This is a pretty big statement coming from him.

He’s not all that fond of desserts and his favorite, favorite cake for the past twenty years has been carrot cake.

Needless to say, the next time I make this cake, there will be walnuts in it.

Easy to make, this cake is moist, yummy and full of banana flavor. (So if you hate bananas, you might want to skip today’s recipe!).

Start with some simple, basic ingredients.

Start with some simple, basic ingredients.

Blend butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Blend butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time.

Add eggs, one at a time.

Alternate adding flour and milk then add mashed bananas. Use a big bowl because it makes more than you think it will.

Alternate adding flour and milk then add mashed bananas. Use a big bowl because it makes more than you think it will.

Pour in a greased and floured  9x13 baking pan and bake at 275 degrees for an hour.

Pour in a greased and floured 9×13 baking pan and bake at 275 degrees for an hour.

When the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove from the oven directly to the freezer. Leave in the freezer for an hour then frost with cream cheese frosting.

When the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove from the oven directly to the freezer. Leave in the freezer for an hour then frost with cream cheese frosting.

Then cut a big slice and enjoy!

Then cut a big slice and enjoy!

Banana Cake

1 1/2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. lemon juice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. banana flavoring

11/2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 275 degrees

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 baking pan.

Mash bananas with lemon juice and set aside.

Mix flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.

In a extra-large mixing bowl (really, you need a big one), cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time then blend in vanilla and banana flavoring.

Stir in flour mixture, a little at a time, alternating with the milk .

Stir in bananas then pour into pan and bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for about an hour (heightens the moisture of the cake).

Remove from freezer and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Serve or refrigerate.

I served the cake with a drizzle of caramel sauce, but you could add chocolate sauce, salted caramel ice cream or dulce de leche ice cream, too.

She Who Would  Like a Piece of Cake

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apple logoOctober is National Apple Month.

How exciting is that? (Come on, it’s pretty darn exciting! Apple cider, apple crisp, apple pie, caramel apples…)

Living across the road from an orchard, the pickers have already stripped the trees and I miss seeing the bright red, juice-packed orbs amidst all those green leaves.

If you were an apple, what type of apple would you be?

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) helps you get to the core of the matter with AppletizeMe, a fun website that matches your personality traits to your ideal apple variety.

Are you a social butterfly? That makes you a Gala apple.

How about an intellectual? Easy as Pi. You’re a Ginger Gold.

Fitness fanatic? Then you’re a Fuji, living proof that crunches are worth the effort.

girly-girl

This will come as a surprise… to no one – I’m a Girly Girl!

According to the site: “No matter the occasion, you’re always polished with a snazzy dress and just the right amount of makeup. You’re not afraid to show off your feminine side—including a tendency to blush. But, you always keep it classy.”

What do you think? Is that a good fit?

Apparently, this makes me a Cripps Pink  A.K.A. Pink Lady. Naturally sweet with a juicy crunch.

*blush*

In addition to the fun little personality link, there are “perfect pairings” with tips on pairing different varieties of apples.

You can also click on the “Varieties” tab and choose a specific type of apple to learn all about it.

honeycrisp

Like Honeycrisp, my all-time favorite apple. You’ll  find details about the apple, its personality and suggested pairings.

If you love apples, or just want to spend a few minutes having a little fun, check out Appletizeme.com

She Who’ll be Telling Captain Cavedweller about being  Naturally Sweet  – the Apple Said So!

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Cheesy Chicken Casserole Plated

If you’re looking for an easy to make dinner recipe, this one is really simple.

You can use leftovers to mix this casserole in a snap and serve a piping hot, tasty meal in no time with minimum fuss!

Captain Cavedweller likes this one, as long as I use mixed veggies without the green beans. (Talk about picky eaters… we have two at our house!).

Ingredients

Ingredients – the unknown substance in the bowl is chicken stock that I had in the freezer and had not yet thawed.

Cook your veggies in the chicken stock for about two minutes in the microwave. Just to get them hot and start the cooking process. You can either add in the minute rice and cook with the veggies (using the stock instead of water) or use left-over rice. Either works fine, although the chicken stock gives the rice a nice flavor.

Cook your veggies in the chicken stock for about two minutes in the microwave. Just to get them hot and start the cooking process. You can either add in the minute rice and cook with the veggies (using the stock instead of water) or use left-over rice. Either works fine, although the chicken stock gives the rice a nice flavor.

Mix in a can of Cream of Mushroom soup. You could also use cream of celery or cream of chicken.

Mix in a can of cream of mushroom soup. You could also use cream of celery or cream of chicken.

Layer pre-cooked chicken into a casserole pan (sprayed with non-stick spray - the pan, not the chicken). I cut the chicken into bite-size pieces before layering in the pan. Top with veggie and rice mixture then cover in foil.

Layer pre-cooked chicken into a casserole pan (sprayed with non-stick spray – the pan, not the chicken). I cut the chicken into bite-size pieces before layering in the pan. Top with veggie and rice mixture then cover in foil.

Bake about 20 minutes, until everything is bubbling and looks cooked. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for a few minutes until cheese melts. Serve and enjoy!

Bake about 20 minutes, until everything is bubbling and looks cooked. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for a few minutes until cheese melts. Serve and enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

2 cups cooked chicken (cut into small pieces)

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

Small bag of frozen veggies

1 small can cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a casserole pan with non-stick cooking spray. Layer in chicken and set aside.

In a micro-wave safe bowl, cook veggies in chicken stock (or water) for about two minutes. You can also add your minute rice and cook with the veggies and chicken stock if you don’t have left-over rice to use.

If you aren’t cooking the rice in the stock, drain excess off veggies before mixing with rice and soup.

Otherwise, mix in the soup then spread over the chicken.

Cover the pan with foil and back about 15-20 minutes, until everything is hot and bubbling. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven (uncovered) and bake about five minutes, until cheese is a  melted pool of gooey deliciousness.

Serve and enjoy your one-dish meal.

She Who Needs to Pick Out the Green Beans Next Time

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fiveguyslogo

Back in July when we traveled to a big city for a few days of  rest and relaxation, my wonderful cousin, Brad, raved about a new burger joint and told us we had to try it.

(Thanks, Brad, for introducing us to one more way to clog our arteries… just kidding, mostly.)

Anyway, the name of the place he recommended was Five Guys.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Not only are the burgers huge – they’re delicious. Made fresh to order, you aren’t talking about some frozen patty here, folks. Fresh and bursting with flavor they serve up some of the best burgers we’ve ever eaten.

The thing that really made us drool like slobbering fools, though, is the fries.

Again, cut fresh right there and fried to a crispy golden brown with the skins on. Bags of potatoes greet you at the door and a sign lets all customers know where they purchased that day’s potatoes. Honest. You can read the sign and see that the spuds came from X Farm in Y town.

And beyond the fact I like how they support local potato growers, I love the fries. And they give them to you in abundance. Captain Cavedweller and I can easily split an order and still have plenty left we can’t eat.

Thinking it would be a long time before we had the opportunity to experience Five Guys again, we went to their website and discovered they recently opened a location only an hour from us.

FIve Guys… here we come!

She Who Has Great Cousins

 

 

 

 

 

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