I found the below recipe for a classic banana bread on Big Fat Baker. I am currently obsessed with checking out baking recipes on other blogs and this one has some great stuff on it! I’m planning on trying their brownie recipes next. This banana bread recipe is pretty straight-forward. It was moist, light and had a nutty, banana flavor. Plus the recipe is perfect for adding your own twist with mixing in other ingredients, such as chocolate chips or nuts.

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cup of all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease your loaf pan.

Mix a tbsp of brown and white sugar with some cinnamon and nutmeg and coat the greased pan with it.

Mix together the coconut oil, banana, sugars, egg, and the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking soda.  In 2-3 parts, mix the dry ingredients into the banana mixture. Mix just until all the flour is moistened.

Pour into your pan, and sprinkle a little more cinnamon sugar mix on top. Bake for an hour, bread is done with a tooth pick or knife comes out clean.

When this restaurant opened, I was as excited as a little kid getting a Tickle Me Elmo for Christmas. They have great location in Kenmore Square, a menu that highlights seafood and calls attention to where their food comes from. Add to that the amazing fresh, local oysters and a great selection of my beloved West Coasties… I was all in.

The décor strikes me as very industrial, while still being warm and having an ocean vibe that channels the coastal areas their oysters come from. The best part is the wall of oyster shells that everyone I have brought there always walks over to check out. I love the open area of the raw bar, as well. It’s really fun to watch them work at the raw bar plating the crazy fresh seafood there.

Their brunch menu is fantastic and has some brunch classics on it, as well as some twists on the classic. One of my favorite twists is the Doughnut Muffin; it’s a muffin that is light enough to make you think it could be a doughnut and then it’s rolled in cinnamon sugar. Yum.

For those that are trying to be a touch healthier (that would be me right now), the egg white frittata with crimini mushrooms, red peppers and parmesan is a great health brunch compromise. It’s light and fluffy and I didn’t walk away feeling guilty for eating a day’s worth of calories.

When I’m not trying to be healthy, or when I just decide that it’s completely ok to screw my diet aspirations, I go for the chorizo and sweet pepper hash with caramelized onion and a fried egg. This is everything brunch should be. The chorizo gives the whole dish a little spicy kick and the caramelized onions add a touch of sweetness. It’s a really solid brunch dish that never disappoints. Don’t forget to get a Bloody Mary with it though, otherwise brunch just won’t be complete.

I choose to end my brunch with one of their biscuits that has this savory and sweet glaze on it… it’s this buttery, honeyed, rosemary awesomeness that walks that line of dessert, making it the perfect ending to one of Boston’s best brunches.

Note: This review was entirely unsolicted.  I received no financial compensation or gifts of monetary value for this review.

My favorite football food is wings, fried or baked, sauce or not, I love wings. My personal preference is crispy and spicy. Plus I always need some kind of dip and a dose of chips and salsa. My football menu this year is going to include my two favorite wings, my Halleluiah Jalapeno Wings and Chuck Hughes’ Balsamic Wings, and Roasted Garlic-Onion Dip.

Halleluiah Jalapeno Wings

Ingredients:

18 chicken wings

Marinade

2 jalapenos

1 Fresno chile

A handful of cilantro

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne

juice of a lime

2 tablespoons of veggie oil

Blend mix and marinade wings for at least 4 hours.

Rub

1 tablespoon cumin

2 tablespoon chipoltle chili powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of Ground Cloves

S&P

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

Wipe excess marinade off the wings and rub with the spice mix.

Bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes. Flipping the wings halfway through and rotating the tray from bottom to top third of oven.

Glaze

1 1/2 TBS Sriracha

2 TBS Agave nectar

4 TBS Hoisin

Mix and brush the wings with the glaze during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Balsamic Wings

18 chicken wings

1 cup honey

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons, grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon zest and cilantro, for garnish

Add the wings to a large resealable plastic bag.

Combine the honey, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour half the marinade into the bag with the chicken. Squeeze out most of the air and seal the bag. Shake gently to distribute the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large, oven safe skillet over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, sear the chicken wings, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, flipping the wings often to prevent them from burning. Remove the skillet from the oven and add the remaining marinade. Continue to cook the wings on the stovetop until the sauce is thick and coats the chicken wings evenly.

To serve, arrange the wings on a platter and garnish with lemon zest and cilantro.

Roasted Garlic and Onion Dip

2 heads of garlic

Olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

5 slices of cooked bacon, chopped

1 ½ cups sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt and Pepper

Cut the tops of the two heads of garlic, place on top of a sheet of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400 for 45 minutes.

While the garlic is roasting, sauté the onions in two tablespoons of olive oil over low heat until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Allow the garlic and onions to cool to room temperature.

Combine the garlic, onions, and bacon with the sour cream, mayo, scallions and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

The original recipe called for sumac in the spiced yogurt, however since I didn’t have it on hand, I improvised with harissa. However, this is a great base recipe that you could have fun with and change up the spices in it to suit your mood.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, smashed

3 pounds parsnips, peeled and sliced on the diagonal 1/2 inch thick

1 1/2 cups sliced pitted Medjool dates (about 12)

5 marjoram sprigs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons harissa

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat the 3/4 cup of olive oil with the garlic and cook over moderate heat until the garlic is golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and reserve for another use. Add half of the parsnips to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and barely tender, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the parsnips to a roasting pan. Repeat with the remaining parsnips, then scrape the parsnips and any oil into the roasting pan. Add the dates and marjoram sprigs, season with salt and pepper and roast for about 8 minutes, just until the parsnips are tender and the dates are slightly caramelized. Transfer the parsnips and dates to a platter.

In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the lemon juice, harrisa and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt. Serve the roasted parsnips and dates, passing the spiced yogurt at the table.

Since Matt writes a beer blog, I figured I would load him up on some of the great local brews that New England has to offer. In his package was:

• High and Might Beer Co. Purity of Essence
• Notch BSA Harvest Ale
• Fumata Bianca White Rye Beer
• White Birch Brewing Hooksett Ale
• Cisco Brewer Island Reserve Wet Hopped Very Brown India Pale Ale
• Alex’s Ugly Sauce (not a beer, but my favorite local hot sauce that really needed to take a trip to Austin)

These are some fantastic local brews but it was hard to choose since there so many great local breweries around that are doing fantastic things. The choice of what to send was a tough one; some beers won, others lost but that’s the way life goes. Now on to the amazing package that I received…

So the beer is already gone (shocking, I know), and I have to say that my favorite was the Jester King Wytchmaker Rye IPA. I am not really an IPA person, but I loved this beer. It was creamy and flavorful, without being an over-poweringly hopped IPA. I will definitely be looking for more rye IPAs in the future! I have already tried The Salt Lick dry rub on a small pork shoulder and on some beef ribs. It was excellent and I can’t wait to try it again!

While I have been working on this post, I have been catching up on my guilty pleasure TV, aka. Top Chef, which was done in the great state of Texas this season and I as write this, the contestants are at The Salt Lick and are drinking Shiner Bock. I take this as yet another sign that I need to visit Austin.

This is my recreation of the Bolognese at 62 on Wharf and it’s well worth the time and effort. While it’s not exactly like the one at 62 on Wharf, it’s pretty amazing in its own right. Plus I look at it as an excuse to go back and continue my research.

Ingredients:

2 medium celery ribs, roughly chopped

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 ounces thickly sliced bacon

1 pound ground veal

1 pound ground pork

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

2 sprigs thyme, chopped (or 2 teaspoons of dried thyme)

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 pounds farfalle (or any other pasta capable of carrying the saucy goodness)

Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Use a food processor and process the celery, onion and carrots into a rough paste.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the butter in a large dutch oven until shimmering. Add the onion, carrot and celery mixture, plus the bacon and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetable mix is softened but not browned, about 8-10 minutes. Scrape the vegetable mixture into a separate bowl.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the saucepan and heat until just shimmering. Add the veal and pork and cook over medium-high heat until just barely pink, about 5 minutes. Return the vegetable mixture to the saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost evaporated, about 8 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, thyme and bay leaf. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover partially and cook over low heat for at least an hour. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the heavy cream and cook the sauce until heated through.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well, return to the pot and toss with the sauce. Serve the pasta with the parmesan and enjoy!

Cook’s Note: This sauce freezes well and is great for a make-ahead meal.

This recipe is from the kitchen of Paula Deen, so you can pretty much guarantee that there is butter to spare in them! So worth it… hang on while I go for a run and bench press a car.

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix slowly so you don’t send it flying all over the kitchen. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls.

Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner’s sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and “gooey.” Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

A potage is a creamy soup that is typically pureed and it’s perfect for a cold winter day… even better for a post-holiday comatose state. This one is particularly good and just plain pretty to look at. The soup is named for the region in northern France that produces some of the best carrots in the country, Crécy-en-Ponthieu. While I can’t verify the quality of the carrots in northern France, I can say that a potage is one of my favorite simple kinds of soup and have been known to take them to work in a travel coffee cup for breakfast. My recipe is not entirely traditional, as I add fennel and onion to mine but it is really tasty. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 leek, white and tender green parts, cleaned and sliced

1 small yellow onion

1/2 of a small fennel bulb, sliced

2 bunches of small carrots, thinly sliced

3 Yukon gold potatoes, diced

2-1/2 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped, plus a couple of sprigs whole

1 cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste

Garnish options: chopped parsley, goat cheese, scallions, sun-dried tomatoes, or a little good quality olive oil (or all of the above, as shown)

Heat a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter to the pot. Add the smashed garlic and sauté until golden, remove. Add leeks, onion and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and carrots and sauté for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add thyme, cover the pot and simmer until carrots and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the whole sprigs of thyme. Purée the soup in the pot using an immersion blender (If you don’t have one of these, you can puree the soup in a blender or food processor, in a couple of batches. Return soup to pot when you have pureed it)

Add half-and-half, lemon juice and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer until just heated through. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish. Serve.

Makes 6 cups

Other noteworthy versions of Potage Crecy:

Potage Crécy: French for “It’s cold outside—you need some creamy carrot soup” (www.blue-kitchen.com)

Potage Crecy (www.theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com)

This recipe has several (very easy) steps and is broken out by each component in the order that I make them in. For the first time you make it, you may want to do each piece separately and then assembly the cheesecake, however it’s pretty easy to do the first three at the same time.

Directions:

Crust:

• Parchment paper
• 1 ½ bags of Effie’s Homemade Pecan cookies
• 6 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9 inch springform pan on the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal for serving later. Place the cookies in food processor and process until finely chopped, about 20 seconds. Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Turn mixture into the prepped 9 inch springform pan and press evenly against bottom and sides to form a thick crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Leave oven on.)

Salted Caramel:

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon gray sea salt or other large flake sea salt
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring. If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove the sugar from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the unsalted butter, and salt. Transfer the caramel to a dish and cool.

*Note: Keep any leftover salted caramel sauce in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks to use on ice cream or waffles. Reheat before serving.

Apple Filling:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 Granny Smith apple, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 Fuji or Gala apple, seeded and thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice

Heat a saute pan over medium heat; add the butter and melt. Add the apples, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and soft. Add apple juice, sugar and vanilla bean and cook until slightly thickened and reduced. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Cheesecake filling:

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 8 ounce container of sour cream
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, spilt and insides scraped
• 2 eggs

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with the insides of the vanilla bean, white and brown sugar until soft and well blended. Stir in sour cream and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in eggs, one at a time.

Assembly:

Add a layer of caramel to the top of the crust. Add the layer of apple mixture; top with more caramel. Pour in the cheesecake filling mixture. Bake in middle of oven for 45 minutes, until filling is set. Let cool on rack.  Let set in the fridge for 4 hours to set the cheesecake and make it easier to cut (a sharp knife run under hot water will help to cut it cleanly as well).  Top with caramel for serving.

So after a few years of ordering carbonara every time I ate in the North End, it occurred to me that I should just learn how to make it for myself. So earlier this year, I found a few recipes and started trying my hand at making carbonara. I tried it with fresh pasta and dried, with cream and without, with peas and onions and straight up… pretty much every recipe I found with any carbonara potential was tried, whether they were “traditional” carbonara or not. I started out with results that were much closer to pasta with scrambled eggs, and have gradually developed a technique that works for me with a couple of tricks that are guaranteed to make a smooth, creamy carbonara. It’s not 100% traditional since I like mine better with smoky bacon versus pancetta but either way, it’s the perfect food love.

Ingredients:

1 lb. pasta, spaghetti or fettuccini

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 slices of bacon, chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

5 eggs

2 cups of grated parmesan (asiago can be added, up to 50% of the total cheese), plus more for finishing

Salt and Pepper

1 scallion, sliced (optional)

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and add pasta; cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the chopped bacon (Note: I find it easier to chop bacon when it’s frozen.) and cook until crispy. Add the crushed red pepper to the bacon. Turn off the skillet, but keep it on the warm burner.

Add the eggs to a large bowl and beat gently. Add the grated cheese, a boat load of ground black pepper and a little salt (remember the cheese is salty as well). Mix well; this should become a mostly homogenous mixture.

Reserve some of the starchy pasta cooking water and add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the bacon, mixing the pasta with the bacon as you add it. (Note: I like to scoop the pasta straight into the skillet without fully draining it to make sure some of the cooking water gets incorporated into the sauce.) Take the reserved cooking water and add a few tablespoons of it to the egg mixture, whisking as you add it, to temper the eggs before adding them into the pasta and bacon.

Add the egg mixture to the pasta; stirring thoroughly as you add the eggs. Keep stirring until the eggs have a creamy consistency and the pasta is thoroughly coated. Add extra cheese at this time if you would like a cheesier dish. Top with sliced scallions and more black pepper. I also like to add shaved pieces of parmesan on top (use a vegetable peeler for shavings of cheese).