Banana Pumpkin Muffins

 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon baking powder

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

 2 bananas, mashed

 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

 1/2 cup white sugar

 1 egg, lightly beaten

 1/3 cup butter, melted

 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. 

In another bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Stir the the flour mixture into the banana mixture, just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

**Notes...I folded in 1/3 cup chocolate chips to the batter and it is delicious.  I haven't had a chance to add banana chip pieces.

homemade doughnuts..yum!

One of our family traditions is doughnuts for breakfast on Saturday morning.  It is SO expensive to buy them at the store, that I decided to try and make my own.  My kids GOBBLED these up faster than I could fry them.  I didn't even get a chance to get icing on them.  The only issue, they didn't care for them the next day though. So for us, I will make the dough and either leave in the fridge over night; or will form the doughnuts and freeze them, take them out to rise Saturday morning and then fry them.

1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon yeast 
1/4 cup water 
1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar 
3/4 teaspoon salt 
2 eggs 
1/4 cup butter 
3 3/4 cups flour 

• Proof yeast by adding it to the warm water.  
• Heat the milk in your microwave and let cool.
• Combine yeast, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter and 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.
• Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Carefully, stir in remaining flour until smooth.
• Cover and let rise until double, 30-60 minutes.
• After the dough has risen, turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour.
• Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin.
• Cut with floured doughnut cutter.  Separate donuts and holes, as they take different frying times 
• Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes. 

Heat oil to 350 and fry a few doughnuts at a time.  When they turn light brown flip carefully.

Chinese BBQ Pork - Crockpot

Chinese BBQ Pork

1 Tbsp garlic, chopped

1 tsp Chinese 5 spice

2 Tbsp red wine

4 Tbsp sugar

4 Tbsp hoisin sauce

4 Tbsp ketchup

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

Mix all together in a plastic bag and add pork roast.  Marinade overnight.  I used a pork roast from Costco which was about 3 pounds.  I stuck in crockpot for about 4 hours and it turned out perfect. You know your crockpot best.  

Pumpkin Brownies..Super Awesome!

It might sound a little weird but the canned pumpkin actually adds an awesome depth to the chocolate and cuts down on the sweetness.  I was a little skeptical but even tasting it before baking I knew they were going to be tasty.  The brownies were a little flat and fudgy.

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar 

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

How to:

In the microwave, melt the butter. Let it cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 8x8 baking pan.

• In a bowl mix the melted butter, sugar. pumpkin puree, vanilla.  Mix well but don't over mix.
• Add cocoa powder, flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.  Mix until moistened.  Be careful to not over mix.
• Pour mixture into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

The best part since these are eggless...you can lick the spoon with NO guilt!! YAY!

I would LOVE to post a picture but these beauties were eaten up before I could get the camera out.