Banana Chocolate Chip Bread With Streusel Topping

I love Banana's and I LOVVVVE chocolate.

So what's the next best thing - Banana Chocolate Chip Bread and what's more - it's super quick and easy to make. 

Here is what you need to make

 Banana Chocolate Chip Bread With Streusel Topping

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Apple Sauce

2 Large Eggs

3 Medium Sized Bananas (Older Bananas work best)

1 & 1/2 Cups of Chocolate Chips

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1Tsp of Baking Soda

1 Tsp Salt

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Tblsp All Spice

Oven 350 Deg's

Streusel Topping

1/4 Cup & 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1/4 Tsp Cinnamon

Grease your pans. I use a little butter & sprinkle flour in and tap around so that the flour coats the butter

Set aside, until you need them.

HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEG

Mix, Sugar & Eggs

Add Apple Sauce and whisk

Add all Dry Ingredients & whisk, but not completely

Then add Bananas & Chocolate Chips

Now this amount will Either make 4 small loaves or 

1 Large & 16 mini muffin size

Make The Streusel Topping 

Put everything into a bowl a mix with your fingertips. 

Till it resembles breadcrumbs

Pop into the oven & bake for 45 minutes for the LARGE loaf

Or about 35 -40 mins for the 4 smaller loaves

If your making the mini muffins /cupcake size they will only take 10-15 mins

To check it it ready, press the top and if it bounces back up it's done. To make sure the loaf sized ones are done, pop a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean it's done.

Leave to cool

& 

Enjoy.

The Topping is

  Dipilicous Cream Cheese Marshmallow Dip

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A New Year!

I'm a little late off the starting blocks, but none the less, I'm  here :) Over the years of making countless 'New Years Resolutions' and then at the end of January feeling rather deflated at failing those new set resolutions, this year I didn't make any!

WHAT!

Yep, I didn't make any. Why? Well, I'm choosing a different way to do things this year. Not that I'm not going to try to achieve to accomplish anything - I will. I just won't give myself any set time.

If I want to write, blog, work on my book - I will
If I want to try something - I will.
If I want to exercise - I will.
If I want to learn a new craft skill - I will.
If I want to just cuddle and play with my girls - I will.
If I want to read a book or 10 - I will.
If I want to have that lemon dessert - I will.
And last but not least, If I want chocolate and not feel guilty - I WILL!!


We, ladies can accomplish whatever our heart desires. WE mentally and literally make so many LISTS to do and feel so  deflated  when we don't achieve them, so what do we do - we stop trying. I am one who has been in that same boat.

Life is for living and not feeling we can't, but we can. Just remember, everything we do starts with BABY STEPS.

SO IF I WANT TO:

Write, blog, work on my book - I Will (Even if it's 20 minutes a day)
Try something new - I Will (No matter what - well no alcohol or drugs or stuff along those lines)
Exercise - I Will (Even if I only have 30 mins a day)
Learn a new craft skill - I will (Like? I;m not sure as what just yet, but I'm pretty sure there will be 1 or more)
Cuddle and play fun games with my girls - I Will ( Even if the dishes don't get washed, or the laundry waits until tomorrow)
Read a book or 10 - I Will (Even if it's 1 chapter a day, it actually helps my thought process for writing)
Have that lemon dessert - I Will (Maybe just once a month)
And last but not least, If I want chocolate and not feel guilty - I WILL!! ( Now this is a staple in my home- for my sanity, even  it's a small handful of Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips)

And if there are those days where we are PMS'ing or it's just one of 'Those Days' and we ladies all know what they can be like- JUST STOP, STAND STILL & BREATHE, think of a peaceful place. Then go about your day. If you're like me, then you may have a few of those, Stop, stand still & breathe :) Moments

And remember, no matter where you live, who you are and what you do - We are all loved :)

Have a wonderful, productive NEW 2014 YEAR :)

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Blackberry, Raspberry Cream Pastry Puffs

Truly Scrumptious

 Mmm... Truly, truly scrumptious. 

This is what you'll be saying/singing

 After eating one of these

 Yummy delights.

Don't think for one second these are hard to make- There Not!

Heres what you'll need to make them

Yep, I cheated and used ready made Puff Pastry Shells

1 packet of Puff Pastry Shells (I used Pepperidge Farms Brand)

1 small punnet of Blackberries

1 small punnet of Raspberries

Birds Custard Powder

3 tablespoons room temp Butter

1/4 cup sugar

200 mls Milk

300 mls Coconut Milk

1/4 cup dried Milk

1/4 cup heavy Cream

2 packets of Fat Free Cream Cheese

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence

Crio Bru Coaco Nibs

Melted Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup powdered sugar

I haven't posted how to make the custard on this post but

You can follow  it from this post HERE

Heat your oven to the temp in the box of Puff  Pastry.

Cook for 18- 20 minutes till golden brown, leave to cool

*After making your custard, leave it cool. If you find it too thick, add some cream to thin it out.

Next you take your Blackberries & Raspberries, leaving some for decoration, and puree them.

 Blend you cream cheese

Add your Powdered Sugar

Add your butter & 2 large spoons of your blackberries & raspberries

Taste your cream cheese, I wanted mine more blackberrish :) so I added one more spoonful

Then added vanilla

Once cooled, I took off the tops and removed the middle, be careful not to remove it all as it will break the shells.

Plop a blackberry & raspberry into each puff shell.

Next plop, some of the custard mixture on top of the fruit.

Then on top of the custard, plop on your cream cheese mixture.

Don't discard the tops of the puff shells - use them for your Kiddies :)

Decorate with the melted choc chips and the remaining fruit

Then get ready to say..... Mmm Truly Scrumptious!

Blackberry Raspberry Cream Pastry Puffs

How the puffs look when you cut into one...mmmm!

Now you may say...hey I have leftover cream cheese & fruit puree, you can always make more puffs.

Well heres what happened to mine!

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies

HOW TASTY DO THESE COOKIES LOOK :)

Fall is here, and so are the  Pumpkins!

Time for Cookies!!

This is such an easy recipe to make and so...yummy to eat! They will not last long and you'll soon find yourself making more. 
It's a crime, I love these cookies so much, as my waistline groans every time I go and reach for a scrumptious 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies!

1 cup Flour

1 cup Granulated  White Sugar

1 cup Light Brown Sugar

1 cup Pumpkin Puree

1 cup Butter (Softened)

2 Eggs

1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ginger

1/4 Nutmeg

1/4 Cloves

2 cups Chocolate Chips

(tsp - Teaspoon)
(If by chance, you don't have all the spices, you can use 'All Spice')

This batch made 45 cookies.

Method

*Heat Oven to 350 deg. Line your cookie trays with Parchment Paper or use a nonstick spray.

Beat you Butter till smooth.

Beat the eggs in one at a time, until light and fluffy.

Add pumpkin puree & vanilla.

Add 1 cup of flour, add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

Next add the remaining flour and whisk well.

                                        Next add chocolate chips, and nuts.

Use a teaspoon and a dollop in little balls on your baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes, until they are beginning to brown around the edges.

 


 Remove from the oven, let them rest for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.

Then enjoy the fruits or should I say,'Cookies' of your labors!

Happy Eating

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