Banana Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

I was really skeptical to make these. How can you make cookies with just 3 ingredients?! Call it some sort of sorcery, but the cookies held their shapes despite the lack of a binding agent.

Banana Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies
Yield: about 18 cookies
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cinnamon chips

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with silpat baking mat or parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the mashed bananas and oats. Let it rest for 10 minutes then fold in the cinnamon chips.
3. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are firm and lightly browned.
4. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.

Recipe by JG

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Crispy Potato Pancakes

Savory pancakes, anyone?

Crispy Potato Pancakes
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups mashed potato
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2 large eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
olive oil, for frying

Directions:
1. In a shallow dish, combine flour, garlic and onion powders. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Divide the mashed potato into 8 equal portions and form each into patties.
3. Dredge patties in the flour mixture. Dip in the egg/milk mixture, then coat with panko breadcrumbs. Shake to remove excess. Repeat the same process for the remaining patties.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with olive oil. Cook the patties until golden on each side. Transfer onto a paper towel-lined plate. Top with sour cream or plain greek yogurt.

Recipe by JG

Ube Waffles with Coco Jam Syrup

This was an experiment that I wasn’t expecting to be a good one, but I guess luck was on my side.

Ube Waffles with Coco Jam Syrup
Yield: 8 servings
Prep time: 75 minutes (includes resting)
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1/3 cup hot milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup ube jam
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ube extract
2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
coco jam syrup, recipe follows
toasted coconut flakes, for garnish

Directions:
1. In a measuring cup, combine the hot milk, melted butter, and ube jam until fully incorporated. Whisk in the eggs and ube extract. Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the warm milk mixture in a slow steay stream. Increase the speed to medium until the dough barely sticks to the bowl, about 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
4. Once doubled, turn on the waffle iron. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Spread each waffle dough in the hot iron and cook until deep golden brown.
5. Serve with warm coco jam syrup and toasted coconut flakes.

Coco Jam Syrup
1 15-oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon pandan juice extract, optional

Bring the coconut milk, brown sugar, salt, and pandan extract to a boil in a saucepan. As soon as the milk starts to vigorously boil, quickly reduce the heat and let it simmer over medium-to-low heat while stirring frequently. The sweetened milk will slowly thicken and its color will gradually darken into deep chocolate brown. The jam is ready when a spoonful firms up when cool.

Coco Jam Syrup Recipe adapted from Jun Belen

Carrot Cake Cookies

Because I’m beginning to be a fan of carrot cake! Plus, it’s orange — the next color I need for my rainbow-cookie-series.

Carrot Cake Cookies
Yield: about 18 cookies
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup carrots, grated

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with silpat baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Combine the butter, granulated and brown sugars in a bowl. Using a had mixer, beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until well mixed.
4. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Stir in the grated carrots and mix just until combined.
5. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Land O’ Lakes

Salisbury Steak

I was looking at photos saved on my hard drive and then saw this. The hubs and I are pescatarians for about two years now, but I can still remember what meat tastes like. I find ground meat to be very versatile that you can basically add a hodgepodge-thingamajig of flavors to it. As they say, “Everything, but the kitchen sink.”

Salisbury Steak
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
For the Meat Mixture:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons olive oil

For the Gravy:
1 whole onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon ketchup
4 dashes Worcestershire
1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. For the meat mixture: Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, ketchup, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and some salt and pepper. Knead until all combined. Form into 4 oval patties, and then make lines across the patties to give them a “steak” appearance.
2. Fry the patties in a skillet with the butter and oil over medium-high heat on both sides until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from the skillet and pour off any excess grease.
3. For the gravy: Reduce the heat to medium and add in the sliced onions. Stir and cook until golden brown and somewhat soft, for several minutes. Add the beef stock, ketchup, and the Worcestershire. Then combine the cornstarch with a little beef broth and add to the sauce to thicken. Stir and cook to reduce.
4. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and more broth if needed for thinning. Then return the patties to the gravy. Spoon the gravy over the top and let them simmer and heat back up for a couple of minutes.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman