Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1-1/3 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 

Makes 12 jumbo, 24 regular, or about 7-8 dozen mini muffins.

HINT: You can make batter and freeze in muffin tins for next time! Just take out of freezer and let thaw for 30 minutes, then bake as usual.

From the files of Peggy,
The Inn at Merridun, Union, SC

Directions

  Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or line muffin pans.

  In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla. In second bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt & add to egg mixture all at once. Mix just until ingredients are blended. DO NOT OVER-MIX. Fold in mashed banana, chocolate chips and walnuts.

  Fill muffin cups 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean—be careful not to hit a melted chocolate chip! Cool for 5 minutes; then remove muffins from tins, and place them on a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Norm makes these for himself all the time.
Perfect for the Chocoholic!!

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground sausage
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 green apple, (granny smith), peeled, sliced thin
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 unbaked 10" deep dish pie crust 

Serves 6-7

HINT: Try ham or bacon in place of sausage and spinach or mushrooms for the apple.

This is one of my FAVORITES!!

From At Your Service Southern Recipes,
Places and Traditions
From the files of Helen,
Highland Inn, Friday Harbor, WA

Directions

  Heat oven to 350. 

  Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat, stirring until crumbly; drain.

  Mix mayo & flour in small bowl. Whisk in milk & eggs until blended. Set aside.

  Toss apple, cheeses & sausage in a second small bowl. Spoon sausage/apple/cheese mixture into pie shell.  Arrange some apple slices on top in appealing design. Pour egg mixture over the top.

  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Peach Blueberry Stuffed Custard French Toast

Ingredients

16 - 3/4" slices french bread
6 lg eggs
3 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Pinch allspice
Pinch salt
3 Tbsp butter,  melted

1 - 1  1/2  cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
3-4 peaches, peeled and sliced (64 slices,  8 per stack)

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
Pinch of salt

Makes 8 servings of one stack each.  

HINT: Bread expands during the baking process, so make sure that the loaf of bread is not super large in it's dry form. When arranging peaches, an estimate would be 8 slices per stack. Blueberries are scattered and not overpowering.

Directions

  Spray 11X15 baking dish w/non-stick spray.  Melt 3 Tbsp butter; coat dish bottom. Set aside.

Whisk together milk, eggs, spices, vanilla, salt & 3/4 cup brown sugar. Dip 8 bottom slices and place in dish. Arrange half of the peaches and blueberries evenly on top of each slice of bread. Dip & place second piece of bread on top as if making a sandwich. Pour remaining liquid over all, not allowing too much to stand in bottom. Arrange remainder of peaches and blueberries on each top slice. Cover & refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Heat brown sugar, butter & pinch of salt just until it comes to a foamy bubble. (I use a small glass bowl in the microwave.) Add cream & corn syrup, stir & cook 3 min more, 1 min at a time. Stir until it is a smooth caramel. Cool for 5 minutes. Cover; refrigerate overnight. Uncover bread stacks; ladle re-heated caramel, topping each stack. Bake in 350 degree oven 30-40 minutes until bubbly & browned. Serve immediately; will flatten if left to cool. Needs NO syrup!!

If you love peaches...this is a "to die for" french toast!!