Banana Coffee Cake

Ingredients: 

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup buttermilk (I used 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tsp lemon juice)

1 tsp vanilla

3 mashed ripe bananas

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

Crumb Topping: 

1/2 cup butter softened, cut into cubes

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup quick oats

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. 

Combine the eggs, sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add in the mashed bananas. 

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir with a spoon. Repeat until all the dry ingredients are mixed in. Just use a spoon to mix so you don't over-mix the dough. 

Pour into the pan. 

Make the crumb topping: Mix the powdered sugar, flour, oatmeal, and cinnamon together. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients and place on cake. Bake for 35 minutes. 

Let cool. Mix 3/4 cup powdered sugar with 2 tsp milk to make a glaze. 

Add the glaze and serve. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

We had a bunch of ripe bananas to use today, so we tried some new recipes. This is definitely a keeper. 

Ingredients: 

5 ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/5 tsp cinnamon

1/2 to 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 10x15 inch pan with cooking spray. 

Stir the mashed bananas, brown sugar, oil, milk, and eggs together in a bowl. Add in the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

Spread the batter in the pan and bake for 16 minutes. 

Let cool on a wire rack. 

Instant Pot Dirty Rice

We wanted to try something new for Mardi Gras this year, so I altered the recipe found here: https://acadianasthriftymom.com/easy-instant-pot-dirty-rice-ready-in-under-30-minutes/

Ingredients: 

4 oz bacon, chopped

1 lb bulk sausage

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic)

2 tsp creole seasoning

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp thyme
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice

1 14oz can of chicken broth

1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

Set your instant pot to saute and add the bacon, sausage, onion, and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the sausage is browned. 

Pour in the rest of the ingredients and stir. 

Set the Instant Pot to manual for 15 minutes. Seal the lid and let cook. 

After 15 minutes, let it naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick release. 

Remove the bay leaf and serve. 

Daily Positive Affirmations for February

For the past few years, I have added messages to the kids' doors every day from February 1st-14th. I have done things I love about each kid, have had relatives and friends send messages about things they love about each kid, and have had the kids write messages to each other about things they love about their siblings. 

This year I decided to write 14 positive affirmations or quotes that I thought were fitting for each kid. I will post an affirmation a day above their bed for 14 days.