Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

2 extra-ripe, medium DOLE Bananas, peeled
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

HERE'S HOW:

• Puree bananas in blender (1 cup). Beat bananas, eggs, sugar, margarine and vanilla in medium bowl until well blended.
• Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Add banana mixture. Stir just until blended. Spoon into well greased 2-1/2 inch muffin pan cups
• Bake at 350° F., 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from pan and place on wire rack.

Banana Coffee Cake

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

6 tablespoons margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ripe, large DOLE Bananas, sliced (3 cups)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup margarine

HERE;S HOW:

1. Cream 6 tablespoons margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, in large bowl. Beat in egg, lemon peel and vanilla until smooth. Stir in milk.
2. Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt, in medium bowl. Stir into sugar mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in bananas. Spoon batter into well greased 9-inch square baking pan. Smooth top. Combine brown sugar, remaining flour and cinnamon; cut 1/4 cup margarine into mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle onto batter.
3. Bake at 375° F., 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes before cutting.

Good Source of Calcium

Almond Fudge Banana Cake

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

4 extra-ripe, medium DOLE Bananas, divided
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
3 eggs
3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur or 1 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted and ground
1 square (1 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate, melted

HERE'S HOW:

1. Quarter 4 bananas in blender or food processor container. Cover; blend until smooth (2 cups).
2. Beat sugar and margarine in large bowl, until light and fluffy. Beats in eggs and liqueur. Stir together flour, cocoa powder, soda, salt and almonds in medium bowl.
3. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with 1-1/2 cups blended bananas, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into greased 10-inch bundt pan.
4. Bake at 350°F., 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
5. Mix together remaining 1/2 cup blended banana with melted chocolate, in small bowl. Drizzle glaze over top and down sides of cake.
   

Ethical Carrot Cake

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

400g (15 oz.) unsalted butter
700g (24 oz.) refined sugar
rind and juice of 2 oranges, grated (or a tablespoon of marmalade)
4 large free range eggs
1 kg carrots, grated
150 g dried fruit or chopped nuts

2 tbsp vanilla essence
500 g cake flour
4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp salt

Here's How:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F temperature.
2. Grease an 11 or 12 inch spring-form cake tin.
3. Beat the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy.
4. Slowly add the eggs, beating well to incorporate each addition fully before adding more. Eggs can vary a lot in size, so if the mixture looks quite liquid after adding three eggs, don’t bother with the last one.
5. Fold in the grated carrot and chopped fruit/nuts.
6. Add the vanilla essence and orange bits or marmalade.
7. Finally, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spice and salt together, then fold into the cake mixture.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared spring-form tin and bake in the preheated oven for about an hour. The sides of the cake should be coming away from the sides of the cake tin and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean. If the cake looks quite done on the outside but is still dribbly in the middle, turn the oven heat down a bit, and leave it for another twenty minutes. It should then cook more slowly but more evenly throughout.

Banana Cupcake

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp double acting baking soda
1/4 tsp fine iodized salt
2 medium ripe Bongolan banana, mashed or pureed ( 1 cup)
1 can (234 g.) Del Monte Fresh Cut Crushed Pineapple, well drained
1/2 tsp vanilla

HERE'S HOW:

1. Beat margarine until fluffy. Add sugar gradually and eggs one at a time. Mix well. Set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. Combine mashed banana, crushed pineapple and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to margarine. Blend until smoooth. Pour batter in greased muffin pan to about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven at 350°F for 40 minutes (or using greased 9-1/2" x 5" loaf pan, bake in turbo boiler at 350°F for 35 minutes).

Makes 12 muffins

Buttermilk Pancakes

Are you one of those who ask your mom to buy boxes of ready-to-cook hotcakes? Pancakes can really complete our breakfast or snack. But a homemade pancake can be more delicious. It's as cool as setting up your own solution rather than just being given the final answer..

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, plus some for cooking
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (optional)
Maple syrup or honey
Whipped cream or butter

HERE'S HOW:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside.

2. In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs with the buttermilk and melted butter.

3. Combine the two mixtures you've prepared by whisking them slowly just until the ingredients combine into a lumpy batter. About 11 turns around the bowl is enough, regardless of the lumps you see. Overmixing the batter will result in flat and heavy pancakes.

4. Let the batter rest for 30 min. - 1 hour for better results.

5. Heat up a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Brush a little oil or butter in the pan. Wipe out the excess oil using a paper towel to avoid burning the pancake. Turn the heat down to medium-low.

6. Scoop out 1/3 cup of batter and pour evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the top with some of the blueberies (optional). Cook until there are little bubbles on the surface of the pancake, then flip gently. Cook until the other side is lightly golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

7. Repeat the procedure using the remaining butter (or oil) and batter.

8. Serve with a spoonful of whiped cream and maple syrup, or alternatives.

Fruity Chocolate Cake

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
2 tbsp + 1/3 cup butter
3 tbsp sugar
130 g unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 pc eggs, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp iodized fine salt
1 can (439 g) DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail, well-drained (reserve syrup)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in remaining fruit cocktail syrup
1 tbsp honey

HERE'S HOW:

1. GREASE medium size muffin pan with 2 tbsp of butter then dust with 2 tbsp sugar. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Melt half of chocolate chips in double boiler. Set aside.
2. CREAM remaining butter and half of sugar for 3 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in melted chocolate, vanilla and 2 tbsp fruit cocktail syrup. Set aside.
3. BEAT egg whites until soft peaks form then gradually add remaining sugar while beating until stiff. Fold into the creamed mixture alternately with breadcrumbs. Fold in remaining chocolate chips, nuts and salt. Fill the muffin pan with batter 3/4 full.
4. COMBINE DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail and flour. Top each unbaked muffin with fruit mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
5. HEAT cornstarch mixture until thick. Add honey. Brush over cake.

Servings 12

Good source of Vitamin C – helps fight common infection.