Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Joanna from Lost in the Kitchen posted a low-fat banana bread recipe that I had been wanting to try.  I don’t have a loaf pan (yet), so I thought I’d give the recipe a little twist and make it into muffins instead.  Then, I realized I had some mini chocolate chips on hand and decided to throw those in as well.  Unfortunately, it’s no longer a true low-fat recipe, but it’s the taste that counts, right? Trust me, these are very, very good!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

(Inspired by Joanna and Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

To Make:
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl beat together sugar and butter.  Gradually add eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly mixed.  Add banana, yogurt and vanilla.  Add flour mixture to wet ingredients gradually until moist.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Place muffin liners in muffin pan and fill with batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.  Muffins are done when toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Yield:
10 muffins 

Chocolate French Toast

This is another special breakfast at our house. It’s made with chocolate bread, which is not as sweet as it sounds. Topped with maple syrup and strawberries, it’s a decadent breakfast treat!

Chocolate French Toast
Ingredients:
4 slices chocolate bread, each about 1/2 in. thick
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
butter
syrup
fruit toppings (optional)

To Make:
Whisk together eggs and milk. Heat 1 T. butter in pan over medium-high heat. Soak chocolate slices in egg mixture until evenly coated on each side. Let extra drain off. Add to pan and cook about 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Serve warm with extra butter, syrup or toppings of your choice.

Yield:
2-4 Servings

Chocolate Bread

There is a famous bakery in the Twin Cities called the Turtle Bread Company. They make the best chocolate bread in the world! It’s made with cocoa, so it’s not too sweet and has chunks of chocolate in it that stays just the slightest bit crunchy and melty. It’s perfect. I haven’t been able to find anything quite like it in Brussels, but have recently tried to make my own. It’s not quite the same as we have different flours and chocolate over here, but I thought it turned out pretty good for a first attempt! I make the bread just so I can make French Toast out of it later and then freeze the rest for another time.

Chocolate Bread
(For bread machine)
Ingredients:
1 package instant yeast
3 cups bread flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 unsweetened cocoa
1 egg, unbeaten
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

To Make:
Add ingredients according to your bread machine instructions. Chocolate morsels are added half-way through kneading process. Settings: Normal, White, or Sweet. Medium color and size.

Yield:
1 Loaf

Good-Morning Crêpes with Berry Sauce

In France and Belgium, crêpes are popular at 3:00 in the afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea. For us, they will always be a breakfast food. We have them on lazy weekends or when guests visit.
Matt likes to top his with Nutella or just butter and cassonade (a brown sugar made from sugarbeets). I like mine with fruit. Before moving to Europe, I was hesitant to make them. There are hundreds of recipes and gadgets relating to this simple food. I have finally learned the secret to a perfect crêpe. It isn’t about the pan or the paddles, you can use any skillet or flat griddle (non-stick works best) and a knife or spatula to turn them. It’s all about the consistency of the batter (it should be thin and even) and the temperature of the pan (don’t let it get too hot between crêpes.) The rest is up to you – plain, savory, sweet, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert!

Good-Morning Crêpes
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. butter (melted)

To Make:
Preheat skillet or crêpe pan over medium heat. Let it heat for about 5 mins.
In large bowl, whisk together all ingredients until batter is smooth and even (no lumps). When pan is hot, pour a small amount (about 1/4 cup) into center of pan and swirl to make a very thin layer on the pan. When tiny bubbles appear on the top side of the batter (after 1-2 mins.), gently slide a spatula or knife under one side and fold back onto itself to turn to the other side. Cook another 1 – 2 mins. and serve.

Yield:
4 Servings

Berry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or frozen fruit (I used mixed Summer berries)
1 T. sugar (or more to taste)

To Make:
Heat berries and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to dissolve sugar. Bring to a slow boil and reduce to a syrup consistency. Serve over crêpes, ice cream, cakes, anything!

Yield:
4 Servings