Peanut Butter Crunch Banana Bread

I love banana bread as do my people.  It is a good thing, because I accidentally left my brand new bunch of bananas next to the last banana from my previous bunch and ended up with six, yes six, overripe bananas.  That was a lot of banana typing.

Luckily, each loaf of banana bread requires three overripe bananas.  So, guess who got to make two loaves of bread?...  this girl.  And since I am easily bored, I decided to experiment and create two different types: Peanut Butter Crunch and Double Chocolate.  First, I am going to share the peanut butter version with you, because it was my favorite.  With peanut butter stirred into the batter AND made into crumbles that are layered with the batter then sprinkled on top, it is a peanut butter banana explosion.  So, if you are staring down some brown bananas and want a fresh take on the old standard, try this out.  I promise you will not be disappointed!

 

Peanut Butter Crunch Banana Bread

 

 

Ingredients:

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. butter

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 very ripe bananas

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. peanut butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

 

Directions:

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Melt butter in a pan over medium low heat.  Continue to heat butter until solids (they look like sand at the bottom) begin to turn golden brown and butter smells nutty.  Be careful once it starts to brown, it can burn VERY quickly!  Let cool a few minutes.

Combine 1/2 c. sugar and browned butter in mixer and beat together.

Add eggs, bananas, vanilla and 1/4 c. peanut butter and beat to combine.

Add flour mixture and mix on low until no flour pockets remain.

Using a fork, combine remaining 1/2 c. peanut butter and 3/4 c. brown sugar in a small bowl.

Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and spread 1/3 batter in bottom.

Top with 1/3 brown sugar mixture.  Repeat two more times, finishing with sprinkling the last of the brown sugar crumbs on the top of loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

 

 

***Want more crunch?  Try crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth.***

***Want another banana bread recipe?  Check out Banana Lovers Banana Bread .***

***Want another super peanutbuttery dessert?  Check out my Peanut Butter Lovers Pie .***



Painting Ceramic Tile

My kitchen backsplash was kind of ridiculous.

 

White, blue and gray.  Great if you like "Home Sweet Home" happy duckling wallpaper, but not so much my style.  Ever tried to take down tile?  Sometimes you're fine, sometimes it peels drywall down with it and then you are screwed. 

 

I did some research and discovered, if you do it right, tile is paintable.  Especially kitchen wall tile since it does not get walked on, or subjected to showering and bathing.

 

It is very simple and inexpensive to do, it just takes a little patience and a steady hand.

 

First, rough up the tile you intend to paint with fine grit sandpaper.  This will help the paint stick.

 

After all the tile is sanded, clean it VERY thoroughly.  I used soap and water first, let it dry and then wiped it well with an alcohol soaked rag, letting it dry completely before the next step.

 

Using a sponge brush, paint each tile with a paint suitable for ceramic.  I find that sponge brushes leave a smoother finish than a bristle brush, which was important to me because I did not want it to be obvious my tiles were painted.  I used Martha Stewart Living metallic paint that is sold at Home Depot and runs just under $6 each.  Allow the first coat to dry and follow with a second coat.

 

Allow to dry overnight and cover painted tiles with two coats of a water based polycrylic.  This will give an authentic ceramic tile shine and protect the paint job you just worked so hard on!

 

These painted tiles can endure wiping, however be careful if you must scrub as they will scratch, so use a soft cloth.

 

So, before:

 

 

And after:

 

 

 

 

I was VERY happy with how my tiles turned out.  Is it something I would have picked myself to install, heck no, but I can live with it now.  So, if you have awful tiles, but aren't into a tear down yet, try this out.  It is a cheap way to make a HUGE difference!

 

***Like my colors?  The top color is Vintage Gold and the bottom color is Cast Bronze.***

***Got a sharp eye and noticed I changed my hardware?   I bought mine at http://www.atgstores.com/ .  Find my bin pulls here. Find my cabinet pulls here. ***

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peanut Butter Lovers Pie

My people love peanut butter.  They love it in sandwiches, cookies, ice cream, noodles and on spoons.  Most of all, they love it in pie.

I have a peanut butter pie I have been making for quite a few years.  It is a simple, no bake pie and it is super yummy.  Recently, I went to whip one up and remembered my mom making a peanut butter pie when I was little.  Her pie was very different from mine.  It was also simple, consisting of peanut butter and sugar mixed together to make a crumbly concoction that was sprinkled in the bottom of a baked crust and then topped with instant vanilla pie filling.  Easy, but not very peanut buttery.  My version packs a pretty good peanut butter punch, but I decided the peanut butter crumbs from her pie could make it a knockout.  So, here you go.  My new hybrid extra peanut buttery pie.  Be sure you have plenty of milk!

Peanut Butter Lovers Pie

 

Ingredients:

Pre-baked pie crust (want an easy recipe?  Try my simple crust )

1 package Dream Whip, prepared according to directions (you could also use about 3/4 of a tub of Cool Whip)

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c, powdered sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. peanut butter, divided

2 Tbsp. milk

 

Directions:

Combine brown sugar and 1/2 c. peanut butter with a fork until combined and crumbly.

In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Add remaining 1/2 c. peanut butter and milk and beat until smooth and a little fluffy.

Carefully fold prepared Dream Whip into cream cheese mixture.

Sprinkle 1/3 peanut butter crumbs in the bottom of prepared shell.  Top with 1/2 filling. 

Repeat layer and end by sprinkling last 1/3 of crumbs over the top of pie.  Chill. 

 

***Don't have Dream Whip or Cool Whip?  Make 2 c. (finished volume) of lightly sweetened whipped cream.***

 

***Immediately after this post went up, my mother called to let me know that even though her recipe may have called for instant pie filling, she made her own filling from scratch.  She has "never in her life" used instant pie filling.  So, do not doubt my mother's amazing cooking skills.  Apparently it irks her... greatly.***