Breakfast

35 whopping grams of protein in this smoothie (with no powders), and it tastes like a milkshake!

Super Skinny Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie Recipe

35 whopping grams of protein in this smoothie (with no powders), and it tastes like a milkshake!

35 whopping grams of protein in this smoothie (with no powders), and it tastes like a milkshake!

I’m going to be really honest with you… the weight loss thing isn’t really my strong suit in life. I haven’t quite cracked the code on that one.

Do I love Weight Watchers? You betcha.

I love to exercise too, believe it or not.

And I can whip up healthier versions of dessert recipes all day long (like Skinny Chocolate Donuts, Skinny Brownie Batter Dip, and Banana Pancakes).

But when it comes to actually dropping the pounds… not so much.

35 whopping grams of protein in this smoothie (with no powders), and it tastes like a milkshake!

However, I fully anticipate that I will one day eat my way through enough Halo Top Ice Cream to discover that it’s finally made me skinny.

At least that’s what I tell my husband every time I spend 5.99 on a pint ????.

Good man that he is, I never actually see him roll his eyes.

35 whopping grams of protein in this smoothie (with no powders), and it tastes like a milkshake!

Anyway. The point that I’m trying to make here is… I may not be very good at the actual losing of the weight. But I’m very, very good at breakfast on day one of a new diet. Ahem, er, “lifestyle change.” ????

Side note: how irritating is it that no one is allowed to “diet” anymore. The PC way to say diet these days is, “lifestyle change.” But… what if I just want to lose 30 pounds? Do I really have to change my mindset and my pantry for the rest of forever. Is that really totally necessary?? Is it???? *hysterics*

But back to breakfast on day one…

How about a ridiculously decadent smoothie WITH 35 FREAKING GRAMS OF PROTEIN that tastes like peanut butter cups? Works for me.

Enjoy!

Soft French bread stuffed with a cinnamon roll filling, baked to perfection, and topped with cinnamon roll icing. Make ahead so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven!

Cinnamon Roll Stuffed Baked French Toast Recipe

Soft French bread stuffed with a cinnamon roll filling, baked to perfection, and topped with cinnamon roll icing. Make ahead so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven!

Soft French bread stuffed with a cinnamon roll filling, baked to perfection, and topped with cinnamon roll icing. Make ahead so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven!

This recipe combines two of my favorite breakfasts: french toast and cinnamon rolls!

I’ve literally stuffed the inside of french bread with cinnamon roll filling, soaked it in an eggy custard overnight, baked it to golden perfection, and smothered it with cinnamon roll icing.

Comfort food at it’s finest ????.

Soft French bread stuffed with a cinnamon roll filling, baked to perfection, and topped with cinnamon roll icing. Make ahead so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven!

I used about half of a french bread loaf in a 9×9 baking dish. But you could use the entire loaf and fit it into a 9×13 baking dish just fine. Just be sure to double the milk and egg portion of the recipe as well.

The best way to make stuffed french toast is to simply cut a large slit in a thick piece of the bread– not cut it all the way through. This way you can literally stuff the inside of the piece of bread instead of sandwiching it together. It’s a lot easier to prep, cook, and serve if you do it like this. That way you don’t have the filling falling out all over the place!

Speaking of filling…

This filling is pretty simple, but extremely delicious. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter– the makings of a perfect cinnamon roll filling. I also added pecans, because I love pecans in my cinnamon rolls. But that’s totally up to you.

As it bakes and the butter melts into the sugar, it becomes ooey and gooey and perfect.

Soft French bread stuffed with a cinnamon roll filling, baked to perfection, and topped with cinnamon roll icing. Make ahead so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven!

Soft French bread stuffed with a cinnamon roll filling, baked to perfection, and topped with cinnamon roll icing. Make ahead so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven!

Drizzle my favorite cinnamon roll icing over top, and you are in for a real treat! You could also totally add maple syrup to this… I wouldn’t judge.

If  you’re looking for the perfect Mother’s Day breakfast… this is it. I promise.

Soft French bread stuffed with a cinnamon roll filling, baked to perfection, and topped with cinnamon roll icing. Make ahead so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven!

How to make old fashioned buttermilk donuts at home!

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Donuts Recipe

How to make old fashioned buttermilk donuts at home!

How to make old fashioned buttermilk donuts at home!

Donuts are my eternal weakness. There is absolutely nothing in this world that I love better than a donut. No, not even my beloved chocolate chip cookies. Donuts always win with me.

My family and I make this recipe for old fashioned pioneer donuts twice a year on General Conference weekend, and it’s a tradition we all look forward to. They are super soft and fluffy on the inside, golden crisp on the outside (we’re frying today, people!), and coated in sugar. Sometimes with cinnamon, sometimes without.

 

Just like biscuit-making, the key to making these donuts is NOT OVERMIXING! See how lumpy and clumpy that is? It’s exactly how you want your dough to look. Don’t aim for smooth, elastic, yeast-y perfection here. This dough doesn’t work that way. And if you try to knead it into submission, you’ll end up with donuts that work better as hockey pucks than as actual food.

But there’s no need to stress! These are EASY, I promise. Lumpy dough = less work for you.

https://staging.somethingswanky.com/mile-high-perfect-biscuits/How to make old fashioned buttermilk donuts at home!

Same rules apply here. We don’t need to roll the dough out into a long, thin strip of dough. Since there’s no yeast in these donuts, it’s all about keeping the dough THICK even before they go into the frying oil. The best way to do this is to simply press out the dough to about 1/4-inch thick with your hands.

Again, easy. Simple. No problem!

How to make old fashioned buttermilk donuts at home!

I feel like there is always so much trepidation when it comes to frying food at home. It’s really no big deal! You don’t need a deep fryer or any other fancy equipment. And it doesn’t have to be messy. All you need are a few simple tools you probably already have on hand.

  • a deep soup pot (although I’ve even fried food in a small saucepan using just a cup of oil! It doesn’t have to be big, just work with what you’ve got)
  • tongs
  • a cooling rack
  • paper towels

The key to deep frying at home over the stove is to WATCH THE HEAT. You should never take the temp above medium. Let it heat up at medium, stay at medium, and never leave medium!!!

Got it? Good! You’ll be fine. Frying donuts is fun ????, I promise.

How to make old fashioned buttermilk donuts at home!

Once the donuts are fried and beautiful, dunk ’em in some sugar. Cinnamon sugar is really good too.

This is one of our favorite family recipes, and now I hope it will be one of yours too. Enjoy!!

Triple the peanut butter in this sweet banana bread with a decadent cookies & cream packed ganache on top!

Peanut Butter Oreo Banana Bread Recipe

Super moist banana bread with triple the peanut butter and an Oreo ganache on top.

Triple the peanut butter in this sweet banana bread with a decadent cookies & cream packed ganache on top!

I don’t really feel like I need to pitch you the merits of peanut butter, chocolate, and banana bread. Because if you’re not already a fanatical lover of all three… you’ve possibly lost your way and landed here on Something Swanky.

Triple the peanut butter in this sweet banana bread with a decadent cookies & cream packed ganache on top!

When I first made this recipe back in 2013, I wasn’t totally sure how to incorporate the Oreos. All I knew was that I wanted to make a peanut butter banana bread with lots and lots of Oreos. So I just tried cramming them all into the batter. And it was…. fine. A little chaotic, not quite perfect, but still pretty okay.

And then about a year later, I made this Scotcheroo Banana Bread with the dreamiest peanut butter-butterscotch ganache on top. And that’s when I realized exactly what I wanted to do with the Oreos in this banana bread recipe.

It’s taken me another 3 long years to finally get around to doing it, but here we are– making a deep, dark chocolate and peanut butter ganache packed to the brim with Oreo crumbles! ????

https://staging.somethingswanky.com/scotcheroo-banana-bread/

https://staging.somethingswanky.com/scotcheroo-banana-bread/

The ganache! People! The ganache was the answer all along. They were never quite right in the batter. Somehow they blended in. That signature cookies & cream taste was lost in the flavor of bananas and the texture was way too soft. You just could find the cookies in the bread!

Well, there’s no getting lost in here. We’re smothering those babies in chocolate and spreading them front, top, and center of this recipe. You can’t take a bite without getting a mouthful of cookies and cream!

Triple the peanut butter in this sweet banana bread with a decadent cookies & cream packed ganache on top!

Peanut butter was another flavor that surprisingly got a little lost in the old recipe. It didn’t really have a place to stand out and shine back then. But today’s version of banana bread puts peanut butter right back out in the spotlight. It’s in the bread batter, in the ganache, and drizzled right on top where you can’t possibly miss it.

Chocolate, peanut butter, Oreo, and banana lovers– this bread is for you!

Triple the peanut butter in this sweet banana bread with a decadent cookies & cream packed ganache on top!

Enjoy!

These waffles are so easy to make and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth incredible. My favorite Belgian Waffles dipped in butter and coated in cinnamon sugar.

Churro Waffles for Cinco de Mayo Recipe

These waffles are so easy to make and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth incredible. My favorite Belgian Waffles dipped in butter and coated in cinnamon sugar.

These waffles are so easy to make and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth incredible. My favorite Belgian Waffles dipped in butter and coated in cinnamon sugar.

I’m not a real Cinco de Mayo-y kind of person.

But I do like Mexican food. And I realllllllllly love churros. Like to the Nth degree. Because what’s not to love about a fried dough stick coated in cinnamon sugar dipped in caramel and chocolate?! I can find absolutely no fault there.

Today, we’re combining two of my favorite foods: waffles and churros.

These waffles are so easy to make and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth incredible. My favorite Belgian Waffles dipped in butter and coated in cinnamon sugar.

If you’ve never tried them before, I absolutely insist that you stop what you’re doing and make a big batch right away. I’m not trying to be bossy.

This is for your own good.

You can make any kind of waffle you’d like– heck, use a toaster waffle! That’s totally fine(ish ???? ). I prefer my favorite homemade Easy & Fluffy Belgian Waffles; but if you already have a recipe that you love, feel free to deviate from the recipe below and use your own.

These waffles are so easy to make and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth incredible. My favorite Belgian Waffles dipped in butter and coated in cinnamon sugar.

When it comes to toppings, you can never go wrong with a good, classic maple syrup. But may I suggest giving salted caramel sundae sauce a try? And maybe a little Nutella? You won’t regret it, I promise.

Does anyone ever regret Nutella??

Go ahead and start warming up your waffle iron– you’re less than 10 minutes away from the best waffle you’ve ever had.

These moist banana bread donuts are baked to perfection, dipped in chocolate, and smothered with coconut and caramel. The banana bread reincarnation of Samoas.

Samoas Banana Bread Donuts Recipe

These moist banana bread donuts are baked to perfection, dipped in chocolate, and smothered with coconut and caramel. The banana bread reincarnation of Samoas.

These moist banana bread donuts are baked to perfection, dipped in chocolate, and smothered with coconut and caramel. The banana bread reincarnation of Samoas.

I adore banana bread.

Seriously. If I were to write another cookbook and it was a one-food-themed topic, it would most certainly be banana bread.

Maybe it’s because of my mom’s banana bread recipe. It’s comforting and nostalgic and one of the cornerstone recipes in my baking repertoire. Or maybe it’s because I always over-buy bananas, and we have at least 4 overripe bananas every week for banana bread baking.

Or maybe it’s just because nothing in the world beats homemade banana bread. Period.

These moist banana bread donuts are baked to perfection, dipped in chocolate, and smothered with coconut and caramel. The banana bread reincarnation of Samoas.

No matter the reason, my love for banana bread knows no bounds, and I love to eat it in any shape or form.

Particularly as donuts. Donuts are never, ever wrong. Am I right? Or am I right?!

https://staging.somethingswanky.com/banana-bread-donuts/

As you can see, these aren’t just any banana bread donuts. These are anything but ordinary.

Unless your definition of ordinary includes being dipped in chocolate, smothered in coconut and caramel, and drizzled with more chocolate on top? Because in that case, yes. These would be very ordinary ????.

Enjoy!

Melt in Your Mouth Buttermilk Pancakes and Homemade Buttermilk Syrup from Something Swanky

Melt in Your Mouth Buttermilk Pancakes + Buttermilk Syrup Recipe

You will fall in love with these fluffy buttermilk pancakes with a homemade buttermilk syrup. They make the perfect weekend breakfast!

Melt in Your Mouth Buttermilk Pancakes and Homemade Buttermilk Syrup from Something Swanky

Oh you guys, have I got a post for you today!!

A lot of cookbooks come across my desk– er… my kitchen table ????– over the course of a year. And I like them every one. I love collecting cookbooks, especially cookbooks from my friends.

But I have to tell you, there is something special about the one I’m sharing with you today.

My sweet friends Carrian and Cade Cheney (the husband-and-wife blogger duo at Oh Sweet Basil) just released their very first, very beautiful, mouth-watering cookbook: Our Sweet Basil Kitchen.

And this book is no ordinary cookbook. It is absolutely slam-packed with recipes that you will fall in love with. Every single recipe is a home run with gorgeous photography and a list of ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Each and every recipe was something I could imagine feeding my family on a regular basis. Dinners like Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Buttermilk pie or Biscuits, Smoky Sloppy Joes, and Fiesta Chicken and Rice could easily become regulars at our house.

And don’t even get me started on the desserts. I mean, Churro-Style Bread Pudding?! Come to mama!

I think what I love most about this cookbook is the combination of good, solid classics alongside recipes that venture outside the box. For example…

Caramel Brownies, Carolina Pulled Pork with Sauce, Double Chocolate Banana Muffins?

Classic.

Deep Fried Peaches, Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna, and Sweet Potato Apple Turkey Chili?

Outside the box, my friends. And totally amazing.

Despite all the amazingness in this cookbook, it only took flipping through 5 pages to know exactly which recipe I wanted to share with you from Cade and Carrian’s new cookbook.

Because if there’s one recipe that says Oh Sweet Basil to me, it’s these Melt in Your Mouth Buttermilk Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup.

I’m obsessed.

Melt in Your Mouth Buttermilk Pancakes and Homemade Buttermilk Syrup from Something Swanky

And that homemade buttermilk syrup? Ohemgee. Hold me. ????

So what are you waiting for?? Get your hiney in gear and go order Our Sweet Basil Kitchen right now!

And then make these pancakes. Pronto!

Indulgent chocolate muffins with a secret ingredient that makes them extra soft, extra fudgy, and extra chocolate-y!

Triple Chocolate Muffins Recipe

Indulgent chocolate muffins with a secret ingredient that makes them extra soft, extra fudgy, and extra chocolate-y!

Indulgent chocolate muffins with a secret ingredient that makes them extra soft, extra fudgy, and extra chocolate-y!

I thought we might all be in the mood for a healthier recipe to balance out all the chocolate chip cookies, Samoas Fudge, and Snickerdoodle Pie we’ve been eating around here lately.

Just kidding. What I meant to say was that I thought we might all be in the mood for muffins that taste like brownies, because who needs to balance out dessert?! More like, let’s make dessert for breakfast! ????

Which is exactly what I did.

Indulgent chocolate muffins with a secret ingredient that makes them extra soft, extra fudgy, and extra chocolate-y!

These muffins are full of whole wheat goodness, healthy fat in the form of coconut oil, and a shot of Greek yogurt for an extra soft and moist center. So you see? Despite their chocolate-y goodness, these muffins really are more substantial than super fudgy cupcakes sans frosting.

I mean. They taste like cupcakes. Or brownies. But they aren’t.

Because these are for breakfast. ????

Indulgent chocolate muffins with a secret ingredient that makes them extra soft, extra fudgy, and extra chocolate-y!

So, besides that Greek yogurt, these muffins are packing a secret ingredient that makes them unbelievably soft and moist– almost cake like, really.

You know how pudding mix makes cookies and cakes super soft and tender? Well, of course, it does the same thing to muffins! Adding a box of chocolate pudding mix (I like Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate pudding mix, but you can use any chocolate mix) takes these muffins to a whole new level of indulgence.

And did I mention they taste like dessert? For breakfast?! ????

Enjoy!

My favorite baked oatmeal recipe topped with caramel coconut and melted chocolate. It's like eating cookies for breakfast :)

Samoas Baked Oatmeal Recipe

My favorite baked oatmeal recipe topped with caramel coconut and melted chocolate. It’s like eating cookies for breakfast 🙂

My favorite baked oatmeal recipe topped with caramel coconut and melted chocolate. It's like eating cookies for breakfast :)

You guys. This week. This week. Is it going to end? Please? Someone tell me it’s almost over. I’m not sure I’m going to survive any more of it.

It’s like I desperately need an “off” button or something. But when you’re a mom, you don’t really get one of those do you? Ha! You should. Or at least a mute button or something.

Sometimes I swear that would be enough– just to be able to turn off the noise. I think I could handle the rest of it, if I could just mute everything and plod along in blissful silence. So yeah. I’m thinking a mute button would suffice. And if I could order it on Amazon Prime, well, that would just be swell.

My favorite baked oatmeal recipe topped with caramel coconut and melted chocolate. It's like eating cookies for breakfast :)

Ok, daydream over.

Back to reality.

Thank heavens I live in a reality that includes dessert for breakfast. Because if I don’t get a mute button, I think I should most certainly be allowed to have dessert for breakfast. amiright?!

My favorite baked oatmeal recipe topped with caramel coconut and melted chocolate. It's like eating cookies for breakfast :)

This Samoas Baked Oatmeal is a revamp of a very old, archived recipe that I am super excited to share with you today!! The original recipe was for a single-serve, microwave version, and you can still find it here.

But I like this baked version much better! Today’s rendition is simply my favorite go-to baked oatmeal transformed into an indulgent version of Samoas Girl Scout Cookies. The plain oatmeal recipe already called for coconut, so it’s a pretty natural transition to add caramel and toasted coconut to the top! And of course a chocolate drizzle. Because #chocolategoals.

My favorite baked oatmeal recipe topped with caramel coconut and melted chocolate. It's like eating cookies for breakfast :)

You can make the oatmeal base the night before and bake it in the morning if you want to save a little time. And be sure to toast the coconut ahead of time too. Then all you’ll have to do is mix in the caramel, and voila!

Enjoy! And happy Girl Scout Season 🙂

Fudgy dark chocolate banana bread with a cinnamon swirl through the center and crunchy cinnamon sugar on top!

Birthday Cake Banana Bread Recipe

This banana bread is perfect for a special birthday breakfast or just a fun way to use up those old bananas! Incredibly moist, easy to make, and so much fun.

This banana bread is perfect for a special birthday breakfast or just a fun way to use up those old bananas! Incredibly moist, easy to make, and so much fun.

Hey hey, it’s 2017! So, tell me everything. Are you making New Year resolutions? Are you losing weight? Getting fit? Eating more dessert?

Wait. Just me? ????

Kidding. I actually started my 2017 health “resolutions” last week. After about December 27, I just felt like I couldn’t go another day without getting on track. And by “on track,” I mean Weight Watchers. Always. It’s my favorite go-to (see this post… and this one).

This banana bread is perfect for a special birthday breakfast or just a fun way to use up those old bananas! Incredibly moist, easy to make, and so much fun.

Speaking of Weight Watchers and zero point bananas….

Would you check out this Birthday Cake Banana Bread??

Because I’m sure this is exactly what Weight Watchers had in mind when they made bananas a point-free food ???? ???? ????.

This banana bread is perfect for a special birthday breakfast or just a fun way to use up those old bananas! Incredibly moist, easy to make, and so much fun.

 

This is my favorite cake mix banana bread recipe, and I think it is just fabulous. I’ve made Red Velvet Banana Bread and Brownie Banana Bread using this same recipe, and it’s just a super dependable delicious recipe. The bread is moist, full of flavor, and has an incredibly tender crumb.

Hang on a second.

Can we talk about my weird foodie vernacular here? Tender crumb.

Isn’t that the weirdest food terminology you’ve ever heard?? And once you know what it is, there really is no other phrase you can use in place of tender crumb for a food that has a tender crumb. The best way I can describe “tender crumb” is when the crumbs of a cake or bread are so moist that you can use the back of a fork to smush them and pick them up… does that make any sense to anyone but me?

And omg, I’ve said tender crumb so much now that it’s starting to look weird to me. ????

This banana bread is perfect for a special birthday breakfast or just a fun way to use up those old bananas! Incredibly moist, easy to make, and so much fun.

Soooooo…. to get back on topic: this banana bread.

It’s really just so much fun. It’s simple to make since it uses a cake mix (only 4 ingredients total!). Which also means that it has a wonderfully predictable cake-like flavor and fluffy texture. If you have any tired bananas just sitting around, may I suggest this Birthday Cake Banana Bread instead of a smoothie?

I’m just saying… ????

A recipe for quick and easy sticky buns using maple syrup, brown sugar, pecans, and store bought crescent roll dough.

Maple Crescent Sticky Buns Recipe

A recipe for quick and easy sticky buns using maple syrup, brown sugar, pecans, and store bought crescent roll dough.

A recipe for quick and easy sticky buns using maple syrup, brown sugar, pecans, and store bought crescent roll dough.

Happy Friday everyone!

Who else is so in the mood for Fall baking??

Ok, so that double question mark at the end was a little deceptively enthusiastic ????. The truth is that I’m “Fall baking” like a maniac over here, prepping for our move in a couple of months. Basically, I’ve got to get all posts for September, October, and November completely made and photographed in the next couple of weeks so I can focus on packing!

So, the truth is that I’m already a teensy, tiny, little bit burnt out. Oops!

A recipe for quick and easy sticky buns using maple syrup, brown sugar, pecans, and store bought crescent roll dough.

But let’s be real here. What I’m actually sick of is DISHES. And spending alllllllllllllll day in the kitchen. Whilst keeping my 1-year old from opening the oven and grabbing the knives out of the dishwasher.

However, I am NOT sick of eating pumpkin bread, Halloween cake, snickerdoodles, and so. much. pie. The eating part I could do all day, no sweat. ????

A recipe for quick and easy sticky buns using maple syrup, brown sugar, pecans, and store bought crescent roll dough.

If you’re anything like me, you’re always on the hunt for delicious recipes with minimal clean up involved.

Da-da-da-da! Allow me to introduce you to these ridiculous sticky buns. You’ll need…

✓Crescent roll dough (easy!).

✓ONE pan, ONE bowl, and a whisk (reasonable).

✓10-15ish minutes (BAM).

That’s it! Enjoy fresh-from-the-oven, melt-in-your-mouth, maple sticky buns any morning (noon or night) that you need a break and some good eats.

It’s  my gift to you. ❤️

Dsc 1340 Edited Watermarked Titled

Pumpkin Pudding Muffins Recipe

Pumpkin Pudding Muffins | somethingswanky.com

Yes, yes. I’ve put pudding mix in more baked goods.

I know some of you aren’t wild about pudding mix. Or you live in Australia where the stuff is totally unavailable (you guys should seriously put together some sort of national demand letter to Jell-O by the way, because not having instant pudding mix is crazy-talk!). But I looooooove adding pudding mix to my desserts. I totally throw it in anytime I can (obviously).

In case you’re a little late to the pudding mix scene, here are couple of reasons I love using it in my baked goods and one untested suggestion for a substitution if it’s not available to you…

Pumpkin Pudding Muffins | somethingswanky.com

So here’s the deal with pudding mix going into cookies, breads, muffins, and more: it makes the end result super moist… in the best possible way. “Moist” is such a risky word to use, isn’t it? But sometimes it’s the word for the job! And no way around it– moist baked goods = yummy baked goods.

The second thing I love about adding pudding mix is that it enhances the flavor of the treat. It either adds an extra layer of flavor (like chocolate pudding in a chocolate cookie = double the chocolate! Yum!), or it actually adds a NEW flavor (like cheesecake pudding in peanut butter cookies = peanut butter cheesecake!!). I love both functions.

And in regards to a substitute for pudding mix in baked goods? Well… I don’t think there’s much you can do to replace it for it’s flavor properties. But Averie once mentioned to me that she found using cornstarch worked in cookies in a way that might be similar to how pudding mix does! I haven’t tested that myself, and I’m not sure if she’s done it in more than the one cookie recipe. But it might be something worth trying if instant pudding mix is totally unavailable to you!

Pumpkin Pudding Muffins | somethingswanky.com

Thanks to pudding mix, these muffins are extra soft and fluffy, perfectly moist, and a little extra pumpkin-y. Give them a quick dunk in butter and cinnamon sugar for a perfectly cozy and sweet Fall breakfast!

Nothing beats a thick slice of super moist chocolate chip zucchini bread smothered in butter.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Recipe

Nothing beats a thick slice of super moist chocolate chip zucchini bread smothered in butter.

Nothing beats a thick slice of super moist chocolate chip zucchini bread smothered in butter.

We DEVOURED this bread. Inhaled it.

Like… it didn’t even last two days. It barely stuck around past the 24 hour mark.

Nothing beats a thick slice of super moist chocolate chip zucchini bread smothered in butter.

It’s incredibly moist thanks to THREE CUPS of zucchini and the brown sugar.

And can you see how shiny the chocolate chips are? That’s my favorite part. In both banana bread and zucchini bread, I love how the moisture seeps into the chocolate chips creating a little chocolate “bubble” around each chip. I know I’m not doing a great job describing this, but you know what I’m talking about right?

I don’t know why, but that just gets me every time. ????

Nothing beats a thick slice of super moist chocolate chip zucchini bread smothered in butter.

Now, I’m no nutritional expert…. ahem, clearly ????… but I figure all the green veggies here make this bread a pretty square meal. Who’s with me?!

Enjoy a thick slice of this delicious zucchini bread warm or day-old, smothered in butter, with a tall glass of milk. You’ll be in heaven!

My favorite banana bread with a double batch of cinnamon streusel and icing on top. You won't want to eat banana bread any other way again!

Brown Sugar Banana Streusel Bread Recipe

My favorite banana bread with a double batch of cinnamon streusel and icing on top. You won’t want to eat banana bread any other way again!
My favorite banana bread with a double batch of cinnamon streusel and icing on top. You won't want to eat banana bread any other way again!

What kind of a banana person are you? My husband likes them still green. Which completely grosses me out. I like mine a little bit speckled and sweet, but still firm.

Actually, what I really like is when they’re about 3 days past their prime and turning perfectly brown and ready for baking something sweet 🙂

Like this Banana Streusel Bread. It’s a tweak on my very favorite, super moist banana bread recipe. I used all brown sugar to really up the moist factor, and I added a coffee cake-like streusel on top. And a little vanilla glaze drizzle to make it taste like you’re biting into a giant cinnamon roll.

But better. Because it has bananas. Which makes it healthy ????.

My favorite banana bread with a double batch of cinnamon streusel and icing on top. You won't want to eat banana bread any other way again!

My favorite banana bread with a double batch of cinnamon streusel and icing on top. You won't want to eat banana bread any other way again!

Enjoy!

These moist and ultra fudgy chocolate zucchini muffins are so good. You'll never believe they're full of vegetables!

Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe

These moist and ultra fudgy chocolate zucchini muffins are so good. You’ll never believe they’re full of vegetables!

These moist and ultra fudgy chocolate zucchini muffins are so good. You'll never believe they're full of vegetables!

My CJ is a muffin fiend. It is the only bread I can get him to eat. He won’t touch sandwich bread, buttery soft rolls, fluffy buttermilk pancakes… turns up his nose at all of it.

Don’t ask me how he knows the difference between a muffin and a cupcake, but he does. And apparently the appeal of the cupcake doesn’t even come close to how he feels about muffins. I guess I should feel pretty good about that… but really it just makes me wonder, is he really mine??

I suppose the 25 hours of grueling labor it took to bring him into the world should be enough proof, but his carb snobbery seriously has me questioning things.

These moist and ultra fudgy chocolate zucchini muffins are so good. You'll never believe they're full of vegetables!

These muffins take a big step toward bringing our two worlds together, because these chocolate zucchini muffins really are BETTER than cupcakes. They are ridiculously soft, so fudgy, and utterly indulgent.

You’d never believe that there’s a cup and a half of shredded veggies in there.

So sneaky! ????

My other secret ingredient? Pudding mix!

You know how it makes cakes crazy stupid soft and moist? It does the same thing in muffins.

These moist and ultra fudgy chocolate zucchini muffins are so good. You'll never believe they're full of vegetables!

Did I mention that these freeze really well? They do! So when you’re up to your eyeballs in zucchini this summer, make a double (or triple!) batch of these to stash in the freezer. And just set them out at room temp to thaw when you are ready to dig in.

Enjoy!

My mom's famous banana bread muffins made with peanut butter and swirled with Nutella. We didn't have a crumb left!

Peanut Butter Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins Recipe

My mom’s famous banana bread muffins made with peanut butter and swirled with Nutella. We didn’t have a crumb left!

My mom's famous banana bread muffins made with peanut butter and swirled with Nutella. We didn't have a crumb left!

If you need me to convince you that peanut butter and Nutella and banana muffins are a match made in heaven.. then you are possibly on the wrong site. ????

 

My mom's famous banana bread muffins made with peanut butter and swirled with Nutella. We didn't have a crumb left!

People ask me all the time what I do with all the treats I bake. All.the.time.

I guess I should be flattered that people don’t take one look at me and think that I eat every single thing that comes out of my kitchen. But, oh, if they only knew how many of my baked goods never quite make it out the door to all the places I intend to send them.

Well, I’d be horrified. So I’m glad that they don’t know. But what I’m confessing is: I eat a lot of it myself.

Case in point: these muffins.

My mom's famous banana bread muffins made with peanut butter and swirled with Nutella. We didn't have a crumb left!

I took one bite, and I was gone. Or rather… the muffins were gone! ????

Super soft, moist banana bread bursting with peanut butter flavor and swirled with Nutella. A LOT of Nutella. So, so, so, good.

And so comforting! I don’t if it’s just me, but these are all flavors that just make me feel good and cozy on the inside. My mom’s banana bread always makes me feel that way. But adding the peanut butter and the Nutella added to that even just a little bit more.

My mom's famous banana bread muffins made with peanut butter and swirled with Nutella. We didn't have a crumb left!

Of course, OF COURSE, the key to any great banana bread recipe is to use incredibly ripe bananas (how to quickly ripen bananas). Like, almost rotten ripe. I mean, if they’re moldy and leaking… then no. Gross.

But soft and squishy and super brown– YES. Those are exactly the bananas we want in this recipe. Overripe bananas will add a tremendous amount of natural sweetener and moisture to any recipe. So we definitely want them in these.

My mom’s recipe that I’m basing this variation on typically calls for a little additional oil. But we’re going to skip that this time, since we’re adding peanut butter which will take care of the fat needed to help keep the bread soft. Plus, it tastes good ????.

My mom's famous banana bread muffins made with peanut butter and swirled with Nutella. We didn't have a crumb left!

When it comes time to swirl in the Nutella, I actually like to step a little outside of the box here. Instead of just adding the Nutella directly to the batter, I actually like to mix it INTO a portion of the batter, and then swirl the Nutella batter into the remaining batter.

Nutella batter = more Nutella taste = better.

These muffins are great warm out of the oven. But like all banana bread recipes, they’re even better at room temp. Something about cooling and sitting for a while really gives the flavors a chance to stand out!

 

Enjoy!

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

Homemade Lemon Curd Recipe

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

You guys. Is there seriously a less appetizing word out there than CURD? I mean, really. ????

But rest assured, for a word that so closely resembles curdled and cheese curds, this dreamy lemon dessert is nothing of the sort.

If lemon is your thang and you’ve already made Ina’s Lemon Bars, Lemon Poke Cake, Lemon Berry Scones, Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls, and Lemon Poppyseed Banana Bread… then it is time to make your own lemon curd, my friends.

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

This recipe is so ridiculously easy. Four simple ingredients is all you’ll need:

  • sugar
  • lemon juice
  • egg yolks
  • butter

Now, a lot of recipes will have you making this over a double boiler. This supposedly prevents any egg lumps in the mixture. I don’t own a double boiler, and frankly, I don’t have room for anything else in the pots and pans and bowl department in my little kitchen. So, I didn’t use a double boiler.

And it was just fine.

I cooked my curd over medium-high heat and stirred it constantly (just like you would have to do with a double boiler anyway). I did end up with a few little lumps, but nothing that wasn’t easily strained through a small sieve.

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

I feel like I’ve read a million times, “no straining required!” “no sieve needed!” like it’s such a hassle to strain the curd. But really, it’s just not a big deal at all.

Pour the mixture through the sieve over the container you plan to store it in. The curd passes through, and the lumps stay out. Easy peasy. And you can buy a small sieve for less than ten bucks at any superstore.

Seriously. Just buy the sieve. Use it. Save yourself a headache. It’s not a big deal. And it makes this process so much easier and keeps that lemon curd smooth and creamy!

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

Ok, so now that we’ve talked about how to make it… what exactly is lemon curd? And how do you use it??

Lemon curd is sort of like the filling in a lemon meringue pie. It’s sweet and tart and creamy.

And what to use it on? How about everything.

Spread over Pancakes.

Fill donuts.

With crepes.

Mix it with granola and yogurt.

On strawberry shortcake.

Or, my personal favorite, serve spoon it over angel food cake and top with berries and whipped cream! This is such a yummy summertime treat. And the berries compliment the sweet of the curd, while the whipped cream balances the tart, and the cake soaks it all up.

Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!
Four simple ingredients and 10 minutes at the stove is all that stands between you and this creamy, dreamy homemade lemon curd!

No matter how you use it, you really can’t go wrong with homemade lemon curd! Enjoy 🙂

Super moist banana bread made with peanut butter and Reese's cups. We loved every last crumb!

Reese’s Cup Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Super moist banana bread made with peanut butter and Reese’s cups. You’ll love every last bite.

Super moist banana bread made with peanut butter and Reese's cups. We loved every last crumb!

This bread is dangerously delicious. If you love peanut butter and chocolate (and banana bread!), then you are in the right place, friends.

…or the wrong place. Depending on your self control (er, or lack of, as the case may be ????).

Super moist banana bread made with peanut butter and Reese's cups. We loved every last crumb!

This banana bread is dense and indulgent and bursting with some of the best flavors of all time ever: peanut butter, chocolate, and bananas. And Reese’s Cups. This bread is PACKED with Reese’s Cups.

Who’s on board?? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????

If you’re the healthy sort, you should know that it’s packed with FOUR hefty bananas as well. So… you know. It’s basically health food. ????

Super moist banana bread made with peanut butter and Reese's cups. We loved every last crumb!

The key to super moist banana bread? Really, really, REALLY ripe bananas. In fact, I usually let mine get even more brown than what you see in this picture. I let these guys sit on the counter for an additional few days before turning them into another drool-worthy banana bread creation (recipe coming soon guys!).

If you’re lucky, you can snag over-ripe bananas that are on their way out in some grocery stores for clearance pricing. Which is always the best thing ever.

Or, if you really can’t wait for bananas to ripen on their own, try this trick for ripe bananas in less than 30 minutes.

Super moist banana bread made with peanut butter and Reese's cups. We loved every last crumb!

The other ingredient that contributes to INCREDIBLE moist bread in this recipe is the peanut butter. This banana bread is simply my mom’s recipe with an additional 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter. So I left all the ingredients we normally use in her banana bread– which is moist already– and just added to that!

More good fat (PB) + 4 whole bananas = the most heavenly moist banana bread of all time.

Plus, this recipe is really super easy. It takes kind of a long time to bake, but the prep is a breeze (you don’t even need a mixer)! And all that time in the oven means your house is going to smell ah-mazing while it’s baking.

You’re gonna fall in love, I’m telling you.

Super moist banana bread made with peanut butter and Reese's cups. We loved every last crumb!

We haven’t even talked about all the stuff inside the bread yet!!

Although, I guess there’s not all that much to say. There are A LOT of chocolate chips and Reese’s Cups in this bread. Like, a lot.

Annnnnnd that pretty much sums up that. ????

Super moist banana bread made with peanut butter and Reese's cups. We loved every last crumb!

If have been looking for a wow-your-pants-off-delicious banana bread recipe… well, let me tell you– this is THE ONE.

Enjoy!! 🙂