Here’s a great way to use up those bananas that turned brown before you had a chance to eat them.  That’s been happening to me a lot lately!  Instead of baking muffins or banana bread, how about a Banana Crumb Cake?

Banana Crumb Cake

recipe from Good Housekeeping, December 2010

Makes 12 servings

Coconut-Pecan Topping:

• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp.  ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Banana Cake:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp.  baking soda
• 1/2 tsp.  ground cinnamon
• 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp pure honey
• 2 lg eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup mashed bananas (from 3 very ripe medium bananas)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Prepare Coconut-Pecan Topping: In medium bowl, combine pecans, coconut, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors-fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with a few pea-size chunks remaining.

Prepare Banana Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease 9-inch springform pan; line bottom with parchment paper and grease parchment.  In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well blended.  In a large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, and honey until light and creamy, about 5 minutes., scraping bowl occasionally.  Gradually add eggs, beating after each addition.  On low speed, add half of flour mixture, then mashed bananas and vanilla. Add remaining flour mixture and beat just until smooth.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with crumb topping.  Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.  With small metal spatula, loosen cake from side of pan and remove  Cool completely.  (Cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature up to 1 day.)

Today is Day 1 of our Christmas Book Countdown! This is the third year of this family tradition, and we FINALLY have 24 books, thanks to a donation of some old Golden Books from my parents.  If you don’t have 24 books, just start a few days later.  Building a big collection of Christmas books takes time (and money)!

I’ve changed out a few of the baby books (though I still have others I’d like to replace/acquire for next year).  I’ve also incorporated a few more books about The Christmas Story, since that’s the reason for the season.

I’ll be honest, I have 7 books wrapped so far, but I’m hoping to get the rest done tonight and tomorrow.  I don’t use bows because they just get squashed.  This year I’m numbering the books to incorporate a little number recognition for The Littlest Apple.

Here’s are the Christmas Books we’ll be reading this year:

1.  My First Christmas,  by Tomie dePaola:  A beautifully illustrated board book with introductions to all of the basics of Christmas.  Probably a little babyish for The Littlest Apple, but great for 2 and under.

2.  Counting Christmas, by Karen Katz:  Karen Katz is always a favorite here, and this one will be great for a little boy learning to count!

3.  Jingle Bugs, by David A. Carter:  This is a pop-up book with music (Jingle Bells) and lights at the end.  This is a current favorite, but the pop-ups are a little too delicate for my rough little 3 year old.

4.  The Mitten, by Jan Brett:  Jan Brett’s illustrations are amazing in this traditional Ukranian tale, and I especially love the extra insight you get from the border illustrations.

5.  Gingerbread Baby, by Jan Brett: Another great book illustrated by Jan Brett.  The Gingerbread Baby has the whole village trying to catch him, and a little boy comes up with a smart way to do it!

6. I Spy Christmas, by Jean Marzollo: The Littlest Apple is starting to enjoy searching for things in pictures.  There is so much to look at!

7.  Curious George Christmas Countdown, by Tish Rabe: The Littlest Apple loves all things Curious George, so this is definitely a favorite.

8.  Russell’s Christmas Magic, by Rob Scotton: I love the whimsical illustrations and offbeat Christmas story.

9.  A Merry Little Christmas: Celebrate From A to Z, by Mary Engelbreit.  This was one of my son’s favorites last year.  An alphabet Christmas book with Mary Engelbreit’s gorgeous illustrations.

10.  A Scratch & Sniff Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore.  The scratch and sniff books were always a favorite of mine when I was little, so I’m happy to share this with The Littlest Apple.

11.  The Sweet Smell of Christmas, by Patricia M. Scarry: This was the scratch and sniff book my parents read to my brother and me growing up.  My parents bought a copy for the The Littlest Apple, and I am excited to pass along this wonderful book (and scents!) to him.

12.  The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg:  The Littlest Apple is probably a little young for this one right now, but this book is just so beautiful to look at!

13.  Santa Claus, by Rod Green.  I spotted this book at Target last year.  What a neat, interactive book, with many flaps and letters to open!  This book, as you can tell from the title, is all about Santa Claus.  I think this book is perfect for older elementary school aged children.

14.  The Night Before Christmas, illustrated by Mary Engelbreit:  The classic story with Mary Engelbreit’s colorful illustrations.

15.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas, by Dr. Seuss.  Need I say more?

16.  Dream Snow, by Eric Carle.  We love Eric Carle’s books, so it was great to find a Christmas one!

And new to this year’s collection….

17.  The Story of Christmas, by Patricia Pingry

18.  The Biggest Most Beautiful Christmas Tree, by Amye Rosenberg

19.  Santa’s Toy Shop, by Al Dempster

20.  The Animals’ Christmas Eve, by Gale Wiersum

21.  Jingle Bells, by Kathleen Daly

22.  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, by Rick Bunsen

23.  Frosty the Snowman, by Annie North Bedford

24.  Who is Coming To Our House?, by Joseph Slate

What’s your favorite Christmas book?  Do you have a Christmas Book Countdown at your house?

I’m sharing this post with…

Please join me in welcoming my newest sponsor, Ricki, and her Etsy shop Two Tiny Birds!  Ricki is a stay at home mom to a 3 year old girl and a 4 month old baby boy. (And she’s my very talented cousin!!)  Her new Etsy shop is full of fun and fresh items for the little ones in your life.

Aren’t these hairbows precious?  It’s things like this that make me wish I had a little girl to dress up!  You can choose custom colors for your bows, or select from those already listed in the shop for more instant gratification.  I’m loving this pink and zebra bow:

And wouldn’t this Holiday Hairbow be just perfect for pictures with Santa?!

Two Tiny Birds also sells Bib and Burp Cloth sets, a great gift for any new moms!  The Flower Power set, pictured below, includes 2 bibs and one burp cloth, all adorably coordinated.

Two Tiny Birds even sells one of a kind tie-dyed onesies for boys and girls.  They come in sizes newborn to 12 months, and are currently available in blue, pink, and purple.  I’ve seen these in person, and they are SO cute!

I hope you’ll check out Two Tiny Birds and the rest of what Ricki has to offer in her Etsy shop.  All of her products would make great and inexpensive Christmas presents for the little ones in your family!  They’re also perfect for baby showers and new moms!  Happy shopping!

The last of my Thanksgiving recipes for this year!  I knew I wanted to make something with squash (butternut or acorn) this year, and I found this recipe from Martha Stewart.  Slices of acorn squash, kale, lots of garlic, heavy cream, and a parmesan breadcrumb topping.  I knew it was a little different and risky and I almost panicked when I described the dish to The Picky Apple as I was making it.  His response wasn’t encouraging, but then I remembered who I was talking to: my squash AND kale/spinach hating husband!  This is clearly not the dish for him.  However, my parents are much more adventurous with their food, so I stuck with the recipe, and in the end, most of us thought it was great!   The Picky Apple didn’t give this dish the rave reviews he gave the cheesecake, but he tried it!  (More than I can say for The Littlest Apple, who had a few licks of butter for his Thanksgiving dinner!)  I was pleasantly surprised with this savory dish and will definitely add it to my what-to-do-with-squash file.  If you’re looking for a new and different vegetable side, give this one a try!

This can be made and served immediately, but I think it tastes best when prepared then reheated later with the breadcrumbs.  I halved the recipe but kept the full amount of topping, and I think it was just perfect that way to offset the sweetness of the squash.

Also?  Squash and kale aren’t the most photogenic so I’m going photo-less for this post.  But trust me, it’s yummy!

Savory Squash Gratin

from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

We enjoyed a nice, lazy Black Friday at home in our pajamas, and I’m hoping for more of the same today.  I’ve got one more Thanksgiving recipe post coming your way, but for now, here are some links from other blogs that I’ve enjoyed:

Advent Activities: Make the Days Count @ Simple Kids

Cranberry Bars @ Red Couch Recipes

6 Survival Strategies for the Introverted Mom @ Steady Mom

Glitter Trees and Christmas Subway Art @ eighteen25

Bobby (Flay)’s Pumpkin Bread Pudding @ The Pioneer Woman

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash @ Cassie Craves

Dress Up Storage @ Ana White

Over the last 8 years or so, I’ve tried several different recipes for homemade pie crust.  Some that used butter, some that used shortening, some that called for vinegar.  To go with my Black Bottom Pecan Cheesecake Pie, I decided to try yet another recipe, this time from The Pioneer Woman.  Ree’s recipes never let me down, and this was one amazing pie crust!  So flaky and tender.  Just perfect for all of those holiday pies!  And as a bonus, the recipe makes 3 pie crusts and you can freeze whatever you don’t use.  I’m still perfecting my pie crust technique, so my pie crusts aren’t the prettiest, but I DID manage to roll out the dough and get it transferred to the pie pan without any rips or tears in the dough.  Success!

Perfect Pie Crust

from The Pioneer Woman

Makes 3 crusts

Ingredients:

• 1-½ cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
• 3 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 whole Egg
• 5 Tablespoons Cold Water
• 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Salt

In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)

When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.

With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.

Do you make your own pie crust?

I use Thanksgiving with my parents to experiment with new desserts and new side dishes, and then I bake/cook whatever The Picky Apple requests for Thanksgiving with his family.  This year I brought a Black-Bottom Pecan Cheesecake Pie with a homemade crust to Thanksgiving with my parents.  It was delicious, but there was some stiff competition from two Derby Pie variations made by my brother (including one with 3 types of chocolate!).  If I can keep from eating all the leftovers, I plan to freeze individual slices of the pie for any last minute dessert “emergencies.”

Black-Bottom Pecan Cheesecake Pie

from Southern Living Homestyle Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust (refrigerated, or homemade, my recipe coming soon)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 3 tbsp whipping cream
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• Chocolate syrup (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Fit piecrust into 9 inch pie pan.  Fold edges under and crimp.

Microwave chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a small glass bowl for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until morsels begin to melt.  Whisk until smooth.  Set aside.

Beat cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.  Pour chocolate mixture into pie crust, spreading evenly.  Pour cream cheese mixture over chocolate layer.

Whisk together corn syrup, melted butter, remaining 3 eggs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla.  Stir in pecans; pour over cream cheese layer.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 minutes or until set, shielding pie after about 45 minutes to prevent excessive browning.  Cool completely on a wire rack.  Drizzle each slice with chocolate syrup if desired.

I’m a Thanksgiving cranberry snob.  I don’t eat the blobby looking stuff from the can.  But I DO love cranberries, and for as long as I can remember, my mom has prepared this Cranberry Orange Relish for Thanksgiving.  She also now makes some without nuts for my husband and SIL, but I think the pecans are crucial!  I love the fresh, tart taste of the cranberries and oranges mixed with the crunch of the pecans!

I realized the other day that I’ve never actually made this relish for myself, so I asked my mom for the recipe.  As it turns out, she doesn’t follow a recipe and just tastes it as she goes along, adding more sugar or pecans as needed.  I’ve written out some amounts for you below.  No oven or stovetop necessary for this delicious Thanksgiving side dish!

Cranberry Orange Relish

recipe from my mom, ingredient amounts by me

Ingredients:

• 4 heaping cups of fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large orange
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Chop the raw cranberries in a food processor or blender.  Transfer to a medium sized bowl and add sugar.  Stir to combine.  Peel the orange and cut into small pieces.  Add orange and pecans to cranberries, and stir to combine.  Put in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving for best flavor.

I’m not hosting Thanksgiving this year, but I am bringing desserts and side dishes to both of the Thanksgiving dinners we’re attending.  If you are hosting, hopefully you’ve already planned your menu and may have even started prepping some of your food (thawing out that 30 pound turkey, for starters!).

I always wonder about the food bloggers who post all of the Thanksgiving recipes before Thanksgiving.  What do they do with all those pies and other dishes?  Eat them?  Freeze them and use them on Thanksgiving Day?  Give them away?

Here are some suggestions for Thanksgiving Dinner if you’re still looking for last minute ideas….

Appetizers:

Brie Kisses

Warm Goat Cheese Toasts With Rosemary, Pecans and Honey

Butternut Squash Bisque

Main Course:

Perfect Roast Turkey

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Green Beans with Prosciutto

Melissa’s Brussels Sprouts

Baked Acorn Squash

Cranberry Orange Relish (recipe coming soon)

Cornbread Dressing (family recipe!)

Parker House Rolls

Desserts:

(the pictures in this category are lacking because the desserts always go fast!!)

Tall and Creamy Cheesecake

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream

Cheesecake Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

Creamy Nutella Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache and Toasted Hazelnuts

What’s your can’t-live-without Thanksgiving dish?

Please join me in welcoming my very first sponsor, Thirty One consultant Cheryl Graves.

You may remember last month’s giveaway and Thirty One blog party.

Thirty One sells products with a purpose, including bags, totes, organizers, baskets, travel accessories and more in many different fashionable fabrics.  Most items can also be monogrammed.

I’m loving my Retro Metro Bag:

November Special:  If you spend $31, you get a FREE Zipper Pouch, in one of the fabrics pictured below!

There are so many neat and customizable items, so be sure to head on over to Cheryl’s Thirty One website to check out the catalog!