Join Us for Dishing with Di-Anna.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 inch by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking oil spray. Set aside.

Combine the butter, brown sugar, and mascarpone in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, beating well each time.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer running on its lowest speed, add the flour mixture to the bowl little by little, until just combined.

Add the bananas to the mixture and mix well on medium speed. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips to the batter and mix by hand until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread with a spatula to even it out.

Slide the pan into the preheated oven and cook for about 55-65 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before slicing and serving.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Bananas Foster

• 1/3 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• ½ cup crème de banana or other banana-flavored liqueur
• ½ cup dark rum
• 4 bananas, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices

Instructions:

Make the Bananas Foster. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon with a fork; set aside. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add cinnamon-sugar mixture, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the banana liqueur and ¼ cup of the rum. Cook, stirring, until syrupy and thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the banana slices and lightly coat with the syrup. Add the remaining rum. Quickly swirl the pan, tilting it toward the flame, to ignite rum. (If you are using an electric stove, light the rum with a long match.) Swirl the pan, basting bananas with the sauce, until flame subsides. Remove pan from heat, set aside, and keep warm.

Banana Nut Bread Old Fashioned

• 2 oz bourbon
• 1/2 oz banana liqueur
• 1/4 oz maple syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Orange peel, for garnish
• Maraschino cherry, for garnish
• Crushed walnuts, for rimming (optional)

Instructions:

1. If desired, rim a rocks glass with crushed walnuts by dipping the rim in maple syrup, then rolling it in crushed walnuts until coated.

2. In a mixing glass, combine bourbon, banana liqueur, maple syrup, and Angostura bitters.

3. Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir well until chilled.

4. Strain the cocktail into the prepared rocks glass over a large ice cube.

5. Express the oils from an orange peel over the drink by holding it over the glass and gently squeezing the peel to release the oils, then drop the peel into the glass.

6. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

7. Serve and enjoy your Banana Nut Bread Old Fashioned!

Instructions:

Combine the milk, half-and-half, and butter in a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then stir in the grits. Cook, stirring, until grits begin to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add salt and whipping cream. Cook, stirring, just until the cream is heated and the grits are still soft and creamy. Remove from heat and add the cheeses, stirring until all the cheese is melted. Serve hot.

*To vary this recipe, substitute 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (for Cheddar Grits) or 2 cups Gorgonzola cheese (Blue Cheese Grits) for the Monterey Jack and Parmesan Grits.

Instructions:

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and shortening in a large bowl. Add the water a little at a time until you have a smooth though. Knead the dough for a minute or two until elastic. Form the dough into 18-24 equal sized patties. Return the patties to the mixing bowl and allow to rest covered with a damp towel for two hours or overnight.

Roll out the patties in to large 8” (20cm) circles.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet until it reaches 330F/165C.

Fry each rolled out piece of dough one at a time in the hot vegetable oil about 30 seconds on each side until golden crispy. Removed from hot vegetable oil and drain on paper towels.

Continue until all the buñuelos are fried.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a large heat proof pan. Pass the buñuelos through the cinnamon sugar mixture one at a time until each one as well coated. The buñuelos will stay crisp for several days if stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add all of the above ingredients. Mix well.
2. Once the mixture comes to simmer, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low.
3. Let the chutney simmer for 1 hour, or until the ingredients have softened, reduced considerably and there is thick, smooth, gel-like consistency to the chutney overall.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped & peeled apples
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup fresh cranberries (can use frozen) 

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except cranberries in medium saucepan. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cranberries and cook for another 10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. 

Instructions:

1. Heat a large stockpot over medium/high heat.
2. Add ground beef, yellow onion, and chopped garlic. Sautee for 10 minutes or until beef is fully browned.
3. Add ground ancho chile pepper, cumin, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, oregano. Stir until well combined.
4. Add the chicken and beef broths, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir well.
5. Bring beef chili to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes or until thick.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a grater. Use your fingers to work in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbles, then toss in raisins or your favorite add-in. Whisk sour cream and egg together in small bowl until combined. Stir in sour cream mixture into flour mixture using a fork until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7–8-inch circle, about ¾ thick. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar, use a sharp knife to cut into 8 equal triangles: place on the prepared baking tray, about 1 inch apart. Bake scones in the preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes; serve warm or at room temperature. Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.  

“The Royal Treatment” Blackberry Mimosa

Ingredients:

• ½ cup simple syrup
• 10 blackberries
• Favorite sparkling wine
• Garnish – whole blackberry, fresh thyme, sugar rim

Dip each glass into a shallow plate filled with ¼ inch water, then dip in a plate filled with baking sugar. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons muddled simple syrup & blackberries to the champagne glass, top with very cold sparkling wine and garnish.

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 9-inch pie dish with the prepared pie crust and place the pie dish in the freezer while preparing the filling.
• Lightly whisk eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Using a spoon, mix in corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla, and bourbon and mix until well combined. Stir in pecans. Remove pie dish from the freezer and pour filling into the prepared pie crust.
• Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 65 minutes until center seems set. Allow to cool before serving.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Cilantro Mint Sauce

Ingredients:

•  2 teaspoons minced ginger 
• ¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves 
• ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves 
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• ½ cup avocado oil 
• Salt and pepper to taste 

 In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the ginger, mint, cilantro, honey, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and process until completely blended and smooth. 

Served with grilled beef, lamb or chicken. 

Instructions:

1. Wash and drain the rice. Place the rice, cinnamon sticks and 4 cups of water into a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight (preferably) or a minimum of 4 hours.
2. Once you’re ready to blend the rice, remove most of the cinnamon sticks but it’s okay to leave small pieces with the rice.
3. Blend the rice in two separate batches by adding 1/2 of the rice & water with some of the cinnamon stick left behind. Puree until it’s very smooth and it forms a paste like texture. About 4 minutes long.
4. Using a very fine strainer (or some cheese cloth) pour the blended mixture over a pitcher. Strain out as much liquid as possible, pushing on the solids with a spatula or spoon.
5. Repeat this process for the rest of the rice, water & cinnamon mixture.
6. Stir in the milks, vanilla (optional), and 4 cups of water. Stir well.
7. Taste and add more sugar or water if needed.
8. Chill and stir before serving over ice.
9. Garnish with ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks (optional)

Cucumber Mint Lime Recipe

Makes 12 cups

Ingredients:

• 6 whole Cucumbers, Peeled And Chopped
• 36 whole Mint Leaves
• 3 whole Lime, Juiced
• 3 quarts Cold Water, Divided
• ⅜ cups Sugar, To Taste
• Extra Cucumber, Mint Leaves, And Lime Wedge, For Garnish

Instructions:

1. Add the chopped cucumber, mint leaves, lime juice, and 2 cups of the water to a blender. Blend until mostly smooth. Allow mixture to rest for at least 5 minutes, and up to 30 minutes.
2. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Combine the strained juice with the remaining 2 cups of water. Sweeten to taste.
3. Serve in a tall glass with ice, sliced cucumber, and mint leaves. Add a lime wedge to edge of glass.