Chrissy's Banana Bundt Bread

Recipe Source: Chrissy Teigen's Twitter
INGREDIENTS
2 cups mashed BROWN bananas (about 6)

4 eggs

2/3 cup canola oil

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar

1 3.5 oz box vanilla instant pudding

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2.5 dark chocolate, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, and oil. 

Add dry ingredients into banana mixture, and combine. Gently fold in coconut. 

Pour batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan, and bake for 1 hour.

Test with a skewer or toothpick around minute 50.

Remove from oven, and let cool slightly. Use a butter knife to gently release from pan- don't forget inner circle, before flipping onto another plate.

Serve warmed up slices with a chunk of sweet-salty butter.

This is one of three ways that bananas should ever be consumed. The other two are: covered in ice cream & syrup, and Bluth's Original Frozen Banana- because there is ALWAYS money in the banana stand. All jokes aside, this is much like the banana bread that we all grew up with but better.
You look at it, and think, "that banana bread is pretentious AF." and then you taste it and realize that it is just a better version of your OG. The addition of vanilla instant pudding ups the moist factor, the shredded coconut brings a nice contrast that isn't nuts (imo- nuts are aways welcome to the party) and if you want to go hugely decadent, the chopped dark chocolate will do just that. Make this.

I did have to adjust Chrissy's recipe by baking this at 350ºF for the suggested time. I live at a high altitude, and the banana bread ended up heavy and gummy when baked at the suggested 325ºF, even after added an additional 20 minutes to the cook time.

Coconut Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS
For the Cookies:
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. canola oil
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. water
2 eggs
2 tsp coconut extract
5 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
For the Frosting:
1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sour cream
1 tsp coconut extract
dash of salt
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. coconut milk (or as needed, to taste)
Toasted Coconut

DIRECTIONS
For the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
In a stand-mixer or large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, sugar, powdered sugar, and water. Cream together and slowly add in eggs. Then add coconut extract, and mix thoroughly.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well and slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture until combined and doughy.
Roll dough into golf-ball sized balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.
Dip the bottom of a glass into excess sugar and press on to each dough ball (re-dipping in sugar each time) to flatten the cookie to about 1/2 inch in thickness.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottom is lightly golden-brown. Do not over-bake. Set aside to cool.
For the Frosting:
Cream together butter, sour cream, extract, and salt. Slowly add powdered sugar, and mix until desired consistency (you may not need all of it). Add coconut milk to thin if needed. Spread over cooled cookies, top with toasted coconut and serve! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to get that soda shop experience.

Sodalicious Cookies

Recipe Adapted from Favorite Family Recipes

INGREDIENTS

For the Cookies:
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. canola oil
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. water
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
5 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
For the Frosting:
1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp almond extract
dash of salt
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. milk (or as needed, to taste)

DIRECTIONS
For the Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
In a stand-mixer or large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, sugar, powdered sugar, and water. Cream together and slowly add in eggs. Then add almond extract, and mix thoroughly.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well and slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture until combined and doughy.
Roll dough into golf-ball sized balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.
Dip the bottom of a glass into excess sugar and press on to each dough ball (re-dipping in sugar each time) to flatten the cookie to about 1/2 inch in thickness.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottom is lightly golden-brown. Do not over-bake. Set aside to cool.
For the Frosting:
Cream together butter, sour cream, extract, and salt. Slowly add powdered sugar, and mix until desired consistency (you may not need all of it). Add milk to thin if needed. Mix in food coloring to desired hue. Spread over cooled cookies and serve! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to get that soda shop experience.

Guys, I am slowly increasing my A1C with the addition of SodaBomb! in Roosevelt- they are fantastic! Thankfully, they do not have Sugar Cookies every day like those other soda shops (Sodalicious, Swig) and I can keep myself in check. BUT their sugar cookies are vanilla flavored- still delicious- but they don't quite live up to the amazingness that is a Sodalicious Sugar Cookie… sorry Swig, the one time I gave you a chance-at the original, your sugar cookies were meh. Anyway, I had to find something to fill in the void, and I finally gave making some myself a chance. I'm SO glad that I did. These are SO good! If you are a monster, and do not like Almond Extract, go ahead and make them with Vanilla- just know that they won't be as good! Also, these get SO MUCH BETTER after sitting in the refrigerator over night.

Deep Fried Cauliflower

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into even pieces
Canola oil for frying
Kosher salt for after frying

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil over medium-high heat, until it reaches at least 375ºF.

While oil is heating, whisk flour, pepper, garlic powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Add milk, and mix well. Toss chopped cauliflower into batter.

Fry in batches for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oil, and let cool on a paper towel covered cooling rack. Salt while still hot.

Serve warm with bbq covered meat, or just eat alone until you can't eat anymore.

I'm sad to admit that there was a time when cauliflower had no place in my life. Then I moved to Cedar City, and a couple years later a little joint called, Sonny Boy's opened up. I stuck with sides that I was familiar with, until my friends forced me to try a piece of their fried cauliflower. I quickly realized how generous that act of love truly was because they were heavenly. That battered, and deep fried cauliflower changed my life. When I moved home, it became my mission to recreate the deliciousness of that cauliflower, because a five hour drive is a long-A-drive for some cauliflower. This recipe is pretty dang close that I had to share it with the world!