Sweetnicks, Page 1325

Nigella Lawson’s Banana Bread

January 6, 2004 · Breads, Breakfast

Print a PDF of this recipe here.

1/2 cup or more raisins
3 oz (6 TBS) bourbon or rum
1 cup plus 2 TBS all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick or 4 oz)
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Very ripe bananas, mashed about 3 to 4
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon banana extract

An hour or more before you want to make this, put 1/2 cup (or more if you like it) raisins and the bourbon or rum in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let plump for an hour or more. Drain. When they are ready, preheat oven to 325 F. Butter and flour loaf pan. Put flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and mix to combine. Melt the butter in a large bowl. Add the sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas. Then stir in the walnuts, drained raisins, and vanilla and banana extract.

Add flour mixture 1/3 at a time to combine. Scrape into the loaf pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, till it tests clean(ish). Cool the pan on a rack and slice to serve.

Crispy Crab Rangoon

January 5, 2004 · Fish & Seafood, OMG Recipes

Recipe courtesy of Simple and Delicious magazine (special Appetizers issue)

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped imitation crabmeat
1 teaspoon minced garlic
16 wonton wrappers (usually found in produce department near the sprouts and herbs)
oil for frying
sweet-and-sour sauce (I took advantage of all our leftover duck sauce from take-out and used that)

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the onions, crab and garlic.

Place about 1-1/2 teaspoons in the center of a wonton wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Moisten edges with water; fold opposite corners over filling (making sealed triangle) and press to seal. Repeat.

In a skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 375. Fry wontons for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Serve with sweet-and-sour sauce for dipping.

Crab Cakes (Weight Watchers)

January 2, 2004 · Fish & Seafood

¼ cup reduced fat mayo
Large egg
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon salt
6 slices white bread made into fine crumb (I used Weight Watchers wheat bread)
1 lb cooked lump crab meat
1¼ teaspoons olive oil

Combine mayo, egg, shallots, pepper, lemon juice, thyme, & salt. Add 1 1/3 cup bread crumbs and crab meat. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hrs. Form crab mixture into 24 mini crab cakes. Coat with remaining bread crumbs. Place on wax paper. Preheat oven to 350. Spray non-stick baking sheet with fat free spray. Over medium high heat, heat oil. Add 8 of the crab cakes and cook until golden, 1½ to 2 min on each side. Transfer to baking sheet. Repeat until all crab cakes are made. Bake until cooked through 8-10 minutes.

Sweetnicks’ Notes: Excellent.