Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

Imagine the sweet aroma of freshly baked banana bread wafting through the air. It sounds heavenly, doesn't it? Is your mouth watering? Growing up, one of my favorite treats was my mom's banana bread, which was undoubtedly the best banana bread ever and has become a breakfast staple in our family.

This moist and flavorful banana bread recipe was given to my mom many years ago by a little old lady in Hawaii. My mom's original recipe called for shortening and a lot of sugar, which is probably why it was so decadent, though not practical by today's standards. I substituted butter for the shortening and used Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread in place of some of the sugar. Feeling adventurous, I also added chocolate chips. The real question was whether my version could compete with Mom's recipe. Only our discerning "master taster testers" (our kiddos) could reveal the truth.

Yes! My version passed with flying colors! It was moist and flavorful, just like "Grammy's," which was music to my ears! I usually triple this recipe because this decadent treat disappears almost instantaneously, and freezing extra loaves slightly extends its shelf life.

So, if you're looking for your new favorite banana bread recipe, put those overripe bananas to good use and make this tasty treat today! You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have used any of these hacks or if you have some to add. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup Cherchies Apple Butter Spread

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) baking soda

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) salt

• 2 cups flour

• 5 Tablespoons (Tbsp) *sour milk 

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) white vinegar

• 4 ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

• 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350.  

To make the *sour milk, add 5 Tablespoons of milk to a small bowl.  Add the white vinegar to the milk, stir and set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and Cherchies Apple Butter Spread together.  Then add eggs, baking soda, salt, flour and measure out 5 Tablespoons of the sour milk.  Discard the remaining sour milk.

Mash the bananas with a fork and add to the batter.  In a small bowl, mix the chocolate chips with 1 Tablespoon of flour.  This helps prevent the chips from sinking to the bottom.  Gently fold the floured chocolate chips into the banana bread batter.

For two loaves, divide the batter evenly into two greased (with cooking spray) loaf pans, or into one greased loaf pan for one loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour or until done.   Enjoy!

Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread Recipe

Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread Recipe

Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes  
Difficulty: Easy

Today's recipe is a copycat version of our family's beloved Philadelphia's Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread. It is chock full of vegetables and fresh herbs and is a fraction of the cost of the store-bought brand. I have to say, this recipe is pretty darn close to the original.

Bagels and cream cheese are a staple breakfast or afternoon snack in our home, especially bagels slathered with Philadelphia Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese, our family's favorite. Unfortunately, the small tubs found in grocery stores do not last long in a home with young adults and their friends, all with voracious appetites. Anyone with teenagers or young adults can attest to how quickly food disappears. Yeesh!

Re-creating recipes at home is my thing, so I took a stab at re-creating my family's beloved veggie cream cheese spread because I could make larger quantities and control the ingredients. It took a couple of tries experimenting with the ingredients (apparently, cucumber was a no-no), but according to our "Master Taster Tester," as my son calls himself, this recipe got a thumbs up!

With just a few ingredients and a few minutes of chopping and mixing, the result was a creamy, dreamy, savory spread, the perfect addition to bagels, crackers, sandwiches, and more! This recipe is so tasty and economical that you may never use the store tubs again!  

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have tried this tasty recipe. Return again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

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Ingredients

• 3 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 whole green pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

• 1/2 whole red pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

• 1/2 whole yellow pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

• 6 whole green onions, sliced

• 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 1 stalk of celery, coarsely chopped

• 1 clove of garlic, peeled

• 1 1/2 Tablespoon (Tbsp) coarsely chopped chives (more to taste)

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Lem'n Dill Seasoning (more to taste)

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning (more to taste)

*Feel free to add or subtract any veggies or herbs to your liking.

Preparation
Coarsely chop the peppers, the onions, carrot, celery, and herbs.  Add all the ingredients, except the cream cheese, to a food processor and pulse until desired consistency.  My family prefers chunks of vegetables in their veggie cream cheese spread, but you are welcome to pulse until really fine. Scoop out the vegetable mixture from the food processor and place into a bowl. Set aside.  

*Note:  if you do not have a food processor, don't fret, this recipe can easily be made by finely chopping up all the ingredients and adding to the softened cream cheese.

Combine the cream cheese in the food processor until smooth.   Remove the cream cheese from the food processor and add to the vegetables.  Mix to combine.  Refrigerate the mixture for at least a half hour to marry the flavors.

Spread this heavenly mixture on just about anything, bagels, crackers, sandwiches, wraps, or use as a dip.  Enjoy!

Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread Recipe

Refreshing Fruit Pizza Recipe

Refreshing Fruit Pizza Recipe

This refreshing dessert pizza recipe is a new "twist" on an old classic and is the perfect recipe to take advantage of summer's glorious berries and fruits.  

Growing up, my mother occasionally made this special treat for my sister and me, using whatever fruit was available, and topped it off with a delicious marmalade glaze. (Secretly, I think she made this dessert so her daughters would eat their fruit. We were picky eaters. Clever mom, using a cookie as a disguise).  

This pretty dessert pizza recipe is easy to make; it uses whatever fruit you have on hand (canned or fresh) and is a fun family project for any occasion, any time of year. It features a sugar cookie crust, cream cheese frosting, fresh berries and fruit, and Cherchies® Fig Preserves. I have made this decadent dessert over the years with my babies, with different combinations, and it was a hit every time. Now that my babies are in college, they still like to bake with mom. :) They recently made this dessert for Memorial Day and arranged the strawberries and blueberries to resemble an American flag, but the decorating options are endless. We finished the dessert pizza with a glaze using our Fig Preserves, amping up Mom's original recipe. I did not have time to photograph their creation because it didn't last long.

Are you ready to try this tasty dessert pizza recipe? It is easy and flavorful; it is fun to make and can be made any time of year in whatever design you desire, using whatever fruit is available. 

Thank you for visiting! Stop back again for more tasty recipes!

Comment below if you have made this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough

• 1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese softened

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) vanilla

• 4 cups assorted fruit (blueberries, strawberries, kiwi)

• 1/4 cup Cherchies® Fig Preserves (you could substitute your favorite preserves or marmalade)

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) water

Preparation

Heat oven to 375.  Line a 12-inch pizza pan (or any kid of round sheet) with foil; spray with cooking spray. Press cookie dough into pan to completely cover pan.  

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Bake 14 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool completely.  Invert cookie onto plate.  Gently remove foil. Turn crust over onto plate.  

Meanwhile, while cookie pizza is baking, mix together the cream cheese and the powdered sugar and vanilla, and spread cream cheese mixture onto entire cooled cookie.  Now the fun begins...

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Then load up the pizza with whatever fruit makes you happy.  In this case, I used kiwis, strawberries, and blueberries.  My mother’s recipe called for mandarin oranges, but for some reason my children don’t like them (silly kids).  If I had had Clementine’s on hand, I would have used them.

Arrange the fruit onto the pizza.  The possibilities are endless.  This is a great family or kid’s party activity.  How fun would it be to arrange the fruit into a face?

Wait for it...

Now the "piece de resistance", the glaze!  Mix the Cherchies Fig Preserves with the water, and drizzle over the pizza...

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Yummy goodness!  Dig in:)

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Canadian Bacon Egg Casserole Recipe

Do you love breakfast casseroles? We do! Breakfast casseroles are perfect for holidays, brunches, family gatherings, or even dinner because they can be made ahead, leaving more time to enjoy the things that matter most.

We love when our friends across the nation share their favorite Cherchies® recipes with us! Thank you, Colleen, from Pennsylvania, for sharing this delicious hearty breakfast casserole recipe! Your secret ingredient (Cherchies® Lem 'n Dill) elevated this egg dish of eggs, Canadian Bacon, French Bread, and cheese over the top! Dill and eggs? Absolutely! Hello!

The best part about this breakfast casserole? It is easy to make and can be made the night before. Let it soak in the refrigerator overnight, and it is ready to plop in the oven the following morning, allowing you extra time for whatever is important to you! Add this breakfast casserole to your list of favorite recipes. The combination of flavors is divine; your family and guests will rave about this dish.

Comment below and let us know if you made this tasty casserole. Thank you for stopping by! Come back and visit for more easy recipes, entertaining ideas, cooking tips, and more!

Ingredients  

• 4 slices of French Bread, crusts removed, cubed

• 1 lb. Canadian bacon, diced

• 8 eggs, beaten to blend

• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 3/4 cup shredded Jalapeno Jack Cheese

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) Cherchies® Lem'n Dill Seasoning Blend

• 4 cooked potatoes, sliced

Preparation
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.  Wash potatoes.  In a medium pan, boil potatoes (ok to leave skin on) until potatoes are al dente (or just about cooked). Drain the potatoes.  Allow potatoes to cool before slicing.

Dice Canadian bacon.

Arrange the bread cubes and potatoes in the bottom of prepared pan.  Then add diced bacon.  Pour beaten eggs over top (I took this photo before I beat the eggs).  Top with cheese and Lem'n Dill.  

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.  
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove foil.  Bake the casserole until eggs are set, approximately 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.  Serve hot and enjoy!

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Canadian Bacon Egg Casserole Recipe

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Canadian Bacon Egg Casserole Recipe