Tuesday, November 2, 2010

M: Slow Cooker Pork Roast & Kicked Up Banana Bread

I have a confession...Sometimes I really just don't feel like cooking dinner. I know...it's a terrible thing to admit, as a food lover and foodie blogger. But there are some days where the last thing I want to do is cook up a gourmet meal. Usually it's the days where I've been at the office all day long or have just had a stressful week. I do have my usual go-to easy recipes for those days, but I was so glad when Erica loaned me her Christy Jordan's Southern Plate cookbook (disclaimer: she received this cookbook for free), which she posted about last month.

I came across this ridiculously easy slow cooker pork roast recipe. Don't ask me why I've never thought to do something like this before. I was so glad to have something different in my one dish dinner repertoire. The finished product after an 8 hour simmer =)

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What are some of your easy one dish dinners?

I also baked up some Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread from Lovin from the Oven. Now, I know people tend to have strong feelings about banana bread - either you love it or you hate it. I happen to love it. But, I think there are always ways to make it better!

I found this recipe that added a simple cinnamon swirl to the bread and I knew I had to try it out. FYI, this bread is addicting! My entire loaf was gone in 3 days. I also love cinnamon in pretty much anything. The pairing of the banana and cinnamon was pretty darn rad. The top is also sprinkled with the cinnamon/sugar mixture which made for a thin crispy sweet topping. Here goes:

Mix bananas, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and baking powder. Gently stir in the flour. In a small dish, mix the cinnamon and sugar together.

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Add half the batter to your loaf pan, sprinkle with about half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Add the last half of the batter and then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture on the top.

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Bake for 50-60 minutes depending on the size of your loaf pan. I used an 8x5 and ended up baking for 50 minutes.

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Banana Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
from Lovin from the Oven

For the bread:

3 over-ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
1 1/2 cups flour

For the swirl:

1/3 cup sugar
1 TB cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a loaf pan (I just used my trusty baking spray!) I used an 8 x 5. Just keep a close eye on your bread in the oven if you use a different size, and adjust the time as needed.
Mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together. sprinkle baking soda and salt around on top of the banana mixture. Then gently stir in flour. Be careful not to over-mix.
In a small dish, mix together the 1/3 cup sugar and 1 TB cinnamon.
Add 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and then sprinkle about half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter in the pan. Add the second half of the batter, and then sprinkle the leftover cinnamon-sugar on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes depending on the size of your pan. Of course, the good old toothpick inserted in the middle is the best tester =)


P.S. Don't forget to enter our Shake 'N' Bake contest! You have until 7:00am November 5!

Signing off with a pic of Charlie, my best friend's chocolate lab puppy...yes, he's a puppy...a baby...huge mug right? He is so dang cute and cuddly =)

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32 comments:

Jessica @ How Sweet said...

That banana bread looks so good! The crust looks crispy and just delicious. Mmmm.

Erica said...

Mandi! You are such an amazing little baker :) I for one LOVE banana bread....I'm confused by people who don't like it. They probably don't like Santa either ;).Charlie! You are just totally adorable.

Dawn Dishes It Out said...

I absolutely love banana bread!! My girls love it too. After seeing yours this morning, I think we need to bake one soon. Yummy!

Melissa @ For the Love of Health said...

I understand the desire not to cook sometimes! The meal you made looks amazing! And the banana bread looks so good!

Pound said...

um, yum! funny you should post the pork roast thing, im about to break out my crock pot and do the same thing but with a premarinated beef roast from Trader Joes. i feel like i deprive greg from beef stew, just because i'd rather cook a big hunk of red meat!!

the banana bread looks amazing!!!

BTW - do you have a Roanoke cookbook? i think "oh my stars" is the name of it. mom allen has one and it really has some great recipes in there... one of my favs is some sorta of pumpkin apple bread with this heavenly cinnamon crust. ill have to get the recipe.

Stephanie @cookinfanatic said...

i want to make this bread immediately! wow, looks so good and my boyfriend would love it.

Elina (Healthy and Sane) said...

I also have days when I don't feel like cooking. It's weird because it's definitely one of my favorite pass-times but some days just suck any motivation out of you (especially if you haven't even had time to plan your meals and go grocery shopping!). I LOVE crockpot meals. Always looking for new ones!
That banana bread looks like a cross of bb and coffee cake. Looks absolutely delicious!
PS – I’m hosting an awesome giveaway for a coffee maker. Check it out if you’re interested! :D

hbobier said...

Yum! I love that you can see the cinnamon swirled in the banana bread. Looks amazing!

Natalie said...

I've tried so many different kinds of banana bread but never with cinnamon! I can't wait to try sometime!

Veggies, Cake and Cocktails said...

I love using my slow cooker. However, I'm a bit leary to let it cook while I'm gone all day. So that limits my crock pot use to the weekends when I can be home. Really need to get over my fear of leaving it on while I'm gone.

Janetha @ meals + moves said...

Swoon, I love Charlie. So cute. The bread looks DELICIOUS, I love anything with cinnamon! Slow cooked roast reminds me of Sunday dinners growing up :)

Corey @ the runner's cookie said...

Looks awesome! I love it when the outside gets crusty and the inside is soft :) And the puppy is adorable - seeing bloggers' dogs make me want my own SO bad!

Naomi(Onefitfoodie) said...

i LOVE hte way that bread looks!!!! golden brown on the top! MMMMMM

if I walk into a house filled with the smells of banana bread I CRAVE it like none other!!

Nicci said...

Your slow cooker pot roast looks so delicious. Pefect meal for this cool weather. I love me some banana bread too.

Anonymous said...

It happens to me ALL the time, more lately! I haven't cooked a proper dinner for more than a week and I think I might continue that way for a while :)
that bread looks amazing!

vanillasugarblog said...

that bread looks amazing! please send!

Ragemichelle said...

This looks WONDERFUL! Great Blog!!!

Lisa said...

I love that idea of using a cinnamon sugar sprinkle on the banana bread. Cinnamon-sugar definitely makes everything better. By the way, I'm holding a CSN giveaway on my blog and you're welcome to come by and enter. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2010/11/45-csn-giveaway.html

Stephanie in Suburbia said...

I dismissed the slow cooker for a long time. But after I had my baby, it was a godsend! I typically make chicken cacciatore, chili, and fajitas (the veggie and meat, not the tortilla of course!). I also have a healthy recipe book just for slow cookers that involves using tapioca instead of a lot of cornstarch and flour to thicken things. I made an amazing beef bourginon (sp?)! Who knew?!!

Mandi said...

Pound, I don't own a Roanoke cookbook - I'm surprised I don't - of course I have a few of my mom's and granny's cookbooks from their churches. They are a million years old though!
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is just too tired to cook sometimes! I always feel so bad when I don't feel like it!
Stephanie, you definitely need to send me some of those slow cooker recipes! I NEED slow cooker cookbook as well. It has definitely been a HUGE help for me on days when I don't have time to make a big gourmet meal. I can only imagine when the hubs and I do have kids that it will be even more of a help!

BroccoliHut said...

Aw, that is one good-lookin' pooch!

Julie said...

gahhh charlie is ADORABLE!!! you need to bring him to play with frank! haha :)

you're a friggn stellar cook! i love the idea that you'll have lots of leftovers too that you can have for the rest of the week :)

Anonymous said...

One of my fav. quick dinners is brown rice, steamed veggies, black beans, salsa, and a fried egg. Usually have all these things on hand!

lee said...

I am bookmarking that banana bread recipe. Looks so good.
That puppy is the cutest!

Kerstin said...

Mmm, wish I had some of that banana bread right now - looks delicious!

carla said...

GIRL, I have that SAAAAME confession.

nightly :)

Tiffany @ The Chi-Athlete said...

Oh WOW, girl! Thanks for posting this, Mandi! I have three ripe bananas ready to rock this!

CaSaundraLeigh said...

I agree--sometimes gourmet meals are the last thing you want to deal with. That's when the good ol' slow cooker comes in. I have been using mine constantly in the last month!

Krista said...

LOVE my crock pot! It's the most convenient kitchen tool/appliance I own. And that cinnamon swirl in the banana bread sounds just perfect. Wishing I had a slice right now. YUM! And Charlie? CUTEST pup ever!

Heather @ Get Healthy with Heather said...

I really like how the banana bread is taken to the next level with the cinnamon swirl, yum!

EditorK said...

Your banana bread recipe looks great, I'll have to try that one. If you're looking for other great banana bread recipes, here's a collection I found: http://www.recipelion.com/Quick-Bread-Recipes/10-Moist-Banana-Bread-Recipes-And-Baking-Tips

fittingbackin said...

oh girl please! I NEVER feel like cooking dinner. I swear if it was left to me and I had to cook each night (rather than re-heat already-made things) we'd have take-out every night. True story.

Honestly - almost all of my recipes are one-pot. I'm lazy. hehe Here is a favorite lately and one I made this week! (baked Italian pasta with turkey sausage)

http://fittingbackin.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-italian-recipe-tv-update-10k.html