I don't get that? Do they sneak gold into the pedals? Sounds like Giz and I are going to make the arrangements ourselves.
What I'd really like is something like this (sorry, this is a link to the source of the flower picture below, but you have to register for the site to actually view the picture), but in burgundy and with fewer flowers (maybe five).
Do you have any experience with flowers? If I were to do this myself, what price should I anticipate? Where would you suggest looking for square vases like this?
Now...for today's post. This recipe was inspired by both R, who seems to get very stressed at the sight of bananas turning black and Ben, who is hosting his third homemade event.
Peanut Butter Banana Bars
Recipe Zaar
Ingredients
1 egg (or equivalent in egg substitute)
1/4 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
1 cup banana, ripe mashed (3 medium)
1/4 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons sugar substitute (I just used regular sugar)
1 cup flour (I used 50-50 whole wheat to all purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 X 8 pan with butter flavored cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine egg, peanut butter and bananas. Mix well. Stir in milk. In a small bowl, combine sugar substitute, flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to wet mixture slowly. Evenly spread battter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Cut into 8 bars (I cut the portions into 16 - which would make pieces half the size of the pictures here). I also added chocolate chips. Not in the recipe - but how can you go wrong with peanut butter banana and chocolate chips?
NOTE: Make sure your sugar substitute can be used for baking.
Verdict - oh yeah baby. These are good. I had one and put the rest in the freezer for R's lunches. I was worried that it would lack sweetness, but it really doesn't.
Those bars look so good! I like how they actually look like bars and not banana bread. I agree, flowers are sooo expensive and the sad part is how quickly they die or get ruined.
ReplyDeletePeanut butter, banana, and chocolate chips - this is a winner for sure!
ReplyDeleteThese sound really good. And I have a ton of bananas taking up space in the freezer. Good luck finding flowers - aren't they just ridiculously expensive!!
ReplyDeleteThese bars are awesome...love bananas, pb & chocolate together (I usually eat that combo w/ vanilla custard)...wish I had some knowledge to lend you on the flowers, but alas...I know nothing.
ReplyDeletePeanut butter and banana is a fabulous combo and this looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteFlowers for weddings are outrageous! I was lucky & a friend offered to do mine as a wedding gift. For vases I would suggest Ikea or a craft store like Michaels
ReplyDeleteHi Psychgrad! Yep, it was the Wilton 1M tip. Instead of starting on the outside for the swirl, you just start in the middle and pipe around. It's really easy and fast so it would be great if you're pressed for time. The SMBC was a little soft so I'm not sure if it will hold up to heat. Adding peach + mango jam (I just used ED smith more fruit) was not such a great idea. At the time, I thought it would add flavour, but it was so weak, people weren't exactly sure what they were tasting..haha. My cousin asked me if it was cream cheese! Maybe another flavour might work better or just skip it. Although I added 1/2 tsp of instant coffee once and everyone seemed to like it.
ReplyDeleteI remember Smitten Kitchen did her wedding cake posts and made SMBC. She said that it held up in a non air conditioned room, but there was also no sunlight so if it's outside I don't know and her recipe had a little more butter. SMBC is the best though because it is sooo creamy and it doesn't crust. Crusting frosting grosses me a little..haha.
The SMBC I made from howtoeatacupcake.net is really good because it doesn't taste like a stick of butter. Most SMBCs use a ridiculous amount of butter, but I think this one uses just enough to hold everything together. Sometimes I add 1-2 more tablespoons if it's not coming together after whipping for a long time. The best part about frosting is that you can keep whipping until it works.. unlike cake batter, which I always have this fear of overmixing.
I halved the frosting recipe, but I think it's easier to make the full version in the stand mixer so the egg whites can beat easier instead of sitting at the bottom. If you're adding jam, I guess it could be to taste because I just kept adding and adding until I realized that this peach mango jam just wasn't such a great choice. It curdled as I kept adding, but came together quickly as I beat it.
If you're looking for a shortening type frosting, I've seen some people use the one from whimsical bakehouse. It's supposedly less sweet unlike most frostings of the powdered sugar variety and since there's some butter it might help cut down on the slickness of shortening. Also, they pour boiling water in the powdered sugar, which is supposed to 'cook out' the starch. I've never made it though. I can't eat frosting w/ icing sugar because the grittiness and starch taste really gets to me.
I hope this helps, a weekend of baking cupcakes sounds like fun! Btw, if you're testing out vanilla cupcakes, try Amy Sedaris'. It's really good, but make sure you make it the normal cake way instead of how she just dumps everything in and bake at 350.
Steph
Such an interesting combination of flavor...I am sure my husband will like it since he loves peanut butter, chocolate and banana. Cannot go wrong! Love your flowers pictures.
ReplyDeleteStressed over black bananas. hahaha
ReplyDeleteThey look really good, no more stress, R!
PB banana bars, that sounds so delicious, especially when you added chocolate chunks... perfect!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
elra
Wow, that DOES seem rather steep for so few flowers!
ReplyDeleteThe bars, on the other hand, are priceless ;)
Here's a link to glass square vases, you get a 15% discount if you order before April 28th, I know not a lot of time but they do look nice!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.candles4less.com/candleholders/Square-Holders-Vases?gclid=CJCApLGCi5oCFQVinAodCyp0Pw
Love the bars!!!
You definitely need to shop around with a florist. The first one we spoke to was three times the price of the one we ended up with. I think our centerpieces were $35 a table and they had roses, orchids, hydrangeas, and more.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow that is pretty amazing, wow!
ReplyDeleteanother great use for bananas past their prie. i love the chips sprinkled on top and that you cut them into rectangles instead of squares. :)
ReplyDeleteNo problem! Since it's air conditioned, I would definitely go with SMBC.. Since Giz mentioned about the wedding being in June, for some reason I was thinking it would be outside for some reason..haha.
ReplyDeleteThe price they charge for flowers is often quite exy - what you have quoted is about the same we'd have to pay here. Your peanut butter bars look delicious!
ReplyDeleteThe bars look great! I'm going through a peanut butter phase, so I may just have to have a go at miaking these!
ReplyDeletePeanut butter and bananas is a great combo. I like the sound of using them in bars. the bars look really good!
ReplyDeleteI always see brides to be, buying their flowers from Costco and making their own arrangements. Do you have Costco their?
ReplyDeleteProud Italian Cook - we do have Costco here...but the only flowers I see there are a very small section with prearranged bouquets. I've put my dad on the job...so hopefully I'll have some solutions soon.
ReplyDeleteI love banana and chocolate together, add peanut butter and this is just about perfect.
ReplyDeleteThese sound great to me, although I could have sworn I saw those exact pictures somewhere yesterday...but I don't remember coming here...
ReplyDeleteNick - I'm sure they're the ones I took (with the exception of the nice flower centrepiece above). I'd be interested to know where else you might have seen them.
ReplyDeleteMm, great sounding combo.
ReplyDeleteAs for square vases: seriously, try a dollar store.
I'm drooling at these, they look fabulous!
ReplyDelete