Banana Bread Biscotti?

When life throws you lemons ... you make lemonade.

When life throws you ripe bananas ... you make banana bread!!

So last week I bought 2 bunches of bananas.  This morning, I was left with two that had enough black dots on them to make me not want to eat them by itself.  There's nothing worse than eating mushy, ripe bananas that can bring others to a misophonic state.  I truly HATE that sound.

I'm looking at the bananas and one thing pops in my head.  Banana bread!  I've never made them before so I thought this was the perfect time.  I pulled up a few recipes and was surprised by how simple it was to make this bread.  So simple that I had all the ingredients in my pantry!  As for all the tools ... I say nay!  I was missing a loaf pan, so there was no way that my banana bread would come out looking like a loaf of bread.  I followed my recipe of choice, which can be found here, replacing the sugar with Splenda granulated sugar, and poured the batter into my baking pan, trying my best to shape the mixture into a loaf form.  I checked on the bread every 15 minutes and decided that I had to cut the time down to 30 minutes since the bread would most likely cook faster in a flatter pan.  And I was right!  I took it out in 30 minutes and the bread was perfectly baked.

This is no loaf!   =(

However, my attempt to shape the bread into a loaf failed ever so badly.  The bread ended up looking like biscotti after slicing, but on a good note, they were SO DELICIOUS!!  I also loved the pattern that was formed.  Bananas never looked this beautiful to me lol.

Banana bread biscotti!!

Pretty patterns and so yummy!

I had the bread for breakfast and it paired pretty nicely with a cup of coffee.  I will surely make banana bread again.  But first, I have to get myself a loaf pan =D

Hot Stuffs

So who is ready to witness William Levy take home this season's mirror ball trophy??  I am!  That guy is sizzling hot and he can move his hips!  Dizzaammmn

On a side note, look at Usher in his sharp suit at the Billboard Music Awards.  This color is REALLY trending now isn't it?

A Congee for Your Libido!

I made this for breakfast this morning!!  Congee with dried oysters, dried scallops & dried shrimp!  This is probably one of my favorite congees to make and eat.  First of all, congee is very simple to make, especially if you're boiling it with dried ingredients like I did.  No need for washing, chopping or getting your hands dirty ... besides washing the bowls and pots afterwards obviously.  Simply have all the dried ingredients soaking in water until they soften, then dump the entire thing (water included) into a pot with washed rice and additional water, enough to produce your preferred thickness and consistency.  Don't forget to keep stirring to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot or burning!!  Flavor, you ask?  A touch of salt is all you need because the dehydrated ingredients create enough flavor to satisfy your taste buds.

Look at the fat oyster ...

I love love love dried oysters and scallops.  Not only are the oysters good for your libido, they have such a distinct taste that differentiates itself from any other seafood ... or any other food for that matter!  Likewise, scallops are good, but dried scallops, in my opinion, taste nothing like a scallop.  The dehydration process, whatever that entails, gives it so much more flavor.  Together, they make a perfect bowl of congee.  Yummayyy

Disclaimer:  If you're a spoiled brat who enjoy food drenched with sauce or food jam-packed with "flavor" from sodium and artery-clogging ingredients, this may not be a dish for you.  You may find congee to be bland or mild.  Oftentimes, they are, but there are some who are appreciative of such natural & subtle flavors!  I am one of them!!

M&M's

Munching on classic M&M's at 11pm at night?  Not good, not good!  But a little chocolate wouldn't hurt would it?   Muahahaha.  I couldn't resist these, they were only $1 at Rite Aid!

Watercress Soup

Enjoying a bowl of hot watercress soup with chicken, carrots, red dates, onions, dried wolfberries and a pinch of salt while watching Food Network Star!!  Who is gonna win?  Too soon to tell but I think the blonde 50's girl has got something goin on!

Friday tomorrow!  Woohoo!