Cookies for Breakfast: Peanut Butter and Banana

As most kids know, the human condition is characterized by an overwhelming desire to eat cookies for breakfast. Let there be no more deprivation! Just make the right cookies, like from the recipe for Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Cookies that I got from an old clipping from Midwest Living magazine.

These cookies are soft and chewy, heading just a little toward a dense muffin in texture, but not quite cakey enough to call them a muffin, or even a muffookie or cookuffin. They’re definitely a cookie. They may be loaded with all kinds of high Whole Food Quotient good-for-you stuff like whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and oatmeal, but they have enough brown sugar, bananas and raisins to keep them from tasting like some kind of nuts-and-twigs health food breakfast. Their flavor is quite peanut-butter-and-banana forward, and if you like that combination, you probably won’t be disappointed. These cookies are not particularly sweet, however, at least not as sweet as you might expect your average cookies to be.

I was surprised by how much I loved these little breaches of proper breakfast food law. I don’t think I had ever eaten anything peanut-butter-and-banana flavored before (my husband eats the storied sandwiches, but I never found the need to follow him on that road), but I can really say it’s delicious here. I’ve also got oats on the brain right now (I’m hoping to have more on that in a future post), so their subtle flavor and chewy texture was quite satisfying.

Of course, any time I’m given a chance to make myself a batch of cookies for breakfast, I’m going to jump at it. And if they taste wonderful, that’s just icing on the cake. Mmmmm….cake for breakfast…that’s another story.


Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Cookies
Adapted from Midwest Living magazine, October 2007

These cookies really are best the day they’re made. You can freeze them as soon as they cool and thaw as needed, however, and they’re still very good.

½ cup smooth peanut butter
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 medium bananas)
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup wheat germ
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (I think you could use “quick oats,” too)
1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease cookie sheets or spray them with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer, combine peanut butter and butter. Beat with an electric mixer or using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer at medium speed until well-mixed and fluffy, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the brown sugar and beat until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well-combined. Beat in the mashed banana.

4. In another bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt. Sift or stir with a whisk to combine well.

5. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins.

6. Scoop about ¼ cup dough for each cookie and drop on the prepared cookie sheets, about 4 inches apart. Bake at 350 F for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops and edges are just browned. Cool 1 minute on the pan. Remove the cookies from the pan and cool on a wire rack. The cookies are best when enjoyed within several hours of baking, but they also freeze well.

Makes 20 cookies.

Other recipes like this one: Double Banana Walnut Pancakes, Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies with Black Walnuts, Apricot and Almond Cookies with White Chocolate

Two years ago: Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Olives

Infused Sesame Oil and Sesame Noodle Salad

I love sesame oil. I love it so much that I probably would have been happy for the rest of my life (at least with regard to sesame oil) if I had never run across the concept of infusing it with other flavors. I did run across this concept, however, years ago in the form of Chinese Five Flavor Oil in A New Way to Cook by Sally Schneider.

Sesame oil infused with scallion, ginger, chile, and Szechuan peppercorn flavors had to be even better than plain sesame oil didn’t it? Well, I certainly thought so, and I made some of this a long time ago. Unfortunately, I don’t really remember it, nor do I remember why I didn’t make it again right away. That just meant I had to make it now, to see what the heck was the matter with me in my previous cooking life.

A taste of this attempt at Infused Sesame Oil gave me a clue as to why I might not have been all that excited about it before. The infused flavors are subtle, and this recipe is really enhanced by the Szechuan peppercorns, which I’m sure I hadn’t used before. (There was a time that they were virtually impossible to get in the U. S.). I’m always delightfully amazed at the way Szechuan peppercorns zing on my tongue (I recently read that this sensation is caused by hydroxyl-α-sanshool, in case you’re interested), and their use in this infusion lends a small touch of that sensation to the oil. I’m sure I was missing that, all those years ago, without really knowing it.

I stayed with A New Way to Cook for my first application of this tasty oil and made a very simple noodle salad with just a bit of the oil in the dressing. I love the cold slippery noodles and the sesame-soy-vinegar flavor of the dressing, which is meant to replace heavier, more caloric peanut butter or tahini dressings, and does so very nicely. I kept the salad pretty basic (much like the recipe in the book), largely because I usually have the ingredients in this simple version on hand. And perhaps if I know that it can really be this quick and easy, I’ll remember to make it more often. Of course, as the seasons progress, other ingredients could be included, like thinly sliced bell pepper, cucumber, or spicy greens.

You could use plain sesame oil to make the noodle salad if you don’t want to make the infused oil. If you do flavor your oil, however, you’re probably going to have to find some other uses for it. (It makes about ¾ cup.) You could use it wherever you use plain sesame oil, including in salad dressings (such as those in this recipe and this recipe). I also like to drizzle it on fried rice and I’ll even cook with it if I really want that particular flavor in whatever I’m sautéing. With all the flavored oil I now have in the refrigerator, I’m hoping to test it out even more in the next few weeks. Of course, I love the Sesame Noodle Salad so much, I could just make that about a hundred times and still be pretty happy.


Infused Sesame Oil
Adapted from A New Way to Cook by Sally Schneider

I only had canola oil to use instead of peanut oil. It was fine, but I think peanut oil would be more flavorful.

My oil didn’t turn out very spicy, but I think that’s because my dried chile peppers have been in my cupboard too long.

2 scallions (green onions)
8 slices very clean fresh ginger root (each about the size of a quarter)
½ cup Asian sesame oil
¼ cup peanut or canola oil
1 dried red chile pepper, broken into several pieces
1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns

1. Cut off the roots and about half of the dark green part of the top of the scallions. Cut the ginger slices in quarters.

2. Combine the sesame oil and peanut oil in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat. To test whether the oil is hot enough, drop in a small piece of the chile. If it sizzles in the oil, add the remaining chile. (If not, heat longer and test again.) Heat the chile in the oil only for about 5 seconds.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the scallions, ginger, and Szechuan peppercorns. Cover the pan leaving the lid partially vented. Let stand for at least an hour, but preferably longer, up to 8 hours.

4. Strain out the solid ingredients. Use as you would plain sesame oil, or keep in the refrigerator in a sealed jar for up to 3 months.

Makes about ¾ cup.



Sesame Noodle Salad
Adapted from A New Way to Cook by Sally Schneider

8 ounces spaghetti (or use Asian noodles, or whatever long noodle you like)
1 tablespoon Infused Sesame Oil (see above) or plain Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal
½ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
¼ cup finely chopped roasted peanuts

1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water until as tender as you like. (I usually cook mine a little more tender than the definition of al dente.) Drain the spaghetti and rinse with cold water until cooled. Drain completely and place in a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl, combine the Infused Sesame Oil, tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. Whisk together until well combined.

3. Add the scallions and cilantro to the bowl with the noodles. Pour over the dressing mixture and toss all together to combine ingredients and coat with the dressing. Chill if desired. Sprinkle the peanuts on top of the noodles. If making this salad ahead, wait to add the peanuts until just before serving.

Makes about 4 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Noodles with Cilantro, Green Onions and Peanuts (a warm noodle dish with a different “dressing”; Warm Noodles with Cilantro and Coconut Lime Dressing

Two years ago: Turkey Salad with Sherry Vinegar and Smoked Paprika

Potato Cheese Patties

I used to make these little potato and fresh cheese patties fairly often, but, since I’ve never written about them in these pages, that must mean I haven’t made them since before April 16, 2009 when I started this blog. I’m absolutely certain I would have told you about them if I had.

These potato patties are pleasantly easy to make. Really, they’re just mashed potatoes flavored with fresh cheese, scallions and a few dashes of seasoning (which you could totally customize to your own taste), formed into cakes and browned in a pan. Most of the time required to make them is spent waiting around (or doing something else if you’re one of those people) first while the potatoes cook and cool, then while the patties chill until firm.

I made the queso fresco for these this time, using the recipe for “Fresh Cheese, the Easy Way” in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. The method is the same as for this homemade cottage cheese (also from that cookbook). The curds are just squeezed together and drained longer to make a firmer cheese. Of course, you could use store-bought queso fresco and I think other shredded cheeses, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack, would work, too.

The original recipe is titled “Ecuadorean Potato-and-Cheese Patties” (or Llapingachos Ecuatorianos), but I definitely took them out of Ecuador by adding Aleppo pepper, which has its roots in Syria and Turkey. You wouldn’t have to use Aleppo pepper (I just happen to love it), and could replace it with crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne, or you could leave it out entirely for a less spicy potato patty. I like to serve these with salsa and sour cream on top, but if you’ve got good fresh tomatoes or a nice fresh pico de gallo in season, that would be fabulous, too.

In fact, you could change a lot of things in this recipe to make it more to your taste. I think the proportions of the main ingredients are just about right for a potato cake that holds together well, so I probably wouldn’t mess too much with that. Other seasonings, such as curry powder might be welcome in taking these in another direction, and, as I suggested above, other cheeses would probably be good as well. I really have to go back to making these deliciously simple little potato cakes more often, although with all the variations I could try, they may never go back to Ecuador again.

Potato Patties with Fresh Cheese and Scallions
Adapted from Cooking Light magazine, April 2001

I really recommend using a starchy baking potato for this recipe. When I’ve tried other types, such as red boiling potatoes, the patties did not hold together well.

1 ¼- 1 ½ pounds Russet or other baking potatoes
1 ¾ teaspoon coarse salt, divided
3 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
1 medium scallion, finely minced (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2-3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil for frying

1. Peel and coarsely chop the potatoes. Place them in a medium-size pot. Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt and enough water to cover the potatoes by a few inches. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.

2. Drain the potatoes and place them in a medium-size bowl. Mash with a potato masher until well-smashed. Some small potato chunks are okay. Set aside to cool about 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle.

3. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, queso fresco, scallion, cumin, chili powder, and Aleppo pepper. Stir until well combined.

4. Form the potato mixture into patties about 2 ½-3 inches in diameter. (You should get about 12 of them.) Place them in a single layer on a pan or tray and chill about 20 minutes or until firm.

5. Film the surface of a large (preferably nonstick) skillet with canola oil (about 1-2 tablespoons). Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Place as many potato patties in the pan as will fit without crowding. Cook 3-5 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and continue to cook 3-5 minutes more or until browned. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining chilled patties, adding more oil to the pan if needed. Serve with salsa or pico de gallo and sour cream.

Makes about 12 patties, or about 4 servings. These are great for any meal, and leftovers are nice at breakfast.

Other recipes like this one: Grilled Potatoes with Lime-Herb Dipping Sauce, Spicy Potato and Tomato Gratin with Caramelized Onions

Two years ago: Celeriac, Potato and Wild Rice Soup

Brown and Wild Rice with Asparagus and Peas: Salad for an Early Spring

It’s hard to know which direction to go in my seasonal adventures when the seasons become as messed-up as my kitchen! Summer has recently fallen out of the sky, crushing the end of winter and taking over for spring. This unsettles me not a little. It’s as hot as July, but the typical May and June foods haven’t even been planted let alone harvested. One hardly even knows what to eat!

I was in denial about this uncomfortable phenomenon, but I’ve finally begun to adjust. I got out the grill, dared to plant some arugula and mesclun lettuce mix in pots, and compromised my local food principles (it’s not the first time, nor will it be the last) by buying some asparagus, which I usually wait for until May or June. Since the salad weather was upon me, whether I was ready or not, I used some of this asparagus in a brown and wild rice salad. I also tossed in some frozen peas, nice fresh parsley and green onions (aka scallions), and topped it all off with a simple lemon vinaigrette.

I love wild rice, and the brown basmati rice I used with it here is a good partner. The dressing is quite tart (you could adjust it to taste), but the starchiness of the brown rice, grassy, tea-like notes of the wild rice, and the sweetness of the peas and asparagus all hold up under it well. This whole salad also holds up well in the refrigerator for a couple days, and it’s nice to have its springtime, whole-food goodness waiting for me when the heat (yes, heat!…in March!...in Minnesota!) makes me want a lazy lunch or side dish for supper.

This kind of salad is wide open to many improvisations, and you can customize it based on whatever you have available. White beans, Parmesan or feta cheese, and toasted almonds would all be good to add, and you could experiment with other herbs. As the seasons progress (if they even remember how to do so properly), you could switch in other vegetables like green beans, sugar snap peas, radishes, zucchini, cucumbers…well, it seems like I’m getting in the right mindset after all. Maybe I am ready for an early spring, or summer, or whatever this is.

…and I’ll spare you my commentary on global climate change.


Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Asparagus and Peas

4 ounces asparagus spears
1 cup cooked and cooled brown rice
1 cup cooked and cooled wild rice
½ cup frozen peas, thawed (or fresh peas if you have them)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
a pinch or a few grinds black pepper
1 teaspoon honey

1. Break or cut the tough ends off the bottom of the asparagus spears. Cut the spears into 1-1 ½ inch pieces. Place the pieces in small microwave-safe bowl or baking dish. Add a splash of water to the dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Poke several holes in the plastic wrap. (This will allow steam to escape while cooking.)

2. Microwave on high power 2 minutes. Very carefully (the steam will come gushing out) remove the plastic wrap from the bowl and place the cooked asparagus in a colander or sieve. Run cold water over the asparagus to cool it. Drain well and place in a large bowl.

3. To the asparagus, add the brown rice, wild rice, peas, parsley, and scallions.

4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Whisk together until well blended and smooth. Alternatively, you could combine the dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously to blend.

5. Pour the dressing over the asparagus mixture and toss to coat and evenly distribute the ingredients. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Makes 4-6 servings. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

Other recipes like this one: Barley and Wild Rice Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette, Three Grain Salad with White Beans and Artichokes, Spring Vegetable Tabbouleh

Two years ago: Dark Rye Bread