Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie : Recipes at My Table

Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie

Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie

Bananas are a favourite at our house.  Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie combines two of our favourite things, bananas and chocolate. The custard is luscious and thick; in the middle of the pie the banana surprise adds texture and flavour.

This pie is decadent; the top has bananas dipped in chocolate.  At my house, that is dangerous; everyone wants to pick-off the chocolate covered bananas.  These I put on just before serving.

The pie crust for this pie combines melted and whipped shortening, milk and canola oil.  The little bit of yogurt gives lift and softness to the dough.  Today the dough for Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie comes together by hand.  It is easy to roll out between two sheets of wax paper.  I made a double batch.  The second half of the dough goes into the refrigerator;  this will last a few days.  When I am ready to roll out another pie, I will take it out and let it sit for 30 minutes before rolling.

I sift the flour for the crust.

Add the yogurt to the oil.

Mix everything lightly with a fork.

Bring it together and don’t over mix.

After it rests, roll between two sheets of wax paper.

The wax paper helps put the crust into the pie dish.

I have enough for two pies. The left-over dough may be refrigerated.

The dry ingredients for the custard.

After the eggs go into and the custard cooks.

Once the custard thickens, remove it from the element and add the butter and vanilla.

The crust has cooled and it is ready for the custard.

I layer the bananas and custard into the crust.

I dip bananas and strawberries into chocolate and let the chocolate harden before I decorate.

Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie : Recipes at My Table

 

The finished product has chocolate coated bananas, raspberries and piped whipped cream.

Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie : Recipes at My Table

Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie

Bring bananas and chocolate to your table. 

Course Dessert
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada
Keyword Chocolate Dipped Banana Cream Pie
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Pie Dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp yogurt
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup softened shortening
  • 6 tbs cold water

The Custard and filling

  • 4 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup light cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 large banana 1 thinly sliced

The Garnish

  • 1 large banana thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips melted

Instructions

The Pie dough

  1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.

    Add the salt.

    In another bowl add the canola oil, the softened shortening and the milk. Beat until all together.  Add yogurt and continue beating.

    Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and place in the wet.

    Mix with a fork.

    Add the cold water, one tbsp at a time until the dough comes together. 

    Put the dough onto a piece of wax paper.  I put a little water on my counter to help hold down the wax paper.

    Knead the dough a few times and divide into two pieces.

    This recipe makes two 9 inch pie crusts.

    Place another piece of wax paper on top of the dough and roll out from centre.

    Remove the top piece of paper and invert the pie plate over the dough.

    Carefully invert the pie plate and remove the wax paper.

    Adjust the dough.

    Prick the dough with a fork.

    Put the crust into the oven at 425 F for 12- 15 minutes.  

    Remove from the oven and completely cool.  

The Custard

  1. Put the eggs into a bowl and whisk. 

    Whisk the cornstarch, sugar, salt and milk in a pot.

    Place over medium heat.

    Continue to whisk and stir until it comes to a boil.

    Remove from heat and pour slowly into the beaten eggs.

    Careful not to scramble the eggs; it is important to pour in a slow steady stream while whisking.

    Return the mixture to the heat until thickened.

    Remove and pour into a bowl.

    Cool completely before filling pie crust.

The Assembly

  1. Pour half the cooled custard into the cooled pie crust.

    Cut the banana into thin slices and place over the first layer of custard.

    Pour the remainder of the custard over the bananas.

    Garnish with the chocolate covered banana chunks.  

The Garnish

  1. Cut 1 large banana into chunks.

    Melt 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips.

    Dunk the banana chunks into the chocolate with a toothpick.

    Put on a rack to harden. 

 

Calabrese Sunday Sauce Recipes at My Table

Calabrese Sunday Sauce

Calabrese Sunday Sauce

The traditional Italian Sunday meal consists of red sauce and meat.  My Calabrese Sunday Sauce makes me smile as I put in all the ingredients like nonna did.  I love going to the local butcher here in Leamington for the Sunday sauce meat. Nonna used a trio of meats; a good Sunday sauce has beef, pork and veal.

We lived in some of the tiniest apartments when we came from Italy, but the kitchen always had big flavours.  I remember the kitchen always full of people; in those days there were no kitchen Islands; everyone sat at the kitchen table while nonna cooked.  Visitors enjoyed coffee and cakes, and sometimes the visiting women helped with the food or with cooking advice.  It was loud and crowded, but it was fun.

My childhood was loaded with fun and good times, especially in the kitchen.  Today I work at a big kitchen Island with all the gadgets one could dream of, but my heart lives in those little tiny kitchens.  It was there my love for cooking began and my nonna passed on her recipes one ingredient at a time.

Local meat products go into this recipe today.

The beef shank hits the pan.

Browning the beef shank with the Italian sausage.

The aroma and the sizzling made it hard for me not to eat some, and I did.

Don’t turn the meat until it is ready and then add some red wine.

Our Italian liquid gold; my homemade marinara from our local Leamington tomatoes.  Nothing compares to this. 

When the sauce hits the pan there is a tremendous aroma that fills the air.

My Calabrese style bracciole ready for browning.

Sizzling hot and my lens covers with steam.

My plate and heart fill with joy, and I am transported back to that tiny kitchen with big flavours in Little Italy on James St. in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.  

Calabrese Sunday Sauce Recipes at My Table

Calabrese Sunday Sauce Recipes at My Table
5 from 1 vote
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Calabrese Sunday Sauce

This is an array of meats with our pasta. 

Course Main Course
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Keyword Calabrese Sunday Sauce
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Sauce

  • 6 Italian Sausage links cut in thirds
  • 1 whole beef shank
  • 10 braciole
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 2 jars marinara sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 clove garlic

The Braciole

  • 10 pieces thinly sliced beef rump, top round or bottom round
  • 1 lb ground veal
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

The Sauce

  1. In a large pot place the olive oil and when hot add the beef shank.  

    Start browning this meat. 

    Next add the sausage, garlic and Italian seasoning.

    When everything turns golden brown, add in the red wine.

    Now pour in the marinara sauce.  

    Sprinkle with sugar and cook slowly for about one hour.

    After one hour add the braciole.

    Cook for another 2 hours. 

The braciole

  1. I take ground veal and add the egg, water, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, chopped parsley and salt.  

    Mix it all up using your hands.

    Place the steak on a board and scoop out about half a cup of the ground meat mixture into the middle.

    Roll up tucking everything in.  

    Use string or toothpicks.

    In a large pan add 2 tbsp canola oil.

    Brown the braciole.

    Remove from heat and let cool.

    If you use kitchen string, cut it and remove it before place the braciole in the sauce.

    If you used toothpicks, place the braciole in the sauce and then remove them after you take the braciole out of the sauce.  

Family Favourite Cookies: Recipes at My Table

Family Favourite Cookies

Family Favourite Cookies

Sometimes names for recipes come from family history.  Family Favourite Cookies combine oats, chocolate and peanut butter and that’s how they became one of our favourite cookies.  These little treats do not last long and they have a way of disappearing within minutes.  They are easy to make and even my husband John who doesn’t cook or bake could make a batch of these.

Growing up with nonna Emilia we didn’t buy cookies in the early days, we made them.  In little Italy we shopped at a small butcher shop which carried a variety of goods.  Mike Nanne was a wonderful kind man.  He was an immigrant’s son, but he never forgot where his parents came from.  He allowed many of the immigrants to shop on credit and then on pay day they would all file into his store.  I remember during a strike at the Steel Plant once, no one did without because Mike floated everyone until they returned to work.  Anyway, the first cookies we bought were the S shaped cookies at Mike’s store.

Most of the time we baked cookies and when my kids were little, I often baked at night.  After I put the kids to bed and before I did my marking, you could find me in my kitchen baking.  To this day, these remind me of those times and it makes me smile.  These cookies today are for Owen because he is coming to visit and I think he is part “Cookie Monster”.

I love bringing the ingredients together.

Watch this short video for easy step by step.  Enjoy!!

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Family Favourite Cookies

An easy to make cookie that everyone loves. 34

Course Dessert
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Keyword Family Favourite Cookies
Servings 34 cookies
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oats quick cook
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup butter or margarine
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp plain greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F

    Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

    In a small bowl combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

    In another bowl cream the butter and sugar.

    Next add the peanut butter and beat.

    Now add the milk and the yogurt and beat again.

    Take the dry ingredients and add to the wet.

    Stir together.

    Next add the chocolate chips.

    Take the dough by tablespoons and roll into balls.

    Place on the parchment paper about 2 inches apart.

    Dip a fork into flour and flatten the cookies.

    Place in the oven for 10 minutes.

    May be frozen or stored in an airtight container. 

 

Orecchiette tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach: Recipes at My Table

Orecchiette Tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach

Orecchiette Tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach

It isn’t a good day if I don’t eat pasta.  Most days we eat it at lunch. Orecchiette with Shrimp, Pesto and Spinach is a great dish for family or to entertain with.  It is elegant and flavourful.  If it is your main and only dish, serve a salad and some bread.

Many pasta dishes incorporate fresh ingredients.  I toss cherry tomatoes and fresh spinach in this pasta once cooked.  Toss everything together and bring to the table on a pretty platter. The wow factor of this dish is that your guest will think that you cooked all day.

It is so easy to cook when the ingredients are simple and on-hand.  I always keep some infused olive oil and it comes in handy.  Fresh spinach is always in my refrigerator and today I bought these fresh cherry tomatoes.

I aways have fresh pesto on hand.  I keep it frozen in my refrigerator; this basil grows locally at our greenhouses and farms in Leamington, Ontario.

I use large jumbo shrimp and I like to clean them myself.

It looks like  a meal even before it cooks.  I bought a freshly baked baguette today.

Simply season that shrimp and add a little infused olive oil.

A little bit of cream cheese goes a long way and adds a velvet texture to any dish.

The shrimp meets the sauce.

Orecchiette tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach: Recipes at My Table

Quickly toss in the fresh ingredients.

Orecchiette tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach: Recipes at My Table

Plated and yummy!!

Orecchiette tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach: Recipes at My Table

Orecchiette tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach: Recipes at My Table
5 from 1 vote
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Orecchiette Tossed in Pesto with Shrimp and Spinach

An elegant and quick dish that you can serve to company.  

Course Main Course
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Keyword Penne with Shrimp and Spinach Pesto
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 3 main portions
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

  • 250 gr penne
  • 4-6 tbsp prepared Pesto
  • 2 cups shrimp shelled, deveined and sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
  • extra Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

  1. Put a large pot on to boil for the pasta. 

    When the pot boils put in the pasta and let cook to al dente.

    In a large pan place the olive oil and add the shrimp with the Italian seasoning.

    Let the shrimp pink-up.

    Remove from pan and add the cream cheese with the pesto. 

    Warm-up and let the cream cheese melt.

    Return the shrimp to the pan.

    Add in the pasta and you might want to use some of the pasta water to thicken the sauce. 

    Remove from heat.

    Add the cherry tomatoes and the spinach and toss into the pasta.

    Garnish with parmesan cheese. 

Recipe Notes

This recipe is easy to double.   250 grams should feed 3 people, if it is the only course.  I use 500 gr for 6 people.  Serve a salad and bread with it. 🙂