Banana Ice Cream

Recipe by Senior Airman Grace Lee,
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Ingredients:

2 ripened bananas

Directions:

1. Peel and slice bananas into thinly.

2. Set bananas in freezer for at least 2 hours.

3. Take frozen bananas out and add to food processor. Blend bananas until it has a creamy consistency similar to ice cream. Drizzle with dark chocolate and top with favorite nuts. Enjoy!

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Mini Marshmallows

Recipe by Pam Anderson,
USA WEEKEND columnist, taken from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

4 medium sweet potatoes

1/4 tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup milk

4 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake until fork tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool slightly.

2. Handling the potatoes with a potholder, slice each in half lengthwise and scoop potato flesh into a blender or food processor – for an especially silky texture, use the blender – leaving a 14-inch border of flesh to support the potato skin. Puree scooped-out flesh, along with salt and pepper, until smooth. With machine motor running, gradually add both milks through feeder tube. Stop machine, add butter, then process until potatoes are silky smooth. (Puree and potato shells can be cooled, then refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 2 days.)

3. Return to room temperature before proceeding. Spoon puree back into each shell. Just before baking, press marshmallows into potatoes.

4. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until potatoes are hot and marshmallows are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Amazingly Good Eggnog

Recipe by username: NATALIESMOM, www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

4 cups milk

5 whole cloves

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

12 egg yolks

1 ½ cups sugar

2 ½ cups light rum

4 cups light cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes. Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil.

2. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until fluffy. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. Do not allow mixture to boil. Strain to remove cloves, and let cool for about an hour.

3. Stir in rum, cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla, and nutmeg. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Maple Nut Sticky Buns

Recipe provided by Jaycee Boyer

Note: Both the egg and the butter need to be at room temperature before beginning.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour, divided (2 and 1)

1/4 cup sugar

1 package quick-rising active dry yeast

1 tsp. salt

1 cup hot water (must be between 120 degrees Fahrenheit and 130 degrees Fahrenheit)

6 Tbsp. butter, softened and divided (2 and 4)

1 egg at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt in large bowl

2. Stir in hot water, 2 Tbsp. softened butter and room temperature egg. Beat until smooth. Gradually stir in remaining cup of flour until soft dough forms. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled. (About 30 minutes.)

3. Grease a 13×9 inch pan and spread pecans and maple syrup evenly over the bottom.

4. On a moderately floured surface, roll dough into 15×12 inch rectangle. Spread it with remaining 4 Tbsp. softened butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and sprinkle over butter. Starting with the 12-inch side, roll it up tightly. Cut into 12 slices and place slices in pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. If baking the rolls the same day, let rise until buns double—about one hour.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit—uncover buns and bake until golden brown for 25-30 minutes. Cool for one minute, loosen edges and invert onto serving plate. Serve Warm.

Tip: If making this dish for breakfast, complete steps 1 through 4 the night prior, covering them tightly and keeping them in the fridge. In the morning, while the oven is preheating let the dough sit, covered at room temperature for about an hour so they can rise before baking.