best ever pb&j sandwich

Being the "best ever" peanut butter and jelly sandwich sounds like a lot to live up to. I can remember many fabulous pb&j sandwiches at this very moment. This one however takes the cake, or maybe the bacon as it turns out. The inspiration for this sandwich came from a local downtown bakery here in Seattle. A bakery that uses at least a pound of butter in every cookie they make. The smell of these cookies alone has almost deterred from me going to work in the morning. This same bakery also makes a wide array of sandwiches, one of which led to the best ever pb&j. Peanut butter, cranberry blueberry spread, bananas, granny smith apples....it couldn't get much better. Enter bacon. Peanut butter and bacon are an obvious match, but with the apples and bananas, this combination borders on heavenly. It's the perfect blend of savory sweetness. Grab a napkin and a tall glass of milk - this sandwich needs both. Enjoy! - jz

best ever pb&j sandwich
makes 2 sandwiches (could serve 4)

4 slices thick cut bacon
4 slices fresh whole grain bread
8 tablespoons natural chunky peanut butter
4 teaspoons Crofter's Super Fruit Spread
1 small granny smith apple, thinly sliced
1 banana, cut lengthwise into strips

Cook bacon according to package directions. Set aside on paper napkins to cool and drain. Spread each slice of bread with two tablespoons of peanut butter then 1 teaspoon of fruit spread. Layer two pieces of bread with approximately half the sliced apples on each. Layer the remaining two pieces of bread with half the banana on each and then half the bacon. Carefully join together an apple side with a banana side. Give the whole sandwich a good "smash," cut into halves and serve.

blueberry banana muffins

I've been out of town, and consequently out of my kitchen, for the past week soaking up some much needed sun in Palm Springs, CA. After five beautiful days filled with plenty of time by the pool, margaritas, loads of mexican food and the necessary supplemental peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I was excited to find my way back to the kitchen this morning.

The house was quiet when I awoke. I unpacked (ambitious), got dressed for a run (also ambitious) then set about getting my hands dirty in my favorite way. On the agenda this sunny Seattle Saturday - healthy blueberry banana muffins. I can't believe I made muffins this morning considering the onslaught of enchiladas, ice cream and tequila I tortured my body with in Palm Springs - but hey, what's a girl to do? These muffins were however inspired by a friend of mine who had stopped cooking for awhile due to a "disaster" he had with banana bread. Disaster. His words, not mine! For those of you who love to spend as much time in the kitchen as I do, you know that baking requires more attention to measurement than cooking. In fact, one mishap in this area can result in a "disaster" as my friend unfortunately discovered. Not only did he add extra bananas to his recipe (for that extra banana-y flavor - not recommended) he also included one whole CUP of baking soda. That's right. A CUP! I'll give you a moment to think about that. If you're conjuring up the taste of toothpaste, and having a good chuckle, you're on the right track. The muffins I made this morning have the correct amount of baking soda (powder actually in this case). Promise.

This recipe is considered healthy due to the minimal amount of sugar in it; most of the sweetness comes from the bananas and blueberries. Also, oat bran and very little oil and egg help. So in my friend's honor - banana inspired muffins. Enjoy!

blueberry banana muffins
makes 6 mammoth muffins (or 12 standard sized muffins)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (approximately 3)
1/2 cup low fat milk (or soy)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen, unthawed, blueberries
1 - 2 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 6 (or 12) muffin cups with paper liners. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.

Place mashed bananas in a large bowl. Stir in milk, egg, oil and lemon juice. Mix in dry ingredients; then fold in blueberries. Divide batter amongst the muffin cups. They should each be almost full. Sprinkle tops with raw sugar. Bake muffins approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn out muffins onto a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.