Banana-Zucchini Bread Recipe

The holidays are upon us and if you're not a fan of the traditional holiday flavours or would like to try something new, then this recipe may be for you!

Ingredients

- 1 ½ ripe bananas (mashed)

- 1 medium zucchini (grated)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil (or butter), and egg until smooth. Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
4. Add the grated zucchini and stir until combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Don’t overmix.
6. Fold in nuts or chocolate chips, if using.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Drizzle with maple syrup and serve!

Jamaican Chicken Back Soup

Ingredients

8 cups water
4-5 chicken backs
1 pack grace cock noodle
1 Sweet Pepper (Orange or Yellow)
4-6 small Irish potatoes 
1 piece of yam 
And additional ground provision as desired (sweet potato etc.)
2 stalks escallion
2 sprigs thyme
1 large carrot
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 clove garlic
pimento seeds
Wheelers/ Dumplings
salt to taste

Method

1. Put water in large soup pot
2. Chop and add garlic, pepper, thyme, escallion, pimento and bring to rapid boil.
3. Add chopped chicken back and let cook for hour until almost cooked
4. Blend sweet pepper add to pot and bring to boil 
5. Then add chopped carrots, potato and yam etc.
6. Make and add wheelers/ dumplings 
7. Stir thoroughly and add cock noodle soup for final 20 minutes or until all ingredients are cooked.
8. Taste and season accordingly.

Jamaican Banana Bread Recipe (Peanuts)

Looking for a quick Jamaican themed dessert that can be served  at breakfast, lunch, dinner or in between? Try this easy and quick, mixer free peanut inspired banana bread recipe. Try serving it with your favourite coffee, ice cold milk and with a few slices of cheese. 

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)

1/3 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cinnamon 

Pinch of nutmeg

3/4 cup sugar 

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup peanuts 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and butter a 4 x 8 inch loaf pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

3. Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.

4. Blend peanuts until slightly crushed then mix into batter.

5. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F (175°C), or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Remove from oven and place on wire rack or heat resistant counter top to cool in the pan for a few minutes. 

7. When cool, use bread knife to slice and serve with your favourite coffee, a cold glass of milk, slices of cheese or as is!

Jamaican Christmas Ham Recipe

Ingredients
1 7lb smoked pre cooked ham
Whole cloves

Glaze:
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2tbsps guava juice
2 tbsps honey
3 tbsps brown sugar
1tbsp lime juice
Pimento

Decoration: 
Maraschino Cherries
Pineapple Slices or Chunks
Toothpicks

Method

• Heat oven to 350 F
• Clean up ham removing extra skin and fat
• Use a sharp knife to make criss cross design in ham
• Please cloves in the sections where the lines intersect 
• Place ham in a roasting pan lined with foil with fattier side facing up
• Combine the ingredients for the glaze in a bowl and pour over the ham
• Bake ham at 350 F for 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.
• Cool ham for 15 minutes before slicing 

Serves: 10 people

Photo Credit and Ham Design Inspiration: Grace foods...until I put up my own pic. :D

Jamaican Strong Back Punch (Quick & Easy Sunday Beverage)

Serves 3-4; Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 bottle of Guinness

1tin of Nestle Supligen or Vanilla based shake

2 cups carrot juice

2 tbsp. Wray & Nephew rum cream

4 tbsp. condensed milk or evaporated milk

(or as much as desired)

1-2tsp. Vanilla

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Method

1.       Blend together Guinness, Supligen, carrot juice, Bailey’s, vanilla and nutmeg.

2.       Sweeten with condensed or evaporated milk.

3.       Serve chilled on ice cubes.