Farfalle with Mushrooms and Sausages

May 6, 2010 at 8:24 pm | Posted in cooking, Flexitarian, Food, Italian food, Pasta Dishes, photography, Recipes, Weeknight Dinners | 17 Comments
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Have you seen this beautiful Farfalle pasta by Torino?  I was shopping at World Market’s Cost Plus, when this jumped out at me!  Look at the beautiful colors.

It cost more than what I like to spend on pasta, but I couldn’t pass this up.  They call it “designer” pasta.  I’m not into designer fashion, but apparently I’m a sucker for designer pastas now.

The recipe on the back of the box made my final decision.   It’s SO simple to make and it tastes so fresh and earthy!

Farfalle with Mushrooms and Sausages

Adapted from Torino pasta recipe

8.8 ounce farfalle pasta

6 ounce mushrooms (possibly porcini or 2 ounce dry porcini put in water to soften for 2-3 hours)- I used a package of wild Italian mushrooms I found at World Market

6 oz fresh sweet sausage-I used Italian sausage from Whole Foods

5 oz white wine

1/4 white onion

1/2 clove garlic- I used whole

1 oz extra virgin olive oil

2 oz light cream — I used whole milk

3 oz grated pecorino or parmesan cheese- I used both

pepper and salt to taste

In a skillet, sautee x-tra virgin olive oil with garlic and onion–finely chopped.  Add the sausage without skin, and cook for 5 minutes to color.  Add the mushrooms and cook slowly and add the white wine.   When it looks ready, add the salt and pepper and light cream.

Cook the pasta al dente in plenty of salted water.  Drain pasta and place in the sauce skillet mix on top of stove for 2 minutes and then serve with cheese.




The mushrooms are SO earthy!

I served it with chardonnay

ENJOY!

Simple enough for a weeknight meal, and flavorful enough to impress company.

Chipotle Grilled Chicken With Avocado Sauce

November 7, 2009 at 5:07 pm | Posted in cooking, Food, Mexican Food, photography, Recipes, Uncategorized, Weeknight Dinners | 8 Comments
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fall leaves

Fall weather makes me crave spicy foods!

I found a wonderful recipe for Baha Mexican grilled chipotle chicken.

The chipotles give the chicken a smoky and  “call the fire department” fiery flavor that makes this anything but a ho hum grilled chicken dish.

I use a  4 lb chicken, but the original recipe calls for 3 small chickens.  I prefer more heat–if you do not, use more chicken.

The avocado adds coolness to balance it out, so be sure to make the salsa to go with.

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You can cut up the chicken and serve it in a tortilla with the avocado salsa, or simply serve it as is–I ate it both ways.

We served our chicken with the avocado salsa, homemade pinto beans, and Spanish rice.

I really love this chicken!  It was nice and moist.  This will probably become part of my weekly menu.

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First you let it marinate in the sauce for hours (at least 2, but better overnight)

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Chipotle Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa

(Greatly) Adapted from “!Baja! Cooking on the Edge” by Deborah  M.  Schneider

SERVES 6

7 oz can chipotles in adobo
2 large cloves garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1- 4 lb chicken, quartered

Avocado Salsa
3 ripe Haas avocados  pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher salt
1 juice of one lime
1/4 cup finely diced white onion
3 fresh cilantro stems, stemmed and chopped  (I did not use)

In a food processor, puree the chipotles, garlic, oil, and salt. Wipe the chicken pieces with paper towels. Thoroughly coat the pieces on all sides with a layer of the chipotle paste.
Place in a non-reactive baking dish or in re-sealable bags and refrigerate for 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
Heat the grill to medium. With the lid open, grill the chicken on both sides until well marked – about 7 minutes per side. Turn the heat to low, close the lid, and cook the chicken, skin side up, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees. (Alternatively, bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.).
NOTE: we place a drip pan under the chicken to prevent flare-ups–we learned the hard way.
Serve with tortillas and salsa.
Avocado Salsa: Place the avocados in a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and lime juice; mix gently with the onion and cilantro (don’t mash; it should look diced).
Note: this salsa should be served within 3 hours. To help it keep its color, press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the avocado and refrigerate until needed.

ANGELNINA’S  NOTE: Original recipe calls for 3 small chickens, cut into halves or quarters.  I prefer it with one 4 lb chicken.  Obviously this adds to the heat, so if you don’t want it too spicy, use more chicken.

Pollo con Cipolle e Aceto (Chicken with Onions and Vinegar)

October 9, 2009 at 10:59 am | Posted in cooking, Food, Italian food, Recipes, Uncategorized, Weeknight Dinners | 13 Comments
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This is my new favorite chicken dish.  I’ve raved over the years about my favorite cookbook in the entire world, “Cooking with Grace” by Grace Pilato, and once again I’ve found a treasure hidden in this wonderful book.

I think the name of the dish turned me off, and I was a bit frightened by the amount of vinegar.  One day I was thinking about a chicken dish I had been served by my Italian grandmother, and suddenly it occurred to me that it had a bit of vinegar.  I decided to go for Grace’s recipe, and am I ever happy I did.  It was different and– dare I say—better than the chicken I had remembered–this is good old Italian fried chicken with a huge kick!

I’ve made it twice now, and I’ll be making it again very soon.  I have served it with potatoes and with rice, I like it both ways.

Click below for recipe and more…

Continue Reading Pollo con Cipolle e Aceto (Chicken with Onions and Vinegar)…

Turf and Surf ~Chimichurri Argentine Steak

April 21, 2009 at 8:03 am | Posted in cooking, Food, photography, Recipes, Weeknight Dinners | 9 Comments
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NOTE:  The following is a re-post from my Myspace blog.  I posted this in February 2007 .

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(Brackett’s Landing at Sunset)

Seattle has had some warm (over 50 degrees!) weather the past few days.  We decided to fire up the grill and celebrate.

I’ve been experimenting with Argentine Chimichurri sauce, and I’ve found one I really love–Bob BLumer’s recipe (Surreal Gourmet). The sauce can be used on fish, chicken, or beef.

The squeeze bottle is a mixture of kosher salt and cayenne pepper.  While grilling steaks give it a few squirts of this over the top, and you’ll love the kick it gives the meat.

Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce:


1 cup lightly packed chopped parsley (ideally, flat leaf “Italian” parsley)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (if you like it really spicey add a teaspoon +)
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons shallot or onion, minced
3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil (I used half and half)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice


Steak:
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 pounds rib-eye, New York strip, or sirloin steak, 1 1/2 inches thick (we used Rib-eye)

Preheat a grill.
Place all chimichurri sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until well chopped, but not pureed. Reserve.

Dissolve cayenne pepper and salt in 1 cup hot water. Transfer to a squeeze container.

We kept marinating steaks with chimichurri and a few squeezes of the water cayenne solution.  Best to serve the chimichurri alongside the meat and use the amount you like.

Save any leftover chimichurri in the fridge for more dinners. We loved it!

Read the reviews for this recipe here.

For photos and more, click below.

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Served with baked potatoes and a chopped salad…heaven!

In other news:

My girlfriend, Liz, surprised me with a batch of late Christmas presents!  Only a true friend understands my passion for kitchen gadgets!  I look forward to trying them all out in my kitchen.  I was desperate for prep bowls! The mint chocolate candle will come in handy too!

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NOTE TO LIZ:

I’ve been using these items, and they are all excellent!

Fresh Mozzarella~ Stuffed Shells and Paninis

April 14, 2009 at 3:19 pm | Posted in baking, cooking, Flexitarian, Food, Italian food, Pasta Dishes, photography, Recipes, Vegetarian, Weeknight Dinners | 2 Comments
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I have a million recipes to post.  I apologize, as I know my recipes are not all listed on the RECIPE page.  I need to get on it pronto.

I’ve been cooking and baking my tail off.  I ended up shopping at Costco–which is extremely dangerous for me.  I beeline it straight to the kitchenware, and the book section, where I proceed to load up the cart with my, “Only an idiot would pass up this deal!”, mentality.

After the old man loads up the cart with his Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements, we head toward the cheese section.  HUGE mistake. For one thing, there are only 2 of us, and Costco sells packages that serve 800.  Apparently, that didn’t frighten us.

I loaded up on fresh mozzarella, and a number of other “must haves”.

After unloading our stuffed car trunk, we had to think about what to do with all the food.   After packing the freezer, the fridge, and the pantry, I set a plan into motion.

MOZZARELLA

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ABOVE: Stuffed Shells

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Ready to eat!

Stuffed Shells

box of pasta shells (12 oz)

3-4 cups of marinara or here-- or meat sauce

4 cups ricotta 2 cups shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan (Plus a few Tbsp for topping)

2 eggs

Tbsp chopped parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Follow package cooking instructions on box of pasta shells.  When al dente (or less), strain and prepare to stuff.

Mix together remaining ingredients–reserving a little mozzarella and parmesan for topping.

Pour and spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking pan.

Stuff each shell with cheese mixture.

Layer shells in a baking dish.  Pour remaining marinara sauce over top, sprinkle on reserved cheeses.

35 minutes.  Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

AND

Click to see more… Continue Reading Fresh Mozzarella~ Stuffed Shells and Paninis…

Seattle, Mexican Pottery, and Angel Hair Pasta

March 20, 2009 at 7:46 am | Posted in cooking, Flexitarian, Food, gardening, Mexican Food, my life, Pasta Dishes, photography, Recipes, thrift stuff, Vegetarian, Weeknight Dinners | 3 Comments
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I took this photo at Alki Beach in West Seattle.

Alki is one of my favorite places to go and hang out.   The views are amazing.

When my son was a teenager, we used to drive here, do homework at the Alki Bakery and talk for hours.  He was 16 and we were both in college.  He remained in college, and I left after a year.   I miss those days.

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ABOVE:  Western Avenue in Seattle, sits just beneath Pike Place Market

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I just love the artwork on this building.  Driving by it I am reminded of the wildlife we have so close to the city. I’m also reminded of all the wonderful artists who live among us.

Mark and I were lucky enough to see a pod of beautiful Orca Whales on a visit to the San Juan Islands.  It’s about an hours drive, plus a ferry ride, from home.    On this winter day, I was satisfied with the Orca painting.

I was in the city to visit the market, World Spice Merchant, and The Spanish Table.

If you love to cook, the Seattle area is a great place to live.

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I am grateful to live in Western Washington, for many reasons, and near the top of my list, is the fact that we have so many wonderful second hand shops, estate sales, and antique stores.  I can usually find whatever I need, and it’s always good to know I’m recycling at the same time.

The Mexican pottery serving bowl, above, screamed out to me when I spotted it a few weeks ago.  I have been searching for Mexican pottery, unleaded of course, to serve my Mexican or Spanish dishes in.    I was inspired by the cookbook “Frida’s Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo” (which I scored at a second hand store!)

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I’ve been enjoying reading through this cookbook.  The recipes all sound unique, and the photographs are amazing.  I have made the Mexican Red Rice, and it is a favorite now.  Simple too.


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ABOVE: Angelnina’s Version of Karen’s Angel Hair Pasta

After a day of shopping, I wanted to make a flavorful, but quick, dinner.  We didn’t stick to the Spanish theme, but I love this Angel Hair Pasta dish.   It is adapted from a recipe emailed to me by a woman in San Francisco, and I think it was called: Karen’s Pasta. I’ve since changed the recipe quite a bit, so for now, it remains nameless.

For the recipe and a a few of my gardening notes, please click to keep reading…

Continue Reading Seattle, Mexican Pottery, and Angel Hair Pasta…

Wolfgang Puck’s Pan-Roasted Chicken w/ Port and Whole Grain Mustard

December 12, 2008 at 8:27 am | Posted in baking, cooking, Food, photography, Recipes, Weeknight Dinners | 8 Comments
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"Pan-Roasted Chicken with Port and Whole Grain Mustard"

Oh my , this is my new favorite recipe!

Wolfgang’s original recipe is titled: “Pan-Roasted Chicken with Port and Whole Grain Mustard”.

I’ve made this chicken three times.  The first time I made the port/mustard sauce.  The second time I made it with a lemon sauce.  I prefer my lemon sauce, but Mark loves the Port Mustard Sauce.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Port and Whole Grain Mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole frying chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, butterflied
1/2 cup port wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Meaux (whole grain) mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Heat an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the chicken over high heat. Add the olive oil and swirl it in the skillet. As soon as you begin to see slight wisps of smoke, carefully place the chicken skin side down in the skillet. Sear the chicken, undisturbed, while reducing the heat little by little to medium, until its skin has turned golden brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully turn the chicken skin side up.

Put the skillet into the oven and cook until the chicken is deep golden brown and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, about 10 to 15 minutes(NOTE: I don’t agree with this time, check it after 30 minutes and use a meat thermometer), depending on its size. When the chicken is done, transfer it to the plate and keep warm.

Pour off all but a thin layer of fat from the skillet. Add the port, put the skillet over high heat, and reduce until half remains. Add the chicken stock and reduce again. (If using BBQ sauce, you don’t have to reduce.) Add the cream, bring it to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the Dijon and Meaux mustards and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet and sprinkle with parsley and tarragon.

Now that I’ve roasted a whole butterflied chicken, I’ll probably use this method all of the time.  Why?  It cooks faster, more evenly, and the initial pan frying makes the skin unbelievably crispy, and the meat stays very moist.

Don’t be intimidated by the method of butterflying the chicken–with the right tool, it’s easy!

Use a quality pair of kitchen shears to cut out the backbone.   Here is a video showing how to butterfly a chicken, BUT this man cuts his in half at the end–DO NOT cut chicken in two halves for this particular recipe–we want to keep it whole.

To peek at the steps, just click below… Continue Reading Wolfgang Puck’s Pan-Roasted Chicken w/ Port and Whole Grain Mustard…

Weeknight Crockpot Green Chile Dinner

September 15, 2008 at 1:22 pm | Posted in cooking, Food, Mexican Food, Recipes, Uncategorized, Weeknight Dinners | 11 Comments
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Fire up the crockpot! 

Okay, so maybe you don’t exactly “fire up” a crockpot, but you can certainly plug it in and set it to high. 

This crockpot meal is both flavorful (spicy) and easy.    Mark was born in New Mexico and he’s a big fan of Green Chile.  No, this is NOT authentic.  I’ll have New Mexican folks hanging me from my toes if I claim it is. 

No, this is a weeknight crockpot dinner.

It’s simply a fake and fast version of chile/soup/stew that has green chiles in it :)

Not Authentic Crockpot Green Chile

2 lbs ground beef

27 ounces chopped or whole green chiles (Hatches is best, but I didn’t have any and I prefer whole and chop them myself) I throw the liquid from 2 cans in with it.

1/2 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 Tbsp chopped chipotle chiles (from a can–use most the liquid.)  NOTE: If you don’t like it hot, cut this WAY back.  Chipoltle chiles are smoked jalapenos.  Hot mamas!

2-3 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I love Trader joe’s)

3/4 Tbsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp cornstarch

Brown the ground beef, draind the fat off, throw it in the crockpot with everything else. 

Set crockpot to high and cook 5-6 hours.

Mark loves this stuff. 

Serve with tortillas chips and/or cornbread.

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Chopped green chiles

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Chipotles in Adobo Sauce

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  If you’re canning an entire box of peaches, or you simply need a day off from the kitchen, crockpot meals can make life a lot easier.

If you think crockpot cooking is too much work, go buy a cup of noodles, pour in boiling water and knock yourself out!  

If you can’t boil water, your parents have failed you. :(

Weeknight Turkey Tacos w/ Homemade Corn Tortillas

September 1, 2008 at 8:17 am | Posted in cooking, Food, Mexican Food, Recipes, Uncategorized, Weeknight Dinners | 13 Comments
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 No, these are not “authentic” tacos.   They are, however, flavorful and easier to make on a weeknight when time is limited.

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I’ve been trying to come up with weekday dinner recipes that are still flavorful, yet won’t take all afternoon to cook.  Sometimes I’m in the kitchen for hours, and when cooking for Mark and myself, it seems a little rediculous when there are so many things I want to work on–like the remodeling.

I decided to make turkey tacos.  In the past, using store bought tortillas, makes turkey tacos a little blah to me.  I kicked up the seasoning to improve the blah taste of ground turkey, and I made homemade corn tortillas because I have found them to be more filling and flavorful.

Handmade corn tortillas can take a taco from okay to wow!

1 lb ground turkey, browned in a cast iron skillet.

An approximation of my taco seasoning:

2 Tbsp ground New Mexican Chile molido (mild)

1 Tbsp ground New Mexican Chile Molido (hot)

2 tsp cumin powder

2-3 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp Mexican oregano, crushed or crumbled (I used Greek)

1 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika (I use El Rey)

2 tsp sugar

1  1/2  tsp Kosher salt

-Mix all together and add about 3 Tbsp or more to your liking (we like a lot) to your browned ground turkey meat.  Add about 2/3 cup water and stir in skillet and let cook on a low simmer for about 15 minutes.

ANGELNINA’S NOTES:  We like our food hot and spicey.  I think people build up a tolerance to hot spicey food over time, so if you know you don’t like hot spicey food, you will want to adjust the recipe.  Use a different paprika and substitute mild chile for the hot chile powder.  

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Play with the seasonings to your likings. 

I had some seasoning mix leftover –but not much!

The turkey is lower in fat than ground beef, so many years ago I switched to turkey and now we prefer it.  You can use ground beef if you prefer. 

 Authentic tacos don’t use ground meat, but remember these are easy weeknight tacos :)

HOMEMADE CORN TORTILLAS

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Maseca Corn flour mix

water

salt

Simply follow the instructions on the masa mix.  It’s so simple.  Make sure you keep the balls of dough moist.  Sometimes I wet my hands before grabbing the next ball of dough.

If you don’t have a tortilla press, you can use a wooden dowel rolling pin.

I place a ziplock baggie over the top of the press and another flat on the press to keep them from sticking.  Carefully remove plastic and place them on a cast iron griddle for about a minute each side.

I fried mine in canola oil before serving, but dry heating on the skillet works great too–and keeps the dish low fat.

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masa dough balls

 Click below to see MORE!

Continue Reading Weeknight Turkey Tacos w/ Homemade Corn Tortillas…

Hey It’s Friday, Let’s Eat!

February 22, 2008 at 5:42 pm | Posted in baking, cooking, Food, Recipes, Weeknight Dinners | 3 Comments
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I’m making Chicken and Biscuits for dinner tonight. It’s a lot like chicken and dumplings only–not ;) Sean and Olivia are supposed to join us. It’s always nice to see those two.

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ABOVE: Chicken and Biscuits (the last batch)

The Chicken and Biscuits recipe lacks salt. I don’t know if the recipe was written down wrong, but I changed it up a bit. I’m used 2 quarts chicken broth instead of water.

Art Smith is Oprah’s personal chef.   He has put out some great cookbooks and I scored one at thrift shop last month. I’ve always wanted to make his Hummingbird Cake.

Art Smith’s Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients:

Serves 12

Cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups chopped ripe bananas
  • 1 cup drained crushed pineapple
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs , beaten
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped pecans

Icing:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese , at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter , at room temperature
  • 1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 4 1/2 cups sifted)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To make the cake, position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Lightly butter two 9″ round cake pans, sprinkle evenly with flour and tap out the excess. (If you wish, butter the pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, then flour the pans and tap out the excess.)

Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, stir or whisk the bananas, pineapple, oil, eggs and vanilla until combined. Do not use an electric mixer. Pour into the dry mixture and fold together with a large spatula just until smooth. Do not beat. Fold in the pecans. Spread evenly into the pans.

Bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the cakes to wire racks and cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks (remove the parchment paper now if using). Turn right side up and cool completely.

To make the icing: Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until combined. On low speed, gradually beat in the sugar, then the vanilla, to make a smooth icing.

Place 1 cake layer, upside down on a serving platter. Spread with about 2/3 cup of the icing. Top with the second layer, right side up. Spread the reaming icing over the top and sides of the cake. The cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored, uncovered in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

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ABOVE: Hummingbird Cake:  Words cannot describe this cake.  I’ll make this one again and again!

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The Cream Cheese frosting makes it perfecto!

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