Strawberry Cheesecake Old-Fashioned Donuts

INGREDIENTS

Donut
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
½ cup strawberries, chopped
1½ cups pancake mix
1 cup flour (plus extra for dusting)
Vegetable oil for frying
Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup milk


PREPARATION

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Add in the strawberry jam and fresh strawberries, and beat until combined.
3. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the pancake mix and flour until fully incorporated. (The dough will be sticky and pink in color.)
4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and sprinkle the top with more flour.
5. Press out dough until it is about half an inch thick.
6. With a round cookie cutter, drinking glass, or mason jar lid, cut the dough in as many circles as will fit. In the center of each circle, cut a smaller circle with a cookie cutter or shot glass.
7. Remove the cut donuts to another floured surface and gather up excess dough.
8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 until all the dough is used up.
9. Heat oil in a large pot to 350ºF/180ºC.
10. Carefully place a few donuts in the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pot.
11. Once the bottom is browned, flip the donut over in the oil and cook the other side.
12. Once both sides are browned, remove the donut and place it on a rack to cool.
13. For the frosting: beat cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and continue to beat until fully incorporated, then add vanilla extract, and finally add milk.
14. Dunk the tops of the donuts in the frosting and garnish with slices of fresh strawberries.
15. Enjoy!

Upside-Down Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 6-8
4-5 ripe bananas
3 eggs
½ cup oil
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2-3 bananas, sliced
Vanilla ice cream


PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas.
Add the eggs, oil, sugar, and cinnamon, mixing until evenly incorporated.
Add the flour and mix until the batter has no large pockets of flour. Set aside.
In a pot over low heat, melt the butter, then mix in the brown sugar until dissolved.
Bring up the heat to medium, cooking until the mixture starts bubbling.
Remove the caramel from heat and pour into a greased 9×9 baking pan.
Lay the banana slices evenly on top of the caramel.
Spread the banana bread batter on top.
Bake 40-50 minutes.
Cool until the bottom is barely warm and use a knife to loosen the edges from the pan.
Place a plate upside-down on top of the pan, then invert the pan, flipping the banana bread onto the plate.
Slice, then serve with vanilla ice cream.