Banana Bread Muffin with Cream Cheese Frosting

(Recipe developed by fellow foodie-politico Max Patashnik)

Those who’ve read my blog for a while know that I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so I regularly call on my sister Hannah to guest post some of the awesome deserts that she makes. She’s busy getting ready to head to graduate school at UCSD (!) right now though, so when my coworker Max made these treats for a staff birthday I cajoled her into letting me post the recipe here.

Now let me tell you – this is a recipe with an identity crisis. A delicious, mouth-watering identity crisis.

Is it a muffin? Is it a cupcake? Is it banana bread? WHO KNOWS!

I do know it’s splendidly tasty while still not too decadent. The “muffin” part tastes just like banana bread, with just slightly more structure so that it can support the frosting – which is creamy and just the right amount of sweet to compliment the banana flavors without overpowering them. Throw in some walnuts and chocolate chips to add another layer of flavor and you’ve got a dozen awesome treats to wow your coworkers with at your next office party.

Deep Fried Waffle Salad

“You cook adventurous things? So like, a waffle salad or something?”

I do now. Culinary Challenge accepted.

The star ingredient in this dish, the deep fried waffle ‘croutons’, are absolutely delicious; delightfully crunchy on the outside with tender interiors. They’re sweet and doughy and buttery – honestly, they’d make a pretty perfect dish all by themselves.

But the challenge was a waffle salad, so I contrived a supporting cast to make the pairing of waffle and mixed greens less awkward. The balsamic vinegar, maple syrup reduction takes the place of dressing in this recipe, giving the dish tartness tempered with sugar. The walnuts provide texture and neutral notes to give context to the other flavors. Finally, the chèvre provides a perfect counterpoint to the sweetness of the other ingredients with it’s saltiness and creamy texture. All these different elements help bridge the gap between waffle and mixed greens.

So, does it work?

Considering that it’s a waffle salad – Yes. Yes it does. It tastes delicious, and the sweet elements of the dish actually pair well with the spiciness of the argula and other greens. The oddity of what you’re eating does interject at times, but that doesn’t make it any less tasty.

Make this dish for brunch and blow someone’s mind.

Deep Fried Waffle Salad

• 2 freezer waffles, lightly toasted (I recommend blueberry)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 4-6 walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chèvre
• 1 1/2 cups mixed greens

1. Cut or tear the waffles into 1/2 inch squares. Break the egg into a wide bowl and beat until mixed together. On a plate, combine the flour and brown sugar and mix until evenly distributed. Add the oil to a cast iron pan and heat to medium-high.
2. Add the waffle sections to the beaten egg and toss until evenly coated. Remove and dredge in the sugar-flour mixture until lightly coated. Drop each waffle section into hot oil and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove from heat and set on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
3. In a small pot or sauce pan, combine the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and corn starch. Bring the mixture to a simmer and reduce by half, roughly 6-8 minutes. The resulting mixture should have a syrupy viscosity.
4. Pile the mixed greens on a small plate and top with the deep fried waffles, walnuts and chèvre. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top and serve.