My Texas Table - Favorite Spring Desserts & More

Happy Saturday friends!!!  

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. It's been quite some time since publishing my last issue of My Texas Table.  Sometimes life gets in the way and then a few things get put onto the back burner. No worries though, because I have promised myself to get it together and start publishing my monthly newsletters again. I've actually missed doing it, so let's get started.  

Spring 💮  has definitely sprung here in North Texas and the weather has been gorgeous! We've had a few rainy days, but it's been great for our raised bed garden and fruit trees. For me spring is all about fresh fruit, berries and bold colors, so this month's newsletter is filled with some of our favorite spring dessert recipes to help you celebrate the new season. 

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Banana Bread

Easily turn classic banana bread into Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Banana Bread! If you have over ripe bananas and buttermilk to use up, definitely make this banana bread. 

I'm always on the look out to find new uses for over- ripe bananas. Muffins, smoothies, pancakes and banana bread is a few of my family's favorites. Banana bread also pairs perfectly with so many ingredients that coming up with different banana bread variations is always delicious. A few of our favorites are Blueberry Buttermilk Banana bread, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and Chocolate Banana bread.  

Recently, I added chocolate chips to my basic buttermilk banana bread recipe and boy was it delicious. This simple, moist banana bread is tender from the buttermilk and filled with chocolate chips. This moist, tangy banana bread is perfect for breakfast or as a snack. For a peanut butter variation, try substituting peanut butter chips for the chocolate chips to make peanut butter banana bread. If you're looking for a delicious sweet treat, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. ❤ 

Layered Amish Date Pudding

Amish Date Pudding in an old fashioned date cake layered with sliced bananas, whipped topping and a homemade cinnamon - toffee sauce. 

Today I want to share a delicious dessert recipe with you, Layered Date Pudding! Date pudding is a traditional Amish dessert served at Thanksgiving, Christmas and as a summer treat. Last spring I became very interested in Amish - Mennonite recipes and came across this date pudding from one of my favorite Mennonite Vloggers, Lynette Yoder. The recipe looked so good, I couldn't wait to try it.  

What is date pudding? Date Pudding is an old fashioned date cake served warm with a homemade cinnamon - toffee sauce.  After doing a bit of research, I found out that date pudding is served in various ways. Served warm as a cake and topped with a sticky toffee sauce, served with a dollop of whipped cream or layered  (trifle style) with whipped topping, a toffee sauce and sliced bananas. By far my favorite is the layered version. 

Candied Jalapenos (Cowboy Candy)

Sweet and spicy sliced jalapenos coated in a simple syrup using garden fresh jalapenos. Here in Texas we refer to them as Cowboy Candy. 

You only need 5 ingredients to make these delicious sweet and spicy Candied Jalapenos also know as Cowboy Candy.  If you've never had candied jalapenos they are sliced fresh jalapeno that are simmered in a sweet simple syrup. They're the perfect combination of sweet and spicy and delicious on grilled burgers, hot dogs, barbecue sandwiches or served as an appetizer. 

Candied jalapenos are especially good paired with crackers and cream cheese.  Every year we have an abundance of jalapenos in our summer garden, so we're always finding new ways to incorporate them into recipes. Pepper plants are easy to grow and prefer hot, dry weather, so they grow perfectly here in North Texas. 

Instant Pot Pinto Beans & Ham

Cooking beans in the Instant Pot is a quick, easy and makes the perfect pinto beans. I am  loving this fail-proof method of cooking beans! 

Pinto beans are one of my favorite meals to prepare whenever I have leftover ham and nice ham bone to go with it. I normally cook pinto beans in my slow cooker, but recently started cooking them in my Instant Pot and I haven't looked back since. Cooking dried pinto beans has never been easier using your Instant Pot and it only takes about an hour.  

This Instant Pot bean recipe makes the best beans. Their taste and texture is firm but creamy, pink in color and so delicious. I like to season my beans with chopped onions and garlic that have been sauteed in olive oil and a bit of bacon grease. Then add chicken broth, water, bay leaves, salt, pepper and a big meaty ham bone. I love that you can saute everything right in the Instant Pot.