American Style Hash Browns

To me the best hash brown in the world is the McDonalds Hash Brown. Nothing comes close. Its not really potato to be honest, it’s more an Oil and Flour song that features Potato.

The real Hash Browns of the world are not like that, they are all potato. A celebration of the tuber and one to me, that is not used enough. It’s easy to do, quick to whip up and can be flavored just how you want it.

Hash Browns should be the go to with a fry, there I said it.

American Style Hash Browns

Serves 1-2
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Total time 15 minutes
Dietary Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type Breakfast, Lunch, Side Dish
Misc Serve Hot
Region American

Ingredients

  • 1 Large Potato (Washed)
  • 1 pinch Smoked Paprika
  • 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 pinch Oregano

Directions

Step 1. Wash the potato well. Then with a box grater, grate the potato into thick shreds.
Step 2. Place the shredded potato in a bowl and cover with cold water. Move the potato around in the water to extract as much starch as possible.
Step 3. Drain the potato and dry with paper towels or kitchen towel.
Step 4. Add the potato, cayenne, paprika, oregano into the bowl along with pinches of salt and pepper. Stir until all is incorporated.
Step 5. Put a pan on medium high heat and put in some oil/butter. Place the potato in and try to make it a flat layer with full contact to the pan.
Step 6. After 4-5 minutes, get a spatula under the hash brown and flip it over (Tilt the pan to assist with this).
Step 7. After another 4 minutes on the other side check the bottom of the hash brown and make sure it is as dark and crispy as you want it. It will cook away happily if you want to keep it on the pan.

Dark Chocolate Banana Bread

Banana Bread – The thing that seems to just appear after a grandmother has been in the house, wrapped in a Christmas ribbon even though its July. It’s a beautiful thing though because it’s a deception. It’s a lie.

This is not bread, this is cake made in a bread tin. Bread is something you make sandwiches out of, this is not that….

Although I do suggest a peanut butter and Nutellla sandwich made of banana bread .

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This is a great version of banana bread that doesn’t require ripened bananas as you ripen them in the oven first. Take the old fashioned banana bread and add walnut and dark chocolate and you have a delectable weekend treat. You can add raisins too if you’re a coward or something I guess.

Dark Chocolate Banana Bread

Serves 12
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes
Total time 1 hour
Meal type Bread, Dessert, Lunch, Snack
Misc Child Friendly, Serve Cold, Serve Hot
Occasion Casual Party, Christmas
A staple of family homes when I was growing up. Moist, chocolatey and full of banana flavour.

Ingredients

  • 250g Plain Flour
  • 4 Bananas
  • 2 Eggs
  • 150g Butter (Room Temperature)
  • 175g Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
  • 200g Walnuts (Chopped into small pieces)
  • 100g Dark Chocolate (Chopped into small pieces)

Directions

Step 1. Pre Heat the oven to 180 degrees and place the 4 bananas on a tray in the oven.
Step 2. In a mixing bowl put the Butter and Sugar in and with a rubber spatula/whisk, cream them together until you have a smooth batter that is not grainy.
Step 3. Once the oven is preheated take out the bananas. The skin should be black and the bananas should be mushy. Peel them and add the bananas to the butter mixture. Whisk this until the bananas are incorporated but still lumpy.
Step 4. Add in the eggs one by one and whisk each one in.
Step 5. Sieve into the mixture the Flour and the Bicarbonate of Soda and gently whisk the flour into the mixture until there is no excess flour visible.
Step 6. Add the chopped Walnuts and Dark Chocolate and give it one final mix.
Step 7. Line a 30cm bread loaf with baking paper and add in the mixture and level it off with a spatula. Place in the oven for 45 mins and take it out and pierce the center with a skewer/knife. If it comes out clean then take it out and if it does put it back in for 5 minutes. Repeat until fully baked.