Banana Split Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large)
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups flour (some wheat is great too!)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg.  In a small bowl, combine bananas and milk.  Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add alternately with banana mixture.  Fold in chips and pecans.

Pour into greased bread pan.  Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

*I had some cream that I needed to use up so I used that instead of milk and it was perfect.  I also didn't have any pecans so I just left them out.  It's still delicious without but it would have been a yummy addition!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Since I am pregnant and went so long without eating much and cooking even less, I am definitely making up for it now! I have a desire to cook and bake anything and everything.

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/3 cups flour (it calls for white, but some wheat will not take away from it at all)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I would highly recommend fresh if you can get your hands on them!)

Streusel:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries.

This makes about 12 muffins so once you have all of the batter distributed in your pan, top it with the streusel.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Note: If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw before adding to batter.

Cinnamon rolls

My friend had me over today to show me the ropes of cinnamon roll making. Our kids played great and got out every toy in her house while she and I mixed and measured and talked.

It was therapeutic.

And the end result was PHENOMENAL!!

I have made a lot of cinnamon rolls in my time, this recipe takes the cake. The roll part melts in your mouth and is unbelievably soft.

Usually, I frost cinnamon rolls to alleviate the dryness or denseness of the roll. These needed nothing!

I cant wait for next weekend, I have convinced my sister in law that WE NEED to make these while she is here.

2 cups scalded milk
1/3 cup butter
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup potato flakes
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 T quick rise yeast
Pour in mixer and turn on med/high til smooth
Add:
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
Let mix about 5 min. The dough will be very runny and sticky. It will look almost like cake batter.
Cover and let rise 1 hour
Roll out and cover with brown sugar and cinnamon
Cut into 12 pieces place on buttered pan and let rise 30 min.
Bake 400 12 - 15 minutes until golden brown.

Homemade Granola Bars

I found this recipe on a coupon ladys blog and I tried it today and it was pretty Yummy and very easy. I will post the origianl recipe and you can follow it, or you can tweak it however you want.
I don't really measure, I just eyeball things, but I think as long as you keep the wet to dry ratio the same they should turn out. You can also be creative with your add-ins.

2 1/2 Cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cups honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup packed coconut
1/4 cup mini chocolate morsels (I just used regular chocolate chips)
1/4 cup mini peanuts ( didn't want peanuts, so I used marshmallows instead and it was good.)

In a lorge bowl combine the rice cereal and oatmeal. Grease or line a 9x13 pan.

Mix brown sugar, honey and peanut butter in a small sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until just boiling. Add to the cereal mixture along with the vanilla, cinnamon, salt, peanuts, coconut and chocolate chips.

Press into the prepared pan using a spatula, spoon, or your hands (like I do) Set aside to cool, then cut into bars.

The original recipe said that you could freeze these and put them in small zip lock bags, and then pull them out and they thaw within about an hour. So they are great for lunches.

Hot Fudge Sauce Cake

My mom used to make this for us all the time, it's delicious!

1 c flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbs olive oil
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c milk
Mix well and pour into gresed 8x8 pan.

Mix together:
1 c sugar
4 tbs cocoa
3/4 c hot water

Pour gently over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Absolute Best Potato Casserole

I got the idea for this recipe here. I altered it a ton, so it really isnt very similar. Here is my version.

(becca, this is for the potatoes we ate on Sunday. you asked for the recipe, here it is!)

Preheat oven to 375

6 - 8 potatoes, cubed and rinsed well. pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and cover with sauce.

Sauce, prepare on stove top then pour over potatoes

1/3 cup butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
dash of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 - 2 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup Swiss cheese

melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in milk, and stir constantly until thickened. Mix in Cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese, and continue to stir until smooth. When its smooth and creamy, pour over cubed potatoes.

Bake 375 for about 45 min.

As you can see on the original recipe, you can add ham or bacon and other veggies if you want. Seems like a pretty versatile recipe. Since we still have tons of potatoes, we will be eating this again!

Soaked granola

A while ago, Becca and I had a conversation about soaking grains. It was a concept I was just starting to learn about and since then, I have read 100s of articles about it.

It all boils down to this:

Whole grains have phytic acid in them (an enzyme inhibitor), which makes them hard to digest. The basic idea is if you soak your grains, it releases the phytic acid, therefore making the grains more easily absorbed by the body.

There is a certain method you have to follow when you soak grains and I have found that, while it adds to prep time, it is easily done. It just take a little thinking ahead.

My first attempt at soaking grains was in making granola.
Boy Howdy! This stuff is delicious and packed with nutrition! I have made 3 batches so far with one more soaking on the counter as I type.

I got the instructions for this granola from my blogging friend, Kara. When it comes to grains, this girl knows her stuff. Here is what she has to say about making granola at home:

Granola is great to have on hand for a filling, shelf stable snack and a quick breakfast cereal. Commercial boxed breakfast cereals are dangerously toxic. It is so sad that so many people are eating these every day, sometimes twice a day, most of the time doubling or tripling the serving size. The media and FDA have pushed these boxes as health food. Sadly, even the low sugar, color-free, natural and organic brands are making us sick. The problem is with the way that the grain is processed; high temperature, high pressure. This process of extrusion destroys nutrients and fatty acids and renders the amino acids toxic.

This food is easy to digest and the nutrients are easily absorbed because proper care is taken in the preparation. Do yourself a big favor and master the art of nourishing granola making.

I got started on my granola then snapped this shot of my ingredient line-up (which is missing quite a few things):
Everything I used was organic (minus 1 Tb cinnamon)

If you want Karas recipe, go here. This is my version and may I say it is mighty tasty! I wish everyone who reads this could stop by for a handful. It really is good stuff! (Becca I will have some for you next weekend!)



5 cups rolled grains
1/2 cup whole flax seeds
1/2 cup whole millet
1/2 cup kefir (vinegar or lemon juice)
5 cups water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar crystals (I have tried both and prefer the coconut sugar)
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 cup raisins (i added some craisins too)
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ

In a large bowl, place rolled grains, flax seed and millet. Add kefir and water, mix, cover and let soak on counter for 12 to 24 hours. The mixture will become a bowl of mush. Place mixture in a mesh strainer and rinse well. In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, honey, cinnamon and salt. Fold in rinsed mush, coconut, raisins, seeds and wheat germ. Spread out in a thin layer on 2 lined baking sheets. Bake on lowest oven setting until dry, turning as needed. If you oven has a dehydrating setting, set it at 115 degrees to preserve the enzymes and turned about every 6 -8 hours for 24 hours. The higher the heat, the more you turn and the less time it takes to dry.

Baked Chicken Fingers

Yummy! BAKED chicken fingers. You can cut them smaller and make nuggets or leave them in strips. Cook up some baked french fries and you have a healthy version of a drive thru favorite!

(this picture is before I cooked them, they turned golden and crispy-looking after I cooked them.)

• 1 cup prepared barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard (or Dijon if you have it)
  
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken (use tenders or breasts, just cut them up)
  
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups coarse dry breadcrumbs
  
• Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Combine barbecue sauce, mustard and honey in a large bowl. Set aside 1/2 cup of the sauce in a small bowl. Cut any large chicken tenders in half lengthwise, then add all the tenders to the large bowl with the remaining sauce; stir to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Coat each tender in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and let any excess drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. Place the tenders on the prepared baking sheet. Generously coat both sides of each tender with cooking spray.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each tender over and continue baking until the outside is crisp and the tenders are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Serve with the reserved sauce for dipping.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

I love it when people share recipes with me. My friend, Tami, sent this recipe to me the other day and we made it last night. It will be on the repeat list, it was a hit!

The original recipe can be found here. I had to make some changes, because I didnt have all the ingredients it called for, here is my version:Chicken Pot Pie Soup

• 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 quarts water
• 1 quart chicken broth
  
• 1/2 pound chicken
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 small white onion, diced (1/4 cup)
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup frozen peas
  
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Pinch salt
• 2 pie crust (store bought or make your own,the best pie crust recipe can be found here)
  

Directions

Add diced potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water. Set aside.

Bring quarts of water and chicken broth to a boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to poach; about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Continue to simmer the broth.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the celery cooking until translucent, 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and whisk until it forms a roux.

Whisk the roux into the broth and bring back up to a boil. Drain the potatoes. Add the potatoes and the chicken to the broth over low heat. Stir in the carrots and peas. Place a lid on top and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and a pinch of sea salt and cook for 5 more minutes.

Preheat oven.

Lay the pie crust on a baking sheet and place into the oven. Cook 15 - minutes or until the pie crust is golden brown. When the crust has cooled, break up into pieces.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the pie crust.

Everyday Waffles

 

 I have been really wanting some yummy waffles lately but when I found this recipe I hesitated because the last thing I wanted to do was dirty a bunch of bowls first thing in the morning.  I decided to throw caution to the wind and just go for it.  And I so happy that I did!  These were so yummy!

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tbs. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

*****

2 beaten egg yolks

1 3/4 cups milk

1/2 cup oil

*****

2 stiffly beaten egg whites

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl combine eggs yolks, milk and oil and add to dry ingredients, just until combined.  Carefully fold in egg whites, leaving a few fluffs of egg whites.  Do not over mix. 

Croutons

Remember all that Macaroni Grill bread I made for Beckys birthday? I stuck it in the freezer, and finally decided to do something with it!

My boys and I eat a lot of salad, and the boys are partial to croutons in their salad. I made the Rosemary Macaroni Grill bread into croutons, and could not believe how easy it was! If you have a loaf of bread that is getting old or if your family doesnt eat the heels of the bread, you could save them and use them for croutons. So easy, and cheap. And there are no ingredients them that you can not pronounce. (have you ever read the side of the crouton box?)

CROUTONS


1. slice bread into small cubes
2. In a bowl, combine a little olive oil(and any herbs you like, I didnt use any since my bread was already seasoned) and toss bread cubes in it.
3. Spread coated bread on baking sheet.
4. Bake at 250 til crispy, turning occasionally. My pan took about 30 minutes to cook.

You can use these as they are for salad, add some liquid and make stuffing, or put them in the blender and make bread crumbs out of them.

Pretzels

These were so fun to make with my kids. And we had a blast eating them up too! Instead of making pretzel shapes, Kaleb made the letters in his name. Holden made globs of dough and it all tasted great!! The whole process is quick and fun, totally kid friendly!

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 pkg yeast (or 1 Tb)

1 Tb sugar

1 tsp salt

4 cups flour (we used 2 cups white flour and 2 cups fresh ground wheat, which my 2 year old helped grind)

Dissolve yeast in warm water

Combine all ingredients in a mixer, add a little more flour if dough feels sticky.
Divide dough in to 12 pieces and roll each into a long snake.
Twist into shape and place on baking sheet.
Make an egg wash with one egg and a Tb of water, lightly beaten together. Brush pretzels with egg wash (one egg and a Tbs water whisked together)
Sprinkle liberally with Kosher salt.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

*You can also brush the pretzels with butter and sprinkle on a cinnamon/sugar mix. Or sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese.

Oven Baked Fries

My father in law has a potato cellar that he rents to someone who (obviously) has been storing spuds in it all winter. A few weeks ago, when it came time to sell them, all he could get for them was $1 per 100. YES! One penny per potato! That is ridiculously low! I guess the renter decided to forgo trying to sell them and is giving them to some local farmers for feed.

Of course, we snagged some (with permission) before he cleaned out.

Now we have potatoes galore! I have been thinking of things to do with them to try and use them up. This is the first thing I tried.

OVEN BAKED FRIES
Yum, they were so good.

We used 4 large baking potatoes (you could use however many you need to feed your family, just adjust the seasoning accordingly)

Wash the potatoes well
Slice them to desired thickness
Rinse them well to wash off starch
Lay them on a towel and pat them dry

Coat them in seasoning and bake 400 for 45 minutes. You will need to adjust cooking length according to thickness of your fries.

Seasoning:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup taco seasoning (I used homemade taco seasoning. You can use plain salt or a mix of paprika, chili powder, garlic salt, onion salt, whatever you think your family will like)
Put the seasoning and oil together in a bowl and whisk well. Toss in the sliced potatoes and stir to coat well. Pour on to baking pan and bake.