Banana Cream Bread

1 1/2 C. Vegetable Oil
3 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
6 Mashed Overribe Bananas
1 T. Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
4 C. Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 C. Chopped Nuts (Optional) 1 C. Sour Cream

Grase and flour 3 bread pans.
Heat oven to 325
In large bowl combine oil, sugar, eggs, sour cream, bananas, vanilla, and salt.
Sift flour and baking soda
Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients
DO NOT overmix
Divide batter into loaf pans, filling 1/2 to 2/3 full
Sprinkle about 2 T. sugar over batter
Bake at 325 for 60 minutes.

The sugar makes the yummiest crust. This is the moistest banana bread I have ever made. It also makes great muffins.

"Beth beth beth you make better corn bread than anyone else in the world"

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine the egg, sour cream, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
2. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

*I added more sugar to taste and more milk to make the batter thinner like a brownie mix... It added to the cooking time by about 20 minutes, the last 10 at 350. At least in my oven.

My first time ever making cornbread and it was so good I couldn't believe it.

Bran Muffins

Yum!

2 cups Nabisco 100% bran
2 cups brown sugar or Honey
1 cup melted butter
4 eggs
1 quart buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
5 cups flour (I use fresh ground hard white wheat)
4 cups Kellogg's All-Bran
5 tsp. soda dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water
Optional raisins

Mix all the dry ingredients together, mix all the wet ingredients togetherand pour over the dry. Last pour the water and soda over. Stir and let sitin the fridge overnight to soak up the moisture.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Thanks to Vicki's sister in law Lori.
Ps. I love the new look of the blog, Jen!

Our Favorite Breadsticks

1 ½ cup warm water

1 Tablespoon yeast

2 Tablespoons sugar

3 ½ cup flour

½ tsp salt

Butter for pan

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar and let it sit and bubble for a few minutes. Add the salt and flour. Knead for 3 minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. (I do all of this in my Bosch--any mixer would work great) Melt 3-4 Tbsp of butter and pour most of it onto a cookie sheet. Roll dough to cover cookie sheet. Cut to desired width, then twist or lay flat on cookie sheet. Brush remainder of butter on breadsticks and sprinkle with garlic salt, parmesan cheese, and parsley (or whatever seasonings you like). Raise for 10-20 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. You can roll them out to fit a cookie sheet and they will be pufffy and soft. If you prefer a thinner, crunchy breadstick roll them out to fit a cookie sheet and a jelly roll pan. Either way they are great.

Old-fashioned oatmeal cookies

Old-fashioned oatmeal cookies are made with shortening, brown sugar, buttermilk, and spices.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, stir before measuring
1 teaspoon baking soda (decrease to 1/2 teaspoon if you use regular milk)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
3/4 to 1 cup raisins
Chocolate Chips (optional)

PREPARATION:In a mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the buttermilk.Into another bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.Stir the sifted mixture into the creamed mixture until blended. Stir in oats and raisins. With a tablespoon, drop onto greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake in a preheated 400° oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Makes 4 to 5 dozen oatmeal cookies.

Meatloaf Muffins

1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 box Stove Top stuffing mix
1 cup water
2 eggs

Mix together and divide into 12 muffin cups that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve with ketchup on top.

Depending on what kind of ground beef you use,you may need to drain the muffins on a paper towel. The less fat, the less mopping up of fat, you see!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups flour
1/2 t. salt
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
2T orange juice or other acidic juice
3 mashed bananas
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream sugar, eggs and butter. Add dry ingred. and orange juice. Mix and add bananas. Add choc. chips last. Put into greased muffin pan (or use cup cake liners) and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min.

*Note: You can use 1/2 cup applesauce instead of butter for a lower fat muffin and you can omit the chocolate chips if desired.

**You may need to bake them a bit longer but do a toothpick test at 20 min. You don't want to over cook these. Also when they cool, get them right into a container so they don't dry out. Also, they freeze pretty well.

Chicken, Avocado, & Grapefruit Salad

Chicken
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1tbsp Pampered Chef Citrus & Basil Rub (Could use any seasoning you like)
1 tsp olive oil

Dressing & Salad
1 large grapefruit
1 tsp. grapefruit zest
1 tbsp orange marmalade
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4-6 radishes
1 avocado
6 oz baby spinach
1/2 C red onion

Combine olive oil and seasoning in bowl and rub on chicken breast.
Grill chicken until done and let cool.
Zest grapefruit, cut in half and remove sections.
Dump juice from rind into bowl, add zest, marmalade, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Set aside.
Slice radishes and onions and dice avocado.
Toss all salad ingredients in bowl with dressing.

This is a very light and wonderful salad. We had it a my Pampered Chef party last night and it was WONDERFUL. In the future when making this I think I will add a little iceburg lettuce to make it go a little further and for a little more crunch. I will also think about adding strawberries, crumbled bacon, and some shredded cheese. (Swiss or Mozzerella would both be real yummy.) If you aren't a huge grapefruit fan you could probably use oranges and it would work just as well it would just be a little sweeter.

FUNERAL POTATOES

1-2 lbs pkg frozen hashbrowns
- 1 pint carton sour cream
- 2 can cream of chicken soup
- 1/4 C melted butter
- 1/2 C chopped green onion
- 1 t salt
- 1/2 t pepper
- 10 oz grated cheddar cheese (extra sharp)
- Corn flakes
- 1 C Crushed Thawed potatoes (you can certainly cook and grate potatoes if you want to, but you'd have to be crazy - no one will be able to tell the difference - promise!).

Mix all ingredients except butter and cornflakes. Pour into casserole dish 9X13. Sprinkle with corn flakes. Pour melted butter on top. Bake @ 350 for 35-40 mins.

PIZZA PIZZA!

PIZZA DOUGH
- 3 C flour
- 1 t. salt
- 1 T or 1 pkg yeast dissolved in 1/4 C warm water
- 1 C cold water & 1 T olive oil mixed

In mixer or bread machine, blend altogether. Let rest for 20 min. Knead and roll out and let rise again for 10 min. Spread with oil or sauce, toppings, cheese.

Bake 425 for 25 min. Cover pizza dish with sprinkled cornmeal before spreading out dough. A little tip: the stickier the dough the crispier the crust.

BARBECUE CHICKEN PIZZA

Crust of your choice.
Barbecue sauce,
chicken,
cilantro,
mozzarella,
Gouda cheese,
sliced fresh tomatoes.
Yum.

HAWAIIAN PIZZA

Crust of your choice.
For the sauce, I like to make it with a can of petite diced tomatoes, some canned tomato sauce, some tomato paste, sugar and spices.
After I roll out the crust, I brush olive oil on the edges and salt and pepper the edges.
Spread sauce, add cut up
ham/canadian bacon,
pineapple chunks and
mozzarella cheese on top.
A dash of cinnamon is also awesome... may sound crazy, but trust me.

Honey Chicken

This recipe comes from the Rival Crock-Pot Slow Cooker Best-Loved Recipes cookbook. I halved the recipe, but the recipe below is the full one.

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste (I omitted the salt, because I think there’s enough from the soy sauce.)
2 cups honey
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
sesame seeds

Directions:
Place chicken in crock pot; season with salt and pepper.
Combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil and garlic in medium bow. Pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
Garnish with sesame seeds.

Awesome Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS
3 cups grated carrots
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 cup chopped pecans
(if you like raisins, add them. I do not.)


Frosting
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) package Neufchatel cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
(I don't add the pecans in the frosting, I just sprinkle them on)
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in eggs, oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, pineapple and 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, Neufchatel cheese, 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until smooth, then stir in 1 cup chopped pecans. Spread on cooled cake.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup nonfat lemon yogurt
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease the bottoms only of 12 muffin cups.
Beat the milk, oil, lemon yogurt and egg together. Stir in the flour, white sugar, poppy seeds, lemon zest, lemon oil, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups.
Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). For 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle with glaze immediately and let cool on rocks.
To Make Glaze: Stir the confectioners' sugar with the lemon juice and mix until smooth and of drizzling consistency. Add drops of milk if thinning is necessary.

A Hearty Green Bean and Sausage Casserole

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package pork sausage
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
ground black pepper to taste
2 (16 ounce) packages frozen cut green beans
1 (2.8 ounce) can French-fried onions

DIRECTIONS
Crumble the pork sausage into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Drain grease, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper. Mix in the sausage, then add the green beans, and stir until evenly coated. Pour half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the fried onions. Spread remaining green bean mixture over the onions.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the rest of the fried onions over the top. Return to the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the onions are toasty, and green beans are cooked to your desired doneness. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Spring Strawberry Spinach Salad

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch spinach, rinsed
10 large strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

***Add grilled chicken and some feta or almonds, and it is REALLY good!***

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix the spinach and strawberries.
In a blender, place the sugar, salt, vinegar, and oil, and blend until smooth. Stir in the poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.