My go-to banana bread

After playing with many banana bread recipes, I found one that I kind of liked and changed it up a bit...

Mini Chip Banana Bread Recipe

• 1¾ c. + 2 Tbsp. unsifted flour
• 1½ c. granulated sugar
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 1 – 1 ½ c. mini chocolate chips
• 1 c. mashed overripe bananas
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 c. greek yogurt-- less 1 tsp
• 1 tsp. water (to mix with greek yogurt)
• ½ c. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. pure almond extract

Preheat over to 350.

Grease and flour three mini loaf pans (or I do 1 mini and 1 large)

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Stir in mini chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, yogurt/water mixture, coconut oil vanilla, and almond extract. Pour liquid ingredients into flour ingredients and stir until combined.

Divide batter among loaf pans and bake for 33-35 minutes for small, or appx 55 for large, or until deeply golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

(Aunt Gwen)

Soak and Cool: 2 c. Bran flakes and 2 cups boiling water

Cream in separate bowl: 1 c. shortening and 3 cups sugar

Add: ​4 eggs

​1 quart buttermilk

​soaked bran flakes

Sift and add to above mixture:​5 cups flour

​5 teaspoons soda

​1 teaspoon Salt

​4 cups All Bran

Mix until moist.  Bake at 400° for 20 min.  Keeps for 6-7 weeks in fridge.

Peach cobbler dump cake
Sooo easy and so good. A fun summer treat with some ice cream!

• 2 (16 ounce) cans peaches in heavy syrup
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Empty peaches into the bottom of one 9x13 inch pan. Cover with the dry cake mix and press down firmly. Cut butter into small pieces and place on top of cake mix. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.
  3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 minutes.
  Use cold butter and a grater to distribute butter evenly.

Yummy egg rolls

Egg rolls

Afton Twitchell

½ lb shrimp, chicken or crab or sausage (I use sausage meat)

½ head cabbage

1 green onions ( I use any onion equivalent)

½ lb bean sprouts (if canned drain them)

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 tsp salt (be careful soy and MSG are also salty if you use it)

½ teas sugar

½ teas soy sauce ( I use more and less salt)

½ tsp pepper

1pkg egg roll skins or wontong skins

Saute in small amount of oil, chopped Meat(no oil needed for sausage).  Remove from pan.  Leave a little grease in bottom of pan and sauté veggies and seasonings only til slightly wilted.  Rol about ¼ to 1/3 cup in egg roll skins .  Dip finger in water and run along edge of rolls to seal the skins.  When you roll you fold in the ends and roll.    Deep fry at 275 till broWn Makes 15 -20.

AMAZING Baked French Toast

Ingredients

1 cup of brown sugar

¾ cup butter or margarine

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

10-12 slices French bread

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 ½ cups half and half

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup butter or margarine melted

You can add chopped walnuts on the bottom of the pan.  It would also be good with like dried cranberries or fresh blueberries on the bottom of the pan.

Directions

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until mixture is bubbly.  Pour syrup mixture evenly into a lightly greased 13x9x2 in baking dish.  Arrange bread slices over syrup.  Combine eggs and next 3 ingredients; stir well.  Gradually pour mixture over bread slices.  Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon; stir well.  Sprinkle evenly over soaked bread.  Drizzle ¼ cup melted butter over bread.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 45 to 50 (mine took almost 1 ½ hours, otherwise the bread was kinda soggy) minutes or until golden and bubbly

Chicken Tikka Masala (ala Pioneer Woman)

: Pastor Ryan’s Chicken Tikka Masala

Prep Time: 30 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 1 Hour  |  Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 6

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Ingredients

• 3 whole (to 4) Chicken Breasts
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Coriander
• Cumin, To Taste
• 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 piece (approximately 2 Inches) Chunk Fresh Ginger
• Garam Masala
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes
• Sugar
• 1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• _____
• OPTIONAL:
• Fresh Cilantro
• Chili Peppers
• Turmeric
• Frozen Peas

Preparation Instructions

Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with some kosher salt. Next sprinkle them on both sides with some coriander and cumin. Then coat the chicken breasts completely with the plain yogurt. Set the chicken on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and place it about 10-12 inches below a broiler for 5-7 minutes per side. Watch carefully so as not to totally char the chicken. It should have slightly blackened edges. Remove from oven.

Next dice one large onion. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and sauté until they are slightly browned. As the onions cook, mince your garlic. Next, cut off the outer skin and mince or grate a 1 by 2 inch chunk of fresh ginger. Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Also throw in about 1 tablespoon of salt.

Next you are going to add about 3 tablespoons Garam Masala spice. And if you like it hot, this is also when you will add your hot chili peppers. Serranos work well. Now you are going to add your can of diced tomatoes. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add about 1 tablespoon sugar. Let this mixture simmer on medium for about 5 minutes.

To a rice cooker add 2 cups Basmati rice, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon Ground Turmeric and 4 cups water. Cover, turn on your rice cooker and walk away. If you do not have a rice cooker, cook your rice as usual but make sure that you use Basmati rice.

After the Tikka Masala sauce has had a chance to simmer for a little bit, add in the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Now, chop up your chicken breasts into chunks and stir them into the Tikka Masala sauce. A handful of chopped fresh cilantro is a nice addition if you like cilantro. You can also throw some frozen peas into the cooked rice, give them a stir, and allow the heat of the rice to cook the peas. It tastes great and gives another nice dash of color. Serve the rice with the Chicken Tikka Masala over top. Make sure to have some Nann bread handy, too.

Stuffed Manicotti

Sorry I'm lazy and didn't want to type this up. let me know if you can't read it and I'll type it!

Carmel Rolls!

Ok this is our favorite!

1 c. chopped pecans (I use half a cup)

20 Rhodes frozen rolls (let them thaw a little then use scissors to cut)

1 pkg regular butterscotch pudding (not instant! this makes all the difference)

½ cup margarine

½ cup brown sugar

Grease bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans on bottom then rolls (cut in half if possible). * Melt butter and add sugar and pudding. Pour over the rolls. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

(*you can, instead, pour the pudding powder on top of the rolls then pour butter/sugar mixture on top, this is how my mother-in-law does it and she gave me this recipe) Enjoy!

Tortellini Soup!

If you go to Costco you should get this chicken stock and make this!!!! its one our staples now!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I have had a cookie obsession lately, and I was getting tired of the same ol' chocolate chip cookies (even though I really love them).  Honestly, I am not a huge chocolate cookie fan (I'd rather have a brownie), but I just thought I would try something different.  I finally found the PERFECT recipe and I make a huge batch each week, freeze little balls of dough, and cook up a few fresh cookies every night for Adam and me.  I even choose this over my regular blonde chocolate chip cookies. Yum! Here goes:

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. In another large bowl stir together butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla and cocoa. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined. Stir chocolate chips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto Silpat or silicon baking sheet covered cookie sheet and bake about 10 minutes for frozen balls, 9 minutes for fresh dough (they won't look done, but they are). Cool on a baking rack for at least 5 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

This was reaaaaaally delicious and unbelievably easy.  It is a Kelsey Nixon meal and she's a friend of a friend so I figured I'd find out if she was really as good as they say.  She totally is. I'll be doing this a lot from here on out...

• 1/2 baguette (4 cups), cubed
• 3/4 pound small red new potatoes, halved
• Canola oil
• 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3/4 pound baby carrots
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges
• Small bunch fresh thyme sprigs

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Place cubed baguette on a sheet tray and bake for 10 minutes to dry out. Reserve.
In a pot of simmering water, add the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until you just take the bite off (and if your carrots are bigger I'd add them to it for a few minutes also), we will cook these again in the skillet. Remove and reserve.
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat a 14-inch heavy bottomed skillet on high and coat with canola oil. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, if needed, sear chicken skin side down for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet, reserving all of the fat in the pan.
Add onion, season with salt and sweat until translucent and softened, a minute or two. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add baguette cubes, reserved potatoes, and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon wedges, and thyme. Toss all in the fat and an additional glug of oil if needed. Arrange thighs on top and place in oven for 15-20 minutes or thighs reach 160 degrees F.

Veggie lasagna

TLC

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Serves: 8-10

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound whole-wheat lasagna noodles
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 small zucchini, sliced into rounds
• 2 small yellow squash, sliced into rounds
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• Salt and pepper
• 10 ounces fresh or frozen spinach, steamed, squeezed dry and chopped
• 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup store-bought pesto, or Buddy's Master Pesto recipe
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese (the non water-packed kind), torn into pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Butter a 9 x 13" baking dish.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and let cool.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and stir to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini and yellow squash with another pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened and exuded their juices.
4. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium to low heat to avoid scalding. Then, heat the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour to the butter and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, to remove the raw flour taste and completely melt the butter. Gradually whisk in heated milk until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly.
5. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside 1/2 cup of the spinach mixture for top of the lasagna.
6. In a small bowl combine the ricotta and the pesto.
7. Spread a thin layer of spinach mixture in the bottom of prepared pan. Add a layer of noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the vegetables, 1/3 of the spinach mixture, 1/4 of the mozzarella. Repeat this layering two more times. Finish with a top layer of noodles, the reserved spinach mixture, the remaining mozzarella and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
8. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Cool for approximately 10-20 minutes before serving.

This is a yummy one from the good ole cake boss!