Banana "Ice Cream"

Banana “Ice Cream”

Ingredients:

4 bananas, just slightly overripe (brown spots good, completely black not so good)
2 tbsps creamy peanut butter (optional)
2 tsps cocoa powder (optional)

Peel the bananas and slice them up into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick disks. Place the banana slices in the freezer for about an hour or until they are frozen solid. 

Put the frozen slices in a food processor and pulse. First they will start to resemble crumbs, but keep going. The bananas will soon turn into a frozen mush – at this point, start scraping the sides down (you will do this a lot). Or you could add a dash of milk since the liquid will help the blending. 

After a few minutes of stopping to scrape the sides down, the banana begins to blend into a creamy texture. When the bananas look like whipped ice cream, you can add the peanut butter and cocoa powder.

Straight out of the food processor, the ice cream is like soft serve. You can also freeze it for a firmer texture.

Homemade Oreos

This is a Pintrest tested recipe from:

http://www.mykitchenaddiction.com/2012/02/homemade-oreos/

Homemade Oreos

Cookie Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 – 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, whisked to remove any lumps

Begin by preparing the cookies.  Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well incorporated.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, beating on the lowest speed.  Continue to mix on the lowest setting until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
Divide the dough in half, and shape into two discs.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.  Set aside.

Taking only one portion of dough out of the refrigerator at a time, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough to 1/8 – 1/4-inch thickness.  Use a cookie cutter (approximately 2 inches in diameter) to cut out cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies are cooled, prepare the filling.  Combine the softened butter, half and half, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.  The mixture may be a bit lumpy, but will come together.  Add the powdered sugar gradually, approximately 1/2 cup at a time, until the filling comes together.  It will be slightly stiffer than a cupcake frosting.


Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.  Pipe the filling onto half of the cookies, and top with the remaining cookies to form cookie sandwiches.

Spicy Sausage Kale and Potato Soup

Spicy Sausage Kale and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound spicy italian sausage (removed from casing)
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 large bunches of kale, stemmed and chopped, about 4 overflowing handfuls
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 medium or 2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced
8 cups chicken broth or stock, 2 boxes
1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat a large heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat. Once the pot has heated through, add the sausage. Using a wooden spoon, begin to break up the sausage and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until it has fully browned. Remove the crisped sausage from the pot and transfer it to a plate or bowl. Set aside.

Lower the heat to medium, add the butter or oil and throw in the onions and garlic. Stir, scraping down the bottom of the pot picking up the browned bits of sausage with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook until soft and translucent about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Continue to sauté until the onions have caramelized. Add the chopped kale in batches, allowing it to wilt down as it cooks. It might seem like a lot of kale but it will cook down, just like spinach! Add the nutmeg and stir. Cook the kale for another 3 minutes until it has turned bright green and completely wilted down. Throw in the sliced potatoes and cooked sausage.

Pour in the chicken stock or broth and bring it up to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer until the potatoes are cooked tender and soft. Taste the soup for seasoning, at this point you may add more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes, if desired. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, stir in the heavy cream. 

Serve right away.

Pistachio Cake

Pistachio Cake

Cake Ingredients:

1 box vanilla cake mix

1 (3.4oz) box instant pistachio pudding

3 eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup milk

Green food coloring, 8 or more drops.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 (3.4oz) box instant pistachio pudding

½ cup milk

1 (8oz) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

Green food coloring, 5 or more drops.

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray a 9X13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, combine dry cake mix with dry instant pistachio pudding. Mix together until combined.

Add in eggs, oil, and milk. Stir just until combined.

Stir in green food coloring.

Pour into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Put instant pistachio pudding into a mixing bowl. Add in ½ cup cold milk and stir until combined. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Add in a few drops of green food coloring.

Spread frosting over cooled cake.

Slice and serve.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken Breading:

3-5 chicken breast

salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup canola oil

Rinse chicken, trim off fat or extras and then cut into 1 inch cubes. season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch and coat all the way and then into eggs. Heat oil in large skillet. Cook chicken until browned. Place in baking dish. 3 chicken breasts can be in a 9x9 but 5 chicken breasts fits better in a 9x13.

Sauce:

3/4 cups sugar

4 Tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Whisk until smooth. Then pour evenly over chicken. I also added in some fresh veggies (green beans, bell pepper, broccoli) and some pineapple chunks. Turn chicken and veggies so the sauce coats everything and then put in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. turn chicken and then cook for 15 more minutes.

Serve hot.

Top Ramen Chow Mein

Top Ramen Chow Mein

Ingredients
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 packages of Top Ramen noodles, cooked and drained without the seasoning
2/3 c. chopped celery (chopped diagonally)
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
2 c. chopped cabbage

In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Set aside.

Cook Top Ramen noodles according to packet and discard included flavoring packets. Drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Add celery and onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes or until onions start to become soft and transparent. Add cabbage and saute an additional minute or so.

Toss Top Ramen noodles and soy sauce mixture with the vegetables over medium-high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until noodles are heated through.

Serve hot.

Banana Cheesecake Roll

*This recipe originated from:

http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com

Banana Cheesecake Roll

Cheesecake Filling:

1 (8 oz.) + 1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

3 Tbl. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Banana Cake:

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

4 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. + 1/2 c. sugar, divided

1/2 c. mashed banana (around 1 large banana)

4 egg whites

1/4 c. powdered sugar (for sprinkling over cake)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan with butter.  Line with parchment paper and grease with butter again, making sure to coat the entire surface and sides of the pan; set aside. 

For the filling:

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat until combined.  Spread in the prepared pan; set aside.

For the cake:  

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. 

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed until thick and lemon colored. 

Gradually add 1/3 cup of sugar and beat well.  Stir in the mashed banana.  In a large, clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites on medium until soft peaks fork (tips curl).  Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight)  Gently fold yolk mixture into beaten egg whites.  Gradually sprinkle the flour mixture evenly over egg mixture and fold together just until blended.  Carefully spread the batter evenly over the filling in the pan.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.  

Immediately loosen cake from sides of pan, sprinkle cake with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Place a wire cooling rack, upside down, on the top of the cake. 

Carefully pick up both sides of the pan, while holding the rack and flip over.  The cake will now be on top of the towel on the cooling rack.  Carefully peel off parchment paper.  Starting with the short side, roll up cake as tightly as possible (don't roll up the towel with it).  Allow to cool completely on wire rack.  

Slice and serve.  Wrap any leftover cake in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Peach Vanilla Bundt Cake

Peach Vanilla Bundt Cake with Peach Soaking Syrup
Cake Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 ½ cups diced fresh peaches

Syrup Ingredients:
⅓ cup fresh peach puree, strained
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice

Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour inside of 10 inch bundt pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Using a hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for 30 to 40 seconds after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla. At low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with yogurt.

Scoop half of batter into pan and spread with spatula. Sprinkle with peaches. Scoop remaining half of batter on top of peaches. Smooth with spatula.

Bake cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto another rack. Place the cake, on the rack, over a baking sheet.

While cake is baking, make syrup. Combine peach puree, sugar, and orange juice in a small non reactive saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Using a pastry brush, dab syrup generously all over surface of the warm cake, allowing it to soak into the cake before reapplying. Let the cake cool completely.

Poaching Eggs in the Microwave

 

How to Poach Eggs in the Microwave

Ingredients:

1 egg
boiling water
1 tsp white vinegar

Pour boiling water into ramekin to 3/4 full, and add the vinegar. Crack an egg and gently slip it into the water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Use a soup spoon to gently turn the egg over. Cover again and microwave 15 seconds longer. Remove immediately from water and drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

Sweet & Spicy Caramelized Onion BBQ Grilled Cheese

*This recipe was a Pintrest tested recipe from:

 http://www.ringfingertanline.com/2012/10/23/sweet-spicy-caramelized-onion-bbq-grilled-cheese/

Sweet & Spicy Caramelized Onion BBQ Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

8 slices sourdough bread
4 slices sharp cheddar
4 slices pepper jack or other spicy cheese
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp butter
2-4 Tbsp BBQ sauce

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced red onion and stir occasionally until color changes to slightly brown and taste is sweet, about 10-15 minutes. Remove onions from skillet and set aside.

Spread 1 Tbsp of the remaining butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Divide BBQ sauce evenly among 4 of the slices, and spread evenly opposite the butter side. Lay cheddar cheese on top of sauce. Divide caramelized onion among the sandwiches, then top with pepper jack. Finish assembly by placing remaining bread slices on top. The butter sides of the bread should both be on the outside of the sandwiches.

Melt the remaining butter in the skillet on medium-low. Cook sandwiches two at a time, flipping when bread is golden brown on one side and cheese begins to melt. If cheese is not melting quickly enough, place a lid over the pan or use a heavy skillet to place on top and press the sandwiches down.

Serve warm.

Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats1 cup all purpose flour1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour1 1/2 cups sugar1 tablespoon baking powder1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs + 1 large egg white
3/4 cup oil
2 cups grated carrot
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for approx. 20 minutes. They are done when a knife inserted comes out clean, and tops spring back when lightly touched.

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and oil. Stir in grated carrots. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Serve warm.

Bacon and Corn Pancakes

Bacon and Corn Pancakes

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup canned corn
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
warm maple syrup, for serving

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon pieces until they begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is softened. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bacon mixture for topping the pancakes upon serving- and set it aside.


While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, chives, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk, egg and oil, just until moistened. Stir in the bacon mixture, corn and cheese. The mixture will be thick. If you'd like the griddle cakes to be slightly thinner than those pictured, add a little more milk to thin out the batter.


Heat and grease a large skillet. Pour a heaping 1/4-cup of the batter into the skillet and cook until it is golden brown- 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve stacks of pancakes topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon/onion and a good dose of warm maple syrup.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients:

2 lbs. sweet potatoes

1 Tbsp. salt (for cooking water)

2 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling and shaping

1 egg

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into large, similarly sized chunks. Put sweet potatoes pieces in a large pot and cover with water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain thoroughly and return sweet potato chunks to the empty, hot pot. Shake them a bit to help further evaporate excess water in them.

Mash potatoes thoroughly. (I actually used my submersion blender to make sure there were no lumps.) But a large fork or potato masher work, too.

Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time, until a dough forms. You may or may not need the final 1/2 cup. The dough will be very soft.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop a spoonful of the dough into the boiling water, stir, and let cook until it floats to the surface and then let it cook another 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove dumpling sample. If it held together, proceed with the recipe without adding the egg. If it fell apart, stir in the egg - at first the dough will pull apart and all may seem lost. Keep stirring: The dough will come back together. If the addition of the egg made the dough terribly wet, stir in up to another 1/2 cup flour.

Divide dough into four even sections. Working with one at a time, dump dough onto a well floured surface and roll into a 1-inch-thick snake. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces and place on a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.

Cook dumplings, as described for the sample above, in salted water, being careful not to crowd the pot. Work in batches and keep cooked gnocchi tossed in a bit of butter in a warm oven while you cook the remaining gnocchi. Serve with butter and Parmesan, browned butter and sage, or your favorite pasta sauce.

Blackberry Sourdough Scones

Blackberry Sourdough Scones

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour ( see tip above)
2 C Fresh or frozen Blackberries
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold butter- sliced into 8 pieces
1 cup sourdough starter
1/3 cup milk plus more if necessary)
lemon zest of one lemon
3-4 tablespoons, for brushing, optional
¼ cup sugar, for sprinkling on top, optional

Line a 8 inch cake pan with plastic wrap and fill with 2 Cups blackberries. If your berries are very tender, freeze before hand, this way they will hold their shape a little better.

In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar and lemon zest. Pulse in cold butter until mix resembles course sand. In a small bowl mix milk and sourdough starter ( or sour cream or yogurt) together. Add starter mixture to the food processor and pulse until it just forms a ball ( just a few times) adding a little more milk only if necessary. Dough should be heavy and thick. Don't over work.

Spread the dough over the blackberries and press down gently, into all the corners. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer over night, or for 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove from freezer, remove saran, invert on cutting board. Let sit 15-20 minutes or longer until thawed enough to cut. Cut into 8 equal size pie shape wedges. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar (optional). Place on parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve warm.

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (15 oz.) can corn
1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium tomato, diced
1 cup scallions, sliced

1 cup  avocado, diced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder

Cook quinoa as directed on package.  Once the quinoa is completely cooked, fluff the quinoa with a fork and set it aside to cool.

Drain the black beans and the corn in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water.  Pat dry with a paper towel, and pour the beans and corn into a large bowl.  Add chopped green bell pepper, diced tomato sliced scallions, diced avocado, and chopped cilantro.  

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, black pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder.  Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well.  

Add the cooled quinoa to the salad and toss well, making sure that the salad is evenly coated with the dressing.  Season to taste with additional black pepper, garlic powder, or chili powder. 

Refrigerate and serve cold.

Graham Crackers

Graham Crackers

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, chilled & cubed

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a food processor or mixer combine the first 6 ingredients.


Add cubed and chilled butter to the mix and pulse/mix until it resembles coarse meal.


Add honey and water and continue to mix until it all combines.


Remove and shape the dough into a flat disk and place between two pieces of parchment paper.


Roll dough out until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into crackers or shapes.


Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.


Cool and serve.

Pull-Apart Cheesy Bread

Pull-Apart Cheesy Bread

Ingredients:

1 loaf (round is preferable) sourdough bread

1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup finely diced green onion, with tops

2-3 tsp garlic salt and pepper

1 tbls red pepper flakes

Cut the bread lengthwise and width wise - without cutting through the bottom crust.  

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  

Insert cheese between cuts.  

Combine butter, onion, garlic salt and pepper.  

Drizzle over bread. 

Sprinkle red pepper flakes over bread.

Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  

Unwrap.  Bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve hot.

Shame on me!

Well, the title of this post says it all. I have seriously lacked on posting new blogs this year! I can't believe I haven't posted a recipe since March. I'm so embarrassed. But I'm going to play the pregnancy card and blame my lack of blogging to my ever growing tummy and extreme lack of energy. As it turns out, growing a human while taking care of a toddler leaves me with little time and motivation to blog these days. In fact, when I do get a minute to myself, rather than blog, I usually find myself flaking out on the couch in sheer exhaustion.

However, despite my lack of blogs, I have not been quiet in the kitchen. I have still been baking away this whole time. So consequently I have a huge stash of recipes to post. Now, normally I post a short story or some explanation about my coming to the recipe before I get to the actual recipe itself when I post a blog. But since I am so behind in my posts, I figure I will just post the recipes themselves and forego the little story that normally goes with it. That way, you guys can get to cooking the good stuff and not have to wait for another year before I eventually get all the recipes posted.

Now that being said, I don't expect that I will be posting much in the coming months after I dump this stash of recipes on you now, simply because I will be having my baby in as early as two weeks. Once the baby is here, I know it will be a great victory for me just to get a shower in let alone have time and energy to blog.

So I hope you will enjoy the mountain of recipes I will be posting in the coming week or so. And I hope that I will have more for you at least by the new year. During the time of my leave, however, I still welcome any comments, suggestions, and questions you may have. Although I won't be posting much once the baby is here, I will still be checking in from time to time to see what you have to say.

Thanks and enjoy!

-Jenn