Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Muffins

3 very ripe bananas, peeled & mashed
1 egg
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. all purpose flour
1/2 C. cocoa powder
3/4 C. oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt

-Preheat oven to 375 & prepare muffin pan by either lining with cups or heavily spraying with non-stick spray.

1. In medium-large mixing bowl add bananas, egg, sugar, applesauce & vanilla.  Beat on med-low speed until well mixed.
2. Add in remaining ingredients & beat until just mixed.
3. Spoon batter into muffin cups until 3/4 full.  Place muffin pan on large cookie sheet and bake 18-20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven & let sit 5 minutes before removing muffins to cool on wire rack.

-Makes 12-16 muffins.  I made 12 muffins and then made a small "cake" with the remaining batter.

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins

1 C. sugar
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 C. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 C. blueberries (thawed if frozen)
Extra sugar for topping

-Preheat oven to 375 & prepare muffin tins
1. Whisk together sugar, oil, egg, sour cream and vanilla.
2. Add dry ingredients & mix until just incorporated.  Fold in blueberries.
3. Spoon batter into muffin cups or greased muffin tins.  Sprinkle sugar over tops.  Place on *cookie sheet & bake 20-25 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let sit 5-10 minutes before removing from pans to cool on wire rack.

-Makes 24 muffins

*Cooking your muffins on a cookie sheet helps prevent the bottoms from over-cooking and burning.

Potato Kielbasa

4 medium/large potatoes, cubed
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper
2 freshly made bratwurst or Polish sausages, cooked & sliced
6 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled
1/3-1/2 C. frozen spinach (2 C. fresh)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. mustard
1 tsp. dried thyme

1. Heat oil in large pan on medium heat, cook potatoes (seasoned with salt & pepper) & onion until potatoes are just tender.  Add sausage, bacon & spinach to pan.
2. Make sauce by mixing remaining ingredients in small bowl.  Pour into pan & mix in.  Cover & simmer on med/low heat 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

-Serves 4

p.s.  I found this recipe in Taste of Home magazine & made a few slight changes.  This is also delicious when served with an over-easy egg; the yolk makes a great sauce.

Beets with Dill Sauce

3-4 large beets
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
(or 2 Tbsp. apple juice)
1 tsp. dried dill
Salt & pepper

1. Trim ends off of beets, peel & cube.  Steam 15-20 minutes until tender.  Let cool until warm.
2. Combine remaining ingredients to make sauce & toss with beets.  Cover & refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

-Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Oatmeal Rasin Cookies

1  stick butter, softened
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder'1/2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
*3/4-1 C. oats
1 C. raisins

-Preheat oven to 375
1. In medium bowl combine butter, sugars, egg & vanilla.  Beat until mixed.
2. Add remaining, except oats & raisins, and mix until just incorporated.  Mix in oats & raisins using a spoon.
3. Spoon batter onto cookie sheets.  Bake 10-15 minutes until edges are beginning to brown.  Wait 2 minutes before placing cookies onto wire rack to cool.

-Makes 18-24 cookies

*Amount of oats depends on your own preference, I like more oats in my cookies so I use 1 C. but you can use a bit less if that's what you prefer.

Rice Pudding

3/4 C. white rice
1 1/2 C. water
1 1/2 + 1/2 C. milk
1/3 C. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 C. raisins
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Combine rice & water in medium pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover & let simmer until cooked (20 minutes).
2. Turn up heat to medium, add 1 1/2 C. milk, sugar & salt.  Let cook until thick and creamy, stirring often.
3. Stir in remaining 1/2 C. milk, egg & raisins.  Cook 2-5 more minutes, until desired consistency is reached, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat, stir in butter & vanilla.  Serve warm or cold.

-Makes 4-6 servings & is especially delicious when topped with ground cinnamon

Banana Crumb Muffins

3 overly ripe bananas
3/4 C. sugar
1 egg
5 1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

-Preheat oven to 375 & prepare muffin tins
1. In large bowl combine bananas, sugar, egg, butter, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg.  Beat on med-low speed until well mixed.
2. Add remaining ingredients & beat until just mixed.  Spoon batter into muffin cups or greased muffin tin.
3. Make crumb topping:
1/3 C. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. cold butter
-Mix ingredients with fingers until fine crumbs have formed.

4. Top muffins with crumbs.  Bake 15-20 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let sit 5 minutes then remove from pan & let cool on wire rack.

-Makes 12 muffins

Blueberry Bagel Bread Pudding

2-3 day-old blueberry bagels, torn into pieces
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
1 C hot water
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4-1/3 C slivered almonds

Glaze:
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 C powdered sugar
Milk
1 tsp honey

1. In medium bowl combine all ingredients except bagel and almonds. Mix well. Toss in bagel pieces and mix until well coated.
2. Pour mixture into greased 9x13" pan and top with almonds. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before baking.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and let pudding sit on counter 30 minutes before baking. Bake 55-60 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Let cool while preparing glaze.

To make glaze simply combine all ingredients in small bowl and mix together until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over bread pudding and serve!

Texas Sheet Cake

1 C. butter
1 C. water
1/4 C. cocoa powder
2 C. flour
1 3/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 C. sour cream

-Preheat oven to 350
1.  Add butter, water and cocoa powder to small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.
2.  Combine dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl, add in cocoa mixture and mix well.  Stir in sour cream until smooth.  Pour into cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Set aside on wire rack while making frosting:

1/2 C. butter
1/4 C. milk
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
3 1/2- 3 3/4 C. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1.  Melt butter in small saucepan on medium heat.  Add milk and cocoa then bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth (may take a few minutes).  Carefully pour over warm cake.  Let cool and serve!

Peach Bread Pudding

2-3 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted & diced
4 C. French bread, torn into small pieces
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs, beaten
1 C. hot water
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

-Preheat oven to 325 and grease a 9x13"dish
1.  Toss all ingredients in large bowl until well mixed.  Let sit 5 minutes before pouring into baking dish.  Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until golden brown and an inserted knife comes out clean.  Set aside to cool while making caramel sauce.

Sauce:
1 stick butter
3/4 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. agave or honey

1.  Heat butter in small saucepan on medium heat until melted.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Let simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until thick.  Let sit for a minute or two before drizzling over bread pudding and serving.  Serves 4-8.

Autumn Couscous

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 C. pearl couscous
1 C. broth
1 C. water
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 Gala apple, cored and diced
1/3 C. craisins
1/4 C. toasted nuts (sliced almonds, pecans, etc.)

1.  Heat oil on medium heat in medium skillet.  Saute couscous for 3 minutes until golden brown.  Add liquids and herbs and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is gone. 
2.  Remove from heat and stir in diced apple and craisins.  Let cool while making dressing:

Easy Vinaigrette Dressing:
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. agave or honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil

3.  Toss couscous with dressing and mix well; top with nuts.  *Serves 2-4.

*Serves 2 as an entree and 4 as a side dish.

p.s.  To toast nuts simply heat them on a cookie sheet in the oven or in a saute pan on the oven until golden.

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb ground meat
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 serrano pepper, seeded and diced
Salt and pepper
1/2-1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 C. cooked white or brown rice
1 can tomato sauce (regular size, not the large can)
4 corn tortillas
1/3 C. sour cream
1/2 C. cheese
1/3 C. chopped olives
1/3 C. water

1.  Heat oil in large pan on medium heat.  Saute onion, garlic and serrano pepper until onion becomes translucent (about 5 minutes).  Add meat and season with salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder.  Once meat is cooked drain if necessary.
2.  Add tomato sauce, beans and rice and simmer for 15 minutes.
3.  Preheat oven to 350.
4.  Add half of the meat mixture to a 8x8" greased dish, top with tortillas, spread with sour cream, top with remaining meat mixture, cover with cheese and finish by topping with olives and pouring water over the lasagna.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

p.s.  Diced tomatoes and/or avocados give a nice cool and refreshing taste to this yummy dish; enjoy!

Pasta Carbonara

4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1-2 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper
2-3 large eggs
1/4 C. grated Parmesan
4 servings of spaghetti pasta ( I just grab a big handful of pasta)

1.  Begin cooking pasta as directed on packaging.
2.  While pasta is cooking beat eggs with Parmesan, salt, and pepper in separate bowl and set aside. 
3.  Heat butter in a medium pan on medium/low heat.  Saute garlic with bacon and parsley until garlic is beginning to brown (2-3 minutes).  Drain cooked pasta and add to pan, remove pan from heat and slowly pour in egg mixture.  Toss pasta evenly and quickly to avoid the eggs scrambling.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

p.s.  This is such an easy and quick dinner!  You can jazz it up by adding sliced olives, mushrooms or even diced tomatoes!

Tomato Basil Toast

1 loaf artisan Italian bread, sliced (firm crusts are best)

4-6 Roma tomatoes, diced

Handful fresh basil, chopped

1 Tbsp capers(optional)

Salt & pepper

Mozzarella, thinly sliced

Olive oil

-Heat oven to 350

1.  Lay bread slices on large cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil.

2.  In medium bowl mix tomatoes, basil, capers, salt and pepper.  Top each slice of bread with desired amount of tomato mixture. Then top each with a slice of mozzarella cheese.

3.  Bake in oven 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Let cool for a moment then serve!

Mom's Pizza Sauce

1 large can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4-1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
Pinch of salt

1.  Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir until well blended and smooth.  Use immediately or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

Quinoa-Pinto Bean Burgers

8 hamburger buns
1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
3/4 C. uncooked quinoa (+1 1/2 C. water)
1 green onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded & diced
1/4 C. salsa
1/2 C. cornmeal or flour
Olive oil

1. Cook quinoa just as you would rice; it takes about 15 minutes.
2.  While quinoa is cooking combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mash a bit.  Add cooked quinoa.  Divide mixture into 8 parts and form into patties.
3.  Heat a large pan on medium heat, drizzle with oil and cook burgers about 10 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Serve on buns.

p.s.  You can serve these with your usual burger toppings; they are super yummy and a nice alternative to the usual burgers.  Also, you can substitute brown rice for the quinoa if you'd like.

Potato Avocado Salad with Lime

4 medium potatoes, cubed (I did peel mine but you don't have to)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced into small cubes
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder OR 1/4 onion, finely diced (any onion will do)

1.  Boil potatoes 15 minutes or until tender, drain and set aside in medium bowl to cool.  While potatoes are cooling combine remaining ingredients, except avocado, in a small bowl and set aside.
2.  Once potatoes are cool add in avocados and toss with dressing until well coated.  Serve immediately or let cool in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.

Crumb-top Muffins

Crumb-top:
5 Tbsp. butter, cold and cut into pieces
1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1.  Combine all dry ingredients together in small bowl, add butter and toss to coat.  Use your fingers to work the mixture into lumpy crumbs.  Set aside.

Muffins:

-Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with paper cups or spray well with non-stick spray

1 stick butter, melted and set aside to cool
2 large eggs
3/4 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. white sugar (you can reduce this to 1/3 C.)
1/4 C. brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

1.  In medium-large bowl combine butter, eggs, milk and vanilla and whisk until blended.  Combine remaining ingredients in separate bowl and add in.  Whisk until batter is mixed well and a little lumpy.  Divide batter among 12 muffin cups.
2.  Spoon crumb mixture over muffins and gently press down.  Bake 20-25 minutes until tops are golden and/or an inserted knife comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before removing muffins from pan.  Enjoy!

Mango Upside Down Cake

3-4 mangoes, peeled and cut into strips
1 stick butter
3/4 C. brown sugar (packed)

1.  In small saucepan melt together butter and brown sugar on medium heat.  Add mangoes and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Remove mangoes with slotted spoon and set aside.  Allow butter and sugar to continue to simmer for about 3 minutes or until it becomes a syrup.  Remove from heat and set aside.

1 stick butter, softened
3/4 C. white sugar (you can reduce the amount to 1/2 C. if you'd like)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 2/3 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
3/4 C. milk

-Preheat oven to 350

2.  In medium bowl beat together butter and sugar until mixed, it will be lumpy.  Add in eggs and vanilla and mix in until blended.
3.  Add 1 cup of the flour, 1 tsp of the baking powder, the salt and half of the milk and beat until blended.  Add in remaining flour, baking powder and milk and mix until blended.
4.  Line a round 8" cake pan with non-stick spray and parchment paper which you will also spray with non-stick spray.  Layer mango slices on the bottom of the cake pan and carefully, and slowly, cover with cake batter.
5.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until top is a light golden color and an inserted knife comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.  Heat up the syrup on medium heat until warm and pour over cake.  Serve cake warm or cool; enjoy!

p.s.  You don't want to beat the batter too much because when you do you force the air out of it causing your cake to be more dense; the recipe for this cake should result in a light, fluffy cake.  Also, if you don't have parchment paper that is just fine, just grease your cake pan quite a bit more than usual.  Another tip when trying to remove cakes from their pans is to take a knife and run it around the side edge and then bang the pan a few times on the table, this helps to loosen the bottom of the cake and will help it come out better if you aren't using parchment paper. 

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

4 chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely diced
1 serrano pepper, seeded & diced
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. shredded cheese
1/2 C. water
4 large tortillas or 8 small tortillas
1/2 can olives, drained & sliced
19oz can green enchilada sauce

-Preheat oven to 375
1.  Season chicken with salt & pepper and cook thoroughly.  Remove from pan and shred. 
2.  Add oil, garlic, onion, serrano pepper and tomato to pan and cook on medium heat until onion is translucent.  Add shredded chicken, sour cream, 1/2 C. cheese and water to pan and simmer 15 minutes.
3.  Divide mixture evenly among tortillas.  Pour 1/3 of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" pan, add enchiladas and cover with remaining sauce.  Top with remaining cheese and olives.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes covered then remove foil and bake another 5 minutes uncovered.  Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.