Banana Nut Muffins

This was a recipe I found on the Food Network and it was really good! That link will tell you exactly how to make them perfectly but I did it a little more simply. The recipe says to bake 18-20 minutes but mine were plenty well done by 15 minutes.

3 overripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter (recipe says melted and cooled, I just added room temp butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mix wet ingredients well before adding dry ingredients and then don't overmix.

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Fold in nuts and bananas

2 mashed bananas (still kind of chunky)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Bake 14-16 minutes at 375 degrees F. Recipe says to butter the muffin tins, I just used liners.

Delicious Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Here is a recipe for cinnamon rolls that I adapted once to be dairy and soy free. They were really good (even for people who eat normal food). The only adaptation to the dough was to use oat milk with vinegar as a substitute for buttermilk. Then for the filling, I used dairy-free soy-free Earth Balance. I used a completely different frosting recipe last time using earth balance butter, oat milk, vanilla and powdered sugar.

I just made them today with dairy and soy and they were even better. The only changes I made this time were to use real butter instead of margarine and next time I'll omit the lemon juice from the frosting. With the lemon juice, the frosting tastes more like Cinnabon's but I prefer it without.

Below is the text from Lauren's Latest, go to her website for the recipe with pictures:

My Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

yield: 15 ROLLS APPROXIMATELY prep time: 6 HOURS cook time: 17 MINUTES total time: 6 HOURS 17 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
for the dough-
3/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast {use the fast acting kind!}
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 1/2-5 cups all purpose unbleached flour

for the filling-
1/2 cup softened margarine
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch

for the frosting-
2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup softened margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Making the Dough- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, pour in water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir and proof 5 minutes. Once mixture looks bubbly and frothy, pour in remaining sugar and salt. Stir on low for 15-20 seconds. In a small bowl, measure buttermilk, oil and egg. Whisk ingredients together until egg is incorporated to other two ingredients. Pour contents into the water and yeast mixture. Stir another 20 seconds in the mixer. Pour 2 cups of flour into mixer and stir on low until incorporated. Sprinkle flour in by 1/4 cup increments until dough cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl. Dough should be sticky but not sticky enough to stick to your hands when touched. Once it has reached this stage, turn mixer on and knead for 5 minutes. Remove dough from bowl, grease and replace back into same mixing bowl {since it's practically clean anyways.} Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Rise 1-2 hours or until dough has doubled in size.

Filling and Cutting Rolls- In a medium size bowl, stir brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch together until combined. Set aside. Punch down dough. Flour a large clean table liberally with flour. Lightly flour dough as well. Roll dough out to be a 20x30 rectangle {or as close to that as possible} while moving dough around to ensure it's not sticking to your work surface. If it's a little short or uneven, feel free to cut off the edges to even it all out. {FYI-I cut off some dough on one side and filled in a spot that needed more dough on the other side to make a more even rectangle.} Spread softened margarine over dough, being sure to go right to the edges leaving a 1-inch strip untouched on one of the longer sides of dough. Dump brown sugar mixture onto the middle of the dough and spread with your hands, creating an even layer over top of the margarine, still leaving that 1-inch strip of dough untouched. If you have any filling that falls off the sides of the dough, use a bench scraper to replace. Lightly press the sugar mixture into the margarine using a rolling pin. Roll the dough up into a tight log, finishing with the plain dough on the bottom to seal the entire thing together. Cut off the uneven ends to even out the log. Score log every 2 inches and then slice your rolls using those marks. Place into parchment paper lined, margarine greased pans. 12 into a 9x13, 3 remaining into a loaf pan, or 8x8 with the small ends. Cover pans with plastic wrap and dish towels. Let rolls rise another 1-2 hours or until they are touching and have risen almost double. My rolls always spread out more than up, so just be aware that they will most likely spread out more than up. Bake in a preheated 350 degree for 17 minutes, or until tops start to brown. Watch them carefully!!

For the Frosting- While the rolls are baking, whip cream cheese and margarine together. Stir in vanilla, corn syrup and lemon juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Pour in powdered sugar and stir slowly until it starts to incorporate. Then mix on high for 5 minutes or until frosting starts to lighten in color. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Once rolls have been removed from the oven, frost using half the amount made. Then after they have cooled a few more minutes, frost again with remaining frosting. The first frosting will melt down into the rolls and the second layer should stay put. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes:
-See step my step photos for more details I neglected to mention.
-Also, if your frosting isn't quite ready after you pull the rolls out of the oven, cover with foil so the tops don't dry out and get crispy.
-If you notice it takes forever for your rolls to rise, try adding an extra teaspoon of rapid rise yeast to your dough next time around. I also like to use Red Star Platinum yeast--it's hardcore stuff

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

These baked taquitos from Our Best Bites are delicious! My friend Jill made them for me after I had Leila and mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm... And, if there is a Chuy's within 50 miles of you, it is worth your time to go buy a gallon of their amazing Creamy Jalapeno Dip to dunk these in. I could drink that sauce.

I inserted my own comments to their recipe below.

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!) Left over rotisserie chicken is perfect for this
1 C grated pepperjack cheese We only had the shredded Mexican/Colby Jack mix.
small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well) Why waste time with corn tortillas when we all know flour tortillas taste so much better?! Although, corn tortillas can make this a soy-free meal.
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.No need to line with foil. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Don't worry about any of this if you are using flour tortillas... Just on other reason to choose flour over corn. Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.  Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.  Dip in sour cream, or our favorite: Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch. If you have the option, always stick with Chuy's Creamy Jalapeno Ranch, you won't regret it.

Healthy pancakes

I used sweetened fruit flavored Greek yogurt, and I blended the oats to flour before I mixed them in. I loved the pancakes! And I followed the recipe.

Healthy Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

Made with Greek yogurt, oats, whole wheat flour, and not much else. Recipe may be doubled for a large family.

yield: 7-8 PANCAKES

 

prep time: 5 MINUTES

 

total time: 25 MINUTES

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (123g) whole wheat flour (or white whole-wheat)
• 1/2 cup (40g) quick oats
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg (or 2 egg whites)
• 1 cup (240ml) milk*
• 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar (or light brown)
• 1/4 cup (63g) Greek yogurt*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup add-ins like chocolate chips or fruit, optional
 

Make Delicious Banana Chocolate Pancakes
 

Directions:

Toss the flour, oats, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Whisk in the brown sugar and yogurt until no lumps remain. Whisk in the vanilla until combined.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix the batter or your pancakes will be tough and very dense. Add any mix-ins you prefer, but again - do not overmix the batter.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat generously with cooking spray, oil, or butter.  Once hot, drop about 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle. Cook until the edges look dry and bubbles begin to form on the center or sides, about 1 minute. Flip and cook on the other side until cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Coat griddle/skillet again with nonstick spray for each pancake or batch of pancakes.

Keep pancakes warm in a preheated 200F degree oven until all pancakes are cooked. Serve immediately. Pancakes taste best right after they are made. Pancakes freeze well, up to 2 months.

*Recipe tested with both skim and vanilla almond milks. Soy milk, 1%, 2%, buttermilk, or rice milk are OK.

*Recipe tested with plain 0% Greek yogurt. Regular yogurt, any milk fat and your choice of flavor, is OK.

Easy Cornbread

Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Grease 9" round pan (grease it well).

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1 egg
1 cup milk (or oat milk for dairy free, rice milk or almond milk don't work as well)
1/3 cup oil

Mix together and pour into pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until you poke with a knife and it comes out clean.

(I found this recipe online and made it. It was delicious and I wrote it from memory but don't know who to attribute it to.)

Nikki's Chili

In a large soup pot:

2 Tbsp canola oil (butter if not going dairy free)
3 cloves garlic
1 large sweet onion

Saute until the onion is beginning to become transparent.
Then add:

1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1-2 cups of pre-cooked ground beef
1 can tomato paste
1 can water
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans

In separate cup: stir 1/4 cup harina masa (corn flour) into 1/2 cup of water. Then add to pot.

Add water, if too thick. Add more corn flour if too runny.

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2-3 Tbsp chili powder*
1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper*
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

*Add more for extra spice. Can also add chipotle chili powder for a little different flavor and spice.

Let simmer for 1-2 hours. 6-8 large servings. Tastes delicious with cornbread!

-Nikki

Taco Soup (easy)

8 CAN TACO SOUP

Posted on 02/06/2013 by DoingItLikeMartha

21

We are all looking for easy, delicious, healthy, and cheap ways to feed our families!

I came across this recipe and it was DEFINITELY worth making, it was the easiest thing I have ever made and it was full of flavor!

I made threw the ingredients into a pot before my son went down for a nap, and put in the fridge. When we got home from our errands I just put the pot on the stove to heat for 15 mins, and it was the EASIEST thing ever!

I LOVE 8 Can Taco Soup now, and I'm sure you will too!

The ingredients are pictured above but here is a complete list:

• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
• 1 (12.5 oz.) can white chicken breast, drained
• * You could use shredded rotisserie chicken meat if you want a meatier soup, I will do this next time.
• 1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
• 1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
• 1 packet taco seasoning

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large pot.
2. Heat until warm, stirring occasionally. ( this took me 15 minutes MAX on the stove )
3. Serve with tortilla chips. Garnish with sour cream, cheese, cilantro, red onions etc.

The best part of this is, its super cheap and it freezes well!