Double Chocolate Banana Bread

This is not my recipe. I'm shamelessly stealing it from another site (http://treatsandtrends.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/double-chocolate-banana-bread/?postpost=v2#content) because I love it so much! I don't even like banana bread, but I gobble this stuff down (probably because I really love chocolate). The sour cream in this recipe makes this bread super moist and delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas) *
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 8″x 4″ loaf pan with cooking oil. Set aside.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl or bowl of standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in egg and vanilla. Then stir in bananas and sour cream. Gradually mix in dry ingredients. Gently fold in chocolate chips (you can also sprinkle some on top after you pour the batter).
• Pour batter into pan (about 2/3 full). Bake for 50-55 minutes. See if a toothpick comes out clean to make sure it is fully cooked. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then take it out to fully cool on wire rack.

* Ripen your bananas: If your bananas are too yellow, put them in the oven to speed along the ripening process. Place the bananas (still in the peel) on a cookie sheet and place them in the oven at 250 degrees until they turn brown. The riper the banana, the more flavorful the bread will be.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ cups frozen mixed veggies
• 1 cooked potato cubed
• 2 refrigerated pie crusts (usually comes in one package)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ½ cup milk
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken or Turkey
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 375˚ degrees. Defrost the veggies. Coat 9" pie pan with butter flavored cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pie pan with the one of the pie crusts.  In a large bowl, stir together the soup and milk. Add the remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into pan  Top with the other pie crust. Pinch the edges together and cut vents in the top. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes until golden brown on top.

 NOTE: I didn't have a potato cooked so I just microwaved one and it tasted great! Also I've used canned chicken before and tasted great also...so this recipe can be even easier than it all ready is!

FOR FUTURE: you can double the recipe, and freeze the unbaked pie in the freezer for future baking.  After freezing, thaw it out for a time before baking.

 

Super Easy and Super Yummy Banana Bread

Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

METHOD

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve!

*Best served warm with butter!
*Sometimes I add chocolate chips-just make sure not to add too many...gets too gooie!
* I got this recipe from simplyrecipes.com

Wheat Thins Parmesan Chicken

This is a recipe I learned from my friend Jen. It's absolutely delicious! I included the orginial recipe as well as Jen's adjustments at the end of this post. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
2 Tbl Margarine
½ cup grated parmesan
½ cup Basil & Parmesan Wheat Thins (or dried bread crumbs)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a 15X10X1 pan with non-stick spray. Combine all ingredients in pie plate or other container easy to dip chicken into. Dip chicken in melted margarine first and then into bread crumb mixture. Place chick in single layer in pan. Bake 25 min or until tender.


Jen's adjustments (in her own words):

"I have never used the margarine. I save calories by either dipping in egg whites or dipping in nothing before putting into bread crumbs. Also, I loved substituting bread crumbs for crushed basil and parmesan wheat thins. I put the crackers in a gallon zip lock bag and roll over with rolling pin. Then I can toss the chicken in the closed bag with crumbs. At 20 min I check the chicken and if it is almost done. I put in a 9X13 pan and check at 20min. At 20min if the chicken is almost completely done top with a small can of tomato sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese melted."

Brushed and Baked BBQ Rolls

ingredients

24 rolls

mayonnaise

baked chicken breasts, shredded

bbq sauce of your choice (i used kraft Thick and Spicy bbq sauce)

cheddar or provolone cheese, shredded or sliced

brush sauce

1/4 c. melted butter

1 tbs mustard

1 tbs worcestershire sauce

2 tsp poppy seeds**

optional toppings

lettuce

tomatoes

sliced apples

cole slaw

carmelized onions

avocado

directions

mix together shredded chicken with bbq sauce until well coated. slice rolls in half. spread thin layer of mayo on top and bottom of the inside of each roll. assemble rolls with bbq chicken and cheese. place assembled rolls on a cookie sheet or stone. mix together the melted butter, mustard, worcestershire sauce, and poppy seeds with a whisk. brush this mixture all over the tops of the rolls and cover with tin foil. bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until heated through. peel open sandwiches and add additional toppings as desired.

**the poppy seeds are not necessary when making this recipe. they don't add a ton of flavor, but they do look good. :)

I got this recipe from my friend Miken's blog and will probably post more of hers...they are amazing!

Chicken Pillows

This recipe I learned at a ward activity! It is seriously so easy, but sooo good and has that warm homemade taste.

Ingredients:
1 cup of cooked, shredded chicken (you can use canned chicken)
4 Tbsp of cream cheese
1 pkg of Pillsbury Cresent Rolls (8 rolls)
2 Tbsp Butter

Sauce:
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of chicken broth (I just got half a cup of water and mixed in some chicken bouillon)
1 cup of sour cream

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
• This dish is perfect with rice (and there's so much sauce you'll want some rice to soak up the extra) so get the rice started first since it will take the longest!
• Mix the chicken and cream cheese together and stuff the mixture into the crescents as you roll them.
• Stick the rolls on an ungreased cookie sheet
• Melt butter and spread over the rolls before placing them in the oven.
• Place rolls in the oven for 13-15 minutes (follow the directions on the roll package)
• While the rolls or "pillows" are baking, heat up the sour cream, chicken broth and cream of chicken on the stove on medium heat.  
• When the rolls are done stick them on a plate with some rice and pour the sauce over everything
• ENJOY!!

Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients:
(4-oz.) Uncooked dried spaghetti
1/2 lb. bulk Italian Sausage
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.
3. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, brown sausage; drain off fat.
         Stir in Spaghetti sauce.
         Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
4. In medium bowl stir together sour cream, 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese and egg.
          Stir in spaghetti
5. Place spaghetti mixture in 9-inch pie pan
           Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella cheese.
6. Spread sausage mixture over entire surface
7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25-35 minutes or until heated through
8. Remove aluminum foil & sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
9. Let stand 10 minutes before serving
10. To serve, cut into wedges.

Super Stuffed Potatoes

Ingredients: 

4 Small baking potatoes

1 lb ground beef

1/4 lb Velveeta cheese

1 small tomato, chopped

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup sour cream

Directions: 

Prick potatoes in several places with fork. Microwave on high 14 min. or just until Tender, turning after 7 min.

Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain. Add velveeta, tomatoes, and onions; cook until velveeta is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.

Split potatoes; mash insides with fork. Top with meat mixture and sour cream.

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients: 

1 lb  chicken

Salt & pepper

2 Tbs vegetable oil

2 Tbs fresh lime juice

2 red or green bell peppers

1 red onion

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

2-4 Tbs water

1 tsp tabasco

10 Flour Tortillas

Directions: 

Season chicken with S&P

Heat 1 Tbs of oil in skillet over medium-high heat

Add chicken and cook through about 4 minutes

Transfer to a bowl and toss with lime juice

Add remaining oil to skillet and return to medium-high heat

Add peppers, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, 2 tbs water

Cook until onion is softened about 5 min.

Return the chicken & juice to skillet.

Stir in tabasco and season with S&P

Get lettuce, cheese & tortillas ready

Serve!

Salsa Chicken Tostadas

Ingredients: 

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup water

1 1/4 oz. taco seasoning

1 cup refried beans, warmed

4 Tostada shells

1/2 cup Finely shredded four cheese

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 avocado, chopped

1/4 cup Salsa

1/4 cup Sour cream

Directions:

Cook and stir chicken in skillet on medium-high heat for 3 min. or until no longer pink.

Add water and seasoning mix; simmer on medium-low heat 5 min. or until chicken is done and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

Spread beans onto tostada shells ; top with layers of chicken mixture and remaining ingredients