Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

I have started a part-time job, so I haven't had much time for cooking from scratch lately, trying to juggle work, school, kids, family you know all the stuff that makes us busy, busy, busy! I have taken advantage of a few extra hours today, since it's stake conference at church. I have made some yumminess to add to my boys lunches this week. I doubled the original recipe, so we could have a few as a snack today and still have some for lunches. I also had 6 bananas that I needed to use.

These bars are moist and delicious. My kids have been begging for more. I guess that's a sign of success! :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4-6 medium)
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg (2 cups) chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
1 1/2 cup walnuts (optional - I didn't use any nuts)

Directions:

1. Grease 2 large jelly roll pans 15X10X1 baking pans. set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the grandulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt, beat til combined. Beat in the eggs, bananas, and vanilla til combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the chocolate pieces and if desired nuts.
2. Spread the prepared baking pan with the mixture. Bake in a 350F oven about 25 minutes or til golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes a bunch, depending on how big you cut the bars.

This recipe comes from my 1930-2000 Limited Edition Better Homes and Gardens New CookBook. This recipe is already doubled. If you want to make a smaller batch, just cut the ingredient amount in half. This is great for those bruised/ultra soft bananas.

These are nice and moist, so tasty! :)

Zucchini Spinach Lasagna (gluten-free)

Gluten-Free Zucchini Spinach Lasagna

The picture may not look very appetizing but it is so delicious! Tonights dinner was a throw together. I had gotten a LARGE zucchini from a neighbor and I had a bag of spinach I got discounted from the grocery store last week that needed to be used up. I didn't want to worry about boiling noodles and I wanted to get dinner on the table quickly. This is a great recipe for quick, easy and delicious. This recipe was so easy. I didn't have ricotta cheese or cottage cheese for a typical lasagna dish. So I didn't worry about it. It was a little piece of inspiration. I thought as I was making it that I should take pictures along the way, but since I didn't know if it would be any good, I decided against it. I totally should have taken pictures! I will be making this again.

Ingredients:

1 lb bulk sausage (I used a homemade Tuscan sausage)
1 LARGE zucchini (sliced thin on a mandolin)
1 bag spinach (fresh)
1 26oz spaghetti sauce (prepackaged - I used Hunts 4 cheese)
2.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
4 Tbsp Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven 350F

Brown the bulk sausage in a pan. While it's browning slice the zucchini into thin slices.  Once the sausage is browned, drain fat, then add the spaghetti sauce. Stir to combine. In a 13X9X2 baking dish, layer first the sausage mixture, about 1/2 of the mixture. Evenly distribute on the bottom. then add a layer of zucchini sliced just like you would pasta. Next add a layer of spinach about 1/2 the bag (remember this will shrink as it cooks). Then sprinkle 1/2 a cup of parmesan cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese and 2 Tbsp italian seasoning on top. Then repeat. The final layer will be the cheese on top of the spinach. Cover with foil, and bake for 30 min. Then remove foil and bake another 6 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool about 5 minutes before slicing.

***Verdict - I LOVED IT! This was so delicious. I can hardly believe I've never tried this kind of thing before. My oldest loved it, the other younger two were a little put off with the spinach/zucchini, but not for taste, just for looks. They said it tasted good. My husband ate his all gone and said he liked it. I only have two pieces left. I had two helpings! (I didn't even feel guilty eating two helpings!) This was an easy delicious, gluten free meal.

Red Beans and Rice

Tonights dinner comes mostly from a Rachel Ray magazine that I get. I was looking through my latest copy and saw this recipe. It said that it was a quick and easy version of the Creole version. I had most of the ingredients. I have started working a part time job. It is while the boys are at school. I get home in time to work on homework with the boys, and try to get dinner made for the family, amongst other things I'm sure all of you hard working mothers know. I am still trying to cook dinners from scratch, while working, going to school myself, being a mom, wife, and everything, to everyone.

This recipe is quite easy. No soaking beans. I think the hardest part was smashing the kidney beans with a fork. I can see ways in which this recipe can be made even simpler, with precut onions and celery, even bulk sausage.

I used my rice maker to make the rice. It's just regular white rice. Nothing was done special with it.

Red beans
Ingredients:


3 cans kidney beans (rinsed)
1 tsp dry thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
6-8 dashes of tabasco sauce or hot sauce of choice
1 lb sausage link, sliced
1 16oz can chicken broth
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced/diced
3 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Add the olive oil to the bottom of a hot dutch oven.  Add the onions, celery, bay leaf, thyme, tabasco, and sausage. Cook until the onions are translucent and yellow. Stirring occasionally. Next, add the garlic. Stir and cook about 1 minute. Then add the chicken broth and the cajun seasoning. Let that cook until bubbly. Stirring. smash 1/2 of the red beans with a fork, then add the smashed red beans and the regular red beans to the pot. Let simmer 10 minutes, stir occasionally.  after 10 minutes check the beans to make sure they are heated through and softened, liquid should thicken the longer it cooks.  Serve warm.

Serve over warm rice. sprinkle celery leaves on top, or cheese.

This is a delicious dinner. My kids each had a big bowl of this. I think I have enough for my lunch tomorrow. My husband said it was really tasty and delicious. I hope you enjoy this too. :)

Green chili, black bean, bacon cheese burger

Tonights dinner was hamburgers. I didn't want just regular hamburgers, I didn't have many vegetables since I we are running a little low until pay day. I read a stuffed burger recipe that used green chili's and onions. I thought this was a great idea.  Hidden veggies! I'm all about that! Again using what I have on hand to create a dinner that is healthy and that my kids will eat. Tricky, tricky, tricky. Next to the whole wheat homemade buns, I thought this would be a delicious addition.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb ground beef 85/15
1-4oz can of green chili's drained
1 pkg beefy onion lipton soup
1/2 a can of black bean refried beans
4-5 dashes of Frank's Red Hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste
cheese slices
 bacon slices - browned

Directions
Mix the ground beef, green chili's, lipton soup, refried beans and Red hot pepper sauce. Don't over mix as it can make the the burgers tough. Heat a non stick skillet on med-high heat.

Form into meat patties. Once formed, place burgers in hot skillet, browning on each side approx. 3 minutes each side.

Should not move until ready to flip to create a nice crust. After flipped add cheese slices to melt while the other side cooks. 

Once the burgers are browned with cheese on top. Place bacon on burger and on bun of choice. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion and any other toppings desired.

This is a pretty yummy burger. All of my children ate their burger without complaint. It was full of nutrients and very tasty. As far as I'm concerned is that it's pretty healthy.

Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Whole Wheat Buns

This recipe is terrific without adding the salt, it rises perfectly. This recipe is designed for 1.5 lb size, most machines can easily accommodate this amount of flour. 1 cup water 1 egg 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup shortening 1/4 cup sugar 3 tsp dry yeast 1 Place all ingredients into your bread maker as manufacture directs. 2 Set machine to dough, press start.  my finished dough from my bread maker 3 When dough is finished in the machine, gently roll out dough on a floured surface into a 12-inch rope. 4 Divide the dough into 8 pieces for hamburger buns, or 12 pieces for hot dog buns with a sharp knife. 5 Grease a baking sheet, or use parchment paper. Roll pieces of dough into balls for hamburger buns or 6 inch rolls for hot dog buns. Place them on your prepared baking sheet.  My dough ready for rising 6 Let rise in a warm oven for 10-15 minutes until almost doubled. (hint: To warm oven slightly, set oven to lowest setting for 2 minutes, then turn off.)  my hamburger buns risen waiting for preheated oven 7 Remove the buns for the oven and pre-heat your oven to 400*. Bake your buns for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, and cool on racks.  my fresh baked hamburger buns 8 These freeze very well. Make a double batch! Servings: 12 Yield: 12 Hot Dog buns or 8 Hamburger buns I got this recipe from THIS site. I added the listed salt amount. I followed this recipe by the book. Nothing changing.

Strawberry syrup

I found some frozen strawberries in my freezer. I had purchased on discount some yellow pound cake, and I had a thought... strawberry short cake. But I didn't have enough strawberries to go around to the whole family. It was only like a cup of strawberries. So I had this great idea. "Make a syrup/jelly for and it should be yummy!" So that's what I did.

Ingredients

1-2 cups of strawberries rough chop
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp corn starch and cold water

add the water, and sugar to the strawberries in the small sauce pan. bring to a boil. add the balsamic vinegar and corn starch/cold water mixture. stir until thickened about 10 minutes. Serve on short cakes, pancakes, pound cake or whatever.

This was heavenly. I have never used balsamic vinegar in my strawberry dishes, but from now on, it's a must!

I served this on sliced pound cake with whipped cream.

Chicken Fried Chicken with chicken gravy and Country Green Beans with Bacon

I have been on vacation for quite a while. My kids started school yesterday and I wanted to treat them to a nice home cooked dinner. That being said. I have only been home a week, and I'm trying to clean up the house from traveling, and my wonderful husband didn't even do dishes while I was away for two weeks. So, I've been trying to dig out of the mess that was and is my house. I don't like having a messy kitchen, it just makes it so hard to get anything done. Especially in my small kitchen. My counter tops have been taken up with mail, dishes, trash, and just stuff... It's been fend for yourself for a few days, while I have been trying to motivate myself to get it cleaned up so I can cook again. I'm back to using plastic and paper for eating off of while I'm trying to dig my way back to normal. I think it also doesn't help that since I sold my kitchen table, I haven't replaced it yet. While I have more room, I have no space. Does that make sense? It does to me. Well. I finally broke down and made a home cooked meal. It was so tasty! I made chicken fried chicken (using chicken breast cutlets) and country green beans with bacon. mmmmm I made extra so I could have seconds and leftovers for lunch today. My husband had two pieces of the chicken. One son had two pieces too... I had one and a half. I made a total of 9 chicken fried chicken's and can I just say, some of the best yet! I think part of what helps them be so tasty is that I brined them for 1 hour before I breaded and fried/baked them. I have a recipe for brining here.

Ingredients for Chicken Fried Chicken

9 chicken breast cutlets

1 brine (can be found here)

2 1/2 cups self rising flour

1 cup corn meal

4 Tbsp seasoning of choice 

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

10 shakes of tabasco sauce

3 tbsp salt (kosher)

3 tbsp black pepper

5 shakes of the cayenne pepper

oil for frying

Directions for Chicken Fried Chicken

Brine chicken cutlets in brine in refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine. Set aside. 

Heat oil in skillet, while dredging chicken cutlets:

Flour Dredge: combine corn meal, self rising flour, seasoning of choice, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. 

Buttermilk dredge: combing buttermilk, egg and tabasco sauce, mix well.

After chicken has been removed from brine, dredge in flour, then buttermilk, then flour again. Set aside. 

repeat until all the chicken cutlets have been dredged. 

check oil to see if it's hot enough by sprinkling a little water in the pan to see if it dances. if it dances then it's hot enough.

*My pan holds three chicken cutlets at a time. 

Preheat oven to 400F. 

While the chicken cutlets are frying about 3 minutes on each side. Until browned. Place foil on a cookie sheet and set aside. After removing browned chicken cutlets from oil. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Once all chicken cutlets are browned from frying. Place cookie sheet with cutlets in the oven to finish cooking for 23 minutes (depending on oven). My cutlets were moist and crispy. 

In a different skillet combine 4 tbsp butter (melt) and 4 Tbsp flour, whisk and then add milk consistently mixing with a whisk until boiling and desired thickness. Add salt, pepper and seasoning to taste. Set aside until chicken cutlets are cooked through. 

Remove cutlets from oven. Serve Warm/Hot. Top with gravy. Enjoy! :)

Country Green Beans with Bacon

Ingredients:

3 cans cut green beans (do not drain)

5-6 pieces cut cooked bacon

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

4 tbsp butter

Combine all ingredients and simmer 10 minutes. (the longer the simmer, the better the flavor)

This is so tasty, I love the slight tang and flavor of bacon that are present in this dish.