Banana Bread

I had a really great recipe for banana bread that had sour cream in it, and it has been lost to the ages.  This one looks pretty similar, from what I can remember.

4 very ripe bananas, divided 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons white sugar 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled 2 large eggs 1/3 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract   Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a 5x9 loaf pan. Mash 2 bananas in a bowl with a fork. Place remaining 2 bananas in a separate bowl with 1 cup sugar and beat the bananas and sugar with an electric mixer until creamed and fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in melted butter, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.   Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and stir the flour mixture into banana-sugar mixture. Fold in mashed bananas and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and tap the pan on the counter several times to remove any air pockets. Stir 2 teaspoons sugar with cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top of the loaf.   Bake in the preheated oven until bread is golden brown on top and set in the center, 1 hour and 15 minutes; rotate bread pan in oven halfway through baking. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Orange Frosting

I can't remember what they served this to us on, but it was tasty.  Maybe pumpkin bread?

1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 t. vanilla
2 pounds powdered sugar

Mix and enjoy!

Raspberry Honey Butter

Another one from Election training;  again, so so good.

1/2 C. butter, softened
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C. raspberry jam
1 t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients and enjoy!

Cinnamon Honey Butter

I had this at an Election training night, with enormous slices of bread;  so good!

1/2 C. butter, softened
1/4 C. honey
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. cinnamon

Mix all together and enjoy!

Tortellini Soup

1 pound sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped

Saute until the sausage is cooked and onion is clear.


Add:
4 C. beef broth
2 bay leaves
1.5 t. basil
1.5 t. oregano
a few carrots, sliced
a few stalks of celery, sliced

Simmer for awhile, a good hour or so.


Add: 
a pound or so of mushrooms, sliced
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
salt and pepper

Simmer for another hour or so.

Add:
1-2 package of tortellini, depending on how pasta-y you like it.
simmer until cooked, at least 30 minutes.  Any kind of pasta;  fresh, dried, or frozen will work, but I prefer the fresh.
You may need to add as much as another 4 C. of beef broth so it stays soupy.

Serve with grated parmesan on top.

Simple Vanilla Ice Cream for the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker

I keep losing the book, so I thought I'd better put it here.

1 C. whole milk
3/4 C. sugar
pinch salt
2 C. heavy cream
1 T. vanilla extract

in a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed or whisk to combine the milk, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight.
Turn on the ice cream maker;  pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 15-20 minutes. 

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small jar (3-4 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, or use 3-4 oz fat-free sun dried tomatoes
• 1 lb chicken breast tenders
• salt
• paprika (just a little bit)
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 8 oz penne pasta (for gluten free, use Tinkyada gluten free brown rice pasta)
• 1 tablespoon basil (if using dry basil), if using fresh basil you can add more
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (at least, add more to taste)
• 1/2 cup reserved cooked pasta water (or more)
• salt, to taste

 

 

1. Note: if using sun-dried tomatoes in oil (in a jar), make sure to drain sun-dried tomatoes from oil, before using them. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this drained oil for sautéing as described below:
2. In a large pan, on high heat, sauté garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil (reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar - see note above) for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant. Add chicken tenders, salted and lightly covered in paprika (for color) and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat.
3. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some cooked pasta water. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water (to stop cooking).
4. Slice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller bits and add them to the skillet with chicken. Add half and half and cheese to the skillet, too, and bring to a gentle boil. Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all cheese melts and creamy sauce forms. If the sauce is too thick - don't worry - you'll be adding some cooked pasta water soon. Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the creamy sauce, and stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of basil, and at least 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
5. Add about 1/2 cup reserved cooked pasta water because the creamy sauce will be too thick (do not add all water at once - you might need less or more of it). This will water down the thickness of the cheese sauce and make it creamier. Immediately, season the pasta with salt and more red pepper flakes, to taste, if needed. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes for flavors to combine.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This chicken enchilada casserole recipe (a.k.a. "stacked enchiladas") are simple to make, gluten-free, and MUY delicioso.

 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups red enchilada sauce (I highly recommend my homemade red enchilada sauce recipe, which can be made gluten-free*)
• 16 corn tortillas, halved
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 6 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
• 4 cups (about 1.5 pounds) shredded cooked chicken
• 3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack or Mexican blend cheese
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup loosely-packed chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Pour about 3/4 cup enchilada sauce in the baking dish, and spread until the bottom of the dish is coated. Top with a layer of about 8 tortilla halves so that the entire dish is covered. Sprinkle evenly with about 1 cup black beans, 1/2 cup corn and a fourth of the green onions. Then sprinkle with a heaping cup of the chicken, and about 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Repeat with a second layer of tortillas, then sauce, then beans, corn, green onions, chicken, and cheese. Then a final layer of tortillas, sauce, beans, corn, green onions, chicken and cheese. Then conclude with a final layer of tortillas and sauce (reserving about 3/4 cup of cheese to add partway through baking). Cover the pan with aluminum foil, then bake for 20 minutes.
Remove pan and remove aluminum foil. Sprinkle the top of the enchiladas evenly with the remaining 3/4 cup of cheese, then return to the oven (uncovered) and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove pan, and sprinkle with avocado, cilantro, and remaining green onions. Serve warm.

Meatballs with Peppers and Pineapple

This is one of Jonathon's favorites!  Not that he eats the pineapple or the peppers...

• 1-1/4 pound Ground Beef
• 1/2 whole Onion, Diced Very Finely
• 1 whole Egg
• 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (or Regular Breadcrumbs)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper, More To Taste
• 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
• Canola Oil, For Frying
• 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Seeded And Diced Roughly
• 1-1/2 cup Fresh Pineapple Chunks
• 2 cups Beef Stock Or Broth
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1/2 cup Sherry Or White Wine Vinegar
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• Salt To Taste
• Crushed Red Pepper, To Taste
• Extra Beef Stock If Needed

Preparation Instructions

Combine ground beef, diced onion, egg, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and crushed red pepper. Mix with hands until combined. Roll meat mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze on the pan for 15 minutes to firm.
Mix together beef stock, soy sauce, sherry (or vinegar), sugar, and cornstarch.
Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Roll meatballs in flour, then fry in two batches until nice and brown, about two minutes per batch. Remove meatballs and set aside on a separate plate.
Pour off oil from pan and return pan to medium high heat. When pan is hot, throw in the chopped green peppers and cook for one minute. Add pineapple to pan and cook for one minute, stirring gently. Pour in stock/soy sauce mixture, then add meatballs. Stir gently to combine and allow to cook and bubble for a few minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add salt and crushed red peppers to taste. (Hint: this dish is yummy if it's a little spicy.)
Serve over cooked brown or white rice.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

This slow cooker shredded beef recipe is packed with flavor, simple to make, and the beef is delicious in all sorts of other recipes as well.

 

 

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 pounds beef (I used a boneless chuck roast)
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (if you want extra flavor/heat, add an extra pepper)
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced

 

 

 

Whisk together the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and diced onion to the saute pan. Saute for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and stir the pan to deglaze it, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add tomato paste and minced chipotle, and whisk into the pan sauce until combined. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a 3-5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Pour the pan sauce down over the beef in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beef shreds easily.
Shred the beef with two forks, and toss to coat with any of the remaining juices. Serve the beef in the flour tortillas, topped with your favorite taco toppings.

Enchilada Sauce

Red Enchilada Sauce

I couldn't believe how good this was, and how easy it was to make.

 

 

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose or gluten-free flour
• 4 Tbsp. chili powder (*not cayenne! also, see note below if you do not like heat*)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Directions:

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.
Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Pizza Sauce

I found this on Pinterest, but edited it some.  Super easy, and so much better than anything I've tried buying.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 small bay leaf

1. In a large skillet, melt butter with the oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and transparent.
2. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir until smooth.
3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to slow simmer.
4. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
5. Remove the bay leaf and spread the sauce on your prepared pizza dough.