Super Moist Banana Bread

Super Moist Banana (Nut) Bread, from The Weekend Baker -- Abigail Johnson Dodge

1 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Table Salt
3 medium, very ripe bananas (about 14 ounces), peeled
3/4 Cup firmly packed Light Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Canola or Corn Oil
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2/3 Cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted, optional

1. Position oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350° (375° for muffins). Lightly grease and flour a loaf pan (around 8x4.5"-to-8x5"). **For muffins, line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with foil or paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well blended. In a large bowl, combine the bananas, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer (stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or handheld mixer) on medium speed until well blended with only small bits of banana visible. Pour in the dry ingredients and gently stir with a rubber spatula just until blended. If using the nuts, add them when the flour is almost blended and stir to incorporate.

3. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack to cool for 15 minutes. Using a thin knife, gently loosen the cake from the pan sides and slip it out of the pan. Tip the loaf on its side and let cool on the rack until warm or at room temperature.

**For muffins: Scoop the batter into lined muffin cups, dividing evenly. They will be almost full. Gently tap the pan on the counter top to settle the batter. Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of 1 muffin comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Transfer the muffin pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, and then carefully remove the muffins from the pan and set them on the rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Storage: Cover the cooled muffins/bread with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Frances' Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This is a recipe from my grandmother, Frances. I'm sure she didn't originate it, but hers is my favorite, therefore it earns her name in the title.

Heat oven to 350.

White Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 C. Milk

Melt butter in a 2 Quart saucepan. Stir in the flour using a whisk, until there are no lumps. Add the milk and continue mixing with whisk until smooth.

Add 2 Cups of Sharp Cheddar (or your favorite) cheese to the white sauce, and stir with the whisk until all cheese is melted.

Cook 1 Cup of macaroni noodles according to package directions, while you are mixing the sauce.

Drain macaroni, add the noodles to the sauce and mix until noodles are well-coated. Place macaroni and cheese into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes.

*Add salt and pepper to taste, if you wish.

Rose's Quick and Easy Pasta

• 1 package Chicken Breast Tenders
• 1 tbs basil
• 1 tbs oregano
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic minced

In a frying pan add oil, seasonings and garlic. Cut chicken up into small bite size pieces and add to pan. Stir occasionally until cooked thoroughly. Toss with bow tie pasta and serve hot.

You can add a white wine sauce to it and peppers and onions as well ..depends on your taste and what you have available.

Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chip
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a 13x9" pan.
3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Set aside.
5. Beat the sugar and butter together until creamy.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, until well blended.
7. Add sour cream, banana and vanilla; mix well.
8. On low speed, blend in flour mixture gradually until well incorporated.
9. Stir in 1 cup of the mini chocolate chips.
10. Pour batter into pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/2c. chocolate chips on top.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Banana Blueberry Mini-Loaves

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (lemon works, too!)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw)

1.	Preheat oven 350.
2.	Grease and flour bottoms only of 4 mini loaf pans.
3.	In a large bowl combine oil and sugar.
4.	Beat in bananas, yogurt, vanilla and eggs, blending well.
5.	Add flour, salt and baking soda and mix just until moistened.
6.	Gently fold in blueberries.
7.	Pour into pans.

Bisquick Pancakes

• 2 Cups Bisquick (or other baking mix)
  
• 1 Cup milk
• 2 eggs

Stir ingredients until blended.

Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.

Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden.

Makes 14 pancakes.

*For thicker pancakes, put a little extra Bisquick into the measuring cup. For thinner, use 1 1/2 cups of milk. We like ours thick!

**Melt-in-your-mouth pancakes: Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp sugar and 2 tsp baking powder.

To reheat: Microwave for about 10 seconds per pancake, then toast until they are hot and a little crispy (unless you like yours soggy).

Baked Potato Soup

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 7 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 14 slices bacon, cooked till crisp and crumbled
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

1.	Heat oven to 350F and bake the potatoes until fork tender, about 1 hour.
2.	Melt butter in a dutch oven or stock pot.
3.	Slowly blend in flour with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended.
4.	Cook the roux (flour in butter) until a very pale golden.
5.	Gradually add milk to the roux and season with salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne, seasoning salt (whichever you prefer), whisking constantly.
6.	Cut potatoes in half, scoop out the interior and set aside.
7.	Chop up half the potato peels and discard the remainder.
8.	When milk mixture is very hot, whisk in potato.
9.	Add green onion and potato peels.
10.	Whisk well, add sour cream (low-fat or no-fat are fine, too) and crumbled bacon.
11.	Heat thoroughly.
12.	Add cheese a little at a time until all is melted in. (I don't add the cheese into the soup, I put it in the individual servings)

Parmesan Breaded Chicken Breasts

Boneless chicken breasts (however many for your family) Parmesan cheese Italian bread crumbs or crushed Wheat Ritz crackers Your favorite seasonings (I use rosemary, basil, oregano and parsley) melted butter Preheat oven to 375. Melt some butter in a microwave safe dish, enough to dip the chicken into. Combine the parmesan cheese, bread crumbs or crushed crackers and your favorite seasonings in another dish. Dip each chicken breast into the melted butter and then into the cheese mixture. Place chicken in a baking dish. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Confetti Crisps

• 40 square (about 2 inches) saltine crackers
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup mini-twist pretzels, broken into small pieces
• 1/3 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/3 cup Mini M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange crackers side by side in single layer on large bar pan or jelly roll pan.

Combine brown sugar, butter and vanilla in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk, until mixture comes to a full boil across the surface. Boil, stirring constantly 4 minutes.

Immediately pour sugar mixture over crackers and spread evenly with a spreader or rubber spatula. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Remove pan from oven to cooling rack.

Immediately sprinkle baked crackers with chocolate morsels. Let stand 3 minutes, allowing morsels to soften, then spread evenly over surface. Sprinkle with pretzels, peanuts and mini M&M's. Lightly press toppings into melted chocolate using back of a spatula. Let stand at room temperature to cool completely. Refrigerate 20 minutes to firm chocolate. Cut into squares. Makes about 40 squares.

*Note: Store in tightly covered container in a cool place at room temperature so they will stay crisp. From Pampered Chef.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cups granola
• 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or peanuts
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups crispy rice cereal

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the peanut butter and honey. Let cool. In a large bowl, mix the granola, oatmeal, raisins (craisins), sunflower seeds, and nuts. Stir in the peanut butter and honey mixture to coat. Slowly mix in the eggs. Gently stir in the rice cereal and press the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges. Cool and cut into squares. the kids can help wrap them individually in foil or plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator. Makes about 20 bars.

*Note: I use Cascadian Farms brand granola. You can find it in the cereal aisle at the grocery store.

*From Family Fun or Disney's Family Cookbook, by Deanna F. Cook

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/4 cups (2 and 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar (I use 1 cup granulated, 1 cup light brown)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 and 2/3 cup (10-oz. package) Reese's peanut butter chips
  

Heat oven to 350°. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. The recipe says to cool completely, but I say eat them while they're warm! With milk!

Makes about 4-1/2 dozen cookies.

You can also make them in a pan. Spread batter in greased 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until set. About 4 dozen bars.

*by Hershey's Kitchens

Taco Dip

Adapted from The Pampered Chef's "Touchdown Taco Dip"

Preheat oven to 350 °

• 1 can (9 ounces) bean dip
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 Cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp taco seasoning mix
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use the Sargento's brand Mexican mix)
• 1/2 medium tomato, seeded and diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 green onions, with tops, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh or dry cilantro (or parsley)
• tortilla chips (I use Tostito's Scoops)
• additional sour cream, guacamole, salsa, olives, etc

**Note: If you double this recipe, a 16-ounce can of refried beans works wonderfully in place of the bean dip!

Spread the beans over the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish, ungreased. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning mix. Press the garlic and mix it into the cream cheese mixture. Mix well.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the beans. Top with shredded cheese of your liking. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Top with diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, cilantro and olives if you wish. Garnish with additional sour cream, guacamole, etc, if desired. Or serve with a side of sour cream and/or salsa and/or guacamole.

If taking this recipe to a party, you definitely should double it.

Reesie's Quick Apple Dumplings

*I had a craving for something apple-related, so I whipped these up really fast. You could make the recipe entirely from scratch if you wanted, but then they wouldn't be "quick". You could also substitute your favorite fruit for the apples. Berries would be great! These tasted pretty darn good to me!

• 1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls (low-fat taste just fine)
• 1 21-ounce can of apple pie filling
• cinnamon and sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Separate the crescents into 4 rectangles (so you'll have 2 triangles together to make a rectangle). Press the seams together to prevent the triangles from separating.

Fill each rectangle with a spoonful of apple pie filling. Bring up all the corners of the rectangle to cover the filling, pinch the dough together to close it up.

Place your four bundles into a baking dish. You could put butter silvers onto the bundles, or use a butter spray, and then sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon.

Bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. This could take longer, depending on your oven.

Serve with ice cream, Cool Whip, or just enjoy them plain!

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Place peanut butter and margarine in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to Speed 6 (medium speed) and beat about 1 minute, or until mixture is smooth. Stop and scrape bowl. Add sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Turn to Speed 4 (slow-medium speed) and beat about 1 minute. Stop and scrape bowl.

Turn to Stir (slow) Speed. Gradually add all remaining ingredients to sugar mixture and mix about 30 seconds. Turn to Speed 2 (slow speed) and mix about 30 seconds.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press flat with fork in a criss-cross pattern.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets immediately and cool on wire racks.

Yield: 36 servings

*Taken from my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer recipe book.