Blueberry Banana Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 large ripe bananas, mashed

1 1/2 cup flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Preparation 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Grease and flour 1 loaf pan.  Cream together butter and sugar; beat in eggs.  Add mashed bananas and mix.

3. Measure flour, reserving 2 tablespoons of flour to coat blueberries.

4. Stir baking soda and salt into flour, mixing well.  Fold into banana mixture; stir in vanilla.

5. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over blueberries, then fold into batter.  Stir in chopped nuts.

6. Transfer batter to greased loaf pan.

7. Bake about 50 minutes (This is what the recipe said - it took me about 65 minutes).

Serve with butter or cream cheese on top!

**As someone who bakes a lot, I felt that the order of putting ingredients together was a bit weird (fold in flour instead of adding it while in the mixer? add vanilla AFTER stirring in flour?), but I decided to just follow the recipe and see what happened.  The bread is delicious so I guess it worked out well.**

**As you probably know, I do NOT like nuts in bakes goods, so you will not see nuts in my bread, but feel free to add them if that's what you like.**

*Recipe from www.cooks.com.

- Sarah

Shrimp Fajitas with Homemade Guacamole

For the Fajitas:

Ingredients

tortilla shells
1 lb shrimp, peeled, rinsed
1 large onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
olive oil
salt and pepper
cheddar cheese
sour cream

Preparation

1. Saute peppers and onions until tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Once peppers and onions are tender, add shrimp and saute until opaque.  This takes just a couple minutes.  Do not overcook the shrimp!  They take maybe 2-3 minutes to be completely cooked!

2. Pile chosen ingredients onto a tortilla shell, including cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.





For the Guacamole:

Ingredients

3 ripe (but not mushy) avocados
1 small (or 1/4 of the inevitably giant) red onion, minced
1 small tomato, diced
1 lime
salt
2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. While the onions and peppers are cooking, this would be a good time to make the guacamole.  Before cutting open the avocados, you should diced all other needed ingredients and have them ready, because avocados turn brown quickly once they hit the air.

2. Mash up avocados and mix in all other ingredients, adding salt to taste and squeezing lime to taste.  The lime also serves the purpose of extending the life of the avocado, so don't be stingy!


They were quite delicious!  The guacamole is also good with chips as an appetizer.

**Fresh guacamole is really only fresh for one day, so be generous when you eat it.  It's possible to make it last another day, but the best way I've found is to line a very air-tight container with Saran wrap, put the guac inside, wrap the saran wrap over it, seal the container with the lid, and then put it in the fridge.  The guac should be good enough to eat the next day, you'll just have to scrape off the top layer of brownness.  But you should really eat all the guac that second day.  That is absolutely the only downside to fresh guacamole, and it's still totally worth it cause it's so delicious!**

- Sarah

Italian Chicken & Dumplings

Italian Chicken and Dumplings

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 pounds chicken tenderloins, diced into bite-sized pieces (I used chicken breasts and cut them up)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 12 large white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup shredded carrots, store bought
• 4 ribs celery from the heart, very thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 fresh bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock, divided

• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• A generous handful parsley leaves
• A handful pine nuts, lightly toasted
• A couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

(Instead of making this homeade pesto sauce, I had store-bought in the fridge so I used that.)

• 1 lemon , zested
• 2 (10 to 12-ounce) packages, fresh gnocchi

Place a large pot of water on to boil for gnocchi.
Heat a pot with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and lightly brown. Remove to a plate and add another tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter and heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, celery, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper. Soften 5 minutes, sprinkle in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 1/2 cups stock, slide the chicken back into the pot and simmer to allow sauce to thicken.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup stock in food processor with basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and cheese, salt and pepper. Turn processor on and pour in the remaining few tablespoons oil.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat with the zest of 1 lemon.
Salt cooking water and drop gnocchi in the water, cook until the gnocchi floats, drain and add to the lemon butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss the gnocchi 2 to 3 minutes in lemon butter until light golden at edges.
Turn heat off chicken and stir in pesto sauce. Serve the chicken in shallow bowls and top with lemon butter dumplings.

*This was a very hearty and delicious meal. I can't complain when I get to use gnocchi as dumplings! We watched Rachael Ray make it and thought to try it ourselves! It wasn't as time-consuming as I thought it would be.

Rachael Ray, Food Network, 2008.

Apple and Cheddar Frittata

Apple and Cheddar Frittata

8 large eggs plus 2 large egg whites

4 ounces white cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (1 cup)

1 tbsp butter

2 Gala apples, peeled, cored and sliced lenghthwise into 1/8-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack set to top third. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, and half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. In a medium cast-iron or nonstick oven-proof skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add egg mixture; while it cooks, 1-2 minutes until edge is set, arrange apples on top of a circular pattern.

Transfer skillet to oven. Bake until frittata is set in the center and cheese is browned, about 20 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, release frittata onto a cutting board; let rest 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

This is quite yummy and pretty quick to make!

Courtesy of Everyday Food online.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients

ripe, red, beautiful tomatoes, sliced
fresh mozzarella
fresh basil
good olive oil
good balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Preparation

Arrange sliced tomatoes on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay slices of fresh basil and mozzarella on each tomato slice and drizzle with as little or as much olive oil and balsamic vinegar as you like. Delicious.

- Sarah

Pasta with Escarole, White Beans and Chicken Sausage

Ingredients

3/4 pound whole-wheat bowtie (or other shape) pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces lowfat Italian-style chicken sausage, casings removed, crumbled
1 medium head escarole, rinsed, drained and chopped, about 8 cups
1(14-ounce) can low-sodium
cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce grated Parmesan

Preparation

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large, deep saute pan or 8-quart stockpot. Saute the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Stir in the sausage and cook until heated through and browned, about 4 minutes. Add the escarole and cook until wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beans, 1 cup of chicken stock, sage and red pepper flakes and simmer until the mixture is heated through and liquid is slightly reduced. Add the sausage-bean mixture to pasta and toss well, loosening with the additional 1/2 cup chicken stock if necessary. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste.

Divide among 4 pasta bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.

*Recipe from www.foodnetwork.com

- Sarah

Carrot Cake

Wow, this is the most moist and delicious carrot cake I've ever had! So good!

For the Cake:

Ingredients

3 sticks, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat. In a medium bowl or on a piece of parchment, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, beating well after the addition of each. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the carrots and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the nuts. Divide between the 3 cake pans and bake until set and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, remove from the pans, and let cool.
For the Frosting:

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Preparation

In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and pecans.

When the cake is cool, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread the top with cream cheese frosting and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake and let harden slightly before serving. To serve, cut into wedges.

**I didn't use the pecans because I don't like nuts in baked things, but feel free to!**

*Recipe courtesy of Emeril via www.foodnetwork.com

- Sarah

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2 chicken or turkey breasts (I used turkey here)

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/4 - 1/2 c pesto

Cheese (Parmesan, goat, feta, etc...whatever you like!)

4 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place tin foil on a baking sheet and spray the foil.

Pound chicken or turkey until flat. In the center, lay half of the pesto on like a spread. Top with olives, sundried tomatoes and cheese. Wrap the chicken/turkey up until nothing is oozing out of the sides. Wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each piece of meat, crossing eachother.

Place the chicken on the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked all the way through.

Enjoy!

Lynn

This comes from the kitchen of...me! I made this up!

Fish Sticks with Marinara Sauce

Fish Sticks with Marinara Sauce

• 2 cups buttermilk**
• 1 pound whitefish or other mild fish (I used Mahi Mahi), cut into strips, about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch thick
• 1 c finely grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 c bread crumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 cups marinade sauce (homeade or store-bought)

Put oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat to 500 degrees. Spray a heavy baking sheet liberally with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.

Put the buttermilk into a large bowl. Add the fish strips, stir to coat, and let stand for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together the Parmesan, bread crumbs and salt. Remove the fish from the buttermik, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl, and dredge in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated fish in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden and crisp, about 14 minutes. Cool slightly and arrange on serving platter.

In a small saucepan, heat marinara sauce over medium-high heat untol warm. Transfer to a small serving bow. Serve along side fish sticks.

**if you don't have buttermilk, for every 1 cup of milk stir in 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice and let stand minutes.

~This was very delicious, inexpensive and healthy!

Lynn

Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis, Food Network

Quinoa with Feta and Cucumber

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
coarse salt and pepper
1 t. olive oil
1 cup English cucumber (6 ounces), diced small
1/3 cup roughly chopped dill
2 t. fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan, bring quinoa, 2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil over high. Reduce to a medium simmer and cook until water evaporates, about 15 minutes. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl and let cool 5 minutes.

2. Stir cucumber, dill, feta, oil, and lemon juice into quinoa. Season with salt and pepper. Eat. Yum.

** I found quinoa in the Natural Foods section of the grocery store. **

*Recipe from Everyday Food Issue 71

- Sarah

Italy inspired Salami Sandwich

We ate a lot of fresh salami, cheese and tomatoes in every kind of sandwich while we were in Italy. We are trying to replicate the deliciousness here. The salami at Kroger isn't quite as good as what we had in Italy, but it's still tasty.

Ingredients

Crusty bread, like french bread or baguette

Salami, thinly sliced

Fontina cheese, sliced

Tomatoes, sliced

Preparation

Put all ingredients between two slices of bread and heat the sandwich either in a toaster oven or in a broiler. That's it.

**You can get the salami and the fontina cheese in the deli section of the grocery store.**

Variations to ingredients

fresh mozzarella instead of fontina

prosciutto instead of salami, or in addition to

you can always add greens - lettuce, spinach, etc.

Enjoy!

-Sarah

Spicy Shrimp and Sausage Boil

If you've ever had a real low-country boil, this is the "I live in an apartment" version. Pretty tasty.

Ingredients

1 serrano or jalapeno chile, halved lengthwise
2 celery stalks, halved
1 medium onion, quartered through stem end
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 T seafood seasoning, plus more for serving
1 pound red new potatoes
2 ears corn, husks and silks removed, quartered
1 pound smoked andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound large shell-on shrimp
2 T melted butter
1 t. hot sauce

Preparation

1. In a large pot, combine chile, celery, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning, and 10 cups water; bring to a boil. Add potatoes and reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Add corn and sausage to pot. Cook until potatoes and corn are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Stir in shrimp and let stand until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 1.5 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid; drain shrimp mixture and return to pot.

3. Add butter, 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning, hot sauce, and reserved cooking liquid and toss to combine. Serve with more seafood seasoning.

Serves 4.


*Recipe from Everyday Food Issue 64

- Sarah

Tuna Melts

Ingredients

4 cans (5 oz. each) solid white tuna packed in water, drained
1/3 cup mayonnaise, plus more for spreading
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
4 t. capers, rinsed and drained (I don't like capers so I left out this ingredient)
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. coarse salt
1 t. ground pepper
1/4 t. dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers
4 slices crusty bread
8 thin slices tomato
4 slices provolone

Preparation

1. Heat broiler, with rack in highest position. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, mayonnaise, onion, capers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano and stir until thoroughly combined.

2. Arrange bread on a baking sheet and spread a little mayonnaise on each slice. Divide tuna salad evenly among slices, then top each with 2 slices tomato and 1 slice cheese. Broil until cheese is golden brown and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.

** I've been making this for lunches by myself this week and I find that one serving is enough for me. So I just keep the tuna mixture in a container in the fridge and broil up individual servings with bread, cheese and tomato when I want one. It's pretty tasty, easy and light. **

*Recipe from Everyday Food Issue 72

- Sarah

Summery Fruity Yogurt Smoothies

Ingredients

1 cup yogurt (I like vanilla)

1 cup ice

1/2-3/4 cup fruit of your choice

1 banana

Preparation

Blend all ingredients together. Makes enough for two smoothies. No matter what flavor I want, I always add banana - it just makes every smoothie better. Enjoy!

- Sarah