Butternut Squash Soup

Making this was my first time to try anything with butternut squash. It always sounded interesting, so I decided to make it into a soup. Turns out that I loved this recipe. It's awesome, nutritious, tasty, and easy to make. I apologize that my pics are not the best at all, as it looks like baby food. However, trust me when I say it is a must try! If you want, you can also change up the recipe with a few twists provided below. (From http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1975 )

Butternut Squash Soup

I apologize for the terrible image quality! I should have had some garnish with it, but this was the first time making it and I had nothing fancy to make it look pretty

 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1 carrot, diced 
1 celery stalk, diced 
1 onion, diced 
4 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen 
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (I would rather use 1/4 tsp next time, since 1/2 makes it much spicier).


Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Stir in butternut squash, thyme, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. 

Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully purée in batches in a traditional blender (this is what I did and it turned out well.)

once again, the image quality is terrible! But take my word that it is a must try!

 3 twists:

Apple, Gorgonzola and Almond Butternut Soup
Stir 1 cup unsweetened applesauce into puréed soup. Garnish each serving with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, toasted almonds, a few slices of thinly sliced apple and a small sprig of fresh thyme.

Thai-style Butternut Soup
Stir a tablespoon of red curry paste and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger into carrot, celery and onion mixture. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk with broth. Purée soup and garnish each serving with toasted coconut flakes and chopped fresh cilantro.

Southwestern-style Butternut Soup
Add a tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo sauce to carrot, celery and onion mixture. Garnish soup with crumbled queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh cilantro.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving:140 calories (50 from fat), 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 280mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 6g protein

Easy Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

I saw this bread recipe that looked so yummy on http://beingcindykitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/bread It ended up not being hard to make. Trust me when I say that because bread can be hard to make. What's also nice is it can be done all at once, or the dough can be stored for baking later. This is a must-make. Your kitchen and home will smell fantastic, and you will have some delicious homemade bread.

Easy Honey-Whole Wheat Bread

 3 cups lukewarm water

1 1/2 T yeast

1 generous T salt

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup honey

  5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour* (see note at bottom)

Cornstarch

Warm water

Oatmeal, seeds, any desired toppings (I used oatmeal and wheat germ)

In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine water, yeast, and salt. Add oil and honey and mix a little bit. Add in flour (holding back the last 1/4 cup to make sure your dough is not too dry) and mix ingredients together. Dough should NOT form a ball, and should still be fairly sticky, but you want it to be oozy, not runny! If needed, add more flour. Transfer into a 5-quart plastic container (or a metal bowl lined with wax paper/freezer paper/plastic wrap). Obviously, if you have a mixing bowl that is at least 5 quarts and plastic, you can do this all in one bowl! Cover with something that is not airtight (but DON'T use a towel, or the dough will stick to it... trust me!) and let rise for 2 hours on a draft-free countertop.

 At the end of the 2 hours, you can shape a loaf or store in the fridge. When you are ready to shape a loaf: Grease loaf pan. Sprinkle flour liberally on top of dough, and get plenty of flour on your hands. Remove a section of dough about the size of a canteloupe. Work into a loose ball (dough will not hold shape very well; that's okay). Set in bread pan. Turn oven to 375 degrees. While oven is heating, let dough rest for about 40 minutes if it has been refrigerated (if it hasn't been it doesn't really need any resting time at all). 

Just before baking, combine about 1 t. water with 1/2 t. cornstarch. Brush over top of loaf. Sprinkle with desired toppings--oatmeal, seeds, nuts, whatever you feel like (I used oatmeal and wheat germ.) With serrated knife, slash loaf three times diagonally across the top. Place on top rack in oven and bake 40-50 minutes, until the top of the loaf is a deep brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool on a rack. This makes 2 loaves--when I made it, I froze one for later and enjoyed the other with my roommates. This makes great thick sandwich bread (but it can get crumbly), or, as my favorite, good ol' toast with freezer jam. :)

Sweet Potato Fries

I attempted making sweet potato fries for the first time last weekend, and they are now one of my favorite foods. They are salty and tasty filled with nutrients, as well as easy to make!!

Sweet Potato Fries

Sorry about picture quality. I also lost my digital camera so there are going to be more Instagram pics from now on.

(For a couple of servings. You can double or triple this if you'd like.)

1large Sweet potato or 2 medium
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 C Water

Preheat oven to 450. Wash and peel potato(s). Cut up in wedges or strips, but keep in mind they take longer to cook if in wedges (as shown above.) Place on a sheet of aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. Roll the sweet potatoes around in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Gently roll up the sides of the aluminum foil, creating a shallow bowl shape, then gently fill it up with the water. Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta

If you are ever sick of spaghetti sauce and want something fresh, this recipe would definitely be one to make. It's easy and only takes about 10 minutes to cook, too!


Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta

once again, I apologize for the picture quality. My camera isn't the best, but trust me when I say it's something worth making.

2 large ripe, firm tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
1 Tb fresh chopped basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese
6-8 oz angel hair pasta
optional: sliced grilled chicken.

Mix together the diced tomatoes, chopped basil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Let “marinate” on counter for 30 minutes. Cook the pasta al dente. Cook tomato mixture on a frying pan (with no oil) for about 5 minutes for all the ingredients to absorb together (if you also top it with chicken, add it in to cook with all the ingredients). Drain pasta and toss with the tomato mixture. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan. Mmmmmm

Baked Chicken Fajitas

 I loved this recipe from http://beingcindykitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/mexican. I adjusted the recipe a little as well, and these were very tasty and healthy. I wasn't sure how the spinach would turn out as one of the ingredients, but it was actually really good!

 

Baked Chicken Fajitas

 

 

 

 

2 large chicken breasts

1/2 cup chicken broth

5 or 6 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped or torn into smallish pieces

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp coarse salt (or about 3/4 tsp regular salt)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 small can diced chilis

Another 1/4 cup chicken broth

About 2 cups grated mozzarella or monterey jack cheese

10 8" soft taco sized flour tortillas (I'd also like to try this with my homemade tortillas, which are about 6")

Olive oil

Put chicken breasts and first 1/2 cup broth in a medium saucepan; fill with enough extra water to cover the chicken by about 2 inches. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Shred or dice the chicken pieces.

 

Add spices, bell pepper, onion, and chilis to the chicken. Cook for about 5-10 minutes or until heated through and peppers reach desired tenderness. This  helps all the flavors absorb together. Place in a bowl, allow to cool for a few mintutes.

Once chicken is cooked, preheat oven to 450. Grease a rimmed cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan with cooking spray. Cut tortillas in half if they are large, or keep them in their round shape if they are small or medium-sized. Once ingredients are a little cooler, add grated cheese and spinach, then mix to combine. Spoon a bit of the filling onto each tortilla half and top with cheese; roll them up starting from the flat side and tuck them together, roll-side down, on the cookie sheet. Brush tops with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes at 450, then use tongs to turn flautas over and cook for 10 more minutes on the other side (or until the exposed sides are a dark golden-brown). Serve hot, with salsa if desired.

 

 

Completely Homemade Apple Pie

A few weeks ago I tried making an apple pie for the first time. Let me tell you, I was a little nervous because I have heard bad stories about how pie crusts turn out. I found recipe on the lovely blog: beingcindykitchen.blogspot.com 
and decided to give it a try! It was so divine! I made a few adjustments and side notes to go along with it.

Completely Homemade Apple Pie

9-inch Pastry Crust:
(This recipe only makes one crust, so in order to do a lattice-top pie it must be doubled. I actually find it easier to just make it twice, since the dough is VERY flaky and so not really easy to divide into two balls without overworking the dough.)

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water (I keep adding a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a slightly-sticky texture, so I would say I used about 6 or 7 tablespoons.)

Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle ice water, 1 T at a time, evenly over surface; stir with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. Shape into a ball; cover and chill until ready to use (at least 30 minutes). Roll pastry to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. (I find that I have to have my surface more than "lightly floured" or else the dough sticks to the table and breaks when I try to remove it. If the dough is sticking to the table despite the flour, use a flat spatula to gently scrape it off the table. Usually this works just fine.) Fold in quarters, place in pie plate, and unfold. Trim excess pastry along edges. For lattice top: roll out second ball of pastry as directed; cut into one-inch strips. Weave in lattice over filled pie. Separate 1 egg yolk and beat slightly; brush over lattice with pastry brush. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Apple filling:
4-5 cups chopped apples, as long as it fills the pie pan but doesn't overflow too much. You will need enough room to fold the pie crust on top. (Also, the very orignial recipe also says to peel the apples, but I didn't and they turned out just fine). I loved using gala and the yellow-green golden sweet apples.
1 T lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 T flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 T butter or margarine

Combine apple and lemon juice in large bowl. Combine next 4 ingredients. Spoon over apple mixture, tossing gently. Spoon filling evenly into pastry shell, and dot with butter. (Alternatively - if you are making the pie in stages, you can mix up the crust and the filling and put each of them in the fridge for a few hours. This marinates the apples and makes a nice sugary sauce... if you do that, leave out the butter.) Cover pie with lattice top. Cover edges of pastry with aluminum foil. Note: place a cookie sheet on the rack below whenever you bake something with fruit in it. I forgot to do so and the oven was a mess afterwards! Bake at 450 for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 and bake 50 more minutes. Dish up and enjoy! I guaruntee that you will love it!

Tortelini pasta and spinach salad

 Tortellini Pasta and Spinach Salad

Here is a very simple, basic recipe that I recommend.  Sorry it took me a while to post and you may consider it more of a summer dish, but I promise that there will be several delicious fall recipes coming up soon! Yes, I created this recipe, but trust me that it's worth trying. All you need:

1 package of spinach and cheese tortellini pasta. (I used the Barilla brand, which may be harder to find, but I bought it at Target.)

1 package of fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1/4-1/2 bottle of Italian dressing

1/2 C Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package (the brand I used took 10 minutes). Drain, and let cool.

Mix pasta with dressing, cheese, and spinach, then voila! You've got yourself a tasty pasta. Keep in mind that proportions with the ingredients can be changed according to your taste. I personally like less dressing but some people may enjoy more. This serves about 5-6 medium-sized salads

Baked Tilapia

I came up with this tilapia recipe, but please note that I usually just toss ingredients on it, so the recipe is adjustable to your desire since the measurements may not be completely accurate. It's very easy and delicious.

Baked Tilapia

For about 2-3 fillets:

1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried minced onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 C parmesean cheese
1/4 C bread crumbs (you can use normal or herb-seasoned panko. I love to combine the two!)
1/2 tsp parsley

 
I use frozen tilapia fillets while making this. To defrost them, place each fillet in a bowl of lukewarm water--just enough to cover them. For me this usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

Once they are defrosted, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place fillets on top. Divide each ingredient in half. Spread butter on top and then sprinkle with lemon juice. Lightly add remaining spices (except parsley), parmesean cheese, and breadcrumbs. Flip each fillet over and repeat with remaining half of ingredients. Garnish with parsley then bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Grilled Peanut Butter Honey and Nutella Sandwich

So here is a guilty pleasure college meal. I don't have it that much, but hey, I have a strong addiction for the peanut butter/honey/Nutella combo. I usually have it as toast every morning, but this is a way to "switch it up."

Once I heard of a pb&j grilled sandwich, which I did try once, but this is so much better. All you do is spread on the pb with a teeny bit of honey along with a little Nutella and make it into a sandwich. There's no need to spread butter on the outside of the sandwich before placing it on the panini maker or frying pan, but every now and then I'll spread on a teeny bit (about 1/4 tsp).

But honestly, if you want a quick tasty sandwich, this sandwich-with-a-creamy-warm-feeling's taste is guaranteed to satisfy.

Whole Wheat Strawberry Pancakes.

Here is a tasty, filling recipe that can do well for breakfast, a snack, or whenever. They are delicious and moist and definitely something to try. If you really want to, I'm sure you can replace the strawberries with another preferred fruit, however, I thought the strawberries were great. I topped them with a tiny bit of fruit syrup, strawberries, and whipped cream. If you want to, the original recipe called for chocolate syrup on top, but I'm not a fan of chocolate syrup and wasn't sure if it would be the best combination for breakfast.

 Recipe from : http://thegreatballoonadventure.blogspot.com/2012/07/mo-pancakes-mo-problems.html

 

Whole Wheat Strawberry Pancakes

 

 

 

-2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (you could try substituting with another flour--I used normal wheat flour which worked out just fine)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 & 1/2 heaping tsp sugar

1 pinch salt

3/4 C almond milk (or other milk of choice)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 TBSP + 1 tsp greek yogurt (i used honey flavored)

2/3 cup chopped strawberries

Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes

During these past few months, I have started to roast vegetables a lot. You can roast carrots, asparagus, zucchini, and much more. In this case, I tried this recipe for roasted broccoli and tomatoes. It was so delicious and made a great main course for a healthy lunch to bring to school. I took out the olives and capers and used fresh, chopped tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes, but this is something to try. (From http://www.recipe.com/mediterranean-roasted-broccoli-tomatoes/?sssdmh=dm17.594078&esrc=nwdr050412&email=3176242465)

Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes

 

• 12  ounces

  broccoli crowns, trimmed and cut into bite-size florets (about 4 cups)

  see savings
• 1  cup grape tomatoes
• 1  tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2  cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
• 10 pitted black olives, sliced
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 2  teaspoons capers, rinsed (optional)

   

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

  2. Toss broccoli, tomatoes, oil, garlic and salt in a large bowl until evenly coated. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake until the broccoli begins to brown, 10 to 13 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, combine lemon zest and juice, olives, oregano and capers (if using) in a large bowl. Add the roasted vegetables; stir to combine. Serve warm. 

Healthy Chicken and Cranberry Salad Sandwich

Guys, I'm embarrassed that I haven't posted in ages, but I will start again. School started, picked up pace, and keeps speeding up, so unfortunately I haven't been able to cook as much or blog as much, but I am still alive :) Be prepared for more recipes coming up!

So, this recipe here is a new favorite for school lunches. It's healthy and tasty. Normally Chicken Salad is a little heavy, if you know what I mean. So trust me on this and give it a try!! The original recipe called for "dried Michigan Cherries," but I used Craisins. I also approximated the recipe into 1/3 for one sandwich, but you can save some for later if you make more. What's nice about this one is it doesn't need to be exact for measurements. If you don't like pecans, don't use them. Want a thicker texture? Use more yogurt. You know what I mean :) From: http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/2010/07/michigan-cherry-chicken-salad/

Healthy Chicken Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

4 cups of cubed cooked chicken
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 rib celery, finely diced
2 medium shallots, minced
3/4 cup dried Michigan Cherries
1/3 cup light mayonnaise (I used the olive oil one)
1/3 cup fat free greek yogurt
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar (but I didn't use this and it was still great)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and adjust any seasonings as needed. You can eat it immediately, but I like to let the flavors develop a little while before eating. So I suggest letting it sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes or so before eating!

Zucchini and Tomato Penne

I decided to try zucchini for the first time, if you don't count it being in bread. I found this recipe online (http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Zucchini-Parmesan#.UCLRNYhXEfo.pinterest) for zucchini and tomatoes, but I tweaked it and served it over pasta. It was delicious!! You can serve it with cooked hamburger or chicken if you'd like, too. I also used 2 zucchini, 1 tomato, and cut the spice portions in half for a few servings, or you can cut the recipe in half

1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 fresh slicing tomato or 1 1/2 Roma tomatoes, chopped.
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 
1/4 teaspoon onion salt 
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, saute garlic in oil. Add zucchini; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Stir in the tomatoes, and then seasonings. Simmer, uncovered, for 9-10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and mixture is heated through.

 Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and then serve over pasta (penne, angel hair, or whichever you desire). Yield: 6 servings.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I made this a little while ago and haven't had the chance to put it on here yet, but this chicken cordon bleu casserole is another winner! It would be a great recipe for when guests come over or for families. I enjoyed it, but it supplied a lot of left-overs. However, it was still worth making!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (from Six Sisters' Stuff)

(This picture isn't the best, but Six Sisters' Stuff has a much better one that fully shows what it tastes like.)

Ingredients:

1 (6 oz) pkg. chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 tablespoon prepared, Dijon mustard
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups fresh  (or frozen, cooked) broccoli florets
2 cups cooked, chopped ham
6 slices of extra thin Swiss cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Prepare stuffing as directed on package.  Mix soup and mustard in medium bowl; stir in chicken, broccoli and ham. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with cheese slices and stuffing.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through.



 

Easy Pizza Rolls

I didn't think these would be too spectacular since they are so easy to make, but they are definitely worth it! They would be especially nice to try if you are a college student or newly wed, since they don't use as many ingredients. The original recipe creates a lot, however, I used 5 biscuit roll doughs (from one can) and sprinkled each one with the seasonings and placed inside enough for each one.

Easy Pizza Rolls (adapted from http://richestoragsbydori.blogspot.com/2012/03/mini-post-pepperoni-pizza-rolls.html )

Ingredients:

3 cans Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (10 biscuits per can) (remember what I said on how you can cut back)
56 pepperoni slices (you can still cut back) or ham and pineapple or whichever pizza fillings you would desire
Mozerella cheese, sliced or shredded
1 beaten egg
Parmesan
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
1 jar pizza sauce

Flatten a biscuit out and stack toppings and cheese on top.

(I cut 2 slices of ham in half and stacked them on top of the cheese, then cut 2 cubes of pineapple and placed them on top as well.)

Gather up the edges of the biscuit.

 
Line the rolls up in a greased 9x13 in. pan.  Brush with beaten egg.  Sprinkle with parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.  Bake at 425°F for 18-20 minutes.

Be careful when first biting in them, because the filling will be hot. Serve the rolls with warm pizza sauce for dipping.  

Nutella Rice Krispie Treats

There is one word to describe these: danger. If you love Nutella, you are in trouble. Why? These are sooooooooo good. I can't even tell you how addicting they are. I made a whole batch and after giving a few out, there were still quite a few left over. I couldn't stop eating them, so I brought them to work, where they also agreed on how divine they are.  Seriously, if you don't try these, you are missing out! This isn't one of my "healthier" recipes, but you still have to try them!

 Nutella Rice Krispy Treats (from http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/03/nutella-rice-krispy-treats/ )

Ingredients

6 cups Rice Krispy Cereal
1 (10.5 oz) bag mini marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
1 heaping cup Nutella 
 
- TOPPING: 


1 Tbsp. shortening 
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup Nutella

Instructions

1. Measure out Rice Krispies cereal into a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and marshmallows together until smooth.
3. Once marshmallows and butter have melted together add Nutella and stir until well combined.
4. Pour marshmallow mixture over the cereal. Stir to coat evenly. Press into a greased pan.
5. To make topping, heat Nutella, chocolate chips and shortening in a medium sauce pan over medium-medium low heat until smooth. Spread over the top of Rice Krispy Treats.
6. Stick in the fridge and let it set up. Once they have set, cut into them and eat up!

Healthy Banana Bread

This is honestly one of the best recipes I've ever tried. Earlier on, I posted a banana bread recipe. That one is sweeter than this one and has a different flavor, but this one is almost all healthy ingredients. It is moist and has some good nutrients with a hint of protein from Greek Yogurt. This would make a great gift for someone in the fall, too. If you want to try a healthy, delicious bread recipe, you need to try this.

Healthy Banana Bread
 (adapted from http://theshiksa.com/2012/06/13/greek-yogurt-banana-nut-bread/)

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (1 lb.)
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (whole, 2% or nonfat)
• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Dash of cloves
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (I didn't use them.)
• Nonstick cooking oil spray

You will also need

• Electric mixer, large mixing bowl, medium mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, spatula, 2 loaf pans (a medium and a small one) or 2 medium pans if you don't fill each one almost to the brim.

Total Time: 1 Hour
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Cut the butter into small chunks and place in a large mixing bowl along with the sugar and brown sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and sugar for a few minutes. Make sure the butter is fully integrated into the sugar and the mixture becomes small, even sized crumbs.

Add the eggs and applesauce to the bowl and continue to mix till smooth.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork till smooth. Add the mashed bananas, Greek yogurt, and vanilla to the bowl. Use a spatula to stir the mixture till smooth.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet to make a thick batter. Don't over mix-- a few lumps are okay.

 If you are going to use walnuts, fold them in.

Grease two loaf pans with nonstick cooking oil spray. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake the banana bread for about 50-55 minutes, till the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. If the top of the bread browns faster than it bakes, cover with foil for the remainder of baking time.

Homemade Mini Taco Bowls

 Homemade mini taco bowls

These mini taco bowls are easy to make and add a different change to tacos. All you need to do:

 Preheat oven to 375.

Slice a tortilla in half (1 tortilla for every 2 bowls.)

Spray the bottom of a muffin tin with cooking spray

Carefully form each tortilla half in between each muffin cup. You can carefully fold the edges that protrude inside to help create the bowl shape.

Place muffin tin in oven for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Fill with prepared taco meat, lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream, or whichever fillings you desire.

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

This is one of my absolute favorite potato recipes. These potatoes are not fried; they are healthily made with a delicious kick of Italian flavor. They go well as a side but if you don't feel like eating meat, it can be a great main course. They are super easy to make, but require patience because your house will smell so good while they cook for an hour. I have made these several times since they are that good!

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes (from http://www.lovintheoven.com/2011/10/parmesan-roasted-potatoes.html)

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes, rinsed and diced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• pinch of salt
• couple grinds of fresh black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 4-5 tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pour the potatoes into a baking dish.
3. Drizzle olive oil on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle the rest of the seasonings on top. Use a large spoon to evenly coat all of the potatoes.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, making sure to move the pieces around every 15 minutes.

Sour Cream Baked Chicken

 Here is another delicious chicken recipe. It's very simple and easy to make. The chicken absorbs the sour cream, keeping it moist and tasty. What is nice about it is there are no specific measurements, which allows you to make a single serving.

Sour Cream Baked Chicken (from http://www.lovintheoven.com/2012/02/sour-cream-baked-chicken.html)

Ingredients:

• chicken breasts
• italian seasoning
• pepper
• salt
• reduced-fat sour cream
• bread crumbs
• shredded parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Put your chicken breasts on top. Sprinkle the italian seasoning, pepper, and salt on top.
3. Slather each piece generously with sour cream.
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of the sour cream.
5. Put parmesan cheese on top.
6. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Chicken & Apple Sausage with Apples and Onions

Tired of chicken? Here is another delicious recipe to try. The "chicken and apple" is just part of the sausage, so I don't consider it to be a chicken recipe. It may sound like a weird combination of ingredients at first, but this is one of my family's favorite dishes. I was longing for a taste from home a while ago so I decided to make it. I even brought left overs to work for lunch one day and a few people mentioned how yummy it smelled. This is simplified from the recipe from the Aidell's website: http://aidells.com/recipe/275

Chicken & Apple Sausage with Apples and Onions

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 Aidells Chicken Apple Sausage
1 large (preferably red) onion, thinly sliced
2 small apples (preferably green, however, I used Gala), cored and chopped
1/4 C apple juice or apple cider
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

Rice-A-Roni, cooked according to package (I believe it's butter and water added to it.)

Instructions

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages whole and brown for 5 minutes on each side.

 Remove them, slice them up and add them back to the pan. Add the remaining butter and the onion to the pan. Sauté over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the apples and sauté for 2-3 minutes longer. They should be cooked but still firm.

Pour in the cider and reduce over high heat for 3 or 4 minutes, until the sauce is syrupy.
Serve with Rice-A Roni or pasta

Slow Cooker Mango Salsa Chicken Salad

This recipe was absolutely tasty. I usually do not like eating left overs again and again, however, I ate this for dinner almost a week straight. It was sweet and flavorful with just enough zest. All you need to do is throw the 6 (I used 5) ingredients into the crock pot and allow to cook. I love to top this as part of a salad (Cafe Rio style), however, you can also roll it up with rice into a warm tortilla. You won't regret giving this a try! (This recipe is adapted from http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/02/healthy-meals-monday-slow-cooker-mango.html.) P.S. I only used 2 large chicken breasts, and it still turned out just fine.

Mango Salsa Chicken Salad

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine were frozen)
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (However, I didn't use beans because I really don't like them.)
3 cups mango salsa (This large jar was from Costco.)
Cumin to taste (1/2 to 1 tsp.)
Lemon Pepper to taste (1/2 to 1 tsp.) Or (what I did), about 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1/8 tsp pepper

Put chicken breasts in crock pot. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour over chicken breasts and cook on high for 4-6 hours.

Garnish with cilantro or parsley, if desired.

Different ways to serve the chicken:
 with tortilla chips
over rice
as part of a salad (see below for details)
With rice rolled up inside a tortila.

For the salad:

Mix up romaine lettuce with green, leafy lettuce. Warm up a whole wheat tortilla. Serve the lettuce on top of the tortilla, then top about a 1/2 C rice, then the mango salsa chicken. If desired, shred Monterey Jack cheese on top for extra flavor. Sqeeze a dash of lemon juice on top. There is no need for dressing since the salsa from the chicken provides enough tender texture and flavor. Enjoy!!