Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I got this recipe from a very old Fit Pregnancy magazine...here's what you need:

3 ripe bananas

3 Tbs olive oil

1/4 cup applesauce

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

2 eggs

1/3 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cup white flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 oz. mini choc. chips

butter spray..I use PAM!

Preheat the oven to 350. Place bananas, oil, applesauce and sugar in mixing bowl; mix on med. speed until bananas are pureed. Add yogurt, eggs and wheat germ, mix. In small bowl mix flours, baking powder and soda. Add to wet ingredients and mix just until blended. Add chips. Spray 18 muffin cups with PAM. Bake 22-30 min...my oven took 25 min. I made them today...they're already gone. Enjoy!

Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili

I've been meaning to post this recipe. I swear I lived on this during my cleanse. 

The recipe is from Martha's Whole Living website...

1 Tb.olive oil

1 Large onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 red bell pepper cut into chunks

1/4 tsp. chili powder

salt/pepper

1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes in juice

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

lime wedge

In a dutch oven or saucepan with lid, heat oil over med. heat. Add onion and garlic and cook stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-7 min. Add squash, bell pepper, and chile powder; season with salt/pepper...cook stirring 1 min. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and simmer until veggies are crisp-tender, about 7 min.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up with a spoon; add chickpeas, black beans, 1/4 cup cilantro and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, partially cover and cook until lightly thickened about 20  min.

Season with salt/ pepper. Stir in remaining cilantro...YUM!

Homemade Marshmallows

I used the Barefoot Contessa's recipe...here it is.

3 packs of unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 TB. pure vanilla extract

confectioners sugar

Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attacment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook ove med. heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick..about 15 min. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

With a sieve, generously dust and 8 x 12 inch nonmetal baking dish with confectioners sugar. Pour the marshmallow mix into the pan, smooth the top and dust with more confectioners sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.

Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares...( I had a hard time getting them out of the pan so I just cut them with a knife directly in the pan.) Dust with more sugar...So good!

Not Your Mother's Cookbook

I love when it's time to put the grill away and break out the crockpot. My favorite crockpot cookbook is this one. I've had it for a few years and use it all the time. I also love it when dinner is done at 9:00 A.M. Isn't that the best feeling?

Last night we had the beef fajitas...

flank steak, a jar of salsa, a little lime juice, tomato paste and garlic, onions and peppers and dinner is done.

Eggplant Pizza

My dinner tonight. Oh the eggplant is so yummy right now. I grilled it up with a little olive oil and salt. While they were still hot off the grill I sprinkled goat cheese and added a tomato and some basil from my garden...(the only thing that's thriving in there right now)...A splash of Chardonnay and I'm a happy girl.

Easy Herbed Baguette

I love making this crusty bread. It could not be any easier I swear...I bought this cookbook years ago...1996. I've made so many great recipes from it including this bread. It's called One Hour Baguette and that's how long it takes...Heres what you need...

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 Tbs yeast
1 Tbs. honey
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
fresh or dried herbs ( I used basil,thyme,rosemary)
cheese (I use parmesan)

In a large bowl combine warm water, yeast, and honey..let sit in a warm spot for about 10 min. or until the yeast looks like this..

Sift the flour and salt over the yeast mix one cup at a time...mix until dough forms a large ball. Knead for a few minutes until smooth. I LOVE to knead don't you? Put a pretty apron on while you do it...

Flour a work space and a rolling pin..cut dough in half and roll out one half to form a rectangle. Scatter herbs and cheese and press into the dough like this...

Gently roll up dough lengthwise into the shape of a baguette. Repeat with second ball of dough. Place the loaves on a well greased baking sheet..cover with clean tea towel and let rise for 20 min. Preheat the oven to 450..lightly brush loaves with olive oil..bake for 20 min. Delish!

My Favorite Summer Cooking Tool

Do you have a grill basket? I'm telling you...you'll never know what you did with out it once you get one. In the winter I roast all my veggies on a big cookie sheet...like the Barefoot Contessa told me to. Olive oil..salt...pepper...that's it. Well, who wants to put the stove on in the summer? Not me. I'm all about doing everything on the grill.

So..get yourself a grill basket. I think I got mine at Home Goods years ago...try Bed, Bath and Beyond..William/Sonoma if you feel like paying top dollar. Spray the basket with some Olive Oil cooking spray...I use PAM!

In a big bowl add whatever chopped veggies you like. Today I did

mushrooms, red onions, asparagus and green pepper..cuz that's what I had. Add some olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Mix it up. Heat up your grill. Throw the veggies in the basket...throw it on the grill. Every few minutes give it a stir. Use a pot holder to take the basket off the grill...it's HOT!

These are great on their own...over pasta..rice..in your omellete..in a panini...in a pita pocket..with fish, chicken, steak. I make a BIG basket of them at the beginning of the week and they're great all week long.