Recipe #68 - Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

__________________________________________________________________________________

A healthy alternative to banana bread.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners, or you can butter the muffin cups.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon.

In another large bowl combine the mashed bananas, lightly beaten eggs, brown sugar, apple sauce (or oil) and vanilla extract.

With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is think and chunky. If added them, fold in the chopped nuts. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery muffins.)

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake about 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes and then muffins from pan. Serve warm or a room temperature.

Rating: 6
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serving: 16 muffins
Ingredients: 
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup apple sauce (instead of canola oil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 medium to large bananas; about 1 pound
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Recipe #67 - Peach, Prosciutto & Ricotta Crostini

This is a quick, easy and refreshing lunch or appetizer recipe that I found on Epicurious.com. They stated that it was inspired by the Italian combination of fruit and ham. Since it's made with Georgia peaches, I think we can put it into the "Italian American" cuisine category.

Grill bread slices. Halve, pit, and thinly slice peach. Spoon about 1 tablespoon ricotta onto each toast and sprinkle with ground pepper. Tear prosciutto into feathery pieces and drape a few slices over ricotta on each. Drizzle each with honey and top with 2 peach slices.

Rating: 6
Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
12 slices ciabatta bread
2 ripe peaches
12 tablespoon fresh ricotta (preferably sheep's milk)
Freshly ground black pepper
4 thin slices of prosciutto
Honey

Recipe #66 - Chicken Curry with Veggies on Whole-Grain Couscous

_______________________________________________________________________________

Because I love curry...

Combine the oil, onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, and brown sugar in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until onions turn clear and smell sweet, about 5 minutes.

Add the sliced chicken breasts and cook until the meat is done, about 5-7 minutes.

Add 1 cup of water along with the broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add water as needed to maintain a saucy consistency.

Serve over hot, freshly cooked couscous.

Rating: 6
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon peeled and chopped ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 (5- to 6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 floret broccoli, chopped
1 small floret of cauliflower, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup whole-grain couscous, prepared according to instructions on the box

Recipe #65 - Cheddar Corn Muffins with Jalapeño Butter

_______________________________________________________________________________

This bland corn bread just became a little more exciting! Made with whole pieces of corn adding much needed texture. As well as a little spicy punch courtesy of the jalapeno butter.

To make corn muffins:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F with rack in the middle. Brush muffin cups with softened butter. Whisk together cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.

Whisk together corn, buttermilk, egg, and melted butter in another bowl, then stir into four mixture until just combined. Stir 1 1/2 cups cheese.

Divide batter among muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake until puffed and golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make jalapeno butter while muffins bake:
Stir together butter, jalapeno, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve with muffins.

Rating: 9
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
For muffins:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 tablespoon, softened, for brushing muffin cups
2 cups cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup corn, thawed if frozen
1 1/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk (not powdered)
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups grated sharp Cheddar (5 1/4 ounces), divided

For jalapeno butter:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 fresh jalapeno, finely chopped, including seeds

Recipe #64 - Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Mushrooms

_______________________________________________________________________________

This recipe is a mesh up of stuffed jalapeno peppers and stuffed mushrooms.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon slices and set aside.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Place wire rack(s) on a cookie sheet.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chopped mushroom stems, garlic and jalapeno; cook and site until the mushrooms release moisture and soften, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl, and stir in the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the cheese mixture generously into the reserved mushroom caps, and arrange the stuffed caps on the wire racks. Top with a few pieces of shredded cheese and a crumble of bacon for looks.

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese begins to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Now I had a few jalapeno peppers left over so I used some of the left over cheese mixture and stuffed them for the mushroom haters in the house. These were incredibly and surprisingly sweet. You really can't just have one. Next time I am definitely going to have to double it, considering I ate about half of the mushrooms.

Rating: 10
Time: 55 minutes
Serves: 4
Nutritional Information:
Calories - 151
Total Fat - 13.4g
Cholesterol - 35mg
Ingredients:
2 slices bacon
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
8 mushrooms, stems removed and chopped and caps reserved
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
Sea salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste

Recipe #63 - Layered Taco Dip

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Start by preparing all the veggies. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a larfe skillet over medium hear, brown beef. Drain well. Stir in beans, taco sauce, chili powder and cumin. Heat until warm. 

Spread the meat and bean mixture into a 9x13-inch casserole. Spread sour cream over beef and mixture, then sprinkle onions, tomatoes, olives and peppers. Top with cheese. 

I doubled the recipe because some people don't eat veggies (ah-hum, Teresa).

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Serve warm. 

Rating: 8 

Time: 45 minutes 

Serves: 6 

Nutritional Information: 

Calories - 415

Total Fat - 28.3g

Cholesterol - 85mg

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

1/2 cup hot taco sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup black olives, chopped

3/4 cup sliced jalapeno peppers

Recipe #62 - Moroccan Chicken Stew w/ Sweet Potatoes

_______________________________________________________________________________

"Cinnamon and ginger complement the sweet potatoes in this easy but exotic-tasting chicken stew. Fluffy couscous absorbs the aromatic sauce." - Everyday Food

Place flour in a wide, shallow bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken and cook until browned, 4-6 minute per side; transfer to plate.

Add onion, ginger, and cinnamon to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.

Return chicken to pot. Add broth, sweet potatoes and, if using, saffron. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sweet potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard ginger and cinnamon. Stir in lemon juice, and season stew with salt and pepper.

While stew is simmering, prepare couscous according to package instructions. Serve chicken stew with couscous garnished with cilantro, if desired.

Rating: 8
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches long), peeled
1 cinnamon stick
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Pinch of saffron, (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup couscous
Cilantro springs, for garnish (optional)