Strawberry Banana Streusel Muffins

This basic muffin mix recipe comes from my 7th grade Teen Living class. (Home-ec, as some would call it.)  I usually make these with blueberries, but after having begun the process, I realized I had no blueberries. Whoops. "Well, I have some bananas about to go bad, and oh yea, like 4/5 strawberries too! Lets bake these babies up!"


Strawberry Banana Streusel Muffins
Yields: 1 dozen muffins

Ingredients:

Muffins:
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced bananas
1/2 cup sliced strawberries

Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare Streusel topping . Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl with a fork or pastry cutter, until crumbly.
Grease bottoms only of muffin pan. Beat milk, oil, vanilla and egg in large bowl. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add dry mixture into liquid mixture all at once. Batter will be lumpy. Stir just until flour is moistened.  Fold in berries and bananas. Divide evenly among muffins cups. Sprinkle each with about 2 teaspoons streusel topping. Bake 20-25 min or until golden brown. Serve immediately with a cold glass of milk.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Summer is just around the corner, although you wouldn't know it by today's weather. Yet, I insist on remaining optimistic. Berries. Lots of berries. Fresh produce. Homegrown produce. Ok, now that we have set the scene... This salad is very summery. It is light and refreshing. I was always leery of "berry salads." I could never wrap my head around it. I'm a caesar salad kind of girl, so when I think of salad- berries just don't fit! However, Wendy's, yes Wendy's changed my mind. I tried their Berry Salad this summer. Mmm. So now, I'm hooked. If you are looking for a filling lunch, or light dinner, this is the ticket. I could have eaten 4 bowls. ( I didn't. I really didn't.)

Strawberry Spinach Salad
 Serves:4

Ingredients:
1 head of romaine lettuce, rinsed and dried
1/2 bag of baby spinach leaves
1/2 lb strawberries, sliced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1 1/2 cups chicken, boiled and cubed ( or whatever prepared chicken you have on hand.)
Raspberry Vinagarette dressing

Directions:
Start with the head of lettuce. Lay on it's side and make slices from root outwards. Then cut crosswise, holding the leaves tightly. This will achieve nice bite sized lettuce leaves.
In large bowl, toss together the lettuce and spinach leaves. Throw in the strawberries, cranberries, and chicken. Give a light toss. Top off with almonds and feta. Dress with Raspberry Vinagarette.

Double Berry Baked French Toast

I heart baked french toast. Do you? My only problem with it is that more often than not, it is always soggy! I hate hate hate soggy bread. I hate soggy anything. That said, this recipe for baked french toast, is not soggy. Just be sure to note that you will need to make this the night before, or get up at 2 or 3 am to eat it by 10am. (Go with the night before.) Have a great morning!

Double Berry Baked French Toast
Serves: 6

Ingredients
1 loaf french bread (store bought is ok)
4 eggs
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries, sliced

Directions
Lightly butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Slice bread loaf into 2-3 inch thick slices ( uses about 3/4 loaf)
Place the bread slices evenly in one layer on the bottom of the dish.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and 3/4 cups of the brown sugar.
Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, making sure to completely coat the surfaces.
Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Sprinkle the walnuts and blueberries/strawberries evenly over the bread.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 1/4-cup of brown sugar and 1/2 stick of butter until the butter is melted.
Drizzle the butter/brown sugar mixture over the bread.
Bake the bread mixture for 20 minutes, until liquid is bubbling and the bread is lightly golden.
Dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Spicy Italian Pot Roast

Looking for a juicy, tender pot roast? A pot roast with a kick to it? Look no further! By request of my beloved husband, I created a pot roast that was "spicy." This is perfect for Sunday dinner, especially if you have 2o'clock church like we do. Throw it in at 10:00 in the morning, (it's hard for me to smell meat that early, but we do what we must!) and let it cook, and it's ready by the time you walk in from church!  That is how I do Sunday dinners, at least while I have 2 o'clock church. :) 

Spicy Italian Pot Roast 
Serves:4-5

Ingredients:
1 whole 2.5 Pound, Rump Roast, Timmed Of All Excess Fat 
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, For Rubbing 
2 pinches Kosher Salt, For Rubbing 
1 dash Black Pepper, For Rubbing 
1 can (14.5 Oz.) Diced Tomatoes, Undrained 
1 can 6 Oz Tomato Paste 
1 clove Garlic, Minced 
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 
1 Tablespoon Sugar 
1-½ cup Pepperoncini Peppers,chopped, 1/4 Cup Juice 
8 ounces, weight Baby Carrots 
1-½ whole Onion, Sliced Into 1 Inch Slices

Directions:

Begin by rubbing the olive oil all over the roast. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Brown both sides in a large pot over medium heat. Transfer to slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, and sugar. Stir well. Mix in the pepperoncini peppers. Stir in the reserved juice. Set aside.
Place the onion slices and carrots in the slow cooker with the roast. Pour the sauce over the meat and veggies, combine well. Cook over high heat for 1 hour. Then switch to low for remaining 6 hours.
Remove roast from slow cooker, shred meat and serve with carrots and sauce.

Cheesy Spinach and Mushroom Spaghetti Toss

I came to this recipe through sheer laziness. Jeremy had an evening class. I had a late lunch. "I'm just not going to make dinner tonight. Cereal, it is! *SIGH* I know I should cook something...anything!" I was torn. So when all else fails, pasta it is.

Cheesy Spinach and Mushroom Spaghetti Toss

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Thin Spaghetti

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced, more to taste  
1 can (14.5 Oz.) Diced Tomatoes, Undrained  
1 pinch Sugar (generous)  
1 dash Salt  
1 dash Ground Cayenne Pepper  
½ teaspoons Dried Sweet Basil  
⅓ cups Crumbled Feta Cheese  
¼ cups Heavy Cream  
¼ cups Whole Milk, For Thinning, Maybe Less  
½ cups Sliced Mushrooms, Heaping  
3 whole Handfuls Of Baby Spinach

Directions:

Prepare pasta as directed on the package.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Shake to coat skillet. Add minced garlic. Cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Pour in the diced tomatoes. Add the sugar, salt, cayenne pepper and basil. Stir lightly to combine. Let cook 2–3 minutes.
Next, add the feta cheese. Stir and allow cheese to melt. When melted, add all the cream. Shake the pan to mix. Begin pouring milk in by tablespoonfuls, until desired consistency is reached. You do not want it to be too thick, but not too thin either. You want it to cling well to the pasta.
Add the mushrooms, cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Lastly, turn off the burner, add in the spinach. Stir to combine. Allow spinach to wilt. Immediately toss in the drained spaghetti. Sprinkle with more basil. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Feta Turkey Burgers

These burgers are healthy alternative to beef burgers. The fresh ingredients take these burgers over the TOP!

Stuffed Feta Turkey Burgers
Serves: 4

1 lb ground turkey
1 whole egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup diced mushrooms
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 pinches kosher salt
black pepper, to taste
1 dash ground cayenne pepper
1/3 cup breadcrumbs, more for texture
1/2 cup crumbled feta
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
Franks hot pepper sauce
Garnishes; lettuce, tomato, onion slices, mayo and ketchup.

In a large bowl, using your hands, combine ground turkey and egg. Add the mushrooms and cilantro. Season with salt and peppers. Add in the breadcrumbs. Continue adding, until meat mixture is no longer overly moist.
Make 8 medium sized patties, about 1/4 inch thick. Top 4 of the patties with crumbled feta. Top with second patty, pinch seams together.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add in some olive oil. Shake to coat skillet. Place patties in skillet. Cook 6-8 min. Flip, continue cooking another 8 min on other side, or until meat is cooked through.
Meanwhile, butter both sides of bun. Toast buns. Spread mayo on bottom bun. Top with ketchup and onion slices. Place patty on top. Apply hot sauce to patty, and top with lettuce and tomato. Top with remaining bun.
Lastly, now this is important. Take a bite and enjoy. Yum!

Out Of This World Carrot Cake

For the last 2 weeks I have been craving carrot cake. I didn't want to buy it. I didn't want to box mix it. But I have been really busy, really busy. So that's why I craved it for 2 weeks. But alas, Sunday night allowed me some free time. Blessed bedtime.

Out Of This World Carrot Cake
Serves: 12

2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup mayo
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or ground ginger
3 large eggs
1 8oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups finely shredded carrots
3/4 cups chopped pecans, plus extra

Cream Cheese Frosting
6 tbsp butter, room temp
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
4 cups ( 1 lb) powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350. Grease two 9 inch cake pans. Whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt and allspice in a medium mixing bowl.
Combine mayo, eggs, crushed pineapple with juices in a large bowl. Add flour mixture and beat for 30 seconds on low speed. Continue beating for 3 min on medium speed, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
Stir in carrots and pecans. Pour batter and divide between two pans.

Bake for 30 min, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 min. Remove from pan, and allow to cool completely on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar by cupful. Continue mixing. Add milk by the tablespoon until desired spreading consistency is reached.

Place on cake layer top side down on serving platter. Spread with frosting. Top with remaining cake layer, top side up. Spread sides and top with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with extra crushed pecans to decorate.

Serving the cake chilled with a frosty glass of milk is De-Lish!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole

Who does not love homemade chicken noodle soup? It is comfort food to the max. Lately we have been having beautiful spring weather, however last night it was dreary and rainy. So of course as I sat in the house, wishing I could be anywhere but there, I thought of something that would warm my insides. (light bulb goes off..SOUP!) But to be quite honest, I did not really feel like making homemade chicken and noodles. I then remembered that I saw a recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup in casserole form on the TK blog, by eatliverun. So I got up to grab the laptop and look up the recipe. BUT, Jeremy had taken the laptop to class with him. Dang. What to do? Well, I had two choices; 1. Eat cereal. OR 2. Create it myself.( Option 2 was best.) This casserole is great. It has all the amazing flavor of chicken noodle soup, all rolled into casserole form. And here are the results:

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole:
Serves: 4

1/2 lb. egg noodles
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 medium onion, diced
1-2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 lb baby carrots
1 15 oz can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
Splash of chicken broth
1/4-1/2 cup milk
dash of ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
3 finger pinch kosher salt
1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers*

Begin by boiling the chicken breast in a large pot of water. Cook until done, about 20-30 min. Drain broth, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Shred with fingers when chicken is cooled.
Meanwhile, boil the egg noodles and cook until al dente. Drain pasta. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the cream of chicken and sour cream. Season with turmeric,salt and pepper.
In an 8x8 baking dish, combine the cooked noodles, chicken, and veggies. Toss with the cream mix.
Taste check the seasonings. Adjust as needed.
Crush the Ritz crackers, and use to top the casserole. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 40 min, or until carrots are fork tender. Serve immediately with warm french bread or side salad. I like to add some heat to my soup with a little Frank's hot sauce. Enjoy.
*Note: You could sub Ritz crackers for whatever crackers you have on hand. Goldfish? Saltines? You name it.