Banana Stuffed French Toast!

This little baby is my new best friend! You know those crustables PB & J snack from the freezer aisle...ya well I have one of these tools at home and man does it make life fun! It's from Pampered Chef (my #1 cooking best friend) and it's very inexpensive considering how often you'll use it! Sure, it takes away the crust but it also inspires me to the max! I give you Banana Stuffed French Toast!

Ingredients:

For Banana Stuffing:

3 bananas, cut into 1/2 in. slices

4 tbsp butter, unsalted

1/4 c brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For French Toast:

10 slices of regular wheat bread

2 eggs

3/4 c milk

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla

Brown Sugar Syrup:

4 tbsp butter

1/4 c brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a saute pan. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir till it has a syrup texture to it. Add bananas and stir for a couple minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Scoop about a spoonful of the banana mixture onto a slice of bread. Lay another slice on top and press down slightly. Take the Cut & Seal and Press firmly to create a "crustless sandwich." Continue until you have 5 sandwiches total. Mix eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl. Dip sandwiches into the egg mixture and place on a greased cookie sheet. Contiue with the rest of the sandwiches. Bake for 25 minutes. After 15 minutes, flip the french toast over.

4. While the french toast is in the oven, mix butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla to create a syrup on low heat. Serve warm over the french toast.

Olive Oil Cakes with Lemon Glaze

I am obsessed with cooking magazines! Right now one of my new faves is the Food Network Magazine! Can it get any better than that??? It has all my favorite chefs all in one! Who needs a cook book when you can have it all every month! This new issue has some really neat goodies! I tried one out tonight and my family LOVED it. I made 24 individual size cakes... and now there are 5 left. Mind you, they came out of the oven 45 minutes ago! The best part about this recipe is that you make it all in a blender. This was specifically designed for those of us who aren't so lucky to own a food processor (trust me, it is on my wish list though). I modified this a little bit because I wanted to make it a little healthier. I'll give you my version!



Ingredients
For the Cakes:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose wheat flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish

For the Glaze:

3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions
1.Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Prepare the cakes: Brush a 24-cup mini muffin pan or 12-cup pan with the melted butter. Lightly dust with flour and shake out the excess.

2.Pulse the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a blender until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then gradually pour in the olive oil and milk, pulsing until emulsified into a thin batter, about 30 seconds. Don't overblend or the cakes will be too puffy.


3.Whisk 1 cup flour, the baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon thyme in a small bowl. Add to the blender in 2 batches, pulsing lightly until just combined; stop to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cakes just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and spring back when lightly touched, 20 minutes for 24-cup pan, 25 minutes for 12 cup pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a small knife and invert the cakes onto a rack.


4.Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth, adding more lemon juice if the mixture is too thick. Drizzle over the warm cakes and garnish with thyme sprigs.

* I use less glaze because the recipe called for way more glaze than needed.

Italian Lemonade

During the spring and summer I LOVE lemons and I love basil. Well this recipe is actually a combination of both! Its a lemonade with a basil simple syrup. I think it adds a zing to your everyday lemonade. I saw this on Everyday Italian with Giada. I LOVE that show too! The thing about simple syrup is that I prefer to make my own. Mainly because I can control the amount of sugar going into it. There's always a battle of how to correctly make it, but I think it all depends on how sweet you want it. This recipe uses a 2:1 ratio sugar to water. If its too sweet then just make it 1:1 ratio.

Ingredients
2 cups lemon juice, about 12 to 15 lemons
2 cups Basil Simple Syrup, recipe follows
2 cups cold or sparkling water
Ice
Lemon twists, for garnish


Directions
Mix lemon juice, Basil Simple Syrup, and water together in a pitcher. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Pour over ice filled glasses and garnish with a lemon twist.
Basil Simple Syrup:
1 bunch fresh basil, washed and stemmed
2 cups sugar
1 cup water

In a saucepan combine basil, sugar, and water and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 5 minutes. Cool, strain the simple syrup, and store in the refrigerator.

Couscous

Ok so I do have to admit, my last couple of posts have not really been the healthiest, but man o man I just couldn't resist! But today, I'm going to make up for it! I have a new favorite these days...Couscous! There's a wonderful store near me called Trader Joe's that carries a whole wheat couscous. Here's a little dish I like to conjure up. I was inspired by the recipe on the back of the box, but naturally made my own modifications

1 c chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
salt & pepper
1 garlic clove minced
1 c dry couscous
6 tbsp olive oil
1/3 c lemon juice
1 diced tomato
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/4 c green onions
4 tbsp parsley

In a saucepan, add chicken broth, butter, dash of salt & pepper, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Once boiled, remove from heat and mix in dry couscous. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and enjoy! I like to eat it with grilled chicken and a salad. Yum!

Wow!

Wow is all I have to say to describe this recipe I found. If you've ever heard of Pioneer Woman, then you know this is just gonna be gooooooood! She has this recipe for a Chocolate Peanut-Butter Pie. I have yet to try this as well, but you better believe I will. I'm at home right now studying for finals, but once I'm back in Provo, this as well as my last post, will be on my list to make ASAP! Please try this and Please enjoy!

Pioneer Woman

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:
25 Oreos
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Crush the Oreos until they’re fine crumbs. Pour melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, or until set.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Filling:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 8-ounce package softened cream cheese
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 8-ounce package Cool Whip, thawed

Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed Cool Whip and beat mixture until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.

Pour filling into crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

*Apparently, its super rich...so be cautious!

Key Lime & Raspberry Tiramisu

So I saw this recipe on a blog recently and I think my mouth watered immediately! I haven't tried it yet, but you can bet I will in the next week! I think the best part of this is that its a form of Tiramisu and it has no coffee in it! Hooray! Also, you can make it parfait style! Yum! I highly recommend checking out the blog! Its so great and she has some of the greatest recipes. This one I couldn't resist sharing!

Key Lime-Raspberry Tiramisu

Raspberry Jam Sauce:
12 ounces frozen raspberries
6 TBSP sugar

Key Lime Simple Syrup:
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
zest of two key limes
3 4.40-ounce packages Champagne biscuits(or lady fingers)

Key Lime Filling:
3 cups heavy whipping cream
8 ounces Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
3 TBSP fresh key lime juice (if you can find)
1 cup fresh raspberries for garnish

Use a 8-x-8-inch pan.
Cook frozen raspberries and 6 TBSP sugar in saucepan over medium heat until mixture resembles a jam and is reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Cool jam mixture. Push through a sieve to get a sauce-like consistency.

Combine sugar with ¼ cup water and lime zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Strain out the zest before using.Using and electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.In a mixing bowl, fold 2/3’s of the whipped cream into the Mascarpone cheese, along with the powdered sugar, and key lime juice. Blend until cream is fully incorporated.

Lay the lady fingers at the bottom of dish. Brush the layer with Key Lime Simple (about 1/3 of it) followed by the Raspberry Jam Sauce.Spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the lady fingers. Scatter 1/3 cup fresh raspberries on top of the cheese mixture. Repeat the procedure until all of the lady fingers and cheese mixture are used. Spread the reserved whip cream over the top of the tiramisu. Allow the cake to set, about an hour. Garnish with fresh berries. Makes 10 servings.

***To make Parfait style: Break up 4-5 lady fingers. Put about 5 pieces at the bottom of a clear glass of your choice. Brush with syrup. Add raspberry sauce. Pipe in Mascarpone filling. Top with a little more raspberry sauce. Add raspberry. Repeat till you hit the top of your glass.

Coconut Chicken Soup

So, this recipe is one of my favorites now! I made it on Monday and I was in love! I found it in the May/June issue of Clean Eating Magazine. I love it because it is so light and healthy, yet filling. It's a tad bit spicy, but I think that's why I can't get enough!

Chicken Coconut Soup

1 tbsp canola or EVOO
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup white or red potato, chopped
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
½ cup light coconut milk
½ cup skim milk
8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast (uncooked)
½ cup snow peas, cleaned and cut lengthwise
1 tsp chile pepper flakes
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until onions are lightly translucent. Add broth and coconut and skim milks. Bring to a boil. Add chicken, cover and let simmer for 12 minutes over medium-low heat. Remove chicken and set aside. Add peas and chile flakes to soup. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, slice chicken and add pieces back to the soup. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Add lemon juice, sprinkle in cilantro and serve.

Yummy Yummy Appetizers!

If you know me, then you know that I just love Pampered Chef! I am such a sucker for their products! Well, obviously if they're going to sell cooking products, then you know that they'll provide recipes! In their Winter 2008 catalog, they featured an appetizer recipe that has since been my favorite snack! Chipotle Chicken Cornbread Cups! YUM! They are best served using mini muffin pans. If you want to use regular muffin cups, you can have them as a light meal instead! Next time you don't know what to bring to a party or even what to serve at your own party, these are a hit! And they really are so easy to make...don't be intimidated by the list of ingredients!

* I'll include a link to all the products that can be used in this recipe. They aren't necessary, but they do make it fun and quick!
** I'll also include my subtitutions under the recipe. The substitutions make it easier!

Chipotle Chicken Cornbread Cups

1 c (4 oz) grated cheddar cheese
1 pkg (7.5-8.5 oz) corn muffin mix
1 c (8 oz) sour cream, divided
1/4 c all purpose flour
2 tbsp Chipotle Rub, divided
1 small red bell pepper
1-2 green onions with tops (about 1/3 c thinly sliced)
1 1/2 c finely diced cooked chicken
Additional sour cream (optional)
Snipped fresh cliantro (optional)

* You can use half a bag of the 8 oz cheese from the store. For the Chipotle Rub, just get chipotle seasoning. Don't forget to cook the chicken prior to using because otherwise it will make the process much longer.

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grate cheese using Rotary Grater. In Classic Batter Bowl, combine cheese, muffin mix, 3/4 c sour cream, flour, and tbsp of the rub; mix to form a thick batter using the Mix 'N Scraper.
2. Spray wells of Deluze Mini- Muffin Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Divide batter evenly among wells using Stainless Small Scoop. Bake 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, on Large Grooved Cutting Board, finely dice bell pepper and thinly sliced green onions using Chef's Knife. Place bell pepper into (8in.) Saute Pan; cook over medium-high hate 2-3 minutes or until pepper begins to soften. Add chicken and remaining 1 tbsp rub to pan; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Remove pan from heat. Combine chicken mixture, green onions and remaining 1/4 c sour cream in Small Batter Bowl. Mix Well.
4. Remove muffins from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Immediately presstops of muffins with Mini-Tart Shaper to form cups. Cool in pan 3 minutes. Carefully remove cups to serving platter. Divide chicken mixture evenly among cups. Top with additional sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

*If you get the bag of cheese, there won't be a need for the grater. Use whatever bowls you have on hand. Instead of the Mix 'N Scraper, just use a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Use a spoon in place of the Scoop. Use whatever cutting board, knife, and pan that you want. You dont have to use the cooling rack, I just put it on the stove to cool. Instead of the Mini-Tart Shaper, just use the rounded part of a teaspoon measurement.

Yield: 24 servings

Cal 100, Fat 4.5 g, Sat. Fat 2.5 g, Cholest. 20 mg, Carb 8 g, Protein 5 g, Sod. 180 mg, Fiber 0 g

Spring Lunch!

Spring is here and I am in the mood to make some yummy spring lunches! Yesterday, I made a Lemon Pasta with Chicken and some roasted asparagus! Then for dessert I made a fruit dip for strawberries! It's from Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Magazine! Yummy!

Lemon Pasta with Chicken
Ingredients:

1 lb dried penne (or use any pasta you want! I used farfalle!)
2 chicken breast tenders
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp roughly chopped parsley, for garnish
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 c grated parmesean (I prefer shredded, but use what you like!)

Directions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, until al dente. Drain well.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large grill pan over medium high and add chicken.

Grill until golden and completely cooked. Remove to a plate and slice.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to a saute pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta and turn heat off. Mix all together.

Remove pasta to a large bowl. Add chicken to the warm pasta and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle in chopped parsley. Add the juice of 2 lemons and mix. Before serving top with Parmesan.

Lemon Sour Cream Fruit Dip
Ingredients:

1 c (8 oz.) sour cream
1/4 c brown sugar
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Mix all ingredients. Serve with fruit! Yum!

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok so I found this Chocolate Chip cookie recipe on Yahoo and I am in love with it. I've totally messed with it and made it my own depending on my mood. I've added peanut butter to it several times. Most of the time I add cinnamon sugar to the top of the cookie before baking it. Its a super yummy. And I make them thick and small and they turn out so gooey in the center...YUM! They make perfect cookies to package and send. They don't spread into a random shape like other cookies do. Try it!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

Grind oats in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, at least 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm around the edges and golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.