Chocolate Banana Bran Muffins

Ever wonder where I got my love of cooking? My mom is amazing in the kitchen. She rarely uses a recipe, and can whip up creative, yummy meals so fast. I was forever following her around as a kid, sitting on the counter as she cooked. Anyways, there is this recipe she used from this healthy bran cookbook, but she somehow came up with the brilliant idea of adding cocoa pwd. and chocolate chips to a banana date muffin. (leaving out the dates) I remember grabbing these to eat on the bus on the way to school. I loved them. I was craving them and had to bust out the recipe. (this cookbook has some other great recipes I need to add to this cookbook: brown sugar chocolate chip cookies w/tons of bran/w.w. flour, and these double chocolate cookies...we used to eat those for breakfast too without any guilt!)

Ok, here they are!

*you can find wheat/oat bran in the specialty section of most grocery stores. Winco and Broulims have them in the bulk foods section I know. I try to add it to recipes wherever I can, savory and sweet. Just add a little more liquid to the recipe.

These make 12 muffins with 1 Tablespoon of bran per muffin!!

1 cup bran
1 cup w.w. flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/4 c. milk (add more if too dry)
1 1/3 c. mashed ripe bananas
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
4 T melted butter, or light olive oil
1 t. vanilla
chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare muffin tin.
Mix all ingredients and blend well.
Bake 15-20 minutes, or till toothpick inserted comes clean.

Baked Southwest Egg Rolls

This is another recipe from Melskitchencafe, these are great. They're packed with vegetables, and are very satisfying. LOVE! makes 2-3 dozen small eggrolls.

1 T olive oil
1 med. yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 green or red bell pepper, diced small
1 jalepeno pepper, seeds removed, finely minced, or 4 pickled jalepeno rounds from the jar.
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
10 oz. frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted and liquid squeezed out (wringing through a kitchen towel)
1 c. frozen corn
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili pwd.
1/4 c. freshly chopped cilantro
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2-3 c shredded cheese, cheddar, or monterey jack, or pepper jack
2-3 dozen small fajita size flour tortillas

Chipotle dipping sauce:
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c salsa
1 t. minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

Preheat oven to 400. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil, spray with pam.

Combine dipping sauce ingredients. Set in fridge till ready to serve.

In a large 12" skillet heat olive oil on med. heat. Add onions and cook 3-4 minutes till softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add cubed chicken breast and peppers and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add black beans, spinach, corn, cilantro, and seasonings. Mix well and cook till mixture is heated through. Add the cheese and stir well, cooking until the cheese is melted.

Warm tortillas and fill, roll up tightly. lay seam-side down on pan. Spray tops with pam, and bake 15 minutes, or till golden brown.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

6 T. honey
5 T. lime juice
1 T. chili pwd.
1/2 t. garlic pwd.
1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded (3 small breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 oz. green enchilada sauce
1 c. heavy cream

Mix the 1st 5 ingredients and let it marinade all day. Pour 1/2 c. enchilada sauce in 9x13 pan. Fill tortillas with chicken and cheese. Place in pan. Mix remaining sauce with cream and leftover marinade. Pour on enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 350 for 30 minutes or till brown and crispy on top.

Chicken Rice Broccoli Casserole

A yummy version of chicken and rice.

1 lb. chicken breast
8 oz. broccoli, cut up
1/2 c. uncooked rice
3 slices bread, torn into pieces
salt and pepper
3 T. butter, melted
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 t. curry pwd.
1 1/2 c shredded cheese

Cook the chicken in saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook 20 min. Remove chicken. Reserve the stock. cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. Cook the rice, and add to chicken. Cook broccoli just till tender in boiling, salted water 2-4 minutes.
Pulse the bread into crumbs. Mix with butter.
In a saucepan, mix and heat soup, mayo, sour cream, and seasonings. Add up to 1 cup of stock, till the desired moistness. Stir together and spoon into 9X13 pan. Top with cheese and crumbs.

Bake 350 Degrees 45 minutes, or till bubbly.

Serve with hot rolls and salad

Food Nanny Pancakes

This is the best recipe for pancakes I've found. Also really easy. Really ridiculously good. Perfect every time.

2/3 c. flour
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
2 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 egg
1 c. milk
2 T. butter, melted


Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the egg and milk together. Add the butter. Add to the flour mixture and mix till combined. Cook on hot griddle till bubbles. Flip and cook a few seconds more.

Heather Lloyds Taco Salad

This a a really yummy one-dish meal. A nice change to the typical taco salad.

1 head lettuce
1 lb. ground beef
1 bunch green onions
grated cheese
2 chopped tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can green chili salsa (or pace picante red salsa)
1 pkg. Nacho Doritoes
1-8 oz. bottle green goddess

Brown hamburger. Mix together. Eat immediately.

Baked Potato Soup

A quick, easy recipe when you have leftover baked potatoes laying around.

Saute:
1/2 c. butter
1 small onion, diced

Add 1/2 c. flour, stir
2 c. hot water w/2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 cans chicken broth)
Add 2 c. milk

Stir with a whisk till thickened. Add 3 large baked potatoes.

Top with:
Green onions
bacon bits
cheese
sour cream