Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 large ripe bananas mashed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup or less chocolate chips
Melt margarine in microwave. Add bananas and mash. Add applesauce, egg and sugar and mix well. Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips and mix by hand.
Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes in well greased muffin pan or papers. Makes 12 -14
I often use a small yogurt in place of the applesauce, and always use one of the sugar free applesauce single serve cups. This equals more than 1/4 cup applesauce which is fine and I just leave out about a table spoon or whatever does not slide out of the cup when I first pour it into the bowl.
You can also use oil for some of the melted butter; just use a bit less.
This recipe is flexible and you can use some whole wheat flour, ground flax for some of the oil etc. Just keep the same amount of bananas and sugar

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

1 pound dried green split peas, rinsed
2 med carrots, peel and slice ( I used a bag of matchstick cut carrots – so easy!)
2 med celery stalks, med dice
½ - 1 onion medium dice
2 med garlic cloves, minced ( or several dashes of garlic powder)
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs Italian parsley ( I  did not have this)
1 meaty smoked ham bone, or bag of pre-diced ham ( I used pre diced ham - so fast!)
5 cups chicken broth
Sea salt or kosher salt
Ground black pepper

Arrange the spit peas on the bottom of the crockpot in an even layer. Layer the carrots, celery, onion, garlic bay leaf, over the peas in one even layer. (Or several layers!) Place the hambone on top or the diced ham.

Pour chicken broth over all and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours till peas are very soft and meat is falling off the bone.

Remove the ham bone, cool, and pull the meat off.  Put back in the soup and discard the bay leaf.  Stir a bit and serve with crusty bread.  The soup gets thicker as it cools.  You don’t have to blend it at all; it just gets really soft and the peas lose their shape.

Minestrone Soup

1 lb. hamburger
1 chopped onion
3 cans Campbell's minestrone soup
3 cans water
15 oz. Pork and Beans (with maple and brown sugar)
1 tsp. oregano
1 Tbl. Worcestershire (optional)

Sauté and drain hamburger and onion.  Add the rest and simmer 1 hour or all day on very low heat.

Better variation ( 12/15/2013):

Add 2 cans pork and beans and if they are not maple flavored, then add some maple syrup!

Add 1 24 oz can of cheap pasta sauce by Hunts – onion and roasted garlic.

Also add 1 cup of small shell noodles at the beginning if cooked in the crockpot.

Cook 4 hours on low.

If cooking on stove top then add the pasta and some extra water so the noodles cook but you don’t lose liquid. 

Or don’t add extra pasta at all, very flexible soup!

Bananas Foster Stir-Fry

(Pampered Chef)

• 5 medium bananas
• 1 lemon
• 1 jar (12.23 oz) fat-free caramel ice cream topping
• ½ tsp Pantry Korintje Cinnamon
• 1 tsp rum extract
• 1 quart frozen vanilla low-fat yogurt or ice cream

Directions

1. Slice bananas.
2. Zest whole lemon; set aside.
3. Juice lemon with juicer to measure ¼ cup juice.
4. Combine caramel topping, lemon juice and cinnamon in stir-fry skillet.
5. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat.
6. Stir in bananas and rum extract; toss gently using bamboo spatulas.
7. For each serving, spoon about 1/3 cup of banana mixture over a scoop of frozen yogurt.
8. Garnish with lemon zest.

Russian Tea Cakes

Mix together thoroughly:
• 1 cup soft butter
• ½ cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Sift and stir in:
• 2 ¼ cups sifted flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup finely chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)


1. Chill dough.
2. Roll into 1 inch balls.
3. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake till set at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, but NOT brown.
5. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar.
6. Cool then roll in again.

California Earthquake Cake

from Deseret News:

• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 can (3.5 oz.) sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 box German chocolate cake mix (prepare batter according to package directions)
• ½ cup margarine, melted
• 8 ounce cream cheese
• 1 pound box confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350* F.
2. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
3. Cover the bottom of the pan with the nuts and coconut.
4. Pour prepared cake mix batter over the nuts and coconut.
5. In a medium bowl; combine melted margarine and cream cheese. If you will not be frosting the cake, add all the confectioners’ sugar. If you will frost the ckae, add 2 cups confectioners’ sugar now, reserving the remainder for the frosting.
6. Beat until smooth.
7. Spoon over the batter but do not spread.
8. Bake 45 minutes. You cannot test for doneness with a cake tester, because cake will appear sticky even when it is done.
9. Remove from oven and colon rack.

Optional Frosting:
• 2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
• 6 Tbs cola
• ½ cup margarine

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine cocoa, cola and margarine.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
3. Add remaining confectioners’ sugar and beat with a whisk until smooth.
4. Spread over cooled cake.

Banana Cake

From Nicole Robinson's Foods Textbook

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp soda
• 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ¼ cup mashed bananas
• 2/3 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Beat shortening, sugar and eggs.
2. Add with dry ingredients to buttermilk and bananas.
3. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes for a 9 x 13 pan.

Frosting:
• 3 oz cream cheese
• ¼ cup margarine
• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 1 t. vanilla

Directions

1. Cream margarine and cream cheese till fluffy.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla until right consistency.
3. Frost cake.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

large bunch spinach (can use Romaine too)
2 heads romaine, chopped
1 carton fresh strawberries sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 red or yellow pepper, diced
red onion, sliced thin
½ c crumbled feta cheese
wontons, sliced and fried (optional)
pecans or walnuts, plain or sugared
1 jar Brianna Blush Wine vinaigrette (strawberry on the label)

(add chicken pieces to make this an entrée)

Toss all ingredients together.

French Toast Casserole

1 large loaf of bread, cubed (day old French bread is best)

6 eggs

3 c milk

4 t sugar

1/3 t salt

1 T vanilla

cinnamon

Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter. Fill with cubed bread. Mix together all other ingredients and pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To bake: Remove cover, dot with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake in preheated oven at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until bread is bubbling and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Serve with syrup, fruit topping, etc.

Breadsticks

1 T yeast

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 c warm water

1 T honey

4-4 1/2 c flour

1 T malted milk powder (optional)

1/2 cube margarine or butter

Lawry's Season-All

Melt margarine in 11x15 pan. Combine yeast, honey, and water. Add salt (and milk powder). Add flour gradually until it forms a ball.

Knead a few times. Roll out onto a buttered or floured cutting board about 3/8" thick and in a rectangular shape. Cut with a pizza cutter or a knife.

Lay each breadstick into the melted margarine and turn it over once. Sprinkle with Season-All. Let rise 10 minutes, then bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes. Eat warm.

(I use 1/2 cube margarine and never use the milk powder.)

Variation: sprinkle with lots of cinnamon sugar and then top with vanilla frosting when out of the oven. Delicious for a Sunday breakfast and much faster than rolls!

You can use other spices like garlic powder and parmesan, basil, Salad Supreme, sesame seeds, or put garlic in your butter. I like the Lawry's Season-All the best.

Peppercorn Ranch Salad

Romaine lettuce
bacon - cooked and chopped in chunky pieces
sugared nuts (almonds or pecans)
diced tomatoes
feta cheese
granny smith apple, diced

Kraft Peppercorn Ranch Dressing

Optional: red pepper and celery

vary your amounts based upon your preferences
To sugar nuts: put 1/4 cup sugar in sauce pan, heat on med, and toss in nuts. When the sugar begins to melt, stir the nuts till coated and pour out onto plate. Don't let it burn.

Doctored Chili

2 cans Hormel or any brand chili with beans
1 can diced tomatoes- partially drained
1 can black beans - partially drained
1 onion diced
1 green pepper chopped
1 -2 stalks celery, diced (optional)
butter

Saute onions and green pepper together in butter on med or low heat until soft.
Add tomatoes, black beans and chili and heat through.

You can add more chili seasoning for added spice.

This is easily adapted to more cans of chili or whatever variation of veggies you have.
Super simple!

Tater Tot Casserole

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can evaporated milk
1/2 bag tater tots, frozen (depends on the size of the bag)
cook beef and onion (you can even add celery). Stir in soup and milk. Mix in tater tots and pour into 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 40 -55 minutes till bubbly

This was a staple in the diet of a 70's college student! Still tastes great!

Impossible Bacon Pie

12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled, OR 1 jar real Bacon Bits
1 cup shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped onion ( saute in a bit of butter)
2 cups milk
1 cup Bisquick
4 eggs
1/4 t Salt
1/8 t pepper
dash Seasonall
heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease pie plate or pan. Layer first three ingredients in pan. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour into pie plate or 9x13 pan. Bake until knife inserted comes out clean. 35 - 40 minutes for a Pie plate and 20 - 25 minutes for a 9x13 pan. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cheese fondue for a crowd

2 cans cheddar cheese soup
8 oz blocks cream cheese
8 oz swiss cheese, shredded
12 - 14 oz cheddar cheese
6 - 8 dashes nutmeg
3 shakes garlic powder
3 shakes of onion powder or to taste
chicken broth as needed to thin - about 1/3 cup to start with and a little more it gets too thick

cook over low heat till all is melted and stirred together. transfer to fondue pot if you have one.

For dippers: grape tomatoes, celery, broccoli and cauliflower (cooked in the microwave 2-4 minutes to remove a bit of the crunchiness), two kinds of artisan bread ( rosemary and plain french), granny smith apples, beef little smokies, Italian meatballs.

Feeds 14 - 22

Served at Maria's farewell party!

Fruit Dip

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened to room temp
1 small carton Cool Whip (extra creamy is nice)

Whip cream cheese till fluffy, then add can of milk. beat well. stir in Cool Whip.
Tastes great on watermelon and all kinds of fruit.

Breakfast Casserole

1 or 3/4 lb. ham (I use about 1 1/2 cups) Hormel Cure 81 has the best flavor
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 slices bread, cut up (I usually use about 5-6 slices)
1-1 3/4 cup cheese, grated

Cut up bits of ham and bread. Put into 9x13 inch pan, bread first. Layer ham over bread. Top with cheese. Pour mixture of beaten eggs, milk and mustard over all. Chill overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, uncovered.

To make a larger, fuller pan: Use 7 eggs, 7 slices of bread if you use fluffy bread (cheap variety), a little more cheese, and 1/3 cup more milk. Bake a few minutes longer, till it doesn't jiggle in the middle and is puffy.

This is our traditional Christmas morning breakfast with cinnamon rolls!

Magleby's Rolls

1 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded in a jar type)
2 T parsley flakes
¾ cup butter melted
1 t garlic salt
18 frozen Rhodes rolls, regular dinner size

Mix butter and salt together. Combine cheese and parsley. Drop rolls one at a time into butter, then into cheese mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet spaced apart so they do not touch. Let rise 3 – 4 hours (less if you place in a warm oven) Bake at 350 for 12- 15 minutes. (should be light golden brown) Makes 1 10 x 15 baking sheet.

Submitted by Janice Robinson

Macaroons

From Amanda Jensen (Dec 2006)

2 2/3 cups firmly packed coconut
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 egg whites (beat till soft peaks form, with sugar)
1 t vanilla
1/8 t almond extract (or use more for stronger flavor)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Beat egg whites and sugar and extracts till stiff. Stir in flour and coconut. Form into balls, or just spoon (about 2 T size) on to parchment paper or foil lined or sprayed cookie sheets. Bake until they are slightly browned on the outside. Baking time varies with size of cookie, but about 15 – 20 minutes. Watch them the first time.

Can also dip 1/2 in melted chocolate

Broccoli Salad with dressing

Dressing: (for 2 bunches of broccoli)

1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup plus 1-2 T. rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 t. celery seed
1/2 t. salt dash garlic powder
1 t. onion powder (optional)

Shake above ingredients till mixed well and pour over 1 large bunch chopped broccoli, and 1 lb. mushrooms, cut in large pieces. chopped green onions and red pepper are optional.
Marinate for one hour.

The original recipe called for 1 cup oil and 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup sugar but I like it lighter.

Submitted by Janice Robinson