Banana Sour Cream Bread

From:  all-recipes.com

Original recipe makes 4 - 7x3 inch loaves

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 cup butter 3 cups white sugar 3 eggs 6 very ripe bananas, mashed 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons baking soda 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
2.	In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
3.	Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

SO GOOD!  I think Ben ate a whole loaf by himself!

• )

Sweet Beef (Korean Beef)

Sweet Beef (Korean Beef)
from:  http://elizabethbryant.blogspot.com/2010/05/korean-beef.html

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar (I like it sweet so I usually do closer to 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (see note)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (to desired spiciness)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced (I didn’t use)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.

Survey Says:  SO good!  Sean and I both really enjoyed this - it is really sweet.   Ethan didn’t like it, but I think the name turned him off of it, so I’m renaming it “Sweet Beef”  J

Snickerdoodle Bars

Snickerdoodle Bars
from: http://www.myownsweetthyme.com/2010/04/secret-to-soft-snickerdoodles.html

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat until well blended.

4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

5. In a small bowl, combine the white sugar and cinnamon.

6. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the baking pan.

7. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the surface springs back when gently pressed. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack. While still warm, cut into squares with a sharp knife...

SURVEY SAYS:  So good!!! J

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Oakton Ward Cookbook, page 110

3 lb pork roast
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. ginger
1 chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 can enchilada sauce
Another cup of dark brown sugar

Cook all ingredients except for the enchilada sauce and one cup of brown sugar in a crockpot on low for 6-8 hours.  Dump out the juice, shred the pork, and return to crockpot.  Then add the can of enchilada sauce and one cup of brown sugar and cook for one more hour.

SURVEY SAYS:  So good!!  This is definitely going to be made a lot at our house!  I put the meat into tortillas as enchiladas, but it can also be eaten with tacos or burritos.

Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom Risotto
from:  www.afamilyfeast.com

Ingredients

For preparing the mushrooms
• 1 8-ounce package crimini or baby bella mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt
For preparing the Arborio rice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ large onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 ½ cups chicken stock   I used one can of chicken broth (1/4 cup at a time)
• ¾ cup grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. To prepare the mushrooms, clean the mushrooms by brushing them off (do not wash if possible) and cut into quarters (stems may be left on).
2. In a medium sauté pan, melt the 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Add the cleaned and quartered mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat until lightly browned, stirring frequently. (Note – it’s important to sauté the mushrooms over somewhat high heat in order to get the mushrooms to release their moisture without steaming the mushrooms.) Once the mushrooms are lightly browned and tender and plump, sprinkle lightly with just a touch of salt and allow to sauté for another minute more – this step will release just a bit more of the moisture in the mushrooms. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and set aside.
3. To prepare the rice, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
4. Add the Arborio rice, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes until the rice is just starting to turn lightly golden.
5. Quickly pour in the white wine and allow the liquid to boil and be absorbed into the rice. Then pour in ¼ cup of chicken stock to the rice, stirring constantly. (If necessary, adjust the heat under the pot – you want a medium simmer.) Add more stock ¼ cup at a time – adding more just as most but not all of the liquid is absorbed before adding in more stock.)
6. Cook the rice and stock together in this manner for approximately 25 minutes or so – until the rice is tender but not mushy. Turn the heat off when there is still some liquid remaining in the rice and stir in the parmesan cheese and mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine completely.
7. Remove from heat and cover – let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
8. Note: Risotto may be reheated by adding in some additional chicken stock and stirring to incorporate into the risotto

SURVEY SAYS:  So so so GOOD!!  Definitely going to be making this again!  Had this as a side of our main dish.  Should double this for everyone to have seconds/leftovers.

Hearty Chicken and Noodle Casserole

Hearty Chicken and Noodle Casserole

Magazine Ad for Campbell’s

                 

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
½ cup milk
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese


1.  Stir soup, milk, black pepper, grated Parmesan cheese, vegetables, chicken, and noodles in 1 ½ qt casserole dish.

2.  Bake at 400º for 25 minutes or until hot.  Stir.

3.  Top with Cheddar cheese.


SURVEY SAYS:  Keeper!  Everyone really liked this recipe and it was SO EASY!  Definitely need to double it next time, though, as we ate all of it when I cooked it in the amounts above.

The World’s Best Chicken

The World’s Best Chicken

From:  "What's For Dinner, Mom?" Group

so easy to do this recipe...especially when you just don't know which chicken dish to make next!  Plus, these are staples we all have in our pantry!

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste
Rosemary for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix together mustard, syrup, and vinegar.
Place chicken breasts into 9×13 baking dish.
Season with salt and pepper.

Pour mustard mixture over chicken.
No need to marinate. I love that because I hate marinating/often forget to until it’s too late.
cover with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear.
Season with rosemary.

World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

www.allrecipes.com

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
½ teasoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350º
2.  Mix butter, white sugar, brown sugar until smooth
3.  Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
4.  Dissolve baking soda in hot water - add to batter, along with salt
5.  Stir in flour and chocolate chips
6.  Make into balls and put on pans
7.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are nicely browned.


SURVEY SAYS:  SO GOOD and pretty easy to make, too!!!!  I recommend using parchment paper on the cookie sheets so that the bottom of the cookies don’t get burnt.

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Creamy Pasta

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Creamy Pasta

From the Recipe Shoebox.com

The ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 pounds)
salt and pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. grated lemon zest
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (I used 1-1/2 lemons to get enough juice and zest)
1 lb. spaghetti noodles
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Pat chicken dry paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Cook chicken until well browned and almost cooked through, about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Transfer to cutting board and cover with foil.  Let rest 5 minutes, then slice crosswise into chunks.

Heat remaining oil in now empty skillet over medium heat until simmering.  Cook garlic and 3/4 teaspoon pepper until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add lemon juice and simmer, about 1 minute.  Add chicken  and any accumulated juices and cook an additional 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente.  Drain the pasta in a colander over a bowl and reserve pasta water.  Return the drained pasta to the pot.

In a separate small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Add to the drained noodles.  Stir together.  Add chicken mixture, parsley, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, adding more pasta water as needed for moisture.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 8.  Serve immediately with fresh, hot bread.  Enjoy!

SURVEY SAYS:  so good!!  Definitely a keeper!