Banana Nut Muffins with Oatmeal Streusel

I must admit -- I love just ripe bananas and really over-ripe bananas.  I'm not a big fan of the in-between.  I love black, very ripe bananas, because they are perfect for muffins, bread, smoothies, etc.  Yesterday, I tried a new recipe from my Cooking Light cookbook.  It was too good not to pass along ...

Ingredients

Muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup mashed ripe banana (approx. 2 bananas)

3/4 cup low-fat milk

3 T canola oil (I used veggie oil)

1/2 tsp vanilla 

1 large egg

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (I left out this time)

Streusel:

6 T regular oats

5 T flour

2 T brown sugar

2 T butter, softened

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375

To prepare the muffins, combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.  Combine banana and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a bowl; stir well.  Add to flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened; fold in walnuts.  Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups.  (Side note: Lately I've been decided not to use cup liners and have just sprayed the muffin tin with Pam-- saves paper and works just as well.)

To prepare streusel, combine oats and remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  Blend with a pastry blender (I used a fork) until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Sprinkle streusel over batter.  Bake at 375 for 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean.

Something a little different...

You know you're a full fledged mommy when you've been asked for your first time to "bake goodies" for the preschool carnival. For such a right of passage, I was compelled to find a recipe for something that would be unique, but would still sell at the bake sale. I was pretty proud of this creation, which I saw in a magazine. Use your favorite rice crispy treat recipe. Let the mixture slightly cool, then roll the it with your greased hands into rolls. Then use gummy fish and strips of green fruit roll ups. Bound to be a hit with kids and sushi-lovers!

Pork Pozole

I love slow cooker recipes. I found this one in Parents magazine, which means it's very easy. It is essentially a Mexican stew. It has some interesting ingredients and Jeff is a huge fan.

1 15 oz. can yellow or white hominy, drained

1 14.5 oz. can Mexican-style diced tomatoes (I actually used tomato sauce and added some taco seasoning)

1 10 oz. can mild green enchilada sauce

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

 2 tsp. ground cumin

1.5 lbs. boneless pork loin

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 t. lime juice

Tortilla chips

Diced avocado and lime wedges, optional

1. Combine the hominy, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, garlic, and cumin in a 4 quart slow cooker. Top with pork, spooning hominy mixture over the meat. Cover and cook on hight for 2 to 2.5 hours. 

2. Place pork on a cutting board. Add cilantro and lime juice to the slow cooker. Coarsely chop pork; return to cooker, and stir well. Spoon into shallow bowls. Serve with tortilla chips, and if your family is a fan of avocado and lime, include them too. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition per serving: 332 cal; 29g protein; 9g fat; 31g carb; 461mg sodium; 5g fiber

Blueberry Bran Muffins

Blueberry Bran Muffins:
1 c. white flour
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. wheat bran
1/3 c. plus 1 T. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 egg( separate the yolk and white and beat the white till fluffy with a fork)
1/4 c. molasses
1 t. vanilla
2 T. canola oil
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a twelve cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. mix wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls.
3. stir dry ingredients into wet just till moistened then fold in the blueberries, stirring as little as possible.
4. spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for 18 - 20 min. (test with tooth pick and do not over bake)
5. cool on wire wrack. ( Or cool in the microwave to keep them moist. My sister did this when we were younger to keep the muffins moist or to soften muffins that had been over baked in the first place.)

I got this recipe from joyofbaking.com ,a website that Austin found for me.
After making the orange flax bran muffins I wanted more so have been looking up other bran muffin recipes. I made these yesterday and can't stop eating them! They also smell soooo good when baking!
Next week I am making Banana Oat Bran Muffins and if they are good I will post that recipe too!
I am getting good at typing one handed while nursing Alyce. :)

Honey Curry Baked Chicken

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized chunks

1 stick of butter 

1/2 c. honey

2 T. prepared mustard

1 t. salt

1-2 T. curry powder

Chopped peanuts and sweetened coconut flakes for garnish

White sticky rice ( a 2 cups of uncooked rice batch)

Place chicken in a 13x9 in. baking dish.

Melt butter and mix in rest of ingredients.

Pour sauce sauce over chicken.

Cover pan with foil and bake 1 1/4 hours at 350.

Remove from oven and stir to brake apart chicken chunks.

Serve over sticky white rice.

This recipe is from my Aunt and she says she puts the rice on a big platter  and puts the chicken and sauce on top and serves it that way. The sauce looks runny but when it soaks into the rice it is perfect! We really liked this dish!

When I made this I cut the recipe in half and it made 3 healthy (generous ) servings.

Garnish with chopped peanuts and coconut flakes.

To balance the cake...bran muffins!

About a month ago I purchased "Super Foods RX." I have really enjoyed trying to implement the super foods. I have always told Andrea that I am looking for a good breakfast "cookie" - well this bran muffin comes pretty close (I don't have time to eat breakfast at home so I always need something that I can take "to go"). I make two dozen and then freeze them in batches of six - works great! I hope someone tries them and actually likes them :).

PS: Love all the new recipes - can't wait to go grocery shopping!

Orange Bran Flax Muffins
Yields 24 muffins

1 1/2 cups oat bran
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup natural bran
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 oranges, washed, quartered, and seeded
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 canola oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups raisins (can substituted white chocolate chips)

In a large bowl combine the oat bran, flour, flaxseed, natural bran, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a blender or food processor, combine the oranges, brown sugar, buttermilk, canola oil, eggs and baking soda. Blend well. Pour the orange mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Stir in the raisins. Fill paper lined muffin tins almost to the top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool in tins 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Chocolate Stout Cake

Alright (sorry about my foodie friends absence), I made this last year for St. Patrick's Day weekend and it is pretty amazing. It was requested again this year by my in-laws. Last year I was a little wimpy and just made a sheet cake, but this year I went big and made my first three layer cake. I know it is a little industrious but well worth it! It to is from Epicurous (after you look at the ingredients you'll know why I only make it once a year).

Cake
2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Icing
2 cups whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing:
Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.
Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.