GRANDMA'S BANANA BREAD

Filed under Breads
Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large bananas, mashed
2¼ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, stir together milk and lemon juice; set aside.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and stir to combine.  Add milk/lemon juice to mashed bananas, then fold banana mixture into batter.  Add nuts or chocolate chips if desired.  Spoon batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let's Dish
This is the first banana bread I ever made.  I've tried making dozens of banana breads since then, thinking I might find a better recipe than my grandmothers.  It hasn't happened yet, and I always come back to this as my no-fail banana bread recipe.  I'm not sure (maybe Alton Brown would know) but there must be something about the way the ingredients are combined that makes this banana bread special.  We really like it with mini chocolate chips, and sometimes I throw in a dash of cinnamon.  It also makes great muffins.
 
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SPICY GARLIC LIME CHICKEN

Ingredients

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts. Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. Add 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice to pan. Cook for and additional 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat chicken evenly with sauce.
 
Let's Dish
This quick, simple and flavorful chicken dish is one of our family favorites.  It looks like a long list of ingredients, but it's mostly spices.  I like to mix up a batch of the spices ahead of time and store it in an airtight container.  Then when I go to make the chicken, half the work is already done!  Sometimes I'll add additional butter or 1/4 cup of water towards the end if I want to increase the amount of liquid for coating the chicken.  You can serve the cooked breasts whole, but I like to slice them and drizzle additional sauce over the top before serving. 
 
Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from allrecipes.com

COCA-COLA CAKE

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup Coca-Cola (not diet)
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup Coca-Cola
1 pound powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa and salt; set aside.  In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, soda and vanilla.  In a medium saucepan, heat butter, Coca-Cola and miniature marshmallows to boiling, stirring frequently.  Pour hot butter/cola mixture over flour mixture and mix well.  Add in buttermilk/egg mixture, stirring quickly until batter is well combined. Pour batter into a greased, 9x13 inch pan.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Meanwhile, make frosting by melting 1/2 cup butter with 1/3 cup Coca-Cola in a medium saucepan.  Stir together powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons cocoa in a medium bowl.  Pour butter mixture over powdered sugar and stir to combine.  Spread over cooled cake.

Let's Dish
This is a yummy, gooey chocolatey cake with a hint of cola flavor.  I really like it warm from the oven.  I'm told not to use diet cola or regular sized marshmallows (miniature only!) or the cake won't turn out.  I don't  add nuts to the frosting because some people around here don't like them, but I think toasted almonds would be really delicious.  If you don't have any buttermilk, just add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to your milk and let it sit for a few minutes.

Who Dished It Up First
I got this recipe from my friend Amy, who is a fabulous cook.  Her son requests this cake for his birthday every year. I did add one extra tablespoon of cocoa to the cake batter.  I figured a little extra chocolate never hurts!

CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients

1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
4 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 package frozen corn
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
6-8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2-3 green onions, chopped (optional)

Directions
Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Sauté onion for about 2 minutes, until soft. Add broth, and milk and bring to a boil.  Add potatoes and simmer until just tender, approximately 8 minutes. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes longer. Puree 1 cup of chowder in food processor or blender; return to saucepan. Stir in bacon, mustard powder, green onions and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through and serve.

Let's Dish
I love corn chowder, especially with bacon! If you have a handheld blender, you can blend right in the pot, which is a lot easier.  But don't skip the blending, it makes the chowder thick and creamy.  Another trick for thick and creamy chowder (courtesy of my sister in-law) is to add a can of cream of mushroom soup.  You should check out her corn chowder recipe.  She uses ham instead of bacon, which is a great idea.  Whenever I make ham, I always have leftovers.

Who Dished It Up First
This recipe was in a department store employee cookbook I received when I registered for my wedding.  I've been making this corn chowder for almost 15 years now!

EASY BANANA PECAN BUNS

Filed under Breads
Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and thinly sliced into 10 pieces
2 bananas, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
10 teaspoons brown sugar (1 teaspoon per bun)
1 (7.5 oz.) tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a regular-size muffin pan.  Drop a piece of butter in the bottom of each of 10 compartments of the pan. Arrange 3-4 banana slices on top of each slice of butter. Sprinkle the pecans, brown sugar, and a dash of cinnamon over the bananas. Top with a biscuit. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Carefully remove buns from muffin tin while still hot.  Transfer to a platter. Serve warm.

Let's Dish
This is a really easy breakfast treat to put together on a weekend morning.  I've made it with and without nuts, and I definitely prefer it with.  The buns with nuts seem to come out of the pan better, while the ones without tend to stick.  And it never hurts to add a little extra butter and brown sugar.  These really do need to be eaten fresh out of the oven.  Leftover cooked bananas don't look or taste very appealing.  But hot out of the oven, these are delicious! 
 
Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from Real Simple magazine.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large mixing bowl cream together butter, vanilla and sugars. Add eggs and mix well. In separate bowl, blend flour, cocoa, salt and soda. Add to butter mixture and blend well. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for 2 minutes before removing cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Let's Dish
If chocolate is good, more chocolate is better, and these cookies are good and chocolatey! Feel free to substitute white chips or throw in some nuts.  This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.
 
Who Dished It Up First
I got this recipe from my sister.  Thanks sis!

MEDITERRANEAN TUNA SALAD

Ingredients

2 (5 ounce) cans tuna, drained
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, halved
2 teaspoons capers (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon basil pesto
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir gently to combine.  Chill for several hours before serving.

Let's Dish
I'm always looking for something tasty and healthy to fix myself for lunch, and this tuna salad is both.  At my age, those lean proteins are important if I want to keep what little muscle tone I still have left!  I usually make this with white albacore tuna, but any canned tuna will do.  You can use regular olives in place of Kalamata, but I like the extra kick they give the salad. 

Who Dished It Up First
I don't know if you have a Spicy Pickle in your neck of the woods, but this is my attempt to replicate their tuna salad.

SPICY CILANTRO LIME HUMMUS

Filed under Appetizers
Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/3 cup firmly packed chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste

DirectionsProcess all ingredients plus 2 tablespoons water in a food processor for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. 

Let's Dish
There are many variations on traditional hummus, and this is one of my favorites.  I thought it would be too spicy with all that red pepper, but it really isn't.  Hummus is always good with veggies, but I like it best with homemade pita chips.  It makes a great, healthy lunch and keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. I like to drizzle it with some additional olive oil just before serving.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from allrecipes.com.

BANANA NUTELLA MUFFINS

Filed under Breads
Ingredients

2 ripe, mashed bananas
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup Nutella

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine well; set aside. In another bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Stir in the sour cream, oil, mashed banana, and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just until moistened. Line a standard size muffin pan with papers, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Fill the prepared tins about 1/3 full with batter. Add one teaspoon Nutella and swirl in with a knife. Add additional batter so that muffin cups are about 2/3 full. Add another teaspoon of Nutella and swirl again. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Let's Dish
After repeatedly catching my son eating Nutella out of the jar with a spoon (and who could blame him?), I decided I better do something with it.  There are quite a few Nutella recipes online, but I wanted something simple and kid friendly. Nutella is kind of thick and doesn't swirl very well, but if you heat it up a bit, the swirling is easier.

Who Dished It Up First
I adapted this recipe from one I found at Simply Anne's.

FRIED RICE

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 large eggs
1 cup diced cooked ham
1/2 large red or green bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup frozen peas
4 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup soy sauce
3-4 green onions, sliced

Directions
Heat a small, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Add eggs to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes.  Remove scrambled eggs from skillet; chop and set aside.  Meanwhile, heat vegetable and sesame oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chili flakes and garlic and sautee for 2 minutes.  Add ham, and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Add bell pepper and onion; stir-fry another 5 minutes. Stir in peas, rice and soy sauce.  Cook and additional 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in reserved egg, and sprinkle with green onions.

Let's Dish
I don't know what they put in Chinese take out that makes it taste so good, but rarely am I able to replicate the flavors in my own kitchen.  This fried rice comes pretty close. You can easily substitute with whatever meat and vegetables you have on hand, or leave out the meat for a vegetarian version.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from myrecipes.com.  Originally published in Southern Living magazine.

SESAME CHICKEN

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of ground cinnamon
5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour, black pepper, ground ginger, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, cloves, and cinnamon. Place chicken into the bag and shake to coat. Remove to a platter. In a small bowl, stir together teriyaki sauce, honey and soy sauce.  Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Place chicken into skillet, and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Mix in teriyaki and honey mixture and stir until sauce thickens.  Stir in sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Let's Dish
I can't say whether or not this is authentic sesame chicken, but I can say that my kids (minus the vegetarian) gobbled it up.  If you'd like to add vegetables, do that a few minutes before the chicken is cooked through.  We like to serve this over rice.

Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from allrecipes.com

WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI

Ingredients

4 (15 oz.) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sour cream, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions
Place beans, broth, whole chicken breasts, and diced chilies in a slow cooker. Stir in cumin, salt and pepper.  Cover and set slow cooker to low. Meanwhile, warm oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic mixture to slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring ocassionally. About 1 hour before serving, remove chicken breasts from slow cooker.  Shred the chicken and set aside. Remove 2 cups of beans and liquid. Puree in a blender. Return pureed beans and chicken to the slow cooker. Serve with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.

Let's Dish
My kids don't think this looks too appetizing, but my husband (who is not a bean person) usually has seconds.  The cumin and green chilies give this soup it's flavor, and it's a welcome change from the usual chili fare.  It's definitely not as thick as traditional chili, so if you skip the blending step it will be more like a soup.  This is also great topped with some shredded cheese or crushed tortilla chips.
 
Who Dished It Up First
Adapted from myrecipes.com

PANTRY BLONDIES

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat; remove from heat. Alternately, butter can be melted in a microwaveable bowl. Stir brown sugar into melted butter until it is dissolved. Quickly whisk in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Let's Dish
Imagine a cross between a moist, chewy brownie and a chocolate chip cookie.  That's what these blondies taste like!  You're likely to always have the ingredients on hand in your pantry, hence the name.  The original recipe called for walnuts, but I replaced them with chocolate chips.  If I wasn't the only one around here who likes nuts, I'd probably use both! I have a fantastic brownie recipe that is mixed up in a similar fashion, stirring the sugar into the melted butter, etc. so I knew these would be good the minute I read the recipe.  I usually make a double batch, so there is a half a pan for me, and half for everyone else.

Who Dished It Up First
This recipe was originally published in Mom's Big Book of Baking, but I found it at Whipped.

FRUIT SALSA AND CINNAMON CHIPS

Filed under Appetizers
Ingredients

2 medium Granny Smith apples, finely chopped
2 kiwis, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 pound strawberries, finely chopped
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
Juice and zest of one orange
10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together chopped apples, kiwi and strawberries.  Stir in orange juice, zest, jam and brown sugar until well combined.  Cover and place in refrigerator.  In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon.  One at a time, lightly brush tortillas with water, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Slice into 8 triangular wedges.  Place tortilla wedges on lightly greased baking sheets.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until tortillas are crisp and just starting to brown around the edges.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Serve with fruit salsa.

Let's Dish
This is so yummy!  And healthy too.  It's a great summertime dish, but I make it anytime I have leftover tortillas that need to be used up.  I have found fried cinnamon and sugar tortilla chips at Whole Foods.  They are delicious, but not as healthy as this baked version.  You can also use cinnamon and sugar pita chips, but I prefer the tortilla chips.  A pizza cutter is great for slicing the tortillas.  The salsa will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Who Dished It Up First
I got this recipe from my friend, Kelly.  I have tried several fruit salsa recipes, but this one is my favorite.

HOT HAM AND CHEESE MINI SANDWICHES

Filed under Appetizers
Ingredients

2 tablespoons dried minced onions
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup (1stick) melted butter
1 dozen dinner rolls or 2 dozen party rolls, such as King Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
1/2 pound sliced deli ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small mixing bowl stir together onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open so that you have one solid top and bottom. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet; top with ham and cheese. Place the top part of the rolls on the ham and cheese. Drizzle the butter mixture evenly over the rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Use a knife to separate the rolls into individual sandwiches. Serve immediately.

Let's Dish
These little sandwiches are quick and easy to put together, and go over well with kids and adults.  For an added kick, try spreading some additional Dijon mustard on the rolls before adding the ham and cheese.  These can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, but you may need to bake them a few extra minutes.  These can also be made ahead and stored in the freezer.  Just defrost in the refrigerator and then bake as directed.

Who Dished It Up First
I got this recipe from one of my favorite blogs Be Different Act Normal.  Lorie posts great recipes and tons of fun decorating ideas.