Cheesy BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes

Cheesy BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes

4 Baked Potatoes (Recipe below)
Cheese Sauce (Recipe below)
Shredded BBQ Chicken (Recipe below)
Sour Cream
Green Onions

1. Top Baked potatoes with cheese sauce, chicken, sour cream, and green onions.

2. Eat!


Baked Potatoes

4 Potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt

1. Wash potatoes. Dry potatoes.

2. Lightly coat potatoes in Olive Oil.

3. Generously sprinkle with salt.

4. Poke holes in potatoes with a fork.

5. Bake at 425 for 40 to 50 minutes or until skins are crisp and potatoes are fork tender.

6. Using a sharp knife, slit top potato lengthwise and pop open.


Cheese Sauce

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)
Salt
Pepper

1. In a saucepan, melt butter. Once butter is melted add in flour and stir.

2. Slowly pour in milk, stirring until mixture is smooth.

3. Cook over medium heat, until milk mixture is thickening.

4. Add in cheese, salt, and pepper and stir until melted.


Shredded BBQ Chicken

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix
1 small chopped onion
1/2 to 3/4 cup BBQ Sauce

1. Toss all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours. Chicken should be easily shredded with fork.

2. Shred chicken and mix with all the juices in the crock pot. Serve over potatoes.

Polynesian Meatballs

Polynesian Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
2/3 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 small chopped onion
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 tsp. ginger

1. Mix together and roll into meatballs.

2. Put them on a cookie sheet and cook them in the oven at 425 for 13-14 minutes.

Polynesian Sauce:
2 Tbs. Cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
3 Tbs. soy sauce
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tbsp Franks Red Hot Sauce
1 can pineapple tidbits
2/3 cup chopped green pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper

1. Mix together cornstarch, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce.

2. Drain pineapple juice into mixture with the vinegar and soy sauce.

3. Add in garlic and hot sauce.

4. Saute peppers until slightly tender. Once peppers are tender, add in all the sauce ingredients.

5. Mixture will thicken very quickly. Toss in meatballs and 1 cup of the pineapple.

7. Serve over rice.

Caramel Chex Mix

Caramel Chex Mix

3/4 cup brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp corn syrup
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 cups Rice Chex
4 cups Corn Chex
Optional: Peanuts and Chocolate Chips

1. In a large microwave safe bowl, mix together brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup.

2. Microwave mixture for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir.

3. Add in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.)

4. Mix in Rice Chex and Corn Chex

5. Microwave for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. (Two minutes will make for a chewy caramel mixture, 3 minutes will get harder and add more crunch.)

6. Stir mixture, and pour onto wax paper to cool.

7. Break apart, and enjoy!

NOTE: To use the optional items you can mix in the peanuts with the cereal. After it's done, melt the chocolate and drizzle over mixture.

Chocolate Chip Puffins!

Ok, I'll admit it. I am not a morning person. At all. As far as I'm concerned, I think it would be best if the sun rose around 10:00am. Not being a morning person, I guess you could also say I'm not a breakfast person. . .however, that's not true. I love a good breakfast, I just prefer to eat it for dinner. I rarely make good breakfasts. It's sort of a weekend thing. Monday through Friday, we usually resort to toast, cereal, english muffins, or oatmeal. However, it was Saturday, and we were in need of a quick breakfast. . .the best way to make a quick, but hot breakfast is to make it the night before and pop it in the microwave as needed. I found this recipe on the Bakerella website and had to try it. Pancake or muffin? You decide! I made a few minor changes to her recipe, but they turned out great! So here goes. . .

Chocolate Chip Puffins

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/3 sour cream
1 egg
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl.

3. In another bowl, stir milk, sour cream, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Spray a mini muffin pan with non stick baking spray. Scoop 1 Tbsp of batter into each muffin cup.

7. Bake for 8-9 minutes.

8. Dip in Maple Syrup, and enjoy!

Makes 24 mini pancake muffins.

Maple Puffins!

Maple Puffins!
Makes 24

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/3 sour cream
1 egg
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl.

3. In another bowl, stir milk, sour cream, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined.

5. Spray a mini muffin pan with non stick baking spray. Scoop 1 Tbsp of batter into each muffin cup.

6. Bake for 8-9 minutes.

7. Dip in Maple Syrup, and enjoy!

Makes 24 mini pancake muffins.

After School Apple Snack

This snack came about today because of leftovers. As usual. Gotta find a way to use up that Peanut Butter Buttercream. After school today I took the kids to the grocery store. We bought apples. . .Honeycrisp Apples. Our fave. Can't beat those sweet, crisp, cold, Minnesota grown apples. We got them home and sliced them up. At the same time, I was making a batch of Peanut Butter Brownies. The kids were BEGGING to dip their apples in the buttercream frosting. . . and voila! After school snack!

After School Apple Snack

2 Honey Crisp Apples, sliced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk
Reese's Pieces!

1. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

2. Stir in milk.

3. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

4. Pipe a dollop of frosting onto each apple slice and top with a Reese's Pieces piece.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Peanut Butter Brownies

1 pkg. Brownie mix of choice. (9 x 13 or Family Size) plus ingredients to make
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk
Reese's Pieces!

1. Prepare brownies as directed on package. Let cool completely.

2. Cut brownies into 1" to 1 1/2" squares. (This works best using a plastic knife. Brownie will not stick to knife which will help create a clean cut.)

3. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

4. Stir in milk.

5. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

6. Pipe a dollop of frosting onto each square and top with a Reese's Pieces piece.

NOTE: The top photo is in bar form, but I usually make these as "Bite Size." (Pictured Below.)

Bacon Cheddar Quiche

This quiche could be served for brunch or lunch, along with mixed fresh fruit or a tossed salad. Use prepared pie pastry or a frozen thawed pie shell if you need to cut time. I made this for Fathers Day for my husband. It was a hit with everyone. I mean really, how can you go wrong with bacon and cheese?

Bacon Cheddar Quiche

CRUST:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut in small pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons ice-cold water.

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour and salt.

2. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form; add water, a little at a time, until dough holds together and forms a ball.

3. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

4. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter.

5. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate or quiche pan. Trim edges, leaving a little overhang, about 1/4-inch all around the edge. Prick dough with a fork.

6. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

FILLING:
8 strips lean bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, thyme, and pepper. Pour into the baked crust.

2. Crumble bacon over the top with the shredded Cheddar cheese.

3. Bake at 375° for about 30 minutes, or until quiche filling is set and top is lightly browned.

Caramel Monkey Bread

We love love love caramel rolls. . .love them. Nothing better than that warm caramel gooey delicousness right out of bed in the morning. You have to make this. SO GOOD!

Caramel Monkey Bread

BREAD:
2 loaves Rhodes frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

CARAMEL:
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
6 Tbsp heavy cream

1. Cut each loaf of thawed dough into 24 pieces.

2. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and cream and bring to a boil. Stir for about 3 minutes until it's all melted together. Pour half into a bundt pan.

3. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.

4. Dip each peace of bread in butter, and then roll in cinnamon sugar. Place cinnamon sugar bread cubes into the bundt pan. Repeat until all pieces are in pan.


5. Pour the rest of the caramel over the top of the bread.

6. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. I did have some overflow of bread in the oven. I used a 10 cup Bundt pan, I recommend a 12 cup capacity.

7. Invert on a plate or serving platter and enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Easy Easy Easy. Can't think of a better way to describe this fantastically delicious pie. My mom made it all the time when we were kids. Can't think of a better way to enjoy strawberries.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

CRUST:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup shortening
3 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp ice water

1. Using pastry blender, mix together flour, sugar, and shortening until crumbly.

2. Slowly add in water until you can form dough into a ball.

3. On a floured surface roll out dough big enough to fit into a 9" pie pan.

4. Pinch edges of pie to look all pretty. (In my case, not as pretty. I'm honestly fairly new to the whole pie thing. I have a history with using mostly prepackaged pie crusts but recently began practicing homemade.)

5. Bake crust at 375 until lightly browned and cooked through.

STRAWBERRY FILLING:
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 1/2 cups water
1 3oz pkg. strawberry jello
6 cups fresh sliced strawberries, patted dry

1. In a saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and water. Stir until smooth.

2. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for two minutes until mixture is bubbly, clear, and thickened.

3. Remove from heat and stir in Jello.

4. Let mixture cool until partially set and cooled down.

5. Stir in strawberries and spoon into pie shell. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies

Originally I got this recipe off of the Martha Stewart website. I was looking for a chocolate cookie and this one caught my eye. Simple ingredients everyone has on hand. Her recipe was simply chocolate, no mint. I had the mint in my cupboard and wanted to use it. The first time I made these cookies they were a disaster. I didn't mix long enough and the dough was more of a cake batter. Not only that, I used an entire bag of Ande's Baking Bits. Way too minty for anyone in my family. This time I tamed the mint flavor by usuing less Andes and subbing mini chocolate chips. It was perfect.

Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies

1 12oz bag of chocolate chips
6 Tbsp butter
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup Ande's chocolate mint baking pieces

1. Melt together chocolate chips and butter and set aside to cool a bit.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix on high until mixture is light in color and creamy. Takes at least 5 minutes. If you do not mix long enough your cookie dough will be more the consistency of cake batter. Unfortunately I know this from experience.

4. Add cooled chocolate mixture to the creamed egg and sugar mixture. Mix until well combined.

5. Add in the flour mixture.

6. Drop by Tbsp onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 for exactly 10 minutes.

Kids Cocoa

My kids LOVE hot cocoa. I can honestly say, that I have not, at least since I've had kids, bought the pre-packaged hot cocoa mixes. I made home made hot cocoa one time, and we were all hooked. Yesterday when the kids came home from school it was pouring rain. I mean raining hard enough that from the walk out of the school to the car they were drenched. When they got home we had cookies and cocoa to warm up. I made it before I left to pick them up and heated it a little longer than usual. I wanted it to be made and on the table when they got home, but still piping hot when they took that first sip. It was the first time we had made cocoa since last winter and they were so excited.

Kids Cocoa

1 cup milk
1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa, I use Hershey's dark chocolate
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant Folgers coffee
Dash of salt

1. Pour all ingredients into coffee mug, and microwave on high for about 1 minute.

2. Remove from microwave and stir with a spoon or mini whisk to combine all ingredients. Heat for a bit longer if you want it any hotter.

TIP: This is a basic recipe, you can change it to add different flavors. My kids like to toss an Andes mint in the bottom and stir till its melted. Turns into a creamy minty cocoa.

Grandma Dorothy's Finnish Flatbread

This is a VERY special recipe. SO special in fact, that it was not simply handed down to me. In a way, I had to earn it. I took a three hour trip with my sister Kim, (during a tornado, might I add) and spent a weekend with my grandma Dorothy and Grandpa Dale. Grandma had a very hands-on approach to handing down her recipe. We spent the weekend chatting, baking, and enjoying each others company. I have always loved this bread. But the time I spent with my Grandma made me love it for different reasons. Now it's not just bread. It's a memory.

This is a recipe that her mother, my great-grandmother, Alma Piilola, made as a young woman. My grandma has quite simply, perfected this recipe. Every loaf comes out perfect in taste, texture, and appearance. In years past, she made loaf after loaf, filling her freezer each year around the holidays and giving the bread as gifts. My grandpa likes this bread straight out of the oven, still hot, and dripping with freshly spread butter. I like it cooled. I think I know the reason why. Growing up, I had always had the bread weeks after my grandma made it, froze it, and was giving it away and serving it at the holidays.

Grandma no longer bakes bread as often as she used to. My aunt now makes it every Christmas, and sends two loaves home with each family. Two summers ago when I went up north to learn to make it was the first time I had had a fresh slice of it. I hold a special place in my heart for this recipe. The time I spend with my grandma learning her way of making it was priceless. So here I am, giving it to you. My only request is that you make it word for word, step by step, exactly as my great gramda, grandma, and myself do.

Grandma Dorothy's Finnish Flatbread

3 cups milk
2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt

1. Mix these three ingredients together in a sauce pan. Cook until scaleded.

2. Set aside. Let milk mixture cool to room temperature before continuing with recipe.

1/4 cup warm water
1 1/8 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar

1. Mix together water, yeast, and sugar.

2. Let sit while your scalded milk is cooling. Yeast and water mixture will froth, and seem to almost grow.

7-8 cups flour
1 1/2 Tbsp melted shortening

1. Using a large Kitchenaid Mixer with bread hook, mix together cooled milk mixture, yeast mixture, and 5 cups of flour. Set timer for 5 minute and let mixer mix bread.

2. After 5 minutes pour in the melted shortening.

3. Pour in the rest of the flour.

4. Mix until flour is combined.

5. On a heavily floured surface, drop your bread dough out of the bowl.

6. Knead bread by hand until smooth and elastic.

7. Rub the inside of a large bowl with butter or shortening.

8. Put dough inside the bowl, and cover. Let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours. ( I usually preheat my oven to 170, and then turn it off. Put the bread in the oven, and leave it for two hours.) Bread will have at least doubled in size.

9. After two hours, drop dough back onto a floured surface, punch down, and put back in bowl.

10. Let bread dough rise for another hour.

11. Dump bread 1 last time, punch down, and divide into three loaves.

12. Form, and flatten each loaf on it's own baking sheet.

13. Let rise for another hour, then poke holes in the bread with a fork.

14. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Creamy Chicken Cracker Bake

This is homey comfort food. Warm, creamy, crunchy, goodness. Extremely easy to make with ingredients that everyone has on hand.

Creamy Chicken Cracker Bake
3 cups cooked, diced, chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 sleeve crushed Ritz or Club crackers
1/4 cup melted butter

1. Mix together soup, sour cream, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper.

2. Stir in corn and chicken.

3. Spread in a baking dish.

4. Top with crushed crackers.

5. Pour melted butter over the top of the crackers.

6. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Tostada Stackers

Tostada Stackers

8 to 10 tostadas
1 small can of fat free refried beans
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
Tomato, chopped
Onion, Chopped
Sour Cream
Salsa

1. Cook chicken breast in crock pot with taco seasoning for about 4 hours. Chicken should be very tender when done. Shred with fork.

2. Spread refried beans on each tostada shell.

3. Top each shell with shredded chicken.

4. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the chicken.

5. Bake Tostadas in oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

6. Assemble stackers: Layer Tostada, lettuce, onion, tomato, sour cream and salsa. Top with another Tostada and more veggie layers.

NOTE: When I made these I layered three of them for my husband, the kids and I each ate 1 tostada with fixings on top. Layer based on hunger!

Oreo Cookie Cakes

Oh My Oreo! If you like Oreo Cookies. . .these are for you. You definitely get a great Oreo taste with these. Moist. . .Delicious. . .and Ooey Gooey Chocolate.

Oreo Cookie Cakes

Cake:
1 cup softened butter
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
3/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa
3 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee, cool
1 1/3 cups sour cream

1. Cream together butter and brown sugar and vanilla.

2. Add in eggs, one at a time.

3. Stir in vanilla.

4. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda.

5. Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients alternately with coffee and sour cream.

6. Scoop into a muffin pan lined with cupcake papers, mostly full.

7. Bake at 350 for about 18 to 20 minutes or until set.

8. Cool and Frost!



Oreo Cookie Frosting

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
3 cups finely crushed Oreo Cookies
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups powder sugar
1/4 cup milk (May need more for consistency)

1. Mix together cream cheese, vanilla, and powder sugar.

2. Add in Oreo cookies and milk.

3. Whip until the frosting looks very chocolatey and consistency is spreadable. (You may need to add more milk for this.)

4. Frost cooled cupcakes and top with a mini Oreo Cookie.

TIP: I put my frosting in a heavy duty Ziploc freezer bag, cut off the tip, and pipe it onto the cupcakes.

HUGE! Pot of Chicken Noodle Soup

I was never a huge chicken noodle soup fan. . .or so I thought. As a kid, it's one of those things that my mom never really made. She made plenty of other soups, and stews, and chili, but never chicken noodle. My husband however, LOVES chicken noodle soup. As a child, his mom made it for him, from scratch, every time he got sick. I guess in marrying him, I took that on as a challenge. What I came up with was this recipe. Super fast, easy, and tasty. Something you can toss together in 30 minutes or less sometimes. He said it beats his mom's hands down!

HUGE! Pot of Chicken Noodle Soup

1 large chopped onion
1 bag of shredded carrots (You can buy this right next to the bags of baby carrots)
1 Bunch of celery, finely chopped
3 cups of cooked, diced chicken (Rotisserie works great, otherwise I like to freeze leftover grilled chicken breasts and use these.)
14 cups of water
14 chicken boullion cubes
3 cloves chopped garlic
Several Tbsp of chopped italian parsley
Salt Pepper
Franks Red Hot
1 Bag of Egg Noodles, whichever kind you like

1. In a large soup pot, pour in water and add in boullion cubes.

2. Toss into that, the onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper to taste, a few dashes of Franks Red Hot Sauce, and garlic.

3. Bring broth and veggies to a boil.

4. Once soup is boiling, add in the noodles and boil for about 12 to 14 more minutes.

5. Right before removing from heat, add in the parsley.

6. Serve while piping hot!

Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another of mom's recipes. It started as a sugar cookie, and ended with coconut, almond extract, and chocolate chips. They're her favorite. She created the recipe, and I have to admit, she perfected them.

Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup oil
1 cup powder sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2 tsp almond extract
1 bag shredded coconut
1 bag of dark chocolate chips

1. Cream together butter and powder sugar.

2. Add in oil and sugar.

3. Crack eggs into mix, one at a time.

4. Add in salt, vanilla, and almond extract.

5. Mix together baking powder and cream of tartar with flour.

6. Add dry ingredients to wet.

7. Stir in chocolate chips and coconut.

8. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes until cookies are set but not browned.

Bacon Chicken and Corn Chowder

Bacon Chicken and Corn Chowder

1lb bacon, chopped and fried crisp
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
4 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
5 cups corn (you can use canned, but I used fresh, cut off the cob.)

1. Melt butter

2. Saute onion and red pepper in butter until tender, but not mushy.

3. Add in flour and mix, coating the onion and pepper.

4. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream.

5. Add in corn, bacon, and chicken.

6. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Baking Powder Biscuits

Baking Powder Biscuits

7 Tbsp Cold Butter
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
Additional flour for rolling out and kneading
Heavy cream for brushing on top

1. Mix together flour, salt, and baking powder.

2. Cut in butter until crumbly

3. Slowly add in milk. (Mixture will be sticky.)

4. Turn onto a HEAVILY floured surface and knead until dough is no longer sticky.

5. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with a 2" round cookie cutter. (I use the top of a children's cup to cut biscuits.)

6. Place on baking sheet, and brush with heavy cream before baking.

7. Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Here we go again, another take on Chipotle. You know what I'm talking about. What's a burrito without the Cilantro Lime Rice? Well, it's the best I can do, but here's my version for you.

Cilantro Lime Rice

3 cups water
3 cups minute rice
2 chicken boullion cubes
2 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and Pepper

1. Bring water, boullion, butter, and garlic to a boil

2. Add in rice.

3. Cover, remove from heat, and let set for about 5 minutes.

4. Mix in cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper.

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Believe it or not, I am not a huge chocolate fan. I'd take white cake to chocolate any day. On the off chance, that I do want chocolate, I want whatever I'm going to eat to be over the top chocolate. So here it is. Zucchini bread. . .with an extreme chocolate twist.

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread

3 cup shredded raw zucchini
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Here's where the dark color comes in, I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa)
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
OPTIONAL: Mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, then set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract and coffee.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix.

5. Stir in zucchini.

6. Pour into loaf pans and top with mini chocolate chips.

7. Bake for 1 hour.

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Bread

So, I just posted my recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. . .which my family loves. But this is the recipe I prefer. No Chocolate, all banana. The best part? The cinnamon sugar topping.

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Bread

1 1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup softened butter
2 eggs
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 mashed, super ripe bananas
4 Tbsp milk
3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon


1. Cream together sugar, and butter. Add eggs in one at a time beating well after each addition.

2. Mix in baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add in mashed bananas, and milk.

4. Mix in the flour. The mixture will be super thick.

5. Pour into two loaf pans, sprayed with a nonstick baking spray.

6. Mix together cinnamon, and sugar. Sprinkle evenly over both loaves.

7. Bake at 350 for just shy of an hour.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I love banana bread. My kids love chocolate. In this recipe, we combine both for what is the most perfect combination. . .chocolate chip banana bread. Make it as bread, make it as muffins, just make it. You'll love it. Dave loves it warm, slathered in butter. I prefer it cold. Sounds weird, I know. But it's how I like it.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup softened butter
2 eggs
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 mashed, super ripe bananas
4 Tbsp milk
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Cream together sugar, and butter. Add eggs in one at a time beating well after each addition.

2. Mix in baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add in mashed bananas, and milk.

4. Mix in the flour. The mixture will be super thick.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips.

6. Pour into two loaf pans, sprayed with a nonstick baking spray.

7. Bake at 350 for just shy of an hour.