best.banana.bread.ever

this is seriously the best banana bread Ive ever had.. and Ive tried a lot of different recipes.

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
• 1/2-3/4 cup sour cream (I use 3/4c, it turns out more moist)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (i skipped this, i dont like nuts in bread)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (by mixer or hand). Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 60-70 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

the ultimate twice baked potato

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 8 green onions, sliced, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
4. When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
5. Bake for another 15 minutes

Slow Cooker Applesauce

3-4 lbs apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. brown sugar, packed
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 c. water

Fill slow cooker with apple slices to about 2 inches from top.
Stir together sugars and spices in a small bowl; mix into apples and add water.
Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours, or until apples are tender.
Drain; mash apples with a potato masher to desired consistency. Store in refrigerator.

Easy Apple Crumb Pie

9-inch pastry shell/pie crust unbaked, chilled
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soft butter
6 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
vanilla ice cream - optional

Combine flour, brown sugar, salt and butter; blend until crumbly then set aside.
Combine apples, granulated sugar and cinnamon; mix gently to coat apple slices.
Pack apple mixture into chilled crust. Sprinkle crumb topping over apples.
Bake in 375 degree oven until apples are tender, about 50 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken beasts, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
2/3 cup Original Bisquick mix or Heart Smart Bisquick
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
1/2tsp salt or garlic salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

HEAT oven to 450 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with w/ cooking spray. In 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt, and paprika.

DIP half of the chicken strips into egg; place in bag. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat to use up remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.

BAKE 12-14 min, turning halfway through bake time with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

4 servings.

Courtesy of Spiced Chefs

Jersey Style Tuna Melt

:

Ingredients for 4 sandwiches:

• 2-3 (6 ounce) cans solid white tuna in water, drained
• approx. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (I used 1/4 tbsp. b/c we arent fans of parsley)
• 3/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 4 slices seedless rye bread
• 8 slices ripe tomato
• 8 slices Swiss cheese
• optional: paprika, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven broiler.
2. In a bowl, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, parsley, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the rye bread slices on a baking sheet, and broil 1 minute in the preheated oven, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and spread with the tuna salad. Place 1 cheese slice over the tuna salad on each piece of bread, layer with a tomato slice, and top with remaining cheese slices.
4. Return layered bread to the preheated oven, and broil 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Courtesy of All-Recipes

Chicken Caesar Wraps

Ingredients:

3 c. shredded romaine lettuce
2 c. chopped cooked chicken
4 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c. croutons
1/2 c. caesar dressing
4 flour tortillas
optional: ranch dressing

Directions:

1. place first 5 ingredients in large bowl. add dressing & toss lightly
2. spoon mixture into tortillas & roll-up
3. serve with ranch dressing

buffalo chicken wraps

Ingredients:

8 frozen breaded chicken breast strips (3/4 lb.)
1/4 cup mayo or red. fat mayo
1 tbsp. hot pepper sauce
2 cups shredded lettuce
4 spinach flour tortillas (8 inch)
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Bake chicken as directed on package. Meanwhile, mix mayo and hot pepper sauce until blended.
2. Place lettuce down centers of tortillas; top with chicken, tomatoes and cheese.
3. Drizzle with mayo mixture; roll up.

makes 4 wraps

baked potatoe bites

Ingredients:

1 bag small peeled white potato
1 package bacon
1 chunk of fresh parmesan cheese
sour cream
optional: chopped chives

Directions:

1. Slice potatoes & parmesan cheese very thin.
2. Layer potatoes & cheese on a plate until you have an inch high stack
3. Wrap in a 1/4 slice of bacon & place each bite into a mini muffin tin
4. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Serve immediately, with sour cream & chives

watermelon slices

Ingredients:

(for approx. 6 watermelon slices)

2 limes

1 small box of red Jello
mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cut limes in half lengthwise. Scoop out all the fruit with a spoon.

2. Place the limes in a muffin tin to keep them from tipping over.

3. Make the box of Jello according to the Jiggler directions.

4. Carefully spoon Jello into the limes halves. Chill until almost firm.

5. Using a skewer, push the mini chocolate chips into the Jello for "watermelon seeds."

6. Chill until until firm, then cut into slices.

Homemade Fruit Jigglers

Ingredients:

2 cups 100% natural fruit juice
3 tsp powdered gelatin
1/4 cup small cubed fruit of your choice

Directions:

1. Place 1/4 cup of the juice in a cup; sprinkle gelatin over juice.
2. Stand cup in a small pan of simmering water, stir until gelatin is dissolved.
3. Stir gelatin mixture and fruits into remaining juice in a medium bowl or square/rectangular pan.
4. Refrigerate until firm.
5. Scoop into a cup or cut into shapes to serve.

Let your Toddler help with the cutting of the shapes! Break out the cookie cutters and make this a Toddler activity!

Toddler Trail Mix

granola
peanuts
raisins
dried fruits
cereal rings (Cheerios, etc. )
carob or yogurt chips
roasted soy "nuts"

* Mix only those food items that you find appropriate for your Toddler*

Energy Balls

Ingredients:

1/4 cup finely grated carrots
1/4 cup rolled oats or Granola
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 Tablespoon honey
3 Tablespoons peanut butter

Mix all ingredients
Roll mixture into balls.
Eat!

Yogurt Cereal Bars

Ingredients

2 cups corn flakes
3/4 flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup flavoured yogurt (banana/strawberry etc.)
1 egg slightly beaten
2 tablespoons flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine cereal, flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
3. Cut in butter or margarine until coarse crumbs form.
4. Press 1/2 the mixture firmly into the bottom of a greased 8 inch square pan.
5. Mix yogurt, egg and 2 tablespoons flour in another small bowl.
6. Spread over cereal mixture in pan and then sprinkle the remaining cereal mixture on top.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown; cut into bars when cooled.

*Courtesy of Stonyfield Farms Yogurt