Banana Bread (THE BEST!!!)

Cream:
¾ c. butter
2 eggs
1 ½ c. brown sugar
7 medium mashed bananas ( or about 3 cups)

*Here's the secret* Substitute one of the cups of bananas with 1/2 c. crushed pineapple and 1/2 c. applesauce

Add:
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. cinammon
2 ½ c. flour

Pour into 3 medium bread pans and sprinkle with 1 bag of milk chocolate chips. Bake at 325 for 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Creamy White Chili

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, coarsely shredded

1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder (or fresh garlic, if using) in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips.

Slow Cooker Option: In a medium round slow cooker, place 1 pound chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) without cubing them. Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chiles and all of the spices. Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet! Reduce the chicken broth to 12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour in over the other ingredients. Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (if using frozen chicken you’ll cook on the longer end of that spectrum, fresh chicken will cook in less time). Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces. Stir back into the slow cooker. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream until smooth. Whisk the cream mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients. Let the soup cook until heated through. Serve.

Cafe rio chicken

5 chicken breasts
1 bottle of Italian Dressing
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves-minced

Put chicken in crock pot, and then pour seasonings and dressing over it. Cook for 4-6 hours on low. We serve this on tortillas topped with lime rice, Romain lettus, avocados, white corn, tortilla strips and cilantro ranch dressing.

Ground Beef Stroganoff

•1 lb. hamburger
•1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
•1 packet brown gravy mix
•1/2 cup sour cream
•2 Tbsp. chopped onion
•salt & pepper (to taste)
•1 small can sliced mushrooms (I used fresh mushrooms)
•Egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes (I love it over noodles)

1.Brown hamburger with chopped onion, salt and pepper. While the meat is browning, Start the noodles, rice or mashed potatoes to cook. Drain off any grease from the hamburger. (I then cooked the fresh mushrooms in the beef fat until tender)

2.Add cream of mushroom soup, gravy mix (plus water according to packet directions) mix together and simmer over low heat about 10-15 minutes.

3.Add mushrooms and the sour cream mix until thoroughly blended. Serve over cooked noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.

Brown-Sugared Baby Carrots

•1 bag (32 oz) ready-to-eat baby carrots
•1/2 tsp. salt
•1/2 cup packed brown sugar
•2 Tbsp. butter, chopped into small pieces
•1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

1.Spray a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Put carrot in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, brown sugar, and butter.

2.Cover and cook on high (stirring every hour) for 3-4 hours until tender.

3.Spoon into serving bowl and spoon any sauce remaining over the carrots. Season with addition butter, salt, or pepper if desired. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Carmel Apple Crisp

5 cups apples, (after peeling) I like a mixture of sweet and tart

1/2-3/4 cup caramel topping

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup oats

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar for topping after baking

Peel, core and slice apples into thin slices. Place apple slices into a 9-10 inch pie plate or a 9x9 greased pan.

Drizzle caramel topping over apples.

Mix flour, sugars, salt, vanilla, pecans and oats in a large bowl. Cut in butter until blended well. Or use a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour crumb mixture over apples and caramel.

Place dish on top of cookie sheet to prevent any syrup from bubbling over in oven.

Bake at 400 on middle rack for about 30-40 minutes, or until apples are tender.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional 2 tablespoons sugar. Serve warm. Great topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tips:

-It may seem like 5 cups of apples are too many for a 9 inch dish, but the apples will shrink while baking.

Oreo Tuffle Balls

1 (1 pound, 2 ounce) package Oreo cookies
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
2 (8 ounces) packages semi-sweet chocolate chips**

Optional Toppings (additional chopped Oreo cookies, chopped nuts, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, Heath Bar Crunch bits, colored sugar or sprinkles, etc.)

** Use a good-quality chocolate chips. The taste and quality of these truffles are dependent on the quality of chocolate you start with.

Line two large baking or cookie sheets with either wax paper, parchment paper set aside.



In a food processor or blender, process and crush all of the Oreo cookies into crumbs. NOTE: Do not over crush! You want a crumb, not a powder. If you do not have a food processor or blender, cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a Rolling Pin.

Add cream cheese and process until thoroughly mixed and you have a creamy dough (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).

Using your hands, roll into walnut-size balls, approximately 3/4-inch diameter. If the mixture becomes too soft to work, place the remaining mixture back into the refrigerator to slightly harden. Place Oreo Balls on the lined baking sheet and refrigerate or at least 45 to 60 minutes.



The Oreo Balls may be stored in the freezer for up to 1 week before dipping in chocolate.



If you put the Oreo balls in the freezer for a short time before dipping in chocolate, this helps keep the balls cold longer. I also put the cookie sheets in the freezer first so they are really cold when I place the chocolate-covered Truffle Balls onto the cookie sheet.


How To Melt Chocolate - Using one of the below methods to melt the chocolate chips:

Double Boiler: In the top of a double boiler over hot water, not boiling water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water, melt chocolate; stirring until smooth. Be careful boiling water may cause steam droplets to get into chocolate which can result in "seizing," when the chocolate becomes stiff and grainy. If you don't have a double boiler you can improvise one by placing a glass or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water. Remove from heat. Let the chocolate cool slightly, but it should not set.

Microwave Melting Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips using either the defrost setting or 10-percent power in the microwave. Microwave for 1 minute, then check and stir. If you need more time, do it in 10 to 20 seconds intervals and check and stir after each addition of microwave time. Remove the container from the microwave and stir the chocolate until completely melted. Baking chips and baking chocolate may appear formed and un-melted after heating but will become fluid after stirring.

When ready to coat the truffle balls with the melted chocolate, remove the chilled Oreo Balls from the refrigerator. Replace parchment paper on baking sheets if they are not clean. A small fork, toothpicks, wooden skewer, or chopsticks are great to use as dipping tool. Dip each Oreo Ball into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip back into the pot. Place the Oreo Truffle Balls onto the wax paper. If the chocolate gets too hard to dip well, reheat it over the double boiler or in the microwave.