Banana Nut Bread - lightened up!

the yummy stuff:
1 pkg (8oz) reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped pecans, divided

making it!
~ in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and sugar until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in bananas and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture just until moistened.  Fold in 1/2 cup pecans.

~ transfer to two 8 in. x 4 in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with remaining pecans.  Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

This bread has such a great flavor and this recipe allows you to enjoy an all time favorite comfort food with far less guilt by trimming the fat and calories. 

Enjoy!

Banana Nut Bread - lightened up!

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Meatloaf

what you need!

2 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. (6 oz) Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken

1/2 cup water

2 eggs, beaten

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp black pepper

dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Hamburger seasoning (optional)

4 Kraft singles

how to make it!

MIX: all ingredients EXCEPT cheese singles, just until blended.  Fold 2 (30-inch-long) pieces of foil lengthwise in half twice.  Crisscross pieces on work surface.  Top with meat mixture; shape into 8-inch round loaf.

USE:  foil handles to gently lower meatloaf into slow cooker, letting ends of foil hang over top edge of cooker; cover with lid.

COOK:  on HIGH 4 hours or until meatloaf is done (160 F).  Top with singles.  Let stand, covered, 5 min, or until Singles are melted.  Use foil handles to remove meatloaf from slow cooker before slicing to serve.

This is a really great meal that is easy to throw together and quick to cook.  The kids love it, and that is always a plus.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Fruit Salad in a Pineapple Boat

This summery, sweet treat is as good as it looks.  When served with a ridiculously delicious fruit dip, no one will be able to resist this refreshing fruit salad.

the good stuff:

1 fresh pineapple

2 cups cubed cantaloupe

1 cup halved fresh strawberries

1 cup grapes

1 Tbsp. lime juice

the ridiculously delicious dip:

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese; softened

1 container of marshmallow fluff

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Stand pineapple upright; vertically cut about a third from one side, leaving the top attached. Remove fruit and discard outer peel from the smaller section.  Remove fruit from the large section, leaving a 1/2-in shell.  Chop fruit; place in a large bowl.  Add the cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes and lime juice;  toss to coat.  place in pineapple shell.  In a mixing bowl, combine dip ingredients and mix with a mixer until well-blended and smooth.  Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with fruit.

I always seem to have extra fruit, so I go ahead and fill the remaining cantaloupe shells with fruit as well.  Blueberries are also a wonderful additive to this fruit salad.  The fruit dip is amazing and is also great served with sliced apples!  Thanks Tiffany for introducing me to this FABULOUS dip!

Enjoy!

Fruit Salad in a Pineapple Boat

Baked Slow Cooker Chicken

The Must Haves:
1 (2-3 pound) whole chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
injectable liquid marinade (optional)

The How To:
1.  Wad three pieces of aluminum foil into 3 to 4 inch balls and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2.  Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water.   Pat dry with paper towels.  Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika.  If desired, inject the bird with liquid marinade. 
3.  Place bird in a baking dish and brown on Low broil before putting into the slow cooker.  (Be careful not to burn.) 
4.  After bird is browned place it in the slow cooker on top of the crumbled aluminum foil.
5.  Cook on high for 4 hours or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.


** I added some additional spices to my salt, pepper, paprika rub to add more flavor to the bird and I also basted the bird throughout the cooking process.  Very yummy, cheap and easy!

Enjoy!

Baked Slow Cooker Chicken

Cherry Peanut Butter Pie

I have had this one for a while and was excited to finally get to make it.  Our youth at church held a Baked Potato Luncheon and so I provided this fabulous looking pie for a dessert.  By the time I got through the line, the prepared slices of my pie were all gone.  However, the very sweet parents who were preparing the dessert plates had hidden a slice in the fridge for me. 

God bless them!

what it takes:

1 1/4 cups pretzels, crushed (i use a blender to crush them)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 and 1/2 cups frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed

1 (21 oz) can Cherry Pie Filling (strawberry pie filling would be fab too!)

how to make it:

Combine the crushed pretzels and granulated sugar, then stir in the melted butter.  Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie plate. 

Cover and chill.  Beat together the peanut butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed.  Fold in the whipped dessert topping.  Spoon 1/2 cup of the cherry pie filling into the crust-lined pie plate. 

Carefully spread the peanut butter filling over top of the pie filling. 

Top with the remaining pie filling. 

Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving. 

The pretzel pie crust was so good and I think I will use this for many other pies I attempt to make.
I think this would also be delicious with a strawberry topping as well, and may try this the next time I make it.
Enjoy!

Cherry Peanut Butter Pie

Barbecue Ribs ~ slow cooked

the stuff you need to make it:
4 pounds pork country style ribs
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of ketchup
2 cups of BBQ sauce (we prefer Stubbs)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano (italian seasoning works if you don't have oregano)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 dash of hot sauce

how to make it:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow baking pan. Brown in oven 15 minutes. Turn over, and brown another 15 minutes; drain fat.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs, and turn to coat.
4. Cover, and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or until ribs are tender.

*option: after cooking in slow cooker i remove the ribs and place back into a shallow baking pan and place under the broiler on low for a few minutes to carmelize them before serving.

These ribs are delicious and a regular
Sunday dinner in our house.
Hope your family loves them as much as mine does!

Enjoy!

Nutrition info:

Servings:8

calories: 498

Total Fat: 29.7

Total Carbs: 33 g

Fiber: 0.8g

Protien: 26 g

Sodium: 1245 mg

Cholesterol: 117 mg

Barbecue Ribs ~ slow cooked

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Makes 24 slices Prep 10 minutes
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 12 minutes

What you need:

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
4 egg yolks

How to make it:

1. Heat oven to 325. Coat two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray; dust with flour and shake out excess. Set aside.

2. Stir together flour and salt; set aside. In small bowl, stir together eggs, egg yolks and vanilla; set aside.

3. Mix butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 6 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and gradually pour in egg mixture. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture and beat until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Divide batter between prepared loaf pans and smooth tops. Bake at 325 for 1 hour, 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on rack.

Per slice: 330 calories; 17 g fat; 4 g protein, 42 g carbs; 1 g fiber; 65 mg sodium; 99 mg cholesterol

Hey…at least it has fiber!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Tex-Mex Chicken

what it takes:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
2 Tbsp. (1/2 of 1-1/4-oz. pkg.) Taco Seasoning Mix
2 Tbsp. flour
1 each green and red pepper, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
1 cup frozen corn
1-1/2 cups Thick 'N Chunky salsa
1 cup mexican style shredded Four Cheese

how to make it:

TOSS chicken with taco seasoning and flour in slow cooker. Stir in vegetables and salsa; cover with lid.
COOK on LOW 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours).
STIR just before serving; top with shredded cheese.

this is a very healthy, very tasty meal.  i also serve this over white instant rice.  very easy to throw together sunday morning before church and your sunday afternoon lunch dilemma is solved.

Enjoy!   

Tex-Mex Chicken

Green Bean Stir-Fry

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION



Ingredients:

1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon peanut butter
3/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
4 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1.In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, garlic, sesame seeds, brown sugar and peanut butter; set aside. In a large skillet, stir-fry the green beans in oil until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat. Add the soy sauce mixture; stir to coat.

This is a great side dish and the best thing about these is that my kids love them! The soy sauce/peanut butter combo adds such a great flavor to these crisp green beans.

This is a must-try recipe!

Green Bean Stir-Fry

No fuss Chocolate Cake

Need a scrumptious dessert?

Something that tastes ridiculously delicious, but better yet looks like it came out of a gourmet cookbook?

However, you just don't have the time or desire to whip something up?

Here is an easy, no fuss solution that

I have used a couple of times and definitely will many more times in the future.

Directions:

Go to you local market and purchase a Pepperidge Farm Cake from the freezer section. Let it thaw as directed on the box. Slice cake into serving sizes and arrange on dessert plates. Spoon a small amount of whipped topping beside the cake and top with a strawberry (i prefer to use chocolate covered strawberries). Drizzle Hershey's chocolate syrup over cake and topping. And there you have it. A quick fix to your dessert dilemma, that tastes and looks fabulous!

Enjoy!

No fuss Chocolate Cake