Coconut Banana Bread

I found this on another blog and thought it looked yummy! I am going to try it this weekend...

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large eggs (I used egg substitute)
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (I used 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract) optional
4 mashed ripe banana 3 tablespoons sour cream (I used light)
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts (Did not use) optional
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven 350. Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar, applesauce, beat in the vanilla, the eggs, the zest, the banana, and the sour cream. Add the flour mixture, beat the batter until it is just combined, and stir in the macadamia nuts and the coconut. Pour the batter into greased muffin tin, Bake 15-18 mins or bread pan, Bake 40-50 mins

No Fuss Meat Loaf

I found an EASY recipe for yummy meat loaf. It's name is appropriately
No Fuss Meat Loaf
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 (6 oz) pkg instant stuffing mix
1.5 - 2 lbs ground beef
3 Tbls ketchup

Beat eggs and water. Add stuffing mix and mix well. Add beef and mix well. Press into ungreased loaf pan. Top with ketchup. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 60-75 minutes or until no pink and meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Yummy Pork Tenderloin

This is yummy and super easy!

2 lbs. pork tenderloin (I used Pork Chops)
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/4 t. chili powder
1/4 t. salt

Mix all together and marinade pork for 4 hours. Grill for 15-25 min or to desired doneness.

Yield: 6

Lime Chicken

I found this recipe on another cooking blog and we loved it!!! It was really yummy and really easy!

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons honey
juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 ground ginger
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add the chicken and cook about three minutes on one side, or until it is nicely browned. Turn chicken over and add garlic to the pan, lower heat to medium low. Combine honey, lime juice, soy sauce, salt, ginger, and cayenne and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl, stir, then scrape into the pan with chicken.
Simmer for five minutes (or until chicken is cooked through).

Remove chicken to plates and allow sauce to cook a little more to thicken slightly, stirring with a spoon to loosen bits of of chicken and brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Spoon sauce over chicken.

Serve with brown rice and a vegetable side

Chocolate Mint Frosty

Ok, a few years ago I had a Starbucks gift card so when my sisters were in town, I took them to get these Chocolate Mint (no caffeine) smoothie things. Well, my sister found this recipe online and sent it to me. I must say, it tastes pretty much the same. Great to cool off in the hot summer heat. Enjoy!

Chocolate Mint Frosty

2 c. milk
ice cubes
1 c. frozen Cool Whip
1 sm. pkg. instant chocolate pudding
4 small York peppermint patties

Pour milk into large measuring cup. Add enough ice to measure 3 cups. Pour into blender. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and blend until smooth. Very tasty.

Grandma Udall's bread

Homemade bread is really made for toasting and eating with fresh apricot jam, we all know it's true! So this recipe is actually for toast, not bread! Use your Bosch if you have one. This recipe makes 5 loaves and takes a good 2 1/2 - 3 hours of your life.

Basic Recipe:
1 1/2 quarts of very warm water (about 6 cups)
2/3 c sugar
2/3 c oil
2 T salt
2 T yeast

Better if you add these:
1 c powder milk
1 c potato flakes
2 eggs

After all of this is mixed, you add "several" cups of flour. (My grandma doesn't measure so she doesn't know exactly how much flour you put in. I think I put about 8 in at this point.) I did 1 whole wheat for every 3 white cups of flour. Let dough stand for 20 min for yeast to start working. Add "remaining" flour, a little at a time, until dough isn't sticky. (Again, I dont know how many cups of flour total. Just keep adding and mixing!) Knead 8 min in Bosch or by hand.

If using Bosch, remove dough hooks and let dough rise about 30 minutes. Punch down. Turn out onto greased surface. Grease 5 pans with solid shortening. Shape into pans. Let rise until about double in size. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool before bagging.

Mmm Mmm Minestrone

Dont be intimidated by all the ingredients! This is about 35 minutes prep and 50 to cook. Your best bet is to have everything cut up and ready to throw in... like you see on the cooking shows! I bolded the ingredients and "blued" everything that needs to be cut up.

In a large stock pot, over med-low heat, heat 3 T olive oil and saute 3 cloves garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add 1-2 chopped onions and saute 4-5 minutes. Add 5 sliced carrots and 2 cups chopped celery, saute for 1-2 minutes.

Add 2 cups chicken broth, 2 cups water, and 4 cups tomato sauce. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired, add 1 cup red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add 1 cup canned/ drained kidney beans, 15 oz can green beans, 2 cups baby spinach leaves, 3 zucchini, quartered and sliced, 1 Tbls oregano, 2 Tbls basil, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 30-40 minutes... the longer the better.

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to boil. Cook 1/2 cup seashell pasta until tender. Drain and set aside.

Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 Tbls cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese on top to serve.