Banana Peanut Butter Muffins

These muffins are inspired by 2 co-workers. They went to a conference and came back talking about a delicious treat they had....banana bread with peanut butter. 
Me being me, I started brainstorming how I could make my own version. 
A family member told me Elvis is turning over in his grave at the sound of this recipe and a co worker today told me it was hands down the best food I've made that she has tasted so far! :) 


Muffin Ingredients:

•         2 large ripe bananas
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients: 

        1/2 cup powdered sugar

        1/2 cup peanut butter(I used fresh Whole Foods peanut butter)

        2 Tbsp softened unsalted butter

        1/2 tsp vanilla extract

        1 tsp or so of milk(add if consistency isn't frosting smooth)

For Muffins: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Peel bananas, and mash in bowl with fork or potato masher. Add brown sugar, oil, and egg; beat until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir until smooth. Stir in greek yogurt and vanilla. Fill muffin liners three-quarters full. 
3. Bake about 25 minutes for regular muffins.Transfer to wire rack to cool. 

For Frosting: 

In small bowl combine all ingredients and whisk until combine. Once cupcakes have cooled, place a small amount of frosting on top of each muffin. Yum-o! 

Em's Gumbo

Lucky you, 2 recipes in one night!
I have had this recipe on hand for a few years now, but today a friend tried it and insisted I share on my blog.
Who doesn't like gumbo, and to me, it is a go-to winter comfort food.
While this meal might not be the most budget friendly, it is a great meal to serve to friends or family and the leftovers are insane!

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs: cut into small bites
2 andouille sausage links: diced
1 thick ham steak OR 1/2 lb ham cut into a thick slice(any deli will do this for you): diced
1/2 bag or 1 heaping cup frozen cut okra
1 green bell pepper: diced
1 onion: diced
2-3 garlic cloves: minced
1 box chicken stock(32 oz)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 EVOO plus 2-3 Tbsp
1 cup cooked white rice
salt/pepper to taste OR if you have it, creole seasoning

Heat 2-3 Tbsp EVOO in dutch oven to medium heat.
Cook 3 meats until cooked through, 5-10 minutes.
Remove meat to plate or paper towel to allow it to drain. In same dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup EVOO to medium heat. Add 1/4 cup flour. Stir to combine and continue stirring for up to 20 minutes until mixture is a golden brown.
Add pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 5-10 minutes. Toss meat back into mixture. Pour in chicken stock to coat. If not covered in stock, finish with water. You want to make sure your veggie/meat mixture is coated with liquid.
Reduce heat to medium low.
Cook 2.5-3 hours. (check on occasion to make sure you have enough liquid. If liquid has reduced, add a little more water)Taste for seasonings. At the time add creole seasoning, salt, pepper, whatever you like. I insist you wait until this moment to season, as the andouille, ham, etc will add a salty flavor to your gumbo and you don't want to OVER SALT your gumbo. YUCK!
Within the last 30 minutes, add frozen okra.
After 3 hours, serve atop white rice.

Yum-o!
This makes 4 hearty servings OR 2 dinners and 2 lunches. :)

Sorry my picture isn't the greatest. I once again forgot to take a finished product picture and I snapped this today at lunch!

Hoppin John!

Happy 2014!
The following recipe uses leftover black eyed peas from the good ol' New Years dinner.
I love a good hoppin' john any time of year and this one is super quick and easy. A great go to work night dinner.


Ingredients:

1/4 onion: diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced
1 jalepeno diced
1 andouille sausage: diced
1 heaping cup full of black eyed peas
2-3 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 cup leftover cooked white or wheat rice


Heat EVOO in large skillet to medium high heat. Saute peppers and onion for 2-3 minutes. Add andouille and sauté another 2-3 minutes. Add peas and rice to pepper and onion mixture. Combine and allow to heat through for 5-10 minutes.
Serve!
2 hearty servings OR 4 small portions that you could serve with a side salad.

Tips:

• No leftover black eyed peas? Substitute a 15 oz can of peas: drain and rinse first! 
• Go ahead and dice all of your bell pepper. Toss the extra pepper in a freezer ziploc and freezer for another meal. 
• I buy a 4 pack of andouille sausage. Freeze them individually and you have sausage for 4 different meals! 
  

Peanut Butter Candy

Sweet treat time! This peanut butter deliciousness is the perfect treat to share at work or with friends and family during the Holiday season. Super easy to make AND makes a ton!

Ingredients:

1 cup Captain Crunch peanut butter cereal
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 12oz bag Nestle Toll House white chocolate chips

In large bowl, combine cereal, peanuts and marshmallows.
In microwave safe bowl combine chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave 2 minutes in 30 second increments. Stir peanut butter and chips every 30 seconds.

Pour peanut butter chocolate mixture over dry ingredients and stir to coat. Dollop teaspoon size servings on wax paper and allow to set, 30 min to and hour.
Makes 70-80 candies.

Keep in airtight container!

Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Pear salad

This time of year we tend to forget to give our bodies the nutrients it needs, I therefore decided to make a spinach salad for my lunches this week. 
The following recipe will be a lunch portion, but is pretty easy to make for dinner, large crowd, etc. I will also be brand specific on certain things as I am not sure how substitutions for them would work. IF, you make this, and change and ingredient or substitute  something, please let me know what you did! 


Ingredients: 

• heaping handful of fresh baby spinach
• about 1 Tbs cranberry orange goat cheese: found at Whole Foods
• 1/8 small red onion: diced
• 1/4  Bosc pear: sliced or diced
• 1/2 Tbs Whole Foods German mustard
• 1-2 Tbs Garlic Expressions salad dressing (I buy at Fresh Market, but sometimes you can find it at Publix)
• a palm full of crushed raw walnuts

In plastic container(lunch size) add spinach, goat cheese, onion, pear, and walnuts. In separate small Glad container, combine mustard and salad dressing. 

Once you are ready to eat: dress your salad in it's own container and shake to coat. Lunch is served! 

I finish my lunch with a clementine for dessert. 

A nice healthy winter meal! 

Em's Tips/Tricks: 

• Prep everything and store in your fridge. This makes making a lunch during the work week so easy. 
• Store your washed spinach in an air tight container. 
• Pre-dice your onion and store in ziploc bag or plastic container. 
• I don't recommend pre slicing your pear as it will brown on you and the goat cheese is easy to crumble over your salad when you are building it in the lunch container. 
• Can't find the cranberry orange goat cheese? Substitute regular goat cheese, Craisins, and a splash of orange juice. 
• No Bosc pear? Ask your grocer for a good sub....you simply want a pear with a bite to it. 
• Sub spicy mustard for German. 

Turn this salad into an entree and serve with pork, steak, grilled chicken, or salmon. 

Novice chefs want to know how to make a bigger salad? 

• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1/2 cranberry orange goat cheese log
• 1/2 to 1 whole Bosc pear
• 2-3 Tbs mustard
• 1/4 cup salad dressing(or more if you like your salad more dressed)
• 1/2 cup crushed walnuts

Picture to come today once I make lunch! :) 

Cranberry Pineapple Cake

A follow up to the apple dump cake. This version would be another great option for a holiday dessert, either Thanksgiving or Christmas. Cloves make me think of the holidays and cooking the cranberries alone will make your house smell divine.  

Ingredients: 

1 cup fresh cranberries(or half a bag)

1 tsp cloves

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 can crushed pineapple

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick unsalted butter(cut into thin slices)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 pan.

In small saucepan combine cranberries, water, sugar and cloves. Cook on medium low heat until cranberries burst open. (5-10 minutes)

In bottom of 13x9 pour cranberries and pineapple. Sprinkle DRY cake mix over top. Disperse pats of butter over dry cake mix. 

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. 

Refer to my apple dump cake for tips on how to make less servings. :)

Apple Spice "Dump" Cake

So first off, I am not a fan of the title "dump" cake, but the concept is genius. The idea is that you "dump" all ingredients into the pan with no bowl or stirring required. This dessert couldn't be simpler and I am sharing with you just in time for the holidays! You can wow your family, friends, co-workers, whomever!
The recipe I am sharing with you is enough for 2 servings, keeping true to my website title, but you can easily make the entire 8 serving recipe. (see bottom of post for how to make the bigger serving)

Ingredients:

3 apples; peeled and sliced( I used Pink Ladies)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 cup water
1 box Duncan Hines Spice cake mix
4 tbs butter sliced into 8 thin slices
cooking spray
small casserole dish(I have a dish that is about 4x7)

• each box of cake mix contains exactly 4 cups dry mix which easily allows you to make smaller servings and save the rest for later

Heat oven to 350. Coat casserole with cooking spray.
In small saucepan combine apples, spices, and water. Cook on medium low heat covered, until apples are fork tender.
Pour apples into buttered dish. Top with 1 cup of dry spice cake mix. Place 8 pats of butter over top the DRY cake mix.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top appears golden brown.
Serve warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!

Okay for all of you out there that now want to make this for your entire family for Turkey Day, here is the 8 serving recipe.

6-8 apples; peeled and sliced
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2-1 cup water
1 box Spice Cake Mix
1 stick of butter cut into thin slices

Same as above, except use a 13x9 pan!
Easy peasy! :)