Chocolate Banana Bread...It's so good it could be cake!

1 c margarine/butter softened
2 c white sugar
4 eggs
6 bananas, mashed
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c lite sour cream
1 c semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Lightly grease two 9x5 in. loaf pans. In a large bowl cream together margarine/butter, sugar, and eggs. Stir in bananas (as always, the older the better!) and vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking soda and cocoa; mix well. Blend in sour cream and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 min, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean.

Salsa! cha cha cha

Since I have moved to the desert, salsa has become a very "hot" item. A friend taught me how to make her fresh salsa, and it has become my husband’s favorite. His co-workers have now started to request it!

Ingredients include:

1 can (28oz) Diced Tomatoes
1 medium Onion
1 bunch Cilantro
2 Jalapeños
7 Key Limes
2-3 cloves Garlic
Salt to taste

First tear off most of the stem of the cilantro, and then cut it into about 5-6 sections, then place it at the bottom of your CuisinArt. Next cut onion into about 24 sections, place them in your CuisinArt. Then, dump in the diced tomatoes, diced garlic, jalapeños (cut in to small sections), and salt. Chop all ingredients in CuisinArt using 1 second bursts (pulse button) until completely combined.
** You may think that it is strange to cut the ingredients prior to chopping them in the CuisinArt, but it is essential so that the ingredients end up as equal sizes. Nobody wants to bite into a huge chunk of jalapeño of their tortilla chip!

Enjoy!

Bran Flax Muffins

This recipe is from one of my friends from Hawaii who's kids are allergic to everything. They are so good and healthy. I think she added chocolate chips to the batch she gave me.

1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. ground flax seed
3/4 c. oat bran or regular oats ground
1 c. brown sugar
2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 t ground cinnamon
3/4 c. milk or soymilk
1 t vanilla
2 TB. canola oil
2 c. shredded carrots
2 apples, peeled and shredded
1/2 c. raisins (optional)
1 c. nuts (optional)
1/2-1 c. coconut (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease muffin pan or bundt pan. Mix dry ingredients, add wet. Stir in carrots, apples and nuts. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 15-20 min. for muffins or 40-50 min. for bundt.

Savory Herb Rice

Original recipe yield:5 servings
PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 25 Min
SERVINGS 5

INGREDIENTS
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon granules
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

DIRECTIONS: In a large saucepan, combine the water, butter and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving (2/3 cup) equals 178 calories, 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 490 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fat.

posted by Prudence

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever Made

I have to put this recipe in for posterity's sake (and so I don't lose it!). This is the chocolate chip cookie recipe that our mom has made since we were little girls. It makes a HUGE batch of cookies so be prepared to share them! I usually send them to work with my husband. All the people he works with swear there is something addictive in them. I don't know how the Silly Witch feels about these cookies but they are the best. Be sure to follow the instructions exactly. They must be beaten for 10 minutes and then 3 minutes after you add the eggs and then 3 minutes after you add everything else. Don't skip this vital step. I think this is what makes them so good. I have also added almond extract instead of vanilla. This makes them even more addicting! Nuts can be added. I added macademias one time and they were awesome. Also, a little whole wheat can be substituted in without changing the taste much. Enjoy!

1 lb. butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

6 cups white flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons real vanilla (I add 4 if it's imitation vanilla)

4 cups chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugars for 10 minutes. Add 3 eggs and beat 3 minutes. Add flour, salt, soda and vanilla. Beat 3 more minutes. Add chocolate chips. Form into teaspoon size balls and bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.


posted by Prudence

Patriotic Gelatin Salad

also from patient Prudence

INGREDIENTS
2 packages (3 ounces each) berry blue gelatin
2 packages (3 ounces each) strawberry gelatin
4 cups boiling water, divided
2-1/2 cups cold water, divided
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS In four separate bowls, dissolve each package of gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1/2 cup cold water to each and stir. Pour one bowl of blue gelatin into a 10-in. fluted tube pan coated with nonstick spray; chill until almost set, about 30 minutes. Set other three bowls of gelatin aside at room temperature. Soften unflavored gelatin in remaining cold water; let stand 5 minutes. Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat just below boiling. Stir in softened gelatin and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and vanilla until smooth. When blue gelatin in pan in almost set, carefully spoon 1-1/2 cups sour cream mixture over it. Chill until almost set, about 30 minutes. Carefully spoon one bowl of strawberry gelatin over cream layer. Chill until almost set. Carefully spoon 1-1/2 cups cream mixture over the strawberry layer. Chill until almost set. Repeat, adding layers of blue gelatin, cream mixture and strawberry gelatin, chilling in between each. Chill several hours or overnight. Yield: 16 servings.

Editor's Note: This salad takes time to prepare since each layer must be almost set before the next layer is added. Printed from tasteofhome.com Jul 7, 2007Copyright Reiman Media Group, Inc © 2007