Banana Nut Muffins

Banana Nut Muffins

Whisk together thoroughly:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Stir in:
2/3 cup chopped pecans (or other nuts)

Whisk together in a large bowl:
1 egg
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (2 - 3)
6 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 375 deg.  Grease  a standard 12 muffin pan or line with paper cups.

Add the flour mixture and mix together with a few light strokes just until the dry ingredients are moistened.  do not overmix.  The batter should not be smooth.  Divide the batter among the muffin cups.  Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean - about 18 minutes. Let cool for 2 - 3 minutes before removing from the  pan.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• Whipped cream
• 3 quarts fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced

Directions
In a bowl, cream sugar and shortening. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with milk to the creamed mixture. Spread in a greased 9 x 13" baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 (I ended up baking about 30) minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Cut into serving size pieces. Split each serving horizontally and fill with whipped cream and strawberries. Replace top of cake; garnish with more berries and a dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately. 

Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal
1/3 cup butter melted
2 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon nutmeg or 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons milk
3 cups oatmeal ( regular or quick)

Grease 1 1/2 quart baking dish and drop in eggs and beat well.
Add brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon, and salt. Mix well, no lumps.
Whisk in butter and milk, then add oats.
Stir well, and refrigerate overnight.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-45 min, or until set in the middle.
Serve hot with warm milk.

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich (2 Servings)


2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, sliced as thin as possible and rings separated*
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
12 ounces very thinly sliced steak**
Salt and pepper
Provolone cheese slices
1 (8-inch long) Italian loaf, hoagie roll, or French baguette


** Freeze steak before slicing. With a sharp knife, slice the meat paper thin.




In a large frying pan over high heat, add olive oil and heat so that a drop of water will sizzle when you drop it in the oil; lower heat to medium. Add onions and mushrooms, stir and cook until mushrooms darken and onions start to look transparent. Add steak slices and cook for approximately 3 minutes or until meat is lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Heap cooked meat mixture in a long length-wise pile across the frying pan, Lay cheese slices over meat until melted.


Slice bread lengthwise. Spoon 1/2 the meat mixture and cheese and lay on bread with cheese on top.

Pita Bread

Pita Bread

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups hot water ( but not boiling)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 -1 1/2 cup flour

Directions
Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl.
Beat well about 1 minute.
Then mix in the remaining flour, using just enough to make a soft, sticky dough.
Turn out on floured board and continue to knead for 5 minutes.
Divide into 8 balls.
Roll out each one to about 1/4 inch thick and 6 inches in diameter.
Place on very lightly greased cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (although cornmeal is really not necessary if you don't have it).
Let rise in warm place for 25-35 minutes .
Bake at 450 for 4 min, and then turn over for 4 more minutes or until lightly browned.
Wrap immediately in a dishtowel for 3 or 4 minutes.

(What I actually did was to heat the oven to 550 degrees and while it was preheating I put a couple of cookie sheets in the oven.  I rolled the pita bread out while I was preheating the oven and while the rest of the pitas were cooking since I quadrupled the batch and had several more to bake than 8.  Then I carefully laid 2 or 3 pita circles on the hot cookie sheets put them back in the oven for about 2 1/2 minutes until they puffed up.  Then I took them out of the oven and wrapped them in a towel while I baked another batch.)

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk (Or 3/4 cup milk soured with 2 TBSP white vinegar or lemon juice)
1 egg
Additional Milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:

• If using milk and vinegar instead of buttermilk, combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into buttermilk or soured milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.  May need additional milk to thin batter.
• Pre-heat skillet and spray with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Nutrition Information Servings Per Recipe: 4 Calories: 230

Amount Per Serving Total Fat: 8.2g Cholesterol: 72mg Sodium: 650mg

Amount Per Serving Total Carbs: 32.7g     Dietary Fiber: 0.8g Protein: 6.4g