#331 chocolate banana cranberry muffins

2 ripe bananas
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg
1.5 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa
~1/3 cup cranberries (cut in half)
~1/4 cup milk (add last)

Blend bananas, butter and egg together. Mix in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa. Stir well, add enough milk to make a batter (the original recipe didn't call for milk, but my batter needed it!), about 1/4 cup. Mix in cranberries and scoop into muffin cups and bake at 350 ~18 mins.

adapted from allrecipes.com

#330 bulger

1/2 cup bulger
1 cup boiling water

Simmer ~12 mins until water is absorbed.

#329 juicy roast chicken

1 whole chicken (~3 lbs)
1 tbsp onion powder
3 tbsp butter
salt/pepper to taste
1 bay leaf


Rinse chicken and pat dry, sprinkle overtop the onion powder and salt/pepper. Put bay leaf in the cavity and break up the butter and put 1/2 in the cavity and 1/2 on the top. Bake at 350 1 hr 15 mins, until thickest part of thigh is 180F


recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#328 spiced cauliflower rice

See The art of indian vegetarian cooking, Y. Devi, I followed the recipe exactly.

#327 microwave chocolate cake

this was really gross so I'm not posting the recipe! :)

#326 cranberry orange muffins

2 cups flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup orange juice (I used 3 tbsp frozen concentrate in 3/4 cup water, next time use more oj concentrate!)
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup hazelnuts
1.5 cups cranberries (washed)

My cranberries are huge so I sauted them in a saucepan until they popped, and then mixed them into the batter. If they are small cranberries just throw them without cooking first. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Mix in butter, egg and orange juice. Add cranberries, pecans and hazelnuts and scoop into muffin tins. Bake at 350 ~18 mins.

recipes adapted from allrecipes.com

#325 cranberry crumble

fruit filling:
1/4 bag of frozen cranberries
5 granny smith apples (peeled, cored, sliced)
1/3 cup walnuts

sauce:
1/4 bag frozen cranberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter

topping:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter (cold, cut in large chunks)

Melt butter and then add flour to a saucepan, cook 1-2 mins, add water and sugars and stir until dissolved. Add half of the cranberries and simmer until cranberries burst, ~5 mins. Peel apples and slice, place in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan, mix in remaining cranberries and walnuts. Spoon cooked sugar/cranberry mixture overtop. In a food processor blend together flour, oats, sugar and butter until it is the size of small peas and spread over the top. Bake at 375 for 40 mins, until apples are soft.

#324 black bean quesadillas

black bean salsa spread (see recipe #324)
1 cup cheese
tortillas

sour cream
avocado

Spread salsa on one tortilla, top with cheese and a second tortilla, and heat in a skillet until both sides are crisp ~3-4 mins per side. Serve with avocade and sour cream.

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#323 quick black bean salsa spread

1 can black beans (drained)
3/4 cup salsa

Puree together and eat with pita, bread or chips.

#322 chestnut & bacon pasta

10-12 large roasted, peeled chestnuts (crumbled big)
1/3 lb pasta
2 slices thick cut bacon
olive oil and butter
salt/pepper to taste

Boil pasta, meanwhile saute bacon in a little olive oil until crisp, remove from pan but leave drippings. Add ~1/2 tbsp butter and chestnuts, cook until pasta is done, at least 5 mins. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the chestnut mixture, drain pasta and then add to the chestnut pan and stir together. Serve with bacon.

recipe adapted from various internet recipes. Next time, crush the chestnuts to make more of a paste and saute this paste in the bacon fat, maybe add some milk or cream, onion/shallot (just a little).

#321 roasted chestnuts

1 lb large chestnuts

Heat oven to 400, with a sharp knife cut an "X" in the top of the chestnut (so they don't explode) and roast ~20 mins, test with a knife to see if nuts are soft. Peel and eat while warm

#320 pineapple cake with pecan coconut frosting

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 20 oz can diced pineapple with juice

1/2 cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1 cup pecans
1.5 cups shredded coconut

Mix together flour, baking soda and sugar, blend in eggs and pineapple and juice. Pour into a greased 9 x 12 in pan and bake at 350 ~30 mins until cooked through. Meanwhile, heat sugar, milk and butter in a large saucepan, boil for 2 mins, stirring constantly. Stir in pecans and coconut. When cake comes out of the oven pour pecan mixture overtop.

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#319 focaccia bread

2 3/4 cups flour
1 tbsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
handful fresh minced basil
1 tsp herbs de provance

1 tsp honey
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
koser salt

Mix together dry ingredients, mix in honey, water and oil and knead by hand until it comes together as a ball, continue kneading 3-5 mins. Place in bowl and coat with a little olive oil, cover with saran wrap and let rise until double in size (20-30 mins). Punch down, place on greased baking sheet and press into a rectangle that is 1/2 inch thick. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan and koser salt. Bake at 450 ~15 mins.

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#318 butter chickpea curry

1 med potato (diced small)
1/2 of a onion (diced)
1 large clove garlic (minced)
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp garam masala (next time use 1-1.5 tsp)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt (next time use 1/2 tsp)
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 of a small container of yogurt (it's all I had! next time use a full small cup of yogurt, maybe more)
1 can chickpeas (drained)
rice (to serve)

Saute onion in olive oil, add garlic, then add in all the spices and saute 2-3 minutes. Add tomato sauce and potato and simmer until potato is cooked ~20 mins, stir in chickpeas and yogurt, warm for a few minutes and then serve over rice.

recipe from allrecipes.com

#317 cranberry puffs

1/2 of the cranberry relish recipes (see #317)
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1 12 oz package wonton wrappers
olive oil

Puree relish and cheese together. Place 1 tsp in each wonton wrapper and fold together. Place on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and bake at 400 until crispy ~10 mins

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#316 cranberry relish

3/4 cup cranberries
1 jalepeno pepper (deseeded, chopped big)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayo (next time use silken tofu)

In a food processor process cranberries, jalepeno, sugar and mayo, mix well. Use as a dip for veggies or bread, or cranberry puffs!

recipes from allrecipes

#315 pie crust (2)

1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 a beaten egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder

Cream butter and sugar together, add egg. Then stir in flour and baking powder. Press into a 9 inch pie pan and poke a few holes in the crust with a fork. Bake 10-15 mins at 350 until golden.

recipe from allrecipes.com

#314 milk pie filling

2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tbsp butter
1.25 tbsp flour
1.25 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp cinnamon


Heat milk, vanilla and butter until it boil and remove from heat. In a separate bowl wisk together flour, corn stach and sugar, then wisk in the egg. Temper the egg mixture by adding some of the hot milk to the bowl and then slowly wisk the egg mixture into the milk. Boil and simmer ~5 mins and pour into pie crust

recipes from allrecipes.com

#313 banana muffins

**this had over 3000 5-star votes on allrecipes.com** and they are delicious!!

2 ripe bananas
1 egg
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1.5 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup pecans

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cold butter
2 tbsp flour

Beat eggs, bananas, sugar and butter, then stir in flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix well and then mix in pecanc. Scoop into muffin cups (this makes 10 muffins). In a food processor blend together brown sugar, butter and flour until it resembles course nuts, sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 375 ~18 mins

adapted from allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Crumb-Muffins/Detail.aspx

#312 kielbasa & potato hash

This was fantastic!
1/4 lb kielbasa
1/3 lb kielbasa sausage link (next time use 1/2 lb kielbasa--didn't have enough on hand)
1 large and 1 med red potato (diced, ~1 lb)
1 green pepper (diced)
1/2 of an onion (diced)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Saute meat and onions ~3-4 mins in a little olive oil then add in the potato and pepper flakes, cover and cook over low heat ~25 mins until potato is cooked, add in green pepper and cook another minute for crunchy peppers, or add sooner for softer peppers.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

#311 best lentil soup

2 links chorizo (~1/3 lb) (sliced thin)
5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup barley
1/4 cup bulgur wheat
1/4 cup orzo
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 carrot (diced thin)

Simmer everything together until lentils are cooked (~20-25 mins)

#310 lemon honey marinated tuna steak

1 tuna steak
1 tbsp frozen lemonade concentrate
1 tbsp honey

Combine everything and let sit on the counter for ~15 mins prior to cooking. Heat skillet until very hot, cook 2-4 mins per side depending on desired doneness

#309 spicy oatmeal cookies

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup raisins

Cream butter and sugars together, add egg and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Stir in oats and raisins, chill 30 mins and cook at 350 for 10-15 mins

recipes adapted from allrecipes.com

#308 molasses sugar cookies

3/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Melt butter, mix in sugar, molasses and egg. When well blended mix in the rest of the ingredients. Chill for 3+ hrs, then scoop tablespoon size balls onto cookie sheet, bake at 375 for 8-10 mins

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#307 pumpkin bread muffins

1 can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
pinch ground cloves

Mix wet ingredients (pumpkin, eggs, oil, sugar), then mix in everything else. Scoop into 12 muffin cups and bake ~25 mins until golden brown

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

#306 spiced eggplant rice

See The art of indian vegetarian cooking, Y. Devi, I followed the recipe exactly.

#305 carrot coconut rice

See The art of indian vegetarian cooking, Y. Devi, I followed the recipe exactly.

#304 'braised' turkey legs

2 turkey legs (~1.5 lbs)
2 large cloves garlic (peeled, kept whole)
1/2 of an onion (diced large)
olive oil
1 bay leaf

Heat oven to 250, meanwhile heat oil in dutch oven, salt/pepper turkey legs and when oil is hot add legs, garlic, bay leaf and onion. Brown for 3-4 mins, turn legs over and brown 3-4 mins longer, stirring garlic and onion around. Then cover tightly (foil and then place cover on dutch oven) and cook in the oven until temp is 180F (~45 mins). Remove, let legs sit while you strain the juices from the pot, pressing onion and garlic through strainer to make the gravy.

#303 beet pasta

1 can beets (keep beet water, drain and cut in long slices)
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
handful of chopped fresh cilantro
1 large clove garlic
olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream

penne-style pasta (so the pasta is the same shape as the sliced beets)

Boil pasta. Meanwhile, saute garlic in olive oil until slightly golden, add beets and 1/4 cup of the beet water, simmer 5 mins, stir in lemon juice/zest, cilantro and sour cream and keep over low heat until pasta is done. Cook pasta until aldente (so it absorbs the sour cream sauce), drain and mix with beet mixture. Let sit 2-3 mins to absorb liquid and serve.

adapted from http://www.grouprecipes.com/1691/beet-pasta.html

#302 french onion pasta

3 large shallots (~3/4 lb), peeled and sliced thin
1 large clove garlic (minced)
olive oil (~1 tbsp)
butter (~1/2 tbsp)

1/2 lb pasta

Over low heat saute shallots and garlic for ~20-25 mins until golden brown. Then boil pasta. When pasta is aldente, add ~1/2 cup of the cooking water to the onions (scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan) and then drain the pasta. Toss pasta with onions/water mixture. Let sit 2-3 mins so pasta soaks up the water and finishes cooking.

inspired by rachael ray's tv show

#301 crumb cake muffins (taste just like Entanmannes)

5 tbsp butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

topping
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup jiffy mix
1 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and milk and mix. Add flour, baking powder and vanilla and mix until smooth. Scoop into silicone muffin cups (this filled 11 cups). In a small food processor blend cold butter, sugar, jiffy and cinnamon and then crumble on top of the muffins. Bake at 350 ~20 mins.

recipe adapted from recipezaar.com

#300 sesame yogurt potatoes

See The art of indian vegetarian cooking, Y. Devi, I followed the recipe exactly.

#299 tomato braised cauliflower

1 head cauliflower (diced small)
canola oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 jalapeno peppers (minced)
1 inch fresh ginger (minced)
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
1 can diced tomatoes
handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a large dutch oven, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, jalapeno and ginger and fry until mustard seeds pop. Add cauliflower, tumeric, salt and coriander and stir. Add tomatoes and cover, simmer over low heat ~20-30 mins until cauliflower is cooked to the desired tenderness (longer if you want it to mash up a bit). Serve with cilantro.

recipe adapted from The art of indian vegetarian cooking, Y Devi

#298 molasses cornbread muffins

1.5 cups cornbread mix (or, 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 2 tsp baking powder)
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup molassas
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp butter, melted

Mix everything together, scoop into silicon muffin cups and bake ~20 mins at 350

recipe from recipezaar.com

#297 curry popcorn

3 tbsp unpopped popcorn
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp curry powder

Heat oil and butter in pan over medium heat, add curry powder and popcorn and pop.