Banana Pudding (My Favorite)

Banana Pudding Cup

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 yolks eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafer cookies

In medium saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Add eggs and stir well. Stir in milk, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly. When mixture begins to thicken, remove from heat and continue to stir, cooling slightly. Stir in vanilla and butter until smooth.

In 8x8-inch dish, layer pudding with bananas and vanilla wafers. Chill at least one hour in refrigerator before serving.

Tips

If making for a party crush cookies in the bottom of a few small dishes (martini glass, small dessert cups) add a layer of 2-3 thin sliced bananas and top with pudding mixture. Right before serving top with whip cream and garnish with a cookie. 

To keep your banana's from browning squeeze the juice of a lemon and mix with water. cut your banana's into the mixture and dry them off before adding. 

Double the recipe I hghly encourage it. 

Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad Sandwich with Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked chicken, Diced
• 2 stalks Celery, Chopped
• 1/4 cup Red Onion, Diced
• 3 whole Green Onions, Chopped
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• A Small Handful Of Fresh or Dried Herbs (parsley, dill, or cilantro work great), Minced
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• Juice Of One Lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper To Taste 

Combine mayo and sour cream with lemon juice (vinegar can also be used). Stir in herbs and brown sugar.And heavily add your salt and pepper (especially if you didn't season your chicken). Mix in with chicken and both the green and red onion. Refrigerate one hour before serving.  

Tips

Serve with crackers at a party. If you're cutting crabs try it in a tortilla wrap or a lettuce wrap.

Great way to get rid of that leftover chicken from the holiday so it doesn't waste

Try crumbling some bacon (turkey or pork) in for a added crunch

Don't like sour cream try some plain yogurt or just use a whole cup of mayo

If you want a creamier salad add a little more mayo and sour cream

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 5-ounce package Dried Cranberries
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla (Optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF. 

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks. 

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. 

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies

HINTS

If using vanilla add before the eggs.

Mix cinnamon with other dry ingredients (and you can use more than 1TBSP)

Ocean Spray make 4 or 5 different flavors of the Craisin's (I love the pomegranate) and one that is chocolate covered. Please feel free to try them all in this recipe  

Guacamole

Grilled Turkey Burger with Guacamole

• 3- 4 Avocados
• 1 Roma Tomato
• 1-2 TBSP of fresh Cilantro
• 1/4 cup red onion
• juice from half a lime
• 2-3 TBSP of minced garlic
• optional jalapeno to add a kick

Cut open avocados and scope into bowl. Smash avocado with a fork or potato masher. Dice the tomato and jalapeno if used and add into bowl along with garlic. Chop up the cilantro and add it in along with the lime juice. Add a pinch of salt to taste.

Some say adding the pit of the avocado will make it last longer. make sure to over the top with plastic to preserve it.

Use instead of mayo on sandwiches or burgers

Mango Peach salsa

Mango Peach Salsa

I know what you're thinking. Tomatoes peaches and mangoes in one dish. A huge no. But if you thing about it they are all fruit. This salsa is quite delicious. Try it on a grilled salmon

• 2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• juice of one lime
• dash salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill at least 2-3hrs before serving.

TIP

If in a rush use canned tomatoes and peaches. 

Spice it up by adding a jalapeno (highly suggested)

What's For Dinner

So because of my work schedule I generally only cook one meal per week. It will generally last me into the weekend as I'm off on Thursday. But I'm always looking for something quick easy and, of course, delicious. So last week it was baked chicken with garlic smashed potatoes and corn. You can do this for almost any baked meat and I guarantee you will love it.

What you will need:
A baking dish
aluminum foil
chicken (wing or drumstick work best)
seasoning (whatever is in you cabinet)
rough cut vegetables like carrots celery onion (optional)
1 cup of milk
flour

Take your chicken and season it on both sides. Place your rough cut veggies into the baking dish with chicken cover tightly with foil, or lid if you have one. The chicken needs to sweat and you want to use those juices to make the gravy. Place covered pan into a preheated oven (about 325). Cook for 1hr to 1.5hr. Juices should run clear and internal temp. should be about 175 (180 by standard but it will get there trust me). Once chicken is done it's time to start plating up the food, but lets do the gravy first. Pour most the juice from the chicken into a warm skillet on med low heat. Pour the rest  into a dish with the milk then add to the skillet. Slowly add 1-2 tablespoon of flour to the mix and simmer until thick and your gravy is done. You can use more or less flour just remember its easier to add but once its in you can't take out.

Once gravy is done, try adding the chicken to the gravy and simmer for a few minutes while prepping the rest of dinner. Then you'll have smothered baked chicken for dinner. 

Rum Sauce

Banana Bread and ice cream with Rum Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons white or dark rum

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix together the sugar and cornstarch, and stir into the butter. Pour in milk, and cook stirring frequently until the mixture begins to boil. Continue cooking until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in rum. Serve warm.

       Tips

For a richer sauce try using 1 cup of half and half or 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of half and half.

Adjust the flavor by using a tablespoon of vanilla and 2 table spoons of rum

Spice it up with some cinnamon and nutmeg

Use Brandy instead of rum and brown sugar instead of white sugar

Try it over ice cream, banana bread, even apple pie. be creative and toss it over fruit or nuts. I personally can't think of a dessert that this sauce wouldn't be good over.