Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins

It's summer which means if you have neighbors or parents or anyone within a 100 mile radius that has a garden, you have at least 3 zucchinis in your house right now.

Here's something you can do with them and the overly ripe bananas that no one wants to eat.

Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 bananas, mashed
• grated zucchini, about the same amount as 1 banana, squeeze out all water
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil 

Optional Crumb Topping

• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter

Crumb Topping instructions: Combine sugar, flour & cinnamon, cut in butter with a fork until crumbly.  Sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Muffin instructions:Preheat oven to 375.  Grease muffin pan or add paper muffin cups.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in large bowl.

In another bowl, combine bananas, zucchini, sugar, egg and oil.  Stir banana mixture into flour until just moistened.  Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cups.  Sprinkle crumb topping on top of muffins (if desired).

Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Spicy Chicken Avocado Enchiladas

I found this recipe on Pinterest and finally made it for dinner.

Source: thenovicechefblog.com via Ashley on Pinterest

They were delicious.  I love when pins actually work out. 

I had left over chicken, avocado and onions so I think the next time I make these I'll double the sauce so I can make 2 pans of enchiladas.  

Fruit Pizza

I made a fruit pizza for our Mother's Day dinner.  It was delicious.

I used this recipe for the sugar cookie crust and this recipe for the frosting.  

If you're looking for amazing sugar cookies, these are them.  

Macaroni Grill Bread

I made this bread with dinner last night.  It was the bomb dot com.  I think I'll double it next time. 

Go make it asap!

We're Crazy About Biscuits!

Seriously, folks.  This may become an obsession.  We may need a 12 step program.

I made the biscuits again for dinner and they were even more delicious.  Want to know why?  I replaced plain yogurt for the sour cream.  They were awesome! 

Bonus.  We saved a ton of calories.  Here's the break down:

1/2 cup of plain yogurt (I used Lucerne...it was cheap at the Winco) has 60 calories.  0 calories from fat.  5 grams of protein, 22.5% of your daily calcium, 20% of your daily Vitamin D and 15% of your daily phosphorus. 

1/2 cup of regular sour cream has...wait for it, you should probably sit down...480 calories!!!  360 of those are from fat.  8 grams of protein, 16% of your daily calcium and nothing else that's really great for you.  I knew sour cream wasn't the best for you but holy bologna!  That's a butt load of calories.  I guess we'll be using plain yogurt from now on.

Also, Husband said, "This could be the only type of bread you ever make again."  I think this will be the new go to bread...as long as I have 7up on hand.

And Sometimes Full of Sooooo Good Ideas

After the first epic failure of Pinterest finds I was a bit hesitant to make anything else I found on Pinterest.

Today I decided to make two things. 

First, 7Up Biscuits.  Holy Hannah Montana!  These are so freaking easy and freaking delicious.  They're moist and flaky and everything a biscuit should be.  Did I mention they're way freaking easy to make?

Second, I made Copycat Chuy's Jalapeno Dip.  I have no idea what Chuy's is but this dip was labeled as "...like crack.  You can't stop eating it."  So I thought it must be awesome because we all know how awesome crack is...wait...scratch that...crack is whack.  But anyway, it was as delicious as described.  I'm pretty sure Husband and I ate a whole bag of chips...then we had nothing else to dip.  It was a sad time.

Then inspiration struck...dip the amazing biscuit into the amazing sauce.  It was AMAZING.  Go make one or both of these recipes then follow me on Pinterest.

Pinterest...Sometimes Full of Not So Good Ideas

Pinterest is my new favorite thing to do when wasting time.  While looking around I found a bunch of recipes for Homemade candy bars.

This made me say, "I need to pin that.  Maybe I'll do something with it (but I probably won't)."

Then came church on Sunday and I realized I needed to plan an activity for my girls for Thursday.  "How about we make homemade candy bars?"

"Yes!"

Good plan...psyche!

So not worth it.

They didn't taste like the actual candy bar and were so difficult.

*Ash, remember this disaster when you feel like making crazy things again.

Most Delicious Pasta Dinner Ever

You think I'm kidding?  Well, maybe I am but for real, folks, this dinner was scrumdiddlyumptious.

Let's get a little back story on why this pasta dinner had to happen.

First, on Saturday, I picked up my very first Bountiful Basket.  It was filled with loads of fruit and veggies.  Today, I realized I still had my giant bag of spinach and it was fading fast.  I had to make something.

Enter Tracey's Culinary Adventures.  Holey loads of delicious recipes, Batman!  I immediately made a giant list of everything I wanted to try.  Fusilli with Spinach and Asiago Cheese was the first to meet my kitchen.

I changed the recipe up a bit to suit our tastes and what we had on hand.  Here's how I did it. (Italicized portions are things I added or changed.)

1 chicken breast
1 lb penne pasta
1/4 cup canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (9 oz) bag fresh spinach
1 tomato, cut into bite sized pieces (I remove seeds and the other gross innards because I hate them)
1 cup (about 3 1/2 oz) grated Asiago
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 T. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Cook chicken in a skillet.  Season to taste.  (I used pepper, season salt, and onion powder.)  Remove from pan, set aside.

Add the pasta to a large pot of salted boiling water.  Cook until al dente according to the package directions (probably about 8-10 minutes).  Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

While the pasta cooks, use same skillet to warm oil slightly over medium heat. Add the garlic to the pan. Cook just until fragrant (be careful not to burn it or it will be bitter). Add the crushed red pepper, spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts.  Turn off the heat under the pan.  Mix in the pasta then add both cheeses, almonds and the pasta cooking liquid. Gently stir to combine then transfer to a large serving bowl.

Serve hot.

You're totally licking your computer screen right now.

love

 Okay, we all know my hatred for cheese. (here & here)  But, seriously, this was delicious.  If my stomach could have held more I would have eaten the whole bowl of pasta.  It made my belly happy.

Look Ma! I'm Domestic

My mom is always astounded when I do anything domestic.  (I think we understand by now that yes, my crafting/sewing skills may be lacking but I'm a pretty decent cook.  At least Husband hasn't complained yet.)

I made a delicious dinner tonight.  We had pot roast with a garlic and sauteed mushroom gravy, roasted carrots, garlic rolls, and smashed "potatoes" (I used this recipe.  With a bit more practice these will probably taste better.  On the bright side, Husband totally thought they were real potatoes).  The meal was really easy to make.
 
Garlic Rolls

  I used this recipe for the dough because it's really simple, I've made it a bunch of times and it's always worked out...except once...dang yeast!  I also did most of the basics of this recipe with slight modifications.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle.  Spread garlic butter all over.

Fold dough in half.

Use a pizza cutter to slice strips of dough.

Roll each piece up.

Add cheese if desired.

Let rise about 20 minutes.

Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Spread more garlic butter on top.

If you used all your garlic butter on the inside and all your butter is frozen, you're in luck.  I have an amazing solution.  Unwrap butter, rub all over hot rolls, sprinkle with garlic topping.  Delicious.

Hurry and eat a hot roll before your husband comes home.  You won't regret it.

Roasted Carrots

Toss carrots with canola oil, garlic salt and pepper to taste.  Place on roasting pan.  Bake at 425 for 10 minutes.  Stir carrots.  Bake another 10 minutes. (This is Court's recipe)

Ahh, so pretty.

If The Teaching Thing Doesn't Work Out...

...I'm opening a restaurant.  The only thing on the menu?  These baked beans:

Ashley's Baked Beans

1 large can (28 oz.) Pork and Beans--substitute baked beans
1 lb. bacon
2 Tablespoons mustard
3 palms brown sugar, extra is okay and makes them even more delicious (we're super intense about precise measurements around these parts)
5 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce--substitute A-1 steak sauce
pepper to taste
1 green pepper--red, yellow or orange are also fine
1 white onion

Cut bacon into large bite sized pieces and fry.  (Best to make them a bit crispy but not burnt)  Cut up onion and pepper into large bit sized pieces.  Pour off most of the bacon grease and set bacon pieces aside.  Add onion and green pepper to pan, brown.  Combine all ingredients in bowl.  Bake 30-45 minutes in 9x13 pan at 350 degrees.

Bigger is better with this recipe.

You really do want them this crispy.  They get a bit soggier when they bake.

I think the more onion and pepper you add the better.

Big chunks are best

It will look so much better once it's stirred.

They look a lot prettier when you use a red and a green but red is what I had.

 And that's it.  They're simple. 

And trust me.  These are pretty darn delicious.