Banana Walnut Muffins

Ingredients

3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Grease muffin tins or line with paper cups.

2) Spread nuts on a tray and toast in pven 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

3) In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

4) In another bowl, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla ubtil smooth and creamy. beat in eggs one at a time. Add mashed bananas and beat until combined.

5) Sti dry ingredients into banana minxture just until flour disappears. Lightly stir in nuts.

6) Spoon batter into muffin cups to the top. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Source: Totally Muffins Cookbook, Celestial Arts, 1995.

We added green food coloring for St. Patrick's Day!

Chocolate Soymilk Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie

I made some alterations but here is my version, the original is in the link.

Ingredients

1 medium banana, in chunks
1 cup Vanilla soymilk
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Directions

Toss everything in a blender and blend until smooth! (Tip: it helps to add the peanut butter on top, last, or it might just stick at the bottom of your blender).

Source

Berry Vinaigrette

Ingredients

3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
2/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Place jam in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10-15 seconds or until melted. Whisk in the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Store in the refrigerator.

Source

Tangerine Tea

Ingredients

2 cup Water
1 1/2 cup Fresh tangerine or orange juice
1/4 cup Sugar; to taste
1/8 tsp. Ground cloves
1/4 tsp. Ground cinnamon
2 tea Bags

Directions

Heat water to boiling in large saucepan. Stir in tangerine juice, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Heat to boiling. Simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. Add tea bags. Let steep 3 - 4 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

In cold weather, add peach brandy or peach schnapps. This really warms you up!!

Source

I purchased a bag of tangerines to support a fundraiser at the school I am student teaching at. I do not just want to eat them as is so I looked up recipes that use tangerines.

Chinese Pepper Steak

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1/4 c. salad oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 lg. green peppers, sliced thin
2 lg. onions, sliced
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. beef bouillon
6 oz. can water chestnuts, sliced
1 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 c. water

Directions

Saute steak in oil with ginger, salt, pepper and garlic about 3 minutes. Remove meat; set aside and keep warm. Add green peppers and onion to pan and cook about 3 minutes or until barely tender. Return meat to pan. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 2 minutes. Serve over hot rice or Chinese noodles.

Source

I love pepper steak from the Chinese restaurant, especially from Ho Mei.

Fish in a Blanket

This is my lunch for the week, along with my salad.

Ingredients

2 6 oz. cans low sodium chunk white tuna
8 oz . package reduced fat cream cheese
4 8 inch low fat flour tortillas
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

In a bowl, mash together the tuna, cream cheese, chives, and garlic powder. Mix well. Spackle a thin layer onto half of the tortilla and roll it up tightly. Insert a toothpick in the roll-up every few inches. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make four roll ups. Nuke on high for 30 seconds.

Source: A Man, A Can, A Plan, Rodale, 2002.

Lemon Parmesan-Crusted Chicken

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesen cheese
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
6 boneless skinless chicken breats
1 egg, beaten
2 tbs. butter or margarine, melted

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Spray shallow baking pan with cooking spray.

2. In a shallow dish, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, lemon peel, thyme leaves and salt. Dip chicken into egg, the coat with bread crumb mixture. Place in pan. Drizzle with butter.

Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center if thickest part is cut.

Source: back of Progresso Bread Crumbs container