(Mini) Chocolate Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients

·      1¼ cup flour

·      ¼ cup cocoa powder

·      ¼ tsp salt

·      ½ tsp baking soda

·      ¼ tsp baking powder

·      ½ cup butter, softened

·      1 cup granulated sugar

·      1 large egg

·      1 cup pure pumpkin puree

·      1 cup chocolate chips (optional but delicious)

Method

1)   Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray one loaf pan or 8 mini loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray (about 2/3 full)

2)   In a medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder

3)   In another bowl (or the stand mixer) cream the butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 mins) add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.  Add pumpkin and mix well.

4)   Add the dry ingredients stirring until just combined. 

5)   Fold chocolate chips into batter

6)   Spoon batter into prepared pans.

7)   Bake large loaf pan approximately 30-45 mins.  Bake mini loaves for approximately 20 – 25 mins or until a toothpick is inserted into the center and comes out clean

8)   Let cool about 5 mins and then remove from pan and cool fully on a cooling rack (so the bottom doesn’t get soggy)

9)   EAT!  Delicious warmed up in the microwave and with a little bit of vanilla ice cream

~SARAH

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LAURA LOPEZ

"I love baking since it reminds me of my younger years, being creative, and bringing a smile to my family enjoying my creations...is like sculpting, or being an artist painting in an empty canvas to make a yummy creation..if that makes sense :)"

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Guest Post: Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake

Ingredients:
8-10 Chicken Tenderloins (or 4-5 breasts, well-pounded)
1 Package of your favorite noodles - I used bowties and penne.
1 Jar of Creamy Alfredo Sauce - my favorite is Classico Three Cheese Alfredo
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce - again, my favorite is Classico Tomato and Basil
1 Cup of grated Mozzarella Cheese
1 Cup of grated Cheddar

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the Alfredo and Spaghetti sauce first in a separate bowl while cooking the noodles. Remove the noodles right before they are fully softened as they will finish cooking in the oven.

Put layer of sauce (about 1/3 of mix) on bottom of 13x9, then a generous amount of noodles (about half of what was made).

Lay the chicken evenly across noodles, then pour another 1/3 of sauce mix on top and spread evenly.

Pour the rest of the noodles, then sauce on top of chicken.

Finally, sprinkle cheese on top, and cover with foil.

(From bottom up, the layering should be sauce, noodles, chicken, sauce, noodles, sauce, cheese).

Then, bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. This is approximate because I just checked the chicken to make sure it was done - make sure there is no pink left in your chicken!

~Elizabeth @ A Healthy Wait

Taco Grande

This recipe came from a kids cookbook of mine, but we LOVE it. This is a fun dish for kids to help with if they're capable. Right now my son will just try to eat everything before it gets in the dish. :-) 

1 pound ground beef
1 package (1 oz) taco seasoning
Water
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
8 (6-7 in) flour tortillas
2 cups (8 oz) shredded co-jack cheese
1 green onion
shredded iceberg lettuce
sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and side of Deep Dish Baker with vegetable oil.
2. Brown ground beef over medium high heat 8-10 minutes, depending on your stove. Drain if desired.
3. Add taco seasoning and amount of water directed on package. Continue cooking according to package directions. Remove pan from heat, Stir in 1 cup of the salsa.
4. Arrange 4 tortillas in bottom and up side of Baker (use 1-2 more if needed/desired) Tortillas will overlap on the bottom of the Baker but not all the area on the side of the Baker will be covered.
5. Spoon ground beef mixture evenly over tortillas. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Slice green onion. Sprinkle half of the onion over cheese.
6. Top with remaining 4 tortillas (or more) overlapping slightly to create a scalloped edge effect. Press tortillas down over filling. Spread remaining salsa over tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese and onion.
7. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from Baker. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges.

Optional: Top with lettuce and sour cream. We like topping it with Tapatio and Sour Cream.

Enjoy!!

~ROBYN

Baked Potato Soup

I suggest that if you like Baked Potato Soup you try this recipe...much better than anything I've ever bought.

Ingredients
4 baking potatoes (about 2.5 pounds)
2/3 cup all purpose flour
6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp blck pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400 for 1 hour or until tender.
Cool. Peel potatoes, coarsely mash them. Discard skins.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 min). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving wit cheese, onions, an bacon.

Yields: 8- 1.5 cup servings.

ENJOY!

~JENNY

Buttermilk Waffles

This is one of my FAVORITE breakfast recipes-waffles! I am not adding WW (Weight Watcher) Points to these because it is ridiculously high!

4 eggs
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 c buttermilk (Check out Jenny's recipe to make your own buttermilk here.)
1 c melted butter

Whip 4 eggs until frothy.

 

Add the powder and soda to the flour. Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk by 1/2 C at a time starting with the flour. Once you are don with the flour mix and buttermilk, add 1 C of melted butter as your last ingredient.

 Tip: Waffles tend to be soft. If you are seeking crunchier waffles, omit 1/4 C of butter.

Makes 6 large 4 quarter waffles or 24 squares.

Tip: To substitute buttermilk; add 1 tsp lemon juice to 1 C of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before use.

 

~KATIE

Tuna Ragoons

Tuna Rangoon
(makes about 16)

Adapted from this recipe.

Ever had those delicious crab won tons at a Chinese Food restaurant? Well here's an easier and cheaper way yo make them at home! Sometimes we eat them as an entree bu they make a fabulous appetizer as well. And I highly recommend you eat them with a Sweet Chili Sauce from Trader Joe's (YUM)

5oz can of tuna in water, drained and flaked
3 tablespoons fat free sour cream (or whatever you like)
3 tablespoons fat free cream cheese (again or whatever you have)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Pinch each salt and pepper
Wonton Wrappers (usually in the produce section of the grocery store)
Nonstick cooking spray
Small bowl of water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix tuna, sour cream, cream cheese, soy sauce, garlic, and onion powder, salt and pepper.

Lay the wonton wrappers on a clean work surface (cutting board, counter) Spoon about a teaspoon or so of the tuna mixture into the center of each wrapper.

Use your fingers, dip in water, moisten the sides of the wrapper and fold over so corners meet to make a triangle. Press firmly to seal the tuna inside. Don't overfill or the stuffing will come out during baking.

Place wontons on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they begin to turn a light brown.

Serve with delicious dipping sauces! MMMM!

SARAH