#2,717: Homemade Guacamole

When I went to visit my sister this past weekend, I stopped at Mariano's (grocery store) to get some groceries, and they had these beautiful (and huge!) avocados for 88 cents each!  So I grabbed a couple and was able to make two different fresh guacamole recipes.  This was the second one I made, which I added some diced jalapeno to.  And the cilantro was fresh out of my garden!  I taught my 11 year old how to make this guacamole as I coached her through each step while I cooked up a few other recipes.  :)  I think this is pretty good....BUT I love most guacamole so that probably shouldn't be a surprise. 

This recipe also calls for some mayo in it, which is optional.  I happened to have some avocado mayo in my fridge so I did add a little bit to it.  I didn't really notice a difference with it in there so you could omit if you wanted. 

3 medium ripe avocados, peeled and cubed

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped, optional

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise, optional

1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice (I used 10 drops of Young Living Lime Vitality Essential Oil)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

I also added 1 jalapeno, finely diced

Mash avocados with garlic and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients. 

#2,716: Easy Cinnamon Rolls

For several weeks now, Chloe has been talking about making cinnamon rolls at home.  I am a huge avoider or any recipe that calls with yeast.  I'm so bad at strictly following a recipe (I made substituteions, additions, changes all the time), taht it makes me a bad baker.  I've NEVER had luck with getting dough to rise (I'm still not convinced this dough rose at all either).  I made these with very low expectations.  I told my family they could try them after they cooled a little bit....these never even made it to breakfast!  It ended up being a dessert instead!  I'm not saying they are the world's best cinnamon rolls, but for this crew, it got 2 thumbs up from everyone!  A few may have been fighting to lick the bottom of the empty pan too! 

By the way, did you know the trick about cutting the cinnamon rolls with a piece of unscented dental floss instead of a knife?!?!  I had no idea, but this worked amazingly well!  I will never cut any sort of dough with a knife again!  The video below is one I found on Youtube (I take no credit for this great video, I'm just sharing their wonderful tip/trick).  

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package instant yeast (1 packet or 2 and ¼ teaspoons)

½ cup water

¼ cup milk

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg

Filling:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup brown sugar (I used about 1/2 cup of brown sugar to the 2 tbsp of cinnamon)

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 Tablespoons milk 

To Make dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast together until evenly dispersed. Set aside. 

In a small microwavable bowl, heat the water, milk, and butter together in the microwave until the butter is melted. Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and knead with hand or with stand mixer for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is no longer sticky. Place in a lightly greased bowl and let rest for about 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and turn off after 10 minutes or just before placing rolls in oven.

To Make Filling: After the dough has rested for 5 minutes, roll it out in a 15x9 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it all over the dough. Roll up the dough tightly and cut into 9 (large) even pieces. 

Place in a lightly greased 9-inch or square pan and lightly cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

TURN OFF the oven and place the cinnamon rolls in the oven to rise for 20 minutes. Keep the cinnamon rolls in the oven (REMOVE THE FOIL OR PLASTIC) and turn on the oven to 375F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and top with glaze.

To make glaze: Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 Tablespoons milk together until smooth and lump free. Drizzle over warm rolls.

#2,715: Low Carb Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

There are a bunch of recipes/videos floating around Facebook to make Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers.  We made a few too many seasoned sandwich steaks for Father's Day, so I had a bunch of meat left over.  Plus I had ONE lone pepper in my fridge so I knew this was the recipe I just had to make/try.  

It was super simple.  I cut a pepper in half and took out the seeds.  Then I put it in a bowl with about 1/8 c of water and covered it with plastic wrap.  I poked a few holes in the plastic wrap and I cooked it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.  The peppers were plenty soft to my liking so I took them out and put them on a baking sheet.  I chopped up the leftover steak and placed it inside the pepper.  Then I topped it with a piece of provolone cheese.  I threw that baby in the broiler for about 2 minutes and it was done.  My lunch was ready in less than 10 minutes and most of that time was waiting for the pepper to cook and the oven to heat up.

Yep, I'd definitely make this again!! 

#2,713: Loaded Blondies

It is not a secret in our house that I will do almost anything to get Matthew to snuggle with me.  So when he's avoiding bedtime, he will ask to lay in bed and watch food videos with me.  I know he's stalling, but I'll take that snuggle time even if it is as he's trying to pull one over on me!  When we were watching videos recently, we came across this recipe and he quickly declared that we HAD to make it for dad for Father's Day.  I had everything on hand except the M and M's so I figured adding one more ingredient to my grocery list wasn't a big deal.  Sadly, they were out of stock on the holiday ones so we just used regular plain ones instead.

As I took this picture Matthew kept asking "Am I a cook?"  Yes buddy, you sure are!  He was so proud to make these for his dad for Father's Day.  And his dad doesn't like pretzels in his cookies/bars, so his dad was a great sport for eating them anyways!  These look nothing like what the original post/video/recipe showed, but Matthew didn't care one bit!  These were made with love and are perfect just the way they are! 

1 ½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ sticks butter

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup M and Ms Red, White and Blue Milk Chocolate Candy (or regular plain ones if you can't find 4th of July themed ones)

⅓ cup pretzels, crushed

⅓ cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350℉/175℃.  

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan, allow to cool.

In another large mixing bowl, fold together cooled butter and brown sugar.

Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and stir until fully incorporated.  Fold in the reserved flour mixture.  Fold in M and M's , chocolate chips, and pretzels, reserving ¼ of each for topping.

Pour batter into a lined 8x8 inch bake dish and sprinkle with reserved toppings.  Bake at 350℉ for 30-35 minutes until skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool before cutting into 36 pieces.  (If you cut these into 36 pieces they will be TINY!  I got about 16 pieces!!) 

#2,712: Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

This "recipe" took me three tries to get right!  I was about to give up on trying to make baked potatoes in the Instant Pot, but figured I'd give it one more try!  I don't know if it's the fact that I added more water, or that I didn't stack any on top of one another, or I just got lucky, but this time it finally worked!  The first two times the potatoes were under cooked and I had to finish them in the microwave or sauteed on the stove.  Tonight though they were fluffy and cooked all the way through (thank goodness!) 

6 medium potatoes scrubbed clean, and pierced with a fork several times

1 1/2 cups cold water

Pour the cold water into the bottom of the Instant Pot.  Place a trivet inside the pot and arrange the potatoes on top of the trivet (I suggest NOT stacking them).  Place lid on instant pot and seal the valve.

Set to high pressure for 15 minutes for medium potatoes. After the 15 minutes are up, do a natural release for another 15 minutes, then let out any remaining pressure.  
Carefully remove from the Instant Pot, being careful to take them out because the skin will sometimes start to tear off if you aren't careful.  Serve with whatever toppings you desire.  

#2,711: Cheeseburger in a Bowl

I had leftover burgers from dinner with my inlaws last night, so I decided to grab some lettuce from my garden to make these cheeseburgers in a bowl.  I had some leftover grilled onions and chopped tomatoes, so besides whipping together the dressing (easy), and cutting up some cucumbers (also easy), I had this meal thrown together in about 5 minutes.  The recipe below is for four servings, so I just used a little bit of everything to make one serving for myself for lunch.  It was really good!  I even crushed up a few potato chips (towards the end) to add on top like the recipe suggests, and that was just as good because it gives it a nice crunch (like croutons would in a traditional salad).  I would definitely eat and make this "burger" meal again.

I add a lot more to my burgers though and throw in yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, diced onion, minced garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper.  But my mom literally only uses salt and pepper, so to each his own!  

1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup reduced-fat ranch salad dressing

2 tablespoons ketchup

4 cups shredded lettuce

4 cups torn romaine

1 medium cucumber, finely chopped

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped dill pickles (I used dill pickle relish)

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Crushed potato chips, optional

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, combine beef, salt and pepper, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2-in.-thick patties.  Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160°.

Meanwhile, whisk salad dressing and ketchup. In a large bowl, toss lettuces with half the dressing mixture; divide among four plates. 

Top with grilled burger, cucumber, tomato, pickles, onion, and cheese. Serve with remaining dressing. Top with potato chips if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

#2,710: Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Mmmm....look at the freshness of that salad!  I found this recipe in a recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens and it just yelled summer, so I was excited to try it.  I didn't happen to have any chickpeas on hand, so I just used canellini beans instead.  Still good!  The basil is fresh from my garden...I have mint growing too, but it's chocolate mint so I figured I better just omit that ingredient.  

PS...this is also really good with some bacon as part of a BLT sandwich.  LOL.  I am obsessed with BLT's since I have lettuce growing in my garden.  So I figured I'd add some of this to my sandwich too.  Delish!  However, it does tend to fall off the bread, so some sort of roll would probably be better than the toasted wheat bread I'm currently eating it on.  

4 ears fresh corn
2 pints grape and/or cherry tomatoes
15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I used canellini beans)
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1/2 c finely chopped red onion
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c torn fresh mint leaves (I omitted)
1/3 c torn fresh basil leaves

For salad:
Remove husks and silk from corn.  Cut kernels from cobs; place in a serving bowl.  Add tomatoes, chickpeas, edamame, and red onion. 

For dressing:
In a screw-top jar, combine olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.  Cover and shake well.  

Pour dressing over salad and toss.  Top with mint and basil.  

#2,709: S'mores Muffins

These muffins have graham cracker crumbs and chocolate chips in the batter, and you top it with marshmallow creme....all the makings of a good s'more!  These were really easy to make and I probably shouldn't admit it, but the batter was SOOO good.  I didn't even let the kids lick the beaters because I didn't want to share.  LOL  I think the next time I make these I'm going to try adding some mini marshmallows right into the batter.  Because without the marshmallow topping (which doesn't last more than a day so don't add it until you want to eat it!) it's pretty much a yummy chocolate chip muffin.  Either way, it was still good!  

By the way, here's a kitchen cooking tip for you...did you know that butter can explode in the microwave?!  I knew it would "pop" and splatter so I covered it with a paper towel, but 2 minutes is way too long to melt butter (I just hit a number and walked away...I know better!).  That butter didn't just splatter, it literally burst through the paper towel (the paper towel was cut in half) and almost the entire bowl of butter was splattered ALL OVER the inside of my microwave.  Well that's one way to get me to clean the microwave I guess.  Lesson learned...lower heat, lower time, don't leave unattended!    

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 15 whole crackers)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup whole milk (I used 2%)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3/4 cup marshmallow cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Toss the chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons flour in a small bowl; set aside. (PS...I got 16 muffins out of this recipe)

Whisk the remaining flour, the graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the sugar, melted butter, milk, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl until smooth; stir into the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chip mixture.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them three-quarters of the way. Tap the bottom of the pan lightly on the counter to smooth out the batter. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Top each muffin with 1 tablespoon marshmallow cream. Let set 10 minutes.

#2,708: Ginger Green Beans

I'm still puzzled about this recipe and these green beans.  This is meant to be a cold side dish, but I'm not sure I liked it cold (and this is coming from someone who often doesn't reheat leftovers!!).  But the flavors were better cold!  When I ate this hot, it was WAY too salty from the soy sauce, but when it chilled that saltiness definitely was cut back and the flavors were better.  

So I decided to jazz this one up a little bit and added some crumbled bacon and some toasted slivered almonds...there you go!  I enjoyed this WAY more with those additions.  :)

So...if you are going to eat this hot, cut back on the soy sauce.  If you are going to eat this cold, add some bacon.

And every once in a while you get a little bite of the ginger in this recipe....yes!

1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

1 tangerine, peeled, segmented, seeds removed (I used about 8 drops of tangerine vitality essential oil)

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 garlic clove, peeled and halved

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon white vinegar

(I actually made mine in my instant pot.  Add 1 cup of water to the green beans.  Set the timer to high and ZERO minutes.  As soon as it pressurizes release the pressure and put the green beans into an ice water bath.) In a 6-qt. stockpot, bring 12 cups water to a boil. Add green beans; cook, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or just until crisp-tender and bright green. Quickly remove and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry.

In a blender or food processor, combine the next eleven ingredients; process until well blended. Pour dressing mixture over beans; toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 8 servings

#2,707: Blueberry, Corn, and Feta Salad

I was a little scared to try this recipe because I am not a fan of fruit mixed with my veggies.  My mom "apparently" makes a great strawberry kiwi spinach salad, but I hate having those fruits in with my spinach.  I end up picking out all of the fruit and eating around it.  So when this recipe called for blueberries I figured I'd probably pick them out too.  But in order to really get a good feel for this recipe I decided to push past my initial reaction of avoiding them and gave it a real effort.  I'll admit, although I still prefer no fruit in my salad, this was really good.  The berries aren't overpowering and give this corn salad a tiny bit of sweetness.  The berries soften up a little bit too from the heat of the corn so you don't notice them as much as you'd think.  I would definitely eat (and make) this recipe again.  Oh, and although I like chives, I didn't have any on hand, so I just substituted green onion instead.  Still good!  

8 medium ears sweet corn

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish (I used green onion)

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Carefully peel back corn husks to within 1 in. of bottoms; remove silk. Rewrap corn in husks; secure with kitchen string. Place in a stockpot; cover with cold water. Soak 20 minutes; drain.

Grill corn, covered, over medium heat about 20 minutes or until tender, turning often. Cut string and peel back husks. Cool slightly. Cut corn from cobs; transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, chives, salt and pepper. Pour over corn; toss to coat. Gently fold in blueberries and feta. Garnish with additional chives if desired. Yield: 10 servings

#2, 706: Raspberry Lemon Muffins

On this rainy Sunday, Chloe (age 9) was looking to do something and I figured I'd let her use up some frozen raspberries to make these easy muffins for breakfast for everyone tomorrow.  I didn't have any lemons on hand, but I did have my Young Living Lemon Vitality Essential oil, so I used about 10 drops of that instead.  Although you can taste the lemon (just barely), I'll probably add another 5 drops next time to make it a little more pronounced.  My kids loved these muffins and I had to stop them at 2 (mini ones!) and told them they had to eat the rest (regular size ones) for breakfast tomorrow!  This recipe got 12 large muffins, and 8 mini muffins.  

1 3/4 cups gluten free flour (I used all purpose)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted coconut oil cooled a bit

1/2 cup maple syrup (I used honey)

1/4 cup coconut milk or other milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Zest of one lemon (I omitted)

Juice of one lemon (I used 10 drops of lemon essential oil)

1 1/2 cups raspberries fresh or frozen (ours were frozen)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin pan.  Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the raspberries.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

#2,705: Ginger Pork with Cucumber and Herbs

I made this simple ginger pork and served it over some Trader Joe's cauliflower rice stir fry.  Oh my goodness it was delicious!  I actually ate it a third...or fourth...time on top of some ramen noodle coleslaw, which was equally as delicious.  Next time I make this I'll probably make some rice to try serving this to my family, but this time, it was just for me to eat for my lunches.  :)   

6 green onions, finely chopped

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound ground pork

1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup herb leaves such as mint, cilantro, Thai basil, and/or basil

Hot cooked brown rice (I served it over cauliflower rice)

Lime wedges and/or Sriracha sauce (optional)

In a medium bowl, stir together half the green onions, the soy sauce, sugar, and crushed red pepper. In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir pork into the garlic and ginger, and then press flat to make one large patty. Cook 3 to 4 minutes without stirring. When pork is browned and crisp on bottom, break up the patty and stir in the soy sauce mixture, reserving the bowl. Stir until pork is completely cooked and crumbled, 2 to 3 minutes more.

In the reserved bowl, combine the remaining green onions, cucumber, and herbs. Spoon pork mixture over rice and top with cucumber salad. Serve with lime wedges and/or Sriracha sauce, if desired.

#2,704: Mango-Edamame Asian Slaw

The recipe below is for an entire bag of coleslaw mix and an entire bottle of salad dressing.  Personally I think that is A LOT of salad dressing, for one bag of slaw, but I can't tell you if that was too much or not because I cannot find that specific dressing!  I went to 2 stores and finally gave up and got a bottle of Skinny Girl Poppyseed dressing instead and just used that.  I also only made one serving of this, so I just guessed at all of the amounts in my bowl to what looked good to me.  After I took this picture I decided to add some crushed up ramen noodles to it to give it more crunch...I highly recommend.  :)  This was a great salad and I look forward to eating it again!

1 pkg. (16 oz.) coleslaw blend (cabbage slaw mix)

2 cups frozen edamame (shelled), thawed

2 mangos, chopped

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/3 cup chopped fresh mint

1 bottle (8 oz.) KRAFT Mango Chipotle Vinaigrette Dressing (I couldn't find it at 2 stores so I gave up looking.  I used Poppyseed Salad Dressing instead). 

Combine all ingredients and serve.  

#2,714: Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

I'm super late in posting this recipe because I kept forgetting to get rhubarb to make these muffins!  This was the monthly muffin recipe from Food Network for MAY!   So my kids were a little scared to try this, so I told them it was just strawberry muffins.  One of the smarty pants though either read the recipe on the fridge or saw me cutting up rhubarb because she outed me to the other two.  That didn't seem to matter though because they all loved these muffins!  I got 12 regular size muffins and 9 mini muffins out of the recipe with a whole lot of sugar-oat crumb topping leftover (so I froze it to use on another recipe...rhubarb bread maybe?).  

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup 1/2-inch pieces rhubarb (1 stalk)

2/3 cup chopped strawberries

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2/3 cup milk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (I omitted) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Make the topping: Mix the oats, brown sugar, flour and salt in a small bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your fingers until the mixture comes together in clumps; set aside.

Make the muffins: Toss the rhubarb and strawberries in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; set aside. Whisk the flour, remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center. Add the eggs to the well and gently whisk. Stir in the milk, melted butter and lemon juice until just combined with small bits of flour remaining. Stir in the rhubarb-strawberry mixture.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them most of the way. Top with the crumb mixture. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar (I omitted this step...it doesn't need it!).

#2,703: Homemade Iced Latte

As much as I love a good latte, this time of year, I love a COLD latte even more!  This has been my go-to drink for several weeks now! 

1 cup ice

4 oz espresso (I make my coffee with 2 cups of water to 3 tbsp of ground coffee)1/2 cup milk (I prefer 1%)

Sweetener of choice (I use stevia packets)

Fill a tall glass with ice. Add espresso. Pour milk and sweetener of choice, if desired, into a mason jar. Seal the lid tightly.  Shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds. Pour milk and foam into the glass. Enjoy.

#2,702: Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are light and fluffy, and another way I can sneak in a veggie into my kids!  Although if there are any longer strings of zucchini Matthew will pick them out!  The kids enjoyed eating these for breakfast, so I would definitely make this again for my crew.  Although I think my kids would eat anything they see a chocolate chip added into! 

2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (about 1 small/medium zucchini)

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (1 used 2 bananas)

1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil, very light olive oil, or canola oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups white whole wheat flour (I used all purpose)

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini or regular 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.

Grate the zucchini, then thoroughly squeeze it with a paper towel to remove as much excess water as possible. Repeat as needed. If you have not already, melt the coconut oil and let come to room temperature.

In the bowl of a standing mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat together the banana, honey, brown sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the eggs, then beat again until combined.

Sprinkle the cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt over the top of the batter, then mix to combine. Sprinkle in the flour, then mix on low speed, just until the flour disappears. By hand, fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

#2,701: Mexican Rice with Poached Eggs

My family  really loves this super easy mexican rice recipe.  I've already made it THREE times now!  I have been making it mostly in my Instant Pot because I love cooking rice in the Instant Pot!  It's so easy to make.  My family personally loves eating these with the cheese sprinkled on top, some sour cream, and then scooping it up with tortilla chips (like nachos).  I'm sure this will be on our menu again within the next 2 weeks!  Personally, I'm the only one eating this with a poached eggs, which I didn't think I would like, but I actually really enjoy it with it added on top.  It's so good! 

1 pound bulk spicy pork sausage (I use mild)

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium sweet red pepper, diced (I've used both red and green interchangeably)

1 to 2 seeded jalapeno peppers, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon beef base (I use 2 beef boullion cubes)

2 tsp ground cumin (I used 1 package mild taco seasoning instead)

1 tsp pepper (I omitted)

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

2 cups water (I use 1 cup of water for the Instant Pot)

6 large eggs

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Warm corn or flour tortillas (6 inches)

Directions for Stove top: 

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook sausage, crumbling meat, with onion and peppers until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in beef base, cumin and black pepper.

Add rice; brown lightly. Pour in water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 18-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Transfer to a platter; keep warm.

Meanwhile, poach eggs by bringing 2-3 in. water to a boil in a large saucepan or skillet with high sides; adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Break cold eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl; holding bowl close to water surface, slip egg into water. Cook, uncovered, until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift eggs out of water. Place on rice; sprinkle with cheese. Serve with warm tortillas. Yield: 6 servings.

Directions for Instant Pot

I prefer to cook my sausage on the stove top (personal preference, but you could definitely cook it right in the Instant Pot!)

Either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot (saute setting), cook sausage, crumbling meat, with onion until meat is no longer pink; drain if desired (I do not). Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in taco seasoning (or cumin and black pepper if you are not using taco seasoning).

To your Instant Pot (if you aren't already cooking your meat in it) add the cooked and seasoned meat.  Add rice, diced bell peppers, beef bouillon, and jalapeno. Pour in 1 cup of water. Cover and use manual pressure cook setting on high for 4 minutes.  When done, let the pressure out with a natural release until the stopper drops (if it hasn't dropped at 18 minutes, I let the rest of the pressure out and then open it).  

Open and stir everything together.  Pour the mixture onto a serving platter and top with shredded cheese and poached eggs (see below for poaching instructions). 

Poach eggs by bringing 2-3 in. water to a boil in a large saucepan or skillet with high sides; adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Break cold eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl; holding bowl close to water surface, slip egg into water. Cook, uncovered, until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift eggs out of water. 

#2,700: Banana Bread Muffins

Here's another way to use up those over-ripe bananas sitting on your counter.  These banana bread muffins are super easy to whip together, and my kids loved them!  It tastes just like banana bread, but it's already pre-portioned for us for breakfast, and I don't have to wait almost an hour for it to cook!  

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 medium to large very ripe bananas

1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled

3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

2 large eggs lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Prepare a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.

In a large bowl, mash bananas until only small chunks remain. Add in melted (and cooled) butter and brown sugar and stir until well combined. Stir in beaten eggs and vanilla and stir until combined.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, stir to combine.

Combine wet and dry mixture until just combined. Do not over-mix. 

Divide batter between 12 muffin cups.  Place in oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, and tops are turning golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for five minutes.