Banana Bread - Quick Bread for Machines

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine.

2. Select the Dough setting, and press Start. Mix the bread for 3 to 5 minutes until the bananas are mashed and all ingredients are thoroughly combined. If necessary, use a rubber spatula to push the dough from the sides of the bread pan. When 3 to 5 minutes have passed on the clock display, press Stop. Do not continue mixing. Smooth out the top of the loaf with the rubber spatula.

3. Select the Bake setting, and press Start. The Bake cycle time may vary with machines, but should be about 50 minutes. To test the bread for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center top. Remove the toothpick. If the bread is done, the toothpick will come out clean. If there is dough on the toothpick, reset the machine on Bake and continue to bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Test again with the toothpick to assure the bread is completely baked. Remove the pan from the machine, but allow the bread to remain in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the bread to cool completely on a wire rack.

Chicken Pot Pie

http://www.readersdigest.co.nz/chicken-pot-pie


2 T olive oil
3 leeks , white and pale green parts only, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery , roughly chopped
2 large carrots , thickly sliced
1 large red-skinned potato, such as desiree or pontiac, unpeeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 c (75 g) thickly sliced button mushrooms
1⁄4 c (35 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
1⁄2 t dried thyme
1⁄4 t salt
400 ml (14 fl oz) salt-reduced chicken stock
1 2⁄3 c (250 g) diced cooked chicken breast or thighs-leftover or poached (see Basics)
1 c (155 g) peas , fresh or frozen
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (large enough to cover a 23 cm/9 inch pie dish), thawed
1 large egg
1 T milk


1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add leeks, celery, carrots and potato.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in flour, thyme and salt until blended, then stir in stock.
6. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
7. Stir in chicken and peas.
8. Transfer pie filling to a deep, 23 cm (9 inch) pie dish.
9. Allow to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
10. Place pastry sheet on a flat surface.
11. Whisk together egg and milk and brush over pastry.
12. Place pastry, glazed side down, over filling in pie dish.
13. Trim the edge of the pastry; crimp or mark decoratively with a fork if desired.
14. Brush top with remaining egg mixture.
15. Cut four 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) slits in the centre of pastry to allow steam to escape. Place in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and pastry is golden brown.

Turtle Candies

recipe from She Wears Many Hats
4 cups pecan pieces
14 oz caramels (I used the bag of bits, no unwrapping!)
10 oz. chocolate chips coarse
salt for sprinkling 

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Lightly salt pecans and toast on baking sheet for about 25-30 minutes. While pecans are toasting, melt caramels according to package directions. I melted them in the microwave and it was just fine and dandy.

Mix toasted pecans into melted caramels. Slightly cool, so you can handle. Drop tablespoon size rounds onto buttered or lined baking sheet. If mixture begins to harden, reheat for a few seconds at a time in the microwave. Let cool.

Melt chocolate chips according to package directions. Again, the microwave worked like a charm. Top each caramel/pecan drop with about 1 tablespoon of chocolate, and sprinkle with a little bit of salt. Let cool. Store in airtight container. Makes about 4 dozen.

1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Tuscan seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Tiger seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire ground pepper blend

1. Combine all ingredients, except the chops, and mix well with small whisk.  
2. Brush mixture on chops and either grill by searing on both sides and then cooking more slowly for 30 minutes or until done, brushing chops occasionally with the sauce.  
3. Or to broil the chops; place chops on a broiler rack 5" from heat and broil about 12 minutes per side or until done.

Herb crusted mushrooms

Ingredients: 

16 even-sized open cup mushrooms, stalks cut level

3 tbsp corn or vegetable oil

1/4 c unsalted butter, softened

3 cloves garlic, chopped very finely

2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 c fresh breadcrumbs


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly fry the mushrooms, cap-side down, in hot oil for 20 seconds.

Arrange the mushrooms in a shallow roasting tin with the stalks facing upwards.

Mix together the butter, garlic, thyme, lemon juice and seasoning. Spoon a little garlic butter on to each mushroom, then lightly press the breadcrumbs on top. Either refrigerate for later use, or cook immediately in the oven for 10 minutes.

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
3. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute.
4. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/delicious-ham-and-potato-soup/

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Pumpkin Bread:
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. applesauce
2/3 C. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. sugar
3 1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 1/2 C. mini chocolate chips.

Cream Cheese Filling:
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 C. sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 Tbsp. milk


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease loaf pans, muffins pans or come of each (I made 1 large loaf and 12 muffins!)
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, milk, vanilla extract and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger together.
4. Combine the 1st and 2nd bowl and stir only until combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and milk together until smooth.
7. For Loaf Pans: Pour a little bit of batter into the loaf pan, spread to cover the bottom and then spoon cream cheese filling and spread it on top. Continue to alternate until your pan is 3/4 full and then bake for 60-80 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
8. For muffins: Fill each muffin tin 1/3 full, then spoon your filling in the pan, then top with another spoonful of pumpkin batter. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

http://www.yourcupofcake.com/2013/11/pumpkin-cream-cheese-bread-and-muffins.html