...  doesn’t love a slice (or two) of fresh banana bread, particularly when chocolate is involved? Here’s a surefire banana bread with chocolate recipe that will keep everyone coming back for more. This recipe makes 2 loaves, but you may want to double the recipe and freeze the extra loaves because they are so good! Ingredients Needed: 6 ripe and mashed bananas 1 cup soft margarine 1 ½ cups white sugar 4 eggs 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 cup buttermilk 3 cups whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons baking soda ¼ cup cacao powder ¾ cup chocolate chips Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly oil regular sized loaf pan or 2  9” x 5 “ loaf pans. After you have mashed the bananas, place them in a large bowl with the margarine, sugar, vanilla and ...

...  a nutritious yet simple menu for the week of Christmas. It’s designed to save you time, stretch ingredients and help make use of Christmas leftovers. I’ve also created a handy grocery list so that you can easily stock up the ingredients. By the way, if you can use more menu plans and meal planning tips, claim your free gift here. Sunday, December 23rd Lunch Tomato soup Grilled cheese sandwiches Dinner Slow cooker beef and mushroom stew. Get the recipe here and substitute baby carrots to save prep time. Cheese garlic biscuits. These are made using a biscuit mix to save you time. Baked potatoes   Monday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) Lunch English muffin pizzas. Use the recipe here, but you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand for your toppings. Green salad. Use bagged and washed salad mix to save time Dinner Chicken breasts with lime sauce. Here’s a simple recipe and you can even use bottled lime juice if you don’t have fresh lime on hand. Rice Vegetable medley Brown and serve rolls   Tuesday, December 25th (Christmas Day) Lunch Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato (BLT) sandwiches. They’re easy to make and you can pre-cook the ...

...  cream Pepper 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella Vegetables and Toppings for Pasta: 8 slices fried bacon, cut in small pieces 1 diced onion 10 mushrooms sliced 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 diced tomatoes Pasta: Choose your favorite pasta and cook according to package directions. I’ve used a whole wheat spaghetti noodle here. Extras: Fresh Parmesan Garlic bread Salad Directions: Take some to prep all the ingredients ahead of time. There are quite a few components to the recipe, so it’s best to be well-prepared. Measure out your sauce ingredients, cut your veggies and fry and cut the bacon. Next, start boiling your pasta. If it’s ready before your sauce is ready, just drain it, rinse it and let it sit in fresh water, so it doesn’t get sticky. In a medium skillet at medium heat, add a little olive oil and sauté the mushrooms and onions. When cooked to your liking, remove them from heat. In a medium saucepan over medium high-heat, add the butter and ...

...  you have left over turkey from your holiday meal, a delicious dish to make is turkey pot pie. Don’t have quite enough leftover pie crust to make a full pot pie? No matter, you can make it an open-faced pie or simple add the remaining dough you have to the top of the pie. It will still look and taste delicious.   Ingredients Needed: 2 carrots 1 stalk celery 1 onion 1 cup of leftover turkey, chopped 2 medium potatoes 3 tbsp butter (half for the beginning of the recipe and half for a bit later) 2 tablespoons dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 2 cups homemade turkey stock (or chicken stock if it’s all you have available) ½ cup frozen peas ¼ cup flour ½ cup milk Leftover pie crust (at least enough to cover the bottom of a 9” pie plate) Rolling pin Flour for rolling dough Also, keep on hand food chopper or processor, cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, vegetable peeler, large skillet, medium skillet, spoons ...

...  make sure to grease and flour the muffin tin. Simply brush butter on with a pastry brush. Then add a little bit of flour to each cup and shake and tap the tin, so each cup is fully coated. Shake off any extra flour into your waste bin. Follow Your Favorite Cupcake Recipe Exactly You can use a box mix or make it from scratch – either is fine. Of course, if you are looking for perfection, always try a recipe you’ve used before, so you can be sure of the results. Refresh your memory and read the recipe in full before starting and pre-measure your ingredients. It will help ensure you don’t make any mistakes. Add the Right Amount to Each Cupcake Liner An easy rule of thumb is to use a ice cream scooper to measure out your batter for each cupcake liner. If you’re using large cupcake liners, one heaping ice cream scoop should do it. Don’t Over or Under Bake As soon as your cupcakes go in the oven, set your time. Set it to minimum recommended baking time. Here’s how to tell if ...

...  you often find yourself too busy for breakfast or lunch, try this delicious orange smoothie recipe. For more stay-power to help you get through the day, add a little protein or vitamin powder before processing. Double or triple the recipe and freeze the extra in air tight containers for days when you’re running late. Simply toss frozen serving in the blender for a few seconds to have an instant healthy drink. Ingredients Needed: 3/4 cup canned pineapple chunks 1/2 cup ice 1/3 cup fresh orange juice 1/4 cup chopped carrot 1/2 banana Directions: Blend together all ingredients until smooth. Pour orange carrot smoothie into a chilled drink glass. ...