Classic Banana Bread (Light)

Classic Banana Bread (Light)
Mackenzie Day - Philadelphia, PA

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

Makes 1 loaf (14 servings)

Ingredients
2 C Flour
3/4 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Salt
1 C Sugar
1/4 C Butter, softened
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 C Mashed Ripe Banana (About 3 Bananas)
1/3 C Plain Low-fat Yogurt (I use Vanilla Low-fat Yogurt)
1 t Vanilla Extract

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add banana, yogurt and vanilla.  Beat until blended.  Add flour mixture, beat at a low speed just until moist.  Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 in loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for an hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.


Nutritional Information
Calories 187 Fat 4.3g Iron 1mg Cholesterol 40mg Calcium 20mg Carbohydrate 34.4g Sodium 198mg Protein 3.3g Fiber 1.1g

Cream Cheese French Toast

Cream Cheese French Toast
Kayley Meinzer - Lehi, UT

Ingredients
12 Slices French Bread
2 8 oz Packages Cream Cheese
1 c. Frozen Berries or Fruit
12 Eggs
2 c. Milk
1/3 c. Sugar or Syrup

Syrup
1 c. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 c. Water
1 c. Berries
1 Tbsp. Butter

Instructions
Cut bread into chunks and place in a 9x13 pan.  Mix eggs, milk and syrup and pour mixture over bread.  Cut cream cheese into chunks and place all over bread mixture.  Pour berries or fruit all over.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake @ 350 for 30 min.  Uncover and bake 30 more min.

Syrup
Mix sugar, corn starch and water.  Bring to a boil.  When thickened, add berries and butter.  Boil and until thick and bubbly.  Serve over French toast.

Cucina’s Famous Fruit Filled Scones

Cucina’s Famous Fruit Filled Scones
Katrina Sandgren - Lehi, UT

I recieved this recipe from my sister-in-law. These are the very popular scones from a local bakery. I guess she and her friends had to search high and low to get it but it was worth it. They are wonderful!!

(makes approx. 24 scones, can half recipe)

Ingredients
4 C. Flour
4 C. Cake Flour
1 C. Sugar
2 ½ TBSP Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp salt
4 Cubes of Butter (1 lbs)

2 C. Fruit (fresh or frozen) I used the frozen mixed berries and took out the strawberries.
2 Lemons zested

½ to 1 quart of Half and Half or Buttermilk (It is difficult to know exactly how much liquid will be needed)

Instructions
Mix dry ingredients together and then cut in butter with two knives or pastry cutter until it is fine crumbles.  You can freeze the ingredients at this point if you like to use at a later time.

Next you mix the fruit and lemon zest together and add it to the dry mix (by hand with a fork).  Now you add the liquid. Start by adding ½ a quart of your milk.  Mix it together, by hand, and then determine if you need more.  Add just a little bit at a time.  You want the consistency to be similar to biscuits.  If there is too much liquid they will be flat and if there is not enough, they will be crumbly.  It won’t affect the taste, just the appearance and texture.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cover your cookie sheet in parchment paper and scoop one large ice cream scoop onto the tray.  It will fit approximately 6-8 per sheet.  They almost double in size.  Bake for 25 minutes.  If you make smaller size scones, reduce your cooking time.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar
2 TBSP Melted Butter
2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP Sugar
¾ C. Brown Sugar
Add milk first then add brown sugar mixture.

A Healthier Fruit Tart With Almond Pie Crust

A Healthier Fruit Tart With Almond Pie Crust
Kay Quealy - Salt Lake City, UT

Ingredients

For filling:

1 cup yogurt cream (see recipe below)

Mixed fresh fruit, for example: 1 banana, 1 cup grapes, 1 orange (sectioned), 1/2 cup blueberries 

4 Tbsps organic amber agave syrup for glazing

For crust:

1 cup, plus 2 Tbsps organic almond meal

2 sticks organic sweet butter, room temperature1/3 cup organic evaporated cane juice crystals

2 1/2 cups organic barley flour

1/2 cup organic whole-wheat flour

1 organic, free-range egg, beaten

1 tsp organic almond or vanilla extract

For yogurt cream:

1 cup low-fat (2%) Greek Style yogurt, drained

4 Tbsps organic maple syrup

Directions

These occasion-worthy tarts are a great excuse to add agave syrup to your pantry; agave syrup is an all-natural, minimally processed sweetener you can also use for pancakes, waffles, coffee and tea.

Makes two tarts.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make tart shells: 

1. Butter two individual tart shells.

2. Using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer, cream together butter and cane juice crystals until just blended. Add almond meal, flours, beaten egg and vanilla or almond extract and mix until well blended.

3. Divide dough in half. Gently press into tart shells. Bake for 25 minutes, or until shells are golden brown. Cool before filling, or freeze for future use.

To make yogurt cream: 

1. Combine yogurt and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl.

2. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

To assemble tarts: 

1. Spread 1/2 cup yogurt cream in each tart crust. Arrange fruits over yogurt cream.

2. Drizzle tarts with agave syrup and chill to set.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 256 calories; 12 g fat ( 6 g sat, 4 g mono); 32 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 12 mg sodium; 193 mg potassium.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Crustless Spinach Quiche
Sarah Drown & Ryan Baltz - Dallas, TX
My Grandpa Stuart’s recipe (tried & tested many times!)
 
8- Servings
 
Ingredients and measurements.
·        2 whole eggs
·        8 egg whites
·        3 Cups Cooked Spinach or 1 large frozen package (thawed)
·        2 cloves Garlic (minced)
·        1 T Pesto
·        1 tsp Herbs de Provence
·        8 ounces cubed fresh mozzarella
·        ½ C Parmesan (grated)
·        Other veggies like roasted red pepper & broccoli can also be added
 
Cooking Instructions.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 8” dish with olive oil. Beat eggs together. Squeeze liquid from cooked spinach until dry. Add garlic, pesto, herbs, spinach, cheese to eggs & mix well. Pour mixture into dish & place in oven for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees for remaining 30 minutes. Check with a knife inserted in the center to ensure eggs are set.
 
Serving Instructions.
This dish can be served hot or cold. For parties, cut into diamonds or squares & add a sliver of roasted red pepper to each piece (tips from my grandpa). 

Raspberry Turnovers

Raspberry Turnovers
Meghann Bezdikian - Philadelphia, PA

Ingredients 

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 (half of a 17.3-ounce package) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 3/4 cup fresh raspberries
• 2 teaspoons sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, unfold pastry sheet and roll out. Cut into four equal squares. Place on baking sheet and refrigerate about 15 minutes.
3. In a bowl stir together jam and raspberries.
4. After chilling pastry squares, spoon jam mixture in center of each square. Using a pastry brush, dampen edges with water in a 1-inch border. Fold dough in half diagonally, over filling. Press edges to seal. Brush top of pastry with water and sprinkle with the sugar. With the tip of a paring knife, cut three small slits in the top (for steam vents).
5. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.while turnovers are chilling.
6. Bake until puffed and golden, about 25 minutes (some jam may bubble up through vents). Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Herbed Egg Strudel

Herbed Egg Strudel

Kari Baltz - Washington, DC

Recipe form Marguerite Henderson.  One of the best egg dishes I have ever had!  

Ingredients

4 T butter

10 large eggs

¼ c half and half

1 t kosher salt

½ t ground black pepper

¼ c chopped fresh chives

¼ c chopped fresh parsely

1 pkg (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Egg Wash

1 egg beaten with 1 T half and half

½ c shredded Parmesan cheese

Cooking Instructions

Heat the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Beat the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper until frothy, about 1 minute.  Whisk the chives and parsley into the eggs.  Add the eggs to the heated skillet;  cook on medium-low heat for 1 minute.  With a spatula, stir the eggs until softly scrambled.  Do not overcook.  Eggs should be a little wet. 

Place the two sheets of puff pastry on 2 separate baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  With a sharp knife, cut slits on both sides of pastry, 3 inches deep and 1 ½ inches wide on a diagonal making about 6 strips.  Leave about 3 inches of the pastry in the center, uncut.  Place half the egg mixture down the center of each pastry sheet, and then alternate the cut strips of pastry over the eggs, enfolding the eggs in the pastry, keeping the pastry slightly loose on top so that the eggs have room to expand as they bake.  Brush top with egg wash, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese, and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Cut each strudel into 3 portions to make 6 servings.

Breakfast Casserole

Another Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Terri Carlson - Omaha, NE

This recipe from CDKitchen for Another Breakfast Casserole serves/makes 12

 Ingredients: 
1 (16 ounce) package ground pork breakfast sausage
12 eggs
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can milk
1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (32 ounce) package frozen potato rounds
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Place sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and milk. Stir in the sausage and mushrooms, and pour into the prepared baking dish. Mix in the frozen potato rounds. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

I added 1clove garlic, ¼  cup onion.  You can add anything else that you would like in there (ie green peppers, red peppers, spinach etc.). 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Amber Lynch - Park City, UT

This is a Barefoot COntessa recipe.  I havemade it several times.  Its the BEST!!!

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Frittata

Frittata
Sonja Booker - Salt Lake City, UT

This meal can be used as a dinner or a breakfast. 
Serve with a light strawberry salad for dinner and fruit for breakfast.
Omit Meat for Vegetarian.  I am not much of an onion person, so I cut the amount in half. 
I have also mixed swiss and cheddar for a sharper flavor and it’s tasty that way too.

Ingredients
3 C. Frozen Hashbrowns (shredded and thawed)
1/3 C. Butter (melted) (add more if it doesn’t mostly cover potatoes)
1 C. Cooked Ham (chopped/cubed) or Salami (diced) (optional)
1 C. Shredded Cheddar
¼ C. Bell pepper (chopped)
¼ C. Onion (finely chopped)
1 Jalapeno (finely chopped) ( optional)
2 Eggs
½ C. Milk
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Black Pepper
Salsa for topping (optional)

Directions
Squeeze dry potatoes.  Pat the potatoes over the bottom of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.  Drizzle butter over potatoes, making sure the edge is totally covered.  Bake at 425m degrees for 25 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350 degrees.  Layer ham, cheese, pepper, and jalapeno over baked crust.  Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl and pour over pie dish.  Bake for 25 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Zucchini Tarta (Quiche)

Zucchini Tarta (quiche)

Katrina Sandgren - Lehi, UT

This is a great recipe for our family because I can get the kids to eat vegetables, since they are covered in cream and cheese. I usually don't make the crust because of the extra time and calories. It's really good even without it but the crust makes it extra good. I only do the crust for special occasions. I serve it for dinner at home, but I have also served it at brunches and as an appetizer. 

Serves 8 -10

Ingredients

Pastry

1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

¼ cup ice water

Filling

3 cups (12 oz) grated zucchini

salt

2 tbsp unsalted butter

8 large mushrooms, sliced

2 cups (8 oz) grated Monterrey jack cheese

1 package cream cheese (8 oz) at room temperature

1 cup heavy cream

2 egg yolks

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water while machine is still running until dough forms a ball. Or, by hand, combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. With a fork, two knives or a pastry blender, cut butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water gradually until a smooth ball is formed. Chill dough if not using immediately, or roll out on a lightly floured board into a circle 14 in. in diameter. Line 10 in quiche pan or pie pan with the dough.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use a fork to prick the dough to prevent bubbles while baking. Bake for 10 minutes and remove. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.

Squeeze some of the water/juices for the zucchini after grating. Sprinkle with salt. In a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium heat; add mushrooms and sauté until soft; set aside. Sprinkle one half of the cheese over the bottom of the pastry shell; top with sautéed mushrooms. Sprinkled drained zucchini evenly over the mushrooms. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, cream, yolks and egg until smooth.  Add salt and pepper.  Slowly pour the mixture over the zucchini. Sprinkle remaining cheese over all and bake until top is golden and knife comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Holiday Brunch Casserole

Holiday Brunch Casserole
Jessica Stewart - Colorado Springs, CO

This is a great recipe.  It seems a little complicated, but it really isn't. We have this every Christmas morning. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and Holiday season.

Ingredients
1Lb. Sausage cooked drained and crumbled
4 1/2 C. Cubed day old bread
2C. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 doz. eggs (12) Slightly beaten
1tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
2C. Milk
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Optional: Mushrooms, Tomatoes

Instructions
Place bread in a sprayed 9x13" baking dish
Sprinkle with bread with cheese
In a separate bowl combine the rest of the ingredients except the sausage.
Pour mixture over bread and cheese
Sprinkle sauasge and optional ingredients over top
Cover and refrigerate overnight

Pre-heat oven @325
Bake uncovered for approximately 1 hour
(tent with foil if the eggs are browning to quickly)

Cranberry Muffins

Cranberry Muffins
Kay Quealy - Salt Lake City, UT

One of my favorite holiday things is to make. E N J O Y !

Makes 16 to 18 muffins.


Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/2  cup sugar

1  teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3  cup fresh orange juice

2 eggs, slightly beaten

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

1 1/4 cups cranberries, chopped

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Instructions
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Make a well and pour in orange juice, eggs and butter.

Mix well. Fold in remaining ingredients.

Pour into greased muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Grandpa's Magic Muffins

Grandpa's Magic Muffins

Emily Drown - Salt Lake City, UT

Here is a delicious healthy recipe that makes the kitchen smell like Christmas :)  Honestly, one of these and you are fueled for the morning! 

Makes 14 - 16 muffins.

 
Dry Ingredients

2 Cups Oatbran
1/4 Cup Ground Golden Flaxseed
2 T Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Raisins
1/4 Cup Chopped Nuts
1t Cinnamon
1/2 t Ginger
1/2 t Nutmeg
1/2 t Ground Cloves

Wet Ingredients

6 oz Skim Milk
2 Egg Whites
2 Cups Pumpkin  (2 Mashed Bananas can be subsituted)
2 T Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Dark Molasses
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 400 F
Mix Dry Ingredients

Wet Series Instructions

    WHIP Egg Whites until Foamy
     ADD oil (stir)
     ADD Brown Sugar (stir)
     ADD Molasses (stir)
     ADD Pumpkin (stir)
     ADD milk (stir)

Spray Muffin Tin (or use muffin cups...much easier)
Bake 15 minutes on Center Rack (check with toothpick to make sure cooked)
 

Pilot Pumpkin Pancakes

Pilot Pumpkin Pancakes

Sarah Drown and Ryan Baltz - Dallas, TX

Inspired by our new ‘Pilot’ miniature dachshund that is just 6-weeks old. He just loves to hang out with us in the morning & sleep in while we make pancakes. Yummy if you add in chocolate chips. Recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine.

Makes 12 Pancakes

Ingredients and Measurements:

1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups whole milk

3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin

4 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vegetable oil

Maple syrup

Cooking Instructions:

Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk milk, pumpkin, egg yolks, melted butter and vanilla in medium bowl to blend well. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just until smooth (batter will be thick). Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions. Brush large nonstick skillet with oil; heat over medium heat. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles form on surface of pancakes and bottoms are brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing skillet with oil between batches.

Serving

Serve with syrup.