Banana Pancakes with Macadamia Nut Sauce

We just returned from our first trip to Hawaii and it was amazing!  The day we left we ate breakfast at a place in Kailua, Boots and Kimo's, famous for their pancakes with macadamia nut sauce.  We waited about 30 min. for a table for six but boy was it worth it!  These pancakes were amazing and I began the search for a copycat recipe as soon as we returned.  I hope this recipe I found will do them justice. 

Raspberry glazed baked chocolate donuts

I want to try this one soon!

Favorite Sugar Cookies

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and around here we like to make heart-shaped sugar cookies to celebrate.  This is a recipe for the best sugar cookies I've ever tried.  It is from a friend who is a great cook.  These cookies puff up nicely and are soft and chewy--just the way I like 'em! 

Favorite Sugar Cookies

1 c. shortening (butter flavor is best)
2 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream (whole milk vanilla yogurt works well too)
1 t. vanilla
1 T. almond extract
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
4 t. baking powder
4 1/2 c. flour

Cream together shortening and sugar.  Beat in eggs, sour cream and extracts.  Add dry ingredients (may need a little more flour).  Mix dough until soft.  Chill several hours (or up to two days).  The longer you allow the dough to chill, the easier it is to roll and cut..  Roll, cut, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

These are my daughter's favorite muffins.  She asks me to make them all the time but I usually end up making banana chocolate chip muffins or banana bread to use up ripe bananas.  I'm making these today to surprise her for an after-school snack.  She'll be so happy!  This recipe was given to me by a friend and they are so good.  They stay nice and moist and have terrific flavor.  I like that they use applesauce, canned pumpkin (convenience), and wheat flour so that I can call them health food!

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins
Yield:  24 muffins

2 eggs
1/2 c. warm water
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 c. applesauce
1 3/4 c. pumpkin (15 oz. can)
3 c. wheat flour
1 T. cinnamon
2 t. baking powder
2 t. soda
1 t. salt
1 c. chocolate chips

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Apparently this is a popular family favorite with lots of people.   I had never had it before but tried it a couple of weeks ago and it was a hit at our house too!  There are dozens of versions out there but I liked this one because there is less butter in it than most. 

Poppy Seed Chicken 

From realmomkitchen.com

• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream (I use light)
• 1 cellophane sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
• 4 Tbsp. melted butted
• 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

1. In a bowl,  mix together soup and sour cream until well blended.  Stir in diced chicken.
2. Spread creamy mixture into a 9 x 9 inch baking dish.
3. In a large zipper bag, crush crackers.  Then add poppy seeds and butter to bag and seal.  Toss to coast.
4. Sprinkle cracker mixture over chicken.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve over cooked rice.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Shoyu Chicken

This dinner really couldn't be any easier.  I love this recipe not only for that reason but because it is really delicious too!  My sister-in-law introduced me to Shoyu Chicken years ago and it has become a staple at our house that everyone loves.  I like to serve it with white rice and some stir-fried veggies.

Shoyu Chicken

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 c. shoyu (soy sauce)
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 c. water
1/2 c. sugar

In 6 qt. stockpot combine shoyu, ginger, water and sugar.  Bring to a boil and add chicken pieces.  Simmer until chicken is tender, turning frequently so chicken browns evenly, approxiately 30 min. 

Homemade Wheat Bread

I got this recipe from a friend a few years ago.  It has proven to be my favorite wheat bread recipe.  It is fast.  It takes me about 1 1/2 hours from start (grinding the wheat) to finish (taking the loaves out of the oven).  Can't beat that!   It is also fairly light considering that it is an all wheat bread.  We love to make sandwiches with it and it is delicious toasted but my favorite way to eat it is warm, fresh from the oven with butter and homemade strawberry jam.  Yum!

Homemade Wheat Bread
Yield: 4 loaves

4 c. water
1 c. water plus 3/4 c. honey (heat until honey melts, about 1 minute in microwave)
1/4 c. canola oil
2 1/2 T. instant yeast (SAF instant rise yeast)
12-13 c. flour (1/2 hard white wheat berries and 1/2 red wheat berries)
2 T. salt
1/2 c. dough enhancer (optional)
1 T. liquid lecithin (optional)   I haven't used this but the dough enhancer is really great!

Add all ingredients before you start mixing.  Gluten takes about 8 minutes to develop so once all ingredients are mixed and dough is pulling from sides, start timer!

Spray table with Pam, DO NOT add more flour, only oils.  Make a rectangle from mixed dough and pinch and twist into four loaves.  Preheat oven to 150 degrees and then turn oven off.

Put dough in well-greased pan and let rise in the warm oven for 20 min.  Once raised, increase oven temperature to 350 degrees, leaving loaves in the oven, and bake for 27 min. or until golden brown.  After removing from oven, take out of pan and cool on racks.

Helpful tips:
--One cup whole kernel wheat yields about 1 1/2 c. wheat flour.
--If using instant rise yeast, it is not necessary to let the dough rise twice.
--If you are certain that your yeast is fresh, it is not necessary to "proof" the yeast in warm water and sugar before adding to your other ingredients.  Add the yeast in its dry form when the dough is still gooey before adding the last of the flour.
--Lecithin and vitamin C help the texture and quality of your bread as well as added nutrition.  Lecithin adds nutrients, makes a softer crust and is a natural preservative.

Sourmilk Pancakes

Today was another snow day for my kids.  The fourth in as many weeks!  So we decided to make pancakes.  These pancakes are what my kids term, "normal pancakes".  I've tried lots of pancake recipes, most with more whole grains, but none compare in my kids' eyes to "normal pancakes".  These are the ones that we always come back to and they are definitely the favorite.  This recipe is also the one I grew up with, the one that my mom and grandma still use.  For us, these pancakes are definitely a "recipe of home". 

Sourmilk Pancakes
makes approximately 12, 4" pancakes

1 c. milk + 1 t. lemon juice or vinegar
1 egg
1 T. sugar
1 T. oil
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. flour

Combine milk and lemon juice and let sit for a few minutes.  Add eggs, sugar and oil and whisk to combine.  Combine salt, baking soda, baking powder and flour in a separate bowl.  Add to wet ingredients and stir until well combined.  Pour batter onto a hot griddle, flip, and serve!

Mexican Casserole

This is the kind of recipe that I love to find!  Simple, economical, fast and a crowd-pleaser all describe this dish.  I found this recipe in a local church cookbook.  It sounded good to me and I was hoping the kids would like it given all the good-for-you beans.  I finally tried it last night.  It had terrific flavor and everyone loved it!  I was so happy.  It is also very simple to throw together quickly with ingredients that I usually have on hand.  I think the only change I would make is to divide the ingredients between two 8x8 pans instead of one 9x13 and freeze one for later.  It made a lot for our family to eat in one night but the bonus of that is that I don't have to cook tonight!  I also used a 12 oz. bag of reduced fat mexican cheese (instead of mo jack and cheddar) with good results.  This will definitely become one of my regulars. 

Mexican Casserole
serves 10-12

1 1/2 c. crushed tortilla chips
1 lb. (2 c.) shredded cooked chicken
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained
1 15 oz. can corn kernels, drained
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. salsa
1 c. chopped red onion
1 green pepper, diced
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. minced garlic (yes, tablespoon :) )
dash of salt and pepper to taste
6 oz. grated monterey jack cheese
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 in. baking dish, then scatter the crushed tortilla chips evenly on the bottom.  Combine the chicken, beans, corn, tomato sauce, salsa, onion, bell pepper,  cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Place half the mixture evenly in the baking dish.  Combine the cheeses, then sprinkle half over the mixture.  Cover with the remaining half of the chicken and bean mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.  Bake for 30 min.  Let stand for 5 min. before serving.  Serve with diced ripe tomatoes, sour cream, avocado chunks and more fresh cilantro!