Roasted Red Pepper Hummus with Cilantro

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Stand Time: 10 minutes

• 2 red bell peppers
• 4 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1 can (15 1/2 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon mild cayenne pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Assorted vegetable sticks, for dipping

Preheat the broiler. Place the peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Wrap the garlic in foil and place on the sheet. Broil the peppers 6" from the heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning until charred on all sides. Broil the garlic for 15 minutes. Place the peppers in a sealed bag and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, when it's cool enough to handle, peel the garlic and finely chop in a food processor. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel, and seed them. (You should have 1 cup of roasted peppers.) Add the peppers, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and pepper sauce to the processor and blend until smooth. Add the cilantro and process just until combined. For best flavor, store refrigerated for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. Serve with vegetable sticks or use as a spread for wrapes or sandwiches.

Peanut Butter and Banana Streusel Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Steusel

• 3 tablespoons whole grain pastry flour
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon honey
  

Muffins

• 2 cups whole grain pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pureed ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

To make the steusel: In a small bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, butter, and honey with a spoon until the mixture forms wet crumbs.

To make the muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined. In a large bowl, whisk together the banana, applesauce, peanut butter, sugar and egg until blended. Whisk the milk and vanilla into the banana mixture until combined.

Stir the flour mixture intot he banana mixture with a spoon, just until blended. Do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing evenly. Crumble the streusel mixture on top of the muffin batter, dividing evenly.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the pan and serve warm.

Banana-Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Filling:

• 1 ripe banana, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons Neufchatel cheese
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 pinches ground nutmeg
  

French Toast:

• 8 thin slices whole wheat cinnamon-raisin bread
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
• 1/4 cup pancake syrup

To make the filling: Mash 2 rounded tablespoons banana slices in a small bowl with the back of a spoon. (You should have about 2 tablespoons mashed.) Stir in the Neufchatel, sugar, lemon zest, and nutmeg until smooth.

To make French toast: Spread 4 slices of the bread with the banana filling, divided evenly. Top with the remaining banana slices and bread slices to make 4 sandwiches. Whisk together the milk, egg, egg white, and vanilla in a shallow dish or pie plate until blended. Dip the sandwhiches into the egg mixture, turning them over with a spatula to coat both sides.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium-low heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the sandwiches and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides, turning with a spatula half way through the cooking. (To keep warm, place the French toast sandwiches on a baking sheet in a preheated 250 degrees F oven.) Dust with confectioners' sugar. Drizzle with pancake syrup and serve hot.

Barbeque Chicken

• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 T. celery seed
• 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1 c. ketchup
• 1/4 brown sugar
• 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 c. water
• 1/8 to 1/4 t. salt

Combine all ingredients in a roasting pan. Place chicken breasts in pot so that all meat is covered. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours. This is also good on spare ribs. Enough for 8-10 medium sized chicken breasts (although I've done it with less!)

Muddy Buddies

I know everyone knows how to make these, but I still love them!

Ingredients:

• 1 packages (6 oz, 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips


• 1/4 cup peanut butter


• 1/2 peanuts (optional)


• 6 cups Chex cereal


• 1 Cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In large microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate at HIGH for 1 minute. Stire and heat an additional 30 seconds at HIGH or undtil melted. Stir in peanut butter and peanuts. Gently stir Chex cereal into chocolate-peanut butter mixture until well coated.

2. Place powdered sugar in 2-gallon storage bag. Add coated cereal to sugar and close bag. Gently toss cereal mixture until well coated. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Eclair Cake

2 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding

3 1/2 C. milk

9-12 Oz. Cool Whip

Spray 9x13 pan with Pam

Line pan w/whole graham crackers

Pour 1/2 of pudding mixture on G. Crackers

Layer G. Crackers again

Pour on the rest of the pudding mixture

Layer G. Crackers again

***REFRIDGERATE OVERNIGHT***

Icing:

2 tsp. Lt. corn syrup

3 Tbsp. margarine

2 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. milk

6 Tbsp. cocoa

2 Tbsp. oil

1 1/2 C. powdered sugar

Mix and frost

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

Pre-Heat oven to 425 degrees

4 1/3 cups Better for Biscuits Self Rising Flour

1 Cup Crisco

Mix with 2 forks until pea sized

2 cups Buttermilk

2 cups Milk

Mix, but handle with care, do not over mix. Flour hands and make palm sized balls of dough and drop on ungreased baking sheet. Do not push or flatten the dough. Put a small dab of butter in the middle of the dough.

Cook 20-25 Minutes or until lightly brown