Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is the ultimate muffin. It is super chocolates, if that's your thing. And extremely yummy.

1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
11/2 c mashed ripe bananas
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Then add bananas, vanilla, eggs and milk. Stir together then add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add chocolate chips. Spray muffin tins with nonstick spray and fill with the batter. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 20-25 minutes.

Creamy blush sauce

This sauce is a little spicy, but you could leave out the pepper or adjust it to suit your taste.  It calls for vodka, but I have also made it with white wine and it is just as good.  You could skip the alcohol all together and just add more chicken broth too. 

2 TBSP olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine ( original recipe calls for vodka)
1/2 c chicken broth
2 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, untrained
1/2 c heavy cream
Thinly sliced fresh basil


Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion to the pan and sauté until tender. Add 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and garlic; sauté for another minute. Add wine; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.  Stir in 1 tsp salt, broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes.  Carefully ladle the sauce into a blender (remove center and cover with a clean towel) pulse until sauce is smooth. Return to pan and add the heavy cream until heated through. Add basil.  Enjoy over your favorite pasta. 

Lemon Thyme Creme Brûlée

My son went out to dinner the other night and he mentioned that he had Lemon Thyme Creme Brulee. Well, immediately I was on the computer looking for a recipe. The one that I found had metric measurements, and since math isn't my thing, I dismissed it.  I went to my tried and true recipe from The Pioneer Woman and tweaked it a bit.  The results were pretty good. I may still play around with a bit more lemon zest but I liked it enough.  


1 quart heavy cream
10 egg yolks
3/4 c plus 6 or so TBSP super fine sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
5-6 thyme sprigs  (leaves removed and chopped)

I use my Mom-mom's way of making superfine sugar. She just put it in the blender and pulsed it until it was superfine.  Works great!

Preheat the oven to 325.

Pour the cream into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to almost a boil and turn off the heat. Add the thyme and lemon zest to infuse into the cream.

Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and add the 3/4 cup sugar.  With a whisk, and a ton of muscle, whisk these for a good 5 minutes. Whisk like crazy!!Until the eggs are a very light yellow. 

Now temper the egg mixture by very slowly drizzling 1 cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture while continually whisking. You do not want to cook the eggs.  Then you can add the rest of the cream while continuing to whisk.  

Place 6 ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and carefully ladle the custard into them. About 3/4 full. ( i always seem to be able to fill 6 large and 4 small ramekins).
Place the pan into the oven, then pour water into the pan until water reaches halfway up the ramekins.
Bake for 35- 45 minutes or until the custard is set. Be careful not to let it brown.  
Remove ramekins and allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

When you are ready to serve, sprinkle each custard with a TBSP of superfine sugar and use a kitchen torch to burn the sugar crispy.

Serve immediately.

Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan

Asparagus season is here and I have the perfect soup to make.  It is rich and creamy, yet there is no cream so it will help with getting ready for bathing suit season.  I found this on Pinterest and it was delicious.  Of course, I was the only person in my family to try it so far. Let me know if you try it and how you liked it. Thanks.


2 bunches asparagus (2 1/4 lbs)
3 TBSP unsalted butter
2 med onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
6 cups low sodium chicken broth ( vegetable broth)
1 tsp chicken base (optional)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice 
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
Handful of fresh herbs thyme,dill, basil ( I used thyme)

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent (10 mins).  
In the meantime, cut tips off the asparagus and set aside.  Cut the remaining asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces.   Add the chopped asparagus ( not the tips) to the pot, along with the chicken broth, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.  Blanch tips in a small pot of boiling salted water for a few minutes and immediately submerge into an ice bath to preserve color.  Set aside.
Carefully purée the soup in batches in a blender. Be sure to remove the center of the top and place a towel over top to let the heat escape. Return to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper and lemon juice if needed.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved tips, additional grated cheese, some of the fresh herbs and freshly grated pepper.  


recipe from onceuponachef

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

If you are looking for your veggies to disappear, then this is the dish for you.  This cauliflower is so delicious, my kids always gather around the baking dish eating the little bits stuck on the bottom. (Scavengers, lol!)

6 cups cauliflower florets, about 1 1/2 inches
2 TBSP +   Extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP sliced garlic
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 TBSP freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat even to 500
Place the cauliflower florets in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower and season with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Place the pan in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately.  

I cook this until it is a little more burnt and my kids like it like that.  I never measure the cheese, just grate lots of Locatelli. 


Recipe from Emeril

Pineapple Salsa

2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 cup diced red pepper
1/2 c. Chopped cilantro
1/4 c. Finely chopped red onion
3 TBSP finely chopped jalapeño, stemmed and seeded
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 large lime
Salt to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients.  Stir until well combined.  Season with salt to taste.   Serve at room temperature or chilled.

I use this salsa on my chili rubbed pork chops, but I do grill the pineapple and jalapeño first. I think it gives it a deeper flavor. If you like your salsa a bit spicier, you could leave some of the jalapeño seeds and membrane on the pepper.  You could also serve this with chips or quesadilla. It is a nice change from regular tomato salsa.

Chili rubbed Pork chops with Pineapple Salsa

Here is a simple pork chop recipe, the chops have never been dry when I make them like this.  You can either use the outside grill or a grill pan.  I love the salsa over the chops, it gives them a little extra that they need. Sometimes I do add another jalapeño, just watch the seeds if you don't want it too hot.

4 (3/4in) bone-in pork chops, center loin
1 TBSP chili powder
1 1/2 tsp packed light brown sugar
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

Pineapple Salsa
3 (1/2 inch think) crosswise slices of pineapple
1 med. jalapeño, halved and seeded
1 TBSP lime juice
Salt to taste

In a shallow bowl, combine the spices and sprinkle over the chops and allow to sit at room temperature.

Prepare grill to med-high.  Grill pineapple and jalapeño until lightly charred (3 minutes per side).  Remove from grill. Combine with lime juice and salt.

Grill pork until internal temp. Reaches 145-160. (5min per side)

Serve chops with salsa.

I will also put up a different pineapple salsa that I use, please watch for it.

Recipe from Recipegirl.