Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies

These are such delicious cookies! And they're totally healthy because they have banana in them. Really. They have a super soft, almost muffin-like texture. Perhaps I should call them mookies.... I like that.


This is a high altitude recipe that I got from allrecipes.com. Click here to see the regular recipe if you don't need the high altitude version.

High Altitude Chocolate Chip Banana Mookies

• 3 1/2 C flour
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 C unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1 C white sugar
  
• 1/2 C brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 1 C mashed ripe banana
  
• 2 C chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the vanilla and banana. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined (like you would for a muffin batter). Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.


To get the greatest banana flavor, use very ripe bananas. 2-3 medium will get you 1 cup of mashed. I love the banana flavor, but I don't like having chunks so I puree my bananas. Make sure you do not make these cookies too big, or your edges will be done but the mookie will be doughy in the middle. A medium sized cookie scoop works well, but you definitely don't want to go any bigger than that.

Lemon-Berry Scones

This is the same basic scone recipe as the Orange Scones, just a little different. I increased the sugar by just a little to counteract the tartness of the berries. I do not like tart flavors. I hope you feel inspired to try different flavors. I'd love to hear about it if you do!


2 C all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 Tbsp sugar

Zest of 2 lemons

1/2 C half-and-half or milk

1 large egg

1 C frozen berries of choice

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour mixture, squeezing and pinching until the mixture resembles a course meal and there are no butter lumps bigger than a pea. Add the lemon zest and sugar, and whisk to combine
2. In a small bowl, combing the milk and egg. Whisk or beat with a fork until well combined. Add to flour mixture along with the berries and stir until just combined.
3. Turn dough out and any unincorporated flour onto a board or counter top. Press and gather and gently knead the dough until it just comes together. Be very careful not to overwork the dough or the scones will turn out tough and chewy.
4. As soon as the dough holds together, pat it into a circle about 1" thick. It doesn't need to look perfect. Cut into 8 wedges. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
5. Bake at 425 for 10-14 minutes or until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Frozen berries really work the best in this recipe. I used a mixture of blueberries and raspberries because that's what I had, but I'm not much of a blueberry fan. These are absolutely amazing when still warm from the oven. If you need to reheat them it's best done at 300 in the oven, but I'm too lazy and impatient for that so I just do it in the microwave.

I've made these with half-and-half and with 1% milk, and I truly don't notice a difference in taste or texture... but then I don't exactly have a very refined palate. So if you're looking to cut calories, use milk.

Tortellini Primavera

This dish is so good and creamy and hearty and easy and light. That's right. I said light.

Tortellini Primavera

• 1 pkg (19oz) frozen cheese tortellini
• 1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 small onion, chopped or thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp butter
• 2/3 C skim milk
• 1 pkg (8oz) fat-free or reduced fat cream cheese, cubed
• 1 pkg (10oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in milk; heat through. Stir in cream cheese until blended. Add spinach and Italian seasoning; heat through.

2. Drain the tortellini; toss with the sauce and tomato. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

So, I've made this a couple times and haven't ever followed the recipe exactly. Here's what I did and why:

I hate mushrooms, so I leave them out. Nasty. I think this would be really delicious with tomato, but tomatoes at this time of year are gross. A dish like this is so adaptable. I like to use a red bell pepper. I've used edamame. Frozen peas would be good. Asparagus would be fantastic. I also don't use a 10oz box of spinach. I think it would overwhelm the dish with spinachyness. In fact, for pretty much any recipe I don't use the 10oz box of spinach, it's just too much. I buy frozen chopped spinach in a bag, then just toss in a handful or two.

I have yet to find a good frozen tortellini. Frankly, of all the kinds I've tried, which isn't really that many, I like the dried kind from Bertolli the best that's found in the pasta aisle instead of the freezer. Someday I want to make my own, but I don't have a pasta roller and I don't know if I'm up to the challenge of rolling pasta dough thin enough by hand. If you really want to cut calories, use regular pasta instead of tortellini. I think farfalle or fusilli would be perfect. I think part of my problem with the frozen tortellini is that I don't like white pasta anymore. I've grown accustomed to whole grain, and now I prefer it. Which is probably a good thing because I adore pasta and eat way too much of it.

You could add some grilled chicken, but really, it's so good and hearty, that I really don't miss having meat in it. Enjoy!

Focaccia

• 1 package active dry yeast (1/4oz or 2 1/2 tsp)


• 5 C all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading


• 1/4 C plus 3 Tbsp olive oil


• 2 1/2 tsp table salt


• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary


• 1 Tsp course salt, such as sea salt or kosher salt

1. Stir together 1 2/3 C lukewarm water and the yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour, 1/4 C of the oil, and the table salt, and beat with the paddle attachment at medium speed until a dough forms. Replace the paddle with the dough hook and knead at low speed until the dough is soft, smooth, and sticky, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Lightly oil a large bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead in 1-2 Tbsp more flour. Knead the dough 1 more minute-it will still be slightly sticky- then transfer to the bowl and turn the dough to coat it with the oil. Let rise, covered with plastic wrap at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

4. Generously oil a 15"x10" baking pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan and cover it completely with a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a war corner of the room until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

5. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425. Stir together the rosemary and remaining 3 Tbsp of olive oil. Make shallow indentations all over the dough with your fingertips, then brush with the rosemary oil, letting it pool in the indentations. Sprinkle salt evenly over the focaccia and bake in the middle of the oven until golden, 20-25 minutes.

6. Immediately remove from the pan and place on a rack to cool.

I got this recipe from the book Confections of a Closet Master Baker by Gesine Bullock-Prado (yes, she's Sandra Bullock's sister). It was by far the best food memoir I've read to date. I highly recommend it, and I can't wait to try more recipes from it.

It's really good focaccia; as good, if not better, than what you get in an Italian restaurant. I may have lost count when measuring the flour and added an extra cup because it definitely wasn't a sticky dough for me, but it seemed to turn out fine. I've got some ideas for a bit of flavor modification such as mixing the rosemary into the dough or using a different herb, adding some thinly sliced red onion or roasted garlic. I liked it the next day warmed in the microwave, it got really chewy.

Pull-Apart Orange Rolls

Oh. My. Gosh. These are so good! Hubby and I cannot stop eating them! I guess I should say couldn't stop eating them... they're gone now. Our 3 year old likes them too, but he usually stops after he's eaten the icing off the top. I've had rolls like this before, and these really are pretty similar, but I must say these are so much better. I think the difference comes from the fact that there is a little bit of orange in the dough itself, and from using fresh zest instead of the dried stuff from the spice aisle. This is Martha Stewart's recipe. I made no changes, but have a few ideas in my head I want to try. More on that when I actually do it. (think like cinnamon rolls. with chocolate)

Pull-Apart Orange Rolls

• 2 envelopes yeast


• 1/4 C warm water mixed with a pinch of sugar


• 1 C scalded milk, cooled slightly


• 2 large eggs


• 1/4 C sugar


• 1 1/2 tsp salt


• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 oranges


• 1/4 vegetable shortening


• 3 1/2 C flour


• 2 1/2 C powdered sugar


• 5 Tbsp melted unsalted butter

1. In a mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over sugar water; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add milk, eggs, sugar, salt, half the zest, and shortening. Slowly add flour, mixing until combined. Knead until shiny and elastic, 3-5 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 hours.

2. Make filling: In a small bowl, mix remaining zest, 1/2 C powdered sugar, and melted butter. On a well-floured work surface, gently knead dough 2-4 times to release air pockets. Roll out dough to an 18"x14" rectangle. Brush some of the filling over bottom half; fold to enclose. Brush half with filling, and fold again to enclose. Let rest about 5 minutes.

3. Roll out dough again to a 16"x10" rectangle. Brush half with remaining filling and fold. Cut into small squares, about 2 inches. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray, and place squares in cups, layers facing up. Let rise till almost doubled in bulk, 12-15 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 350 while rolls are rising. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool in tins for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Make a thick icing by whisking together remaining 2 C powdered sugar and the juice from the oranges. You might not use it all, you might need to add a little more if you've got it, or just use water. Drizzle over cooled rolls. Yield: about 24. Try not to eat them all in one day.

I didn't even use half of the icing, so next time I will only use 1 C of powdered sugar and see how that goes. I guess if you like a lot of icing make the 2 C, but one of the best things about these is that they are not super sweet.

Guacamole

I remember the first time I ate an avocado. It was at my aunt and uncle's house in Rigby, Idaho. I was about 13 or 14. My aunt split it in half and gave me a spoon to scoop it right out of the shell. It was over-ripe and disgusting. I don't remember when I tried again, I know it was as an adult, but avocados are now one of my favorite foods. Mildly nutty, creamy... I'm drooling as a I type. My husband and I love guacamole. During the summer we make it a couple times a week to snack on while watching a Rockies game.
When it comes to guacamole, I am a bit of a minimalist. Too many people ruin the beautiful taste of the avocado by putting too much crap in it; sour cream or cream cheese, jalapeno, tomato, then they puree it to death. It should still be a little chunky. Sometimes I will put a little finely diced onion or tomato it, or maybe a little cilantro, but not very often. Here's my recipe:

Guacamole

• 3-4 ripe avocados
• 1-2 tsp lime juice
• 2-3 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Slice avocados in half and scoop flesh out into a medium bowl, discarding the pit. Lightly mash avocados with a potato masher. Add remaining ingredients and stir gently to combine. If desired, cover with plastic, pushing plastic all the way down to rest right on the guacamole and squishing out any air, and leave at room temperature for an hour or two to allow the flavors to blend.

The variances in the seasoning ingredients is because avocados are different sizes and will depend on how many you use. Start with the smaller amounts first, and then add more if needed. If you're just going to be using it as a dip for chips, you may want to decrease the amount of salt since the chips will lend their saltiness to the guacamole. The lime juice not only adds flavor, but helps protect against browning. A trick I discovered one night after adding too much lime juice, (I don't often measure) add more cumin. It covers up the overpowering lime flavor, but doesn't add an overpowering cumin flavor. Browning doesn't affect the flavor, but it looks a little like... never mind. It's just gross. If you have leftovers, (we rarely do) rather than store in an air tight container, cover with plastic, pushing the plastic all the way down on top of the guacamole so that there is no air left.

Quinoa Salad

• 2 C uncooked quinoa


• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced


• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced


• 1/3-1/2 C diced red onion


• 1/2 -1 C fresh cilantro, chopped


• 1/4 C olive oil


• 1/4 C lemon juice


• 1-2 Tbsp ground cumin


• 1-2 tsp salt, or to taste


• 6 oz feta cheese

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Chill completely.
2. Combine veggies & cilantro with quinoa in a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and salt. Pour over quinoa, add feta and toss to coat.
4. Devour!

I could eat this salad nearly every day. I first heard of quinoa a few years ago, but never tried it till this summer. Quinoa is and ancient grain (well, technically a seed) eaten by the Incas. It is highly nutricious, gluten-free, high in fiber, and a complete protein. And have I mention it's delicious?

The seeds are naturally covered with saponins which are very bitter. Most packaged quinoa is pre-rinsed, but if you buy it in bulk you'll need to give it a good rinsing to get all that nasty stuff off. You can either put it in a fine mesh strainer-the quinoa seeds are very small-and run cold water over them while swishing it aroud, or place the quinoa in a large bowl, cover with water and let it sit for an hour or so. The water will become very cloudy. Carefully drain the water off and refill with clean water, drain, and repeat a few times till the water remains fairly clear. It's a bit of a pain, but it's better than havin inedible quinoa. Don't be turned off by the way it smells while it's cooking, it's a little stinky. It tastes way better than it smells. Very mild, slightly nutty.

Quinoa is a bit expensive. Buying it in bulk at a health food store will probably be your cheapest bet, but here it is actually cheapest at Costco, a 4 lb bag is only about $9.50, and it's the pre-rinsed kind.

Quinoa is really versatile. Add it to soup, or use it in pretty much any recipe that calls for rice. Make a basic salad like this but create your own dressing. Add some to a regular lettuce salad. Throw a little bit (cooked) into your muffin batter to boost the nutrition. Get creative, go crazy. It's some pretty good stuff.