Bacon Cheddar Pasta

1 cup uncooked penne pasta

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon butter

4-1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup 2% milk

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese,divided

1 bacon strip, cooked and crumbled

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1 cup cheese until melted.
• Drain pasta. Add pasta, bacon and onion mixture to the sauce; stir to coat. Transfer to a 3-cup baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Banana Jam

BANANA JAM

Ingredients:

-6 ripe bananas

-2 cups sugar

-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

-1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

Slice the bananas round. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until sugar is dissolved. Fold in the banana slices until their all evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to let the bananas marinate at room temperature for at least an hour.

Put the bananas and marinade in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stirring frequently so you do not burn the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam should be thick enough to mold with a spoon if that helps clarify when it's done. Immediately ladle the jam into an airtight container and refrigerate.

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:

2 tsp cocoa powder

2 cups baking flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup water

1 stick butter

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

Icing:

1/3 cup milk

6 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3-4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon then mix together. Set the bowl aside, in a medium saucepan melt the butter and mix in the water bringing the mixture to a boil. (optional) Sift the cocoa powder into the pan and whisk together. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Mix in the buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Lightly butter a 15x10 inch baking pan or whatever pan you desire and coat it with cocoa powder. Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake in a preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, take a small saucepan and heat the butter and milk, bringing it to a gentle boil. (optional)Sift the cocoa powder into the boiling mixture and whisk together. Remove it from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract, whisking until the icing is smooth and has a shiny appearance. You may have to add some additional powdered sugar until the consistency is correct. You don't want it too thin, but not too thick; it needs to be spreadable but not watery. Keep the icing warm until the cake is finished and pour it on while still hot. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, cut and serve warm. Enjoy!

Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Quinoa:

2 cups chicken stock

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 orange, zested and juiced

1 cup quinoa

1/4 cup chopped chives

Chicken:

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

Fresh black pepper

1 chile pepper, thinly sliced

1 inch piece ginger, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

1/3 cup orange marmalade

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

For the rice:

1) Bring 1 1/2 cups stock, 1 Tbsp oil, and orange zest to a boil.

2) Add quinoa, stir, and reduce heat to med-low, and cover.

3) Cook 15 minutes, and then stir in the orange juice and chives.

4) Turn off heat and fluff. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to serve.

For the chicken:

1) Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat.

2) Add the chicken, season with black pepper. Brown evenly and then remove to a plate.

3) To the skillet add chile, ginger, garlic, onion and red bell pepper. Cook until veggies start to soften.

4) Return chicken to the pan.

5) Stir together hoisin, marmalade, soy sauce and remaining chicken stock in a small bowl.

6) Add to the pan and reduce over high heat for 2 minutes.

7) Serve the chicken over quinoa.

Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Quinoa:

2 cups chicken stock

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 orange, zested and juiced

1 cup quinoa

1/4 cup chopped chives

Chicken:

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

Fresh black pepper

1 chile pepper, thinly sliced

1 inch piece ginger, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

1/3 cup orange marmalade

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

For the rice:

1) Bring 1 1/2 cups stock, 1 Tbsp oil, and orange zest to a boil.

2) Add quinoa, stir, and reduce heat to med-low, and cover.

3) Cook 15 minutes, and then stir in the orange juice and chives.

4) Turn off heat and fluff. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to serve.

For the chicken:

1) Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat.

2) Add the chicken, season with black pepper. Brown evenly and then remove to a plate.

3) To the skillet add chile, ginger, garlic, onion and red bell pepper. Cook until veggies start to soften.

4) Return chicken to the pan.

5) Stir together hoisin, marmalade, soy sauce and remaining chicken stock in a small bowl.

6) Add to the pan and reduce over high heat for 2 minutes.

7) Serve the chicken over quinoa.

Recipe: Banana Jam

BANANA JAM

Ingredients:

-6 ripe bananas

-2 cups sugar

-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

-1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

Slice the bananas round. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until sugar is dissolved. Fold in the banana slices until their all evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to let the bananas marinate at room temperature for at least an hour.

Put the bananas and marinade in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stirring frequently so you do not burn the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam should be thick enough to mold with a spoon if that helps clarify when it's done. Immediately ladle the jam into an airtight container and refrigerate.

Texas Sheet Cake

Here's a recipe I thought I would share with you since it's coming down to the holiday season, Turkey day is just around the corner, AND on top of that I have a sweet tooth LOL! Enjoy the recipe, make sure you comment and follow :P


Texas Sheet Cake, Preheat oven to 375 degrees

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 cups baking flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup water
1 stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs


Icing:
1/3 cup milk
6 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3-4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon then mix together. Set the bowl aside, in a medium saucepan melt the butter and mix in the water bringing the mixture to a boil. (optional) Sift the cocoa powder into the pan and whisk together. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Mix in the buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Lightly butter a 15x10 inch baking pan or whatever pan you desire and coat it with cocoa powder. Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake in a preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, take a small saucepan and heat the butter and milk, bringing it to a gentle boil. (optional)Sift the cocoa powder into the boiling mixture and whisk together. Remove it from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract, whisking until the icing is smooth and has a shiny appearance. You may have to add some additional powdered sugar until the consistency is correct. You don't want it too thin, but not too thick; it needs to be spreadable but not watery. Keep the icing warm until the cake is finished and pour it on while still hot. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, cut and serve warm. Enjoy!