Back in Black-Berry Banana Oat Muffins

These wonderful muffins are the perfect on-the-go breakfast. They are filling, flavorful, and fruity. I like to make these using a myriad of berries, anything from raspberries and blueberries to strawberries and Marion berries... Enjoy! 




2 mashed bananas
1 1/2 cup yogurt ( I like to use vanilla flavored )
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup frozen blackberries ( You can also use other berries ) 


Preheat oven to 375


In a large bowl combine mashed banana, yogurt, brown sugar, egg and oil.


Add oats and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes then combine the dry ingredients.


**Note** 
Although Old Fashioned Oats provide more fiber, quick oats will absorb moisture faster so they work best in baking. 


Add the blackberries and dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined.


Scoop into a paper lined muffin tin and bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are firm to touch.


Best served slightly warm with a nice glass of fresh squeezed Orange Juice! 

Foreigner's Hot Blooded Chile Avocado brownies

Are you hot blooded?  do you gotta'  fever of a hundred and three? 
Well these Sweet, spicy, and indulgent brownies will warm that blood and because we replaced butter and vegetable oil with Avocado you'll be able to do more than dance! These brownies lack the calories but certainly not the flavor...enjoy! 






Ingredients:
2 very ripe Avocado’s ( sliced with pit removed. ) 
3/4 cup Coconut sugar ( White Sugar works too ) 
2 Eggs ( Farm Fresh work best! ) 
1 tsp Vanilla Extract ( Use the real stuff, it's worth the money! ) 
2 tbsp. Freshly brewed coffee. cooled ( Optional )
1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 cup + 1 tsp. Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Powder
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chunks 




Directions:


Preheat oven to 350F. 


Grease and lightly flour 8x8 baking pan. 


In a large bowl, add sliced very ripe avocado’s and mash avocado’s until smooth.


**NOTE** 
The great thing about using avocado in the recipe is that you won't actually taste the avocado but it will make the brownies taste creamier. 


Add sugar. Using a Spatula, mix to incorporate.


Add eggs, vanilla extract & coffee. Gently fold everything together ( Do not whisk ). 


**NOTE**
The coffee is optional but the reason for putting it in there is that it will bring out the flavors of the chocolate in the brownie and help them to stand out. 


In a separate medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients: cocoa powder, 1 cup whole wheat flour, salt & baking powder.


Add dry ingredient into wet ingredients. Gently stir just till it combines. Again, do not over-mix.


In a small bowl coat chocolate chunks in 1 tsp. Whole wheat flour and gently fold chocolate into brownie batter. 


Transfer batter into baking pan, spreading batter evenly toward the edges of pan.


Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.


Remove pan and allow to cool completely. Best served with a tall glass of milk and some good classic rock! 

Futurama's Bender Beer Pancakes

My mom made beer pancakes for breakfast once when I was a kid and since then I have been hooked. ( Don't worry, the beer cooks out! ) I am missing her a lot today so here's to you mom, I love you and miss you more than you know...Enjoy! 


Ingredients:
1 cup  flour ( Sifted, all-purpose ) 
1/4 cup sugar ( White, coconut, raw, or whatever you prefer. ) 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tbsp. Maple Syrup
1 egg, beaten
1 cup beer ( I like to use a simple full flavor Budweiser ) 
2 tablespoons butter, melted


In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the egg, beer, syrup, and melted butter; whisk just until blended ( A few lumps are alright ) 


Heat your griddle or skillet over medium heat (for electric griddles  350 degrees)  


Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot surface for each pancake. When bubbles appear  around the edge of the pancake and don't fill back up with batter flip and cook until browned on the other side.


Best served with a side of Pepper Bacon and a nice warm campfire. 

Big Bang Theory Beer & BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Although you probably won't find Sheldon Cooper Mowing one of these bad boys down any time soon. This fabulous recipe is great for gatherings like today. Wishing everyone a glorious independence day...Enjoy! 


3 lbs lean chuck roast 
1 small red onion ( Thinly sliced ) 
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup Pale Ale 
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp spicy mustard
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke flavoring
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cumin


In a small bowl combine all ingredients except onion and roast. 
Whisk well and set aside. Place roast in crock pot. Cover with sliced onions. 


Pour Sauce over onions and roast. Cover and allow to cook on low for 8-10 hours.


 Remove roast, shred meat. Place shredded meat back in crock pot; stir to coat well. Spoon barbecued beef onto toasted sandwich buns and serve with extra sauce, if desired.


Best Served with a heaping pile of coleslaw, an ice cold beer, and plenty of friends! 

Nice Spice Fried Rice

First, let me start off by saying that this is not a traditional fried rice recipe. I made this the other night in a desperation for anything closely resembling chinese food. I however, have made this recipe before and stuffed it into bell peppers and it was equally delicious in that too. I love this recipe because it is quick, easy, and delicious! ... Enjoy! 




Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground meat ( turkey, beef, etc ) 
1/2 small red onion ( Chopped ) 
3 cloves garlic ( Minced ) 
1 tsp. ginger paste 
1 jalapeno ( Minced ) 
1 egg ( Scrambled ) 
1 cup rice 
1 3/4 cups water + 1 tbsp. 
3 tbsp. soy sauce + 1 tbsp. 


In a small sauce pan add water and 3 tbsp. soy sauce. Add rice and bring to boil. Once rice is boiling, cover, and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Once rice is finished cooking fluff with fork and set aside. 

In a saute pan add meat, onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and 1 tbsp. Soy Sauce. Cook until meat is brown and cooked through. Once meat is finished cooking. Add rice. Cook rice in pan for 3 minutes then move mixture to side of pan. In the empty space of the pan add egg. Stir continuously in the empty space to scramble the egg and avoid sticking to the pan. Once egg is scrambled mix into the rice mixture and serve. 

Nacho Mama's Nachos!

Yo' Mama' ain't got nothin' on these Fiesty and fun nachos! Why, do you ask? Well that is simple. Yo' Mama would probably use all the traditional stuff, cheese, chips, olives, maybe some beans and beef! Oh no, no, no, my friend! These are not your every day nachos! These nachos scream with flavor and in some respects aren't even nachos at all! They are nacho loaded fries! That's ok, ill give you a minute to mentally absorb the awesomeness that is going on in your mind right now...... finished? Perfect! Let's not waste any more time on this silly nonsense, now let's get down to business...Enjoy! 


Ingredients: 
1 bag frozen crinkly cut fries ( I like to use sweet potato fries but regular are just as good! ) 
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/2 small onion ( Chopped small ) 
3 cloves garlic ( minced ) 
1 jalapeno ( Seeded & minced ) 
Taco Seasoning ( I prefer to make my own but those little packet things work too ) 
1 can beans ( use your favorite, black, red, pinto, re-fried... I like re-fried black beans personally! )
1 cup shredded cheese ( mexican blend ) 
2 tbsp. Cilantro ( Finely Chopped ) 
lime wedges 
hot sauce 
olives, jalapeno rings, tomato, avocado, salsa, sour cream, guacamole ( optional toppings ) 


Bake bag of fries as directed on packaging until crispy. While fries are baking, cook ground turkey in sautee pan with onion, garlic, jalapeno, and taco seasoning until browned and cooked through. 


Once fries are finished cooking remove from oven and place fries in a casserole dish. scatter beans and meat mixture on top of fries. Top with cheese and bake until cheese is melted. 


Remove from oven, sprinkle with cilantro, add toppings of your choice and mow down! Best served with some good Mexican Beer, some of your awesome college buddies, and that awesome Johnny Depp movie "Once upon a time in Mexico" 

Doctor Who-sier Pie

Let's start things off by thanking the wonderful wonderful people at www.turkeycreeklane.com for their authentic hoosier pie recipe! That's right folks, this is not my recipe. I had recently heard of hoosier pie ( also known as sugar cream pie ) and it sounded so delicious I had to find what appeared to me, to be the most authentic and traditional recipe. After hours of scourging through the depths of the intranets I discovered this! Being the spice nut I am though I would add a smidge of nutmeg and cardamom to this recipe, maybe a dash of cinnamon too!... Enjoy! 


REAL HOOSIER CREAM SUGAR PIE


¼ Cup white sugar


1/4 cup brown sugar


1 generous tablespoon butter


1 egg yolk


2 heaping tablespoons flour


1 pinch salt”


Milk or Cream (1-1 ½ cups…enough to fill pie shell)


 Preheat oven to 410 degrees. 


Mix brown and white sugar with flour. 


Sprinkle flour/sugar mixture over pie crust. Beat egg yolk with milk. Fill pie shell. 


Take a spoon and swirl it through the milk mixture a couple of times. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg.


Bake at 410 degrees for 10 minutes.Then bake at 350 for 45 minutes. The filling should be bubbling. The center should still jiggle. Be careful not to overcook or the filling will not set.

Do you have a favorite traditional Amish dish? Tell us about it in the comment section below!