Vegan Banana Muffins

This recipe is hugely popular with not only my Vegan eating daughter, but the rest of my kids as well. Simply delicious and a fantastic recipe to throw together, they never last long at my house. These are also fantastic if you stir some mini chocolate chips into the batter!

Vegan Banana Muffins

In a large bowl sift together:
 3 cups all-purpose flour
 1 cup sugar
 1/2 cup brown sugar
 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
 2 tsp. baking powder
 1 tsp. baking soda
 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
 1 tsp. salt
 Stir in:
 2 cups mashed, ripe bananas
 1/2 cup canola oil
 1/2 cup applesauce
 1 cup almond milk
 1 tsp. vanilla extract
 1/2 - 1 tsp. coconut extract (opt.)

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined. Grease 2 muffin tins or line with paper liners. Spoon batter into each cup, about a 1/2 cup of batter for each one. Bake @ 350* F for 30-35 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let sit in pan 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen muffins

Vegan Applesauce Waffles

A fantastic waffle recipe that uses regular pantry items to make delicious Vegan waffles. These freeze wonderfully and are also delicious when eaten right away. I have had to add a few really good Vegan recipes to my arsenal after one of my daughters began eating a Vegan diet, and this one was a favorite of hers.

Vegan Applesauce Waffles

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 TBSP. baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup almond milk

Whisk everything together in a large bowl. the batter will be thick, but not dough-like. Add more liquid if needed to reach desired consistency. Grease a heated waffle iron. Use about 1/3 cupfuls of batter for each waffle. Cook as directed for your wffle iron. If eating right away, serve immediately. If freezing, cool waffles on wire racks, when completely cool, place in ziploc bag and freeze.
Makes about 4-6 waffles

Freezer Waffles

I love this recipe for making a big batch of waffles ahead of time, then tossing them into the freezer for the kids to grab and pop in the toaster in the mornings. They love them! But these are just as delicious if you make them to serve right away too. I also like to use half whole wheat flour for some added whole grain goodness. This is my favorite waffle recipe because it's simple, it uses regular pantry items I almost always have on hand, and it's delicious.

Freezer Waffles

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (can use half whole wheat flour)
2 TBSP. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 cups milk (or almond milk)
2/3 cup canola oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the milk, oil and eggs, stirring just until moistenend. Do Not Overstir! (if adding fruit like blueberries etc. combine with milk before mixing into the dry ingrendients). Use about 1/3 cup batter for each waffle. Cook waffles according to you waffle maker. Place cooked waffles on wire racks to cool so both sides cool and stay crisp on the outside. Place in large ziploc bags, label and freeze. To use, place a waffle in the toaster and toast until done. Serve hot with your favorite syrup.

Applesauce Bread

This is one of our favorite quick breads, it's so delicious! Often times I will double the recipe just so I can wrap and freeze a few loaves for later, these loaves freeze beautifully! I just let them thaw on the counter and when you cut into them they are just as insanely delicious as the day they were baked. So very good! I especially love topping this bread with some Streusel before baking for that extra tasty touch.

Applesauce Bread

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup sour cream 'or' buttermilk
3 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
 *Streusel Topping (opt.)

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat together the eggs, sugar and oil. Blend in the applesauce and then stir in the sour cream (or buttermilk). Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix the flour mixture into the applesauce mixture. Stir just until combined and all dry ingredients are incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans. If desired, sprinkle some Streusel Topping generously over top of each pan of batter. Bake @ 350* F for 70-80 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Once completely cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a cool dry place.
To Freeze: Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze.
Yield: 2 Loaves

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

After making many different versions of this soup over the years, this ended up being the best recipe for Cheeseburger Soup we have ever had. we loved it, so I made sure to write it all down so I could make it again. So good!

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup


8-10 Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
2 TBSP.olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cups sliced carrots
2-3 stalks celery, sliced

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 tsp. dried parsley
3/4 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
3 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth

4 TBSP. butter
1/4 cup flour
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk 'or' 1 1/2 cups milk
1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 - 3/4 cup sour cream


Place the potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onion, carrots and celery until translucent. Place the cooked veggies to the slow cooker. Place the cooked ground beef over top of the potatoes. Add the parsley, salt and pepper. Pour the beef broth and just enough chicken broth over top to just cover the potatoes and beef mixture. Cover and cook on 'HIGH' for 4-6 hours or 'LOW' for 8 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute to cook out the flour taste. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Whisk the thickened milk mixture into the soup in the slow cooker. Stir in the Velveeta cheese and stir until melted and combined. Whisk in the sour cream and let it heat through.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

A slow cooker version of our favorite corn chowder. Quick to throw together and another great slow cooker recipe to add to your arsenal. And so very good with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese over top!

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder

1 (12 oz.) bag frozen corn
2 (14-16 oz.) cans of creamed corn
1 (16 oz. ) bag frozen sliced carrots
1 large onion, chopped
8 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
6 cups (or so) chicken broth
2 (12 oz.) cans of evaporated milk
3 TBSP. of butter or margarine

  Place the first seven ingredients into the crock. Add 'just enough' chicken broth to cover the ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or LOW for 8 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, gently stir in the evaporated milk and butter. Tastes delicious with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.
Makes about 12 servings

Homemade Meatballs

These are an excellent basic meatball and a delicious starting point for many different meals options, such as spaghetti and meatballs, sweet and sour meatballs over rice, or meatballs and gravy over noodles, etc. I love baking these up and freezing them so I can pull them out and use them in my slow cooker or on the spur of the moment to get a meal on the table fast. I just slightly tweaked the original meatball recipe from Chef In Training.

Homemade Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
3/4 cups oats (I used quick cooking)
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion 'or' 1 TBSP. dried minced onion
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients. Using your hands, mix them together until well combined. Scoop out and roll into 3/4-1-inch size balls. Place on foil-lined baking sheets and bake @ 350* F for 20 minutes, or until done. Let cool, bag and freeze until needed.
Makes about: 5 dozen mini meatballs (depending on how big or small you portion them out.)

Welsh Rarebit

I realize that authentic Welsh Rarebit has beer in it, but since we don't drink alcohol, this is my version of it, and we absolutely love it. I tweaked the original recipe to my liking and it turned out perfect. I brushed some melted butter on sliced french bread, toasted it and served the sauce over that and it was a definite winner!

Welsh Rarebit

4 TBSP. butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1/8 tsp. paprika
hot sauce to taste (about 1/2 - 1 tsp.)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese 

In a large saucepan medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the the flour and let cook for 2-3 minutes while whisking to cook out the "flour" taste. Whisk in the broth, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Whisk in the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well mixed. Whisk in the cheese, stirring really well until the sauce is smooth and the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately over toasted bread of choice.
Makes about 7-8 cups.

Chicken a la King

I doubled the original recipe and it was the perfect amount to feed all of us with no leftovers. We really loved this one, it was very easy to throw together and tasted fantastic over homemade biscuits.

Chicken a la King


1/2 cup butter
4-5 chicken breasts, cubed (about 4-5 cups)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 onion, chopped
2 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning (to taste)
2 1/2 cups hot water
3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
3 cups milk
1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimientos, drained

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the chicken, onions and peppers and cook until chicken is done and the onions and peppers are tender. Add the drained mushrooms. Stir. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook a minute or two to cook the "flour" taste out. Whisk in the hot water, bouillon and milk. Cook and stir until hot, thickened and bubbly. Stir in pimientos. Let cook for about 5 minutes, over medium heat, stirring constantly. Serve over biscuits, hot cooked rice, hot cooked noodles, or puff pastry shells.
Makes about 10-12 servings.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Another delicious pound cake with a fantastic crumb and a delicate tang from the buttermilk.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softenend
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temp.
2 egg yolks, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 tsp almond extract
3 cups of flour, spooned into cup and leveled
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking soda. Sift 2-4 times. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan. Bake @ 325* F for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick near the center comes clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Store in a cool dry place, covered, after cooling completely.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

I happen to love pound cake, and this one is a favorite with a fantastic crumb, little bits of chocolate in each bite, and it tastes even better over the next few days.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softenend
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temp.
2 egg yolks, room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 tsp almond extract
4 cups of flour, spooned into cup and leveled
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sour cream (reg. or low fat)
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 TBSP. flour

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Sift 2-4 times. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl mix the chocolate chips with the 1 TBSP. flour. Add the chocolate chip/flour mixture to the batter and fold into the batter. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan. Bake @ 350* F for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick near the center comes clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Store in a cool dry place, covered, after cooling completely.

Steak Marinade

I like to freeze the steaks in the ziploc bags covered in the marinade, then when I want to grill the steaks I place the bag in the fridge the night before to thaw overnight and they marinate as they thaw.

Steak Marinade

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 TBSP. dried basil
1 TBSP. garlic powder
1 TBSP. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
2-3 tsp. garlic salt

Place in large bowl and whisk everything together. Pour over top of the steaks. Cover and chill meat for up to 8 hours. Cook as desired.

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

I love being able to make things myself, especially if it saves me a trip to the grocery store for some forgotten ingredient. This one is easy and stores in your freezer, keeping it close at hand for future use. these are especially yummy as a coating on chicken strips.

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

5 cups plain bread crumbs***
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. oregnao 'or' Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt

Mix everything together and place in an airtight container or large ziploc bag. Store in freezer and use as needed in your recipes.
***To make bread crumbs, place day old/stale bread in food processor and pulse until it turns to crumbs.

Quiche

A simple quiche, with ingredients you can mix and match to your own taste. Feel free to substitute any of your favorite ingredients, or substitute with something you have on hand. Qhiche is easily adaptable and easy to make to your own preferential taste. This makes 2 quiches, which is perfect for our family for a meal, but if it's too much for you at once, after baking and cooling the quiche, wrap one and freeze for future use.

Quiche

2 (9-inch) unbaked pie crusts
1 onion, chopped
1 TBSP. butter 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/2 lbs. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb. sausage browned and drained

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 (14 oz.) pkg. frozen broccoli, cooked crisp tender
2 (4 oz.) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
8 large eggs
2 cups evaporated milk 'or' heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Preheat oven 350* F.
Line 2 9-inch pie plates with the pie crust. In a pan, melt the butter ans saute the onion until soft and cooked through or carmelized if you prefer. Sprinkle about 1 cup of cheese over the bottom of each crust. Divide the cooked bacon and sausage and sprinkle over top of the cheese. Add the onion, Parmesan,  cooked broccoli, mushrooms, and the remaining cheddar cheese, dividing them between both pies. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Pour the mixture evenly over both pies, divining evenly between both. Press the mixture down if needed to make sure the entire top is wetted with the egg mixture. Bake @ 350* F for45-60 minutes until the center is cooked through.
Makes 2 (9-inch) quiches

Egg Salad

A simple recipe that makes a great sandwich filling for a delicious meal. While some egg salad recipes are on the savory side, this one is on the sweet side, which is how we prefer it.

Egg Salad

12 hardboiled eggs
3/4 - 1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 TBSP. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
1 - 1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip

Shell the hardboiled eggs. Slice them in half and place the cooked yolks in a large bowl. Mash the yolks and set aside. Dice the remaining cooked egg whites and add them to the bowl. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Stir in enough Miracle Whip to your taste, making it as creamy as you would like. Chill until ready to serve.

Overnight French Toast Casserole

I ended up making two (9x13) pans which was the perfect amount to feed us and still have leftovers for two more servings.

Overnight French Toast Casserole

1 (1 lb.) loaf of French Bread, cut up and cubed
12 large eggs (15 medium eggs)
2 cups milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla

Place the cubed bread in a greased 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour evenly over top of the bread, making sure to cover all of the pieces. If needed, lightly stir the bread around to get even coverage. If preferred, you can cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight or up to 2 days, then bake as directed. To bake right away, preheat the oven to 375* F and bake for 40-45 minutes, until light golden brown on top and no wet egg mixture remains. Cut into squares and serve hot topped with your favorite syrup.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Chicken Marinade

My favorite way to use this marinade is to pour it over a large ziploc bag of chicken, seal it and toss it in the freezer. Then when I want to use it, I just pull the bag out and it marinates as it thaws and is ready to grill by supper.

Chicken Marinade

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. liquid smoke
2-3 TBSP. molasses
1 TBSP. sesame seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic salt
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/8-1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 TBSP. vegetable oil

Mix all together and pour over desired number of chicken breasts.
This makes enough marinade to cover 8-10 chicken breasts.

Snickers Salad

The first time I tasted this was at a church picnic and I absolutely loved the combination of the crunchy apples and the bits of chopped Snickers bars together. I have had other versions of this recipe that also add a box of instant pudding mix in with the Cool Whip, but for us it's far to sweet and totally masks the yummy apple flavor, so this is our favorite version of this salad. Yes, I realize this isn't the healthiest of salads, but with so many apples it almost balances it out. At least that's what I keep telling myself anytime I make it:)

Snickers Salad

2 (6.98 oz.) pkgs. Fun Size Snickers bars (about 24 fun size bars)
1 (16 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed
7-9 Fuji apples

Unwrap and chop the Snickers bars into about 8 pieces for each fun size bar and place into a large bowl. Core and chop the unpeeled apples into bite size pieces. Add the apples to the large bowl with the Snickers. Add the whipped topping and stir to thoroughly mix the ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve. This salad is best if served/eaten the same day it's made. The next day it will be a little bit soupy at the bottom, but is still good, just some of the liquid from the apples pieces has been pulled out.

Roasted Baby Carrots

A quick and easy favorite vegetable side at our house. So good!

Roasted Baby Carrots

2 lbs. baby carrots
2-4 TBSP. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400* F. In a large bowl, combine the carrots and enough olive oil to coat them. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over top and toss to evenly distribute. Place in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes, turning the carrots once while cooking about halfway through.

Tater Tot Casserole

It has taken me this long to realize I just don't like vegetables baked into my tater tot casserole, but I do like them plentiful, just on the side. So this recipe is my go-to for a quick, easy and delicious Tater Tot casserole. We especially love it served with Roasted Baby Carrots.

Tater Tot Casserole

4 cups cooked ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 - 2 1/2 lbs. frozen tater tots

Preheat oven 400* F. Place the cooked beef in the bottom of a greased 11x15-inch baking dish. Sprinkle salt & pepper over top as desired. In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream and soup. Spread evenly over top of the seasoned beef. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over top. Place the tater tots evenly over top of the cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top of the tater tots. Bake for another 5-10 minutes to melt the cheese. Serves 8-10.

Ham Salad Sandwich Spread

After much searching and several failed recipe attempts, I have finally found the best Ham Salad recipe! The original recipe is here, but I made a few adjustments to suit our taste and what I had on hand in my pantry. This is just so good on bread as a sandwich, on split rolls, or on crackers. My kids are wild for it and so am I.

Ham Salad Sandwich Spread

1 lb. good quality ham, trimmed of fat and diced
1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup dill pickle relish
2 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
1 TBSP. brown sugar
ground black pepper to taste

In a food processor, combine the ham, onion and celery. In short bursts, pulse 25 time or so, stopping to push the sides down once or twice, making sure to mince everything. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, dill pickle relish, mustard, and brown sugar. Mix well. Add the minced ham mixture and pepper to taste and mix well. Cover and chill until serving.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

This is an easy and simple Taco Seasoning mix that you can easily whip up and keep in your pantry to use anytime. This version is fairly mild as we prefer less heat, so if you prefer it hotter, adjust the pepper and crushed red pepper flakes accordingly to your preference.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup chili powder
1/4 cup cumin
2 1/2 TBSP. sea salt
1 1/2 TSP. paprika
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

Mix ingredients all together. Store in an airtight container in your pantry. Makes about 1 1/2 cups mix.


To Use: Brown 1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey. Stir in 2-3 TBSP. Taco Seasoning Mix and 1/2 cup water into the browned meat and simmer for 5 minutes.