Banana Berry Muffins

Let it be known: I love these muffins. I love them so much that I sort of think I should make a batch of them every single weekend, so that I can have one for breakfast on my way to work every day, and then another one for an evening snack each night. All I was really looking for was a way to use up the bag of frozen blackberries I’d had in my freezer for about a year. I had no idea how much I’d like the muffins that resulted.

You can use any berries you like for these. I made a second batch a few days later (yes; the first batch only lasted a couple of days, I KNOW) using strawberries, which were just as delicious. Raspberries and blueberries, or a combination of a few types of berries, would also be great. This recipe makes an incredibly moist muffin, and when eaten warm with a bit of butter melted over the top? Well, that’s pretty much my definition of paradise.


Banana Berry Muffins
source: adapted from iChef

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 overripe bananas
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pint fresh berries (or 1 12-ounce bag frozen berries)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Cream butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.

4. Puree bananas, sour cream and vanilla.

5. Alternately add dry ingredients in 3 additions and banana mixture in 2 additions to the egg mixture. Beat enough to incorporate. Fold in berries.

6. Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins and bake for about 25 minutes, or until puffed, browned and springy. Makes about 15 muffins.

Beef, Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

I love enchiladas. Can you tell? The thing is, though, I’ve only ever made them at home using chicken – something Joe noticed a while ago and took it upon himself to mention to me. He asked if I could make a beef version, and I was happy to oblige (see above: I love enchiladas), but nothing on any of my usual recipe websites was standing out to me. So I decided to create my own version, and this is what I came up with.

We liked these enchiladas a lot. The thing I was most proud of was the sauce, which I made from scratch (well, aside from the canned tomato sauce, that is). I’ve used the canned stuff in recipes before, and there is just no comparison: The homemade version is much better. It does make a lot of sauce, but I froze the leftovers to use for a future batch. I’ll definitely be adding this version of enchiladas to my list of favorites!

And I guess I should note that I like my cheese crispy on top, but if that’s not how you roll you should probably lower the oven temperature or cook these for less time.

Beef, Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

1 medium onion, chopped
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
3 cloves minced garlic
1 28-ounce can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Mexican-style refried beans
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

8 10-inch flour tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Cook onion and green chilies in olive or vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, season ground beef with chili powder, salt and pepper and cook in a skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Stir in refried beans and 1 1/2 cups cheese. Stir in 1 cup of the enchilada sauce.

4. Place an equal amount of the beef mixture in the center of each tortilla and roll up. Place seam-side down in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour enough sauce to cover the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese.

5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Top with sour cream, if desired. (I'm also going to try guacamole on these next time I make them. I think that would taste amazing!)

Roasted Vegetable Subs

I’ve mentioned my love of roasted vegetables before. I love the deep, nutty flavor, the texture, the beautiful colors. I pretty much love everything about them.

I was inspired to make these subs after Joe and I loved the roasted vegetable soup I made a while ago so much. I thought roasting the vegetables with some balsamic vinegar and piling them on rolls with tons of cheese would make for an absolutely delicious dinner – and I was right. These subs were so yummy that we didn’t even miss the meat. The balsamic vinegar adds an additional depth of flavor and a wonderful tang that’s just delicious, and the melty cheese is a nice contrast to the crisp-tender vegetables. You could use any combination of vegetables you like; asparagus, zucchini, or a poblano pepper for a little kick would also be delicious. I kept ours simple with a combination of bell peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms. I can’t wait to make these again! (Only next time I won’t burn the rolls; I got distracted by two little boys who shall remain nameless.)

Roasted Vegetable Subs

1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound whole button mushrooms, quartered
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 sweet Italian rolls, split and toasted
6 slices provolone cheese

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet; add olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper and toss to combine. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

2. Pile half of the vegetables on each roll and top each with 3 slices of cheese. Broil to melt cheese, if desired.

Weekly Meal Planning, Week of 4.26.10

Well, I just looked at this menu I so painstakingly planned out and realized that it's shaping up to be a meaty week. I'll have to make up for it next week and plan for four vegetarian meals. (Yeah right -- like Joe will let that happen.)

Monday: We're going out for dinner with friends.

Tuesday: Apricot and cheddar chicken and ham melts, spinach salad. I didn't get to make this meal last week.

Wednesday: Smoked sausage with sour kraut, mashed potatoes, green beans. Didn't make this meal last week either. I was a total slacker.

Thursday: Hot dogs (for me and A-man) and brats (for Joe) on the grill, fries

Friday: Leftovers, sandwiches, or take-out

Saturday: Buffalo chicken lasagna

Sunday: Asian wonton salad

Creamy Tortellini with Spinach and Tomatoes

If you visit my website regularly, you’ve probably noticed my list of “Coming Soon” recipes over there on the left. I try my best to share things in the order that I make them, but every once in a while, a recipe comes along that just begs to be shared IMMEDIATELY. And guys, this is one of those recipes. We had this for dinner last night, and I literally couldn’t wait to share it with you today.

It may not look like anything special, but you won’t believe how delicious this really is. The sauce is creamy and cheesy and tangy and peppery and tastes so amazing with the tortellini. The spinach soaks up the sauce, making it flavorful and delicious, and the tomatoes add a wonderful sweetness. I can’t wait to make this again. I’m actually considering putting it on next week’s menu, and there are very few things that make my menu in back-to-back weeks. We all loved it, and I think you should try this very soon, because I promise you will love it too.

Creamy Tortellini with Spinach and Tomatoes
source: adapted from Kraft Foods

1 19-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup milk
5 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 ounces baby spinach leaves
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1. Cook pasta as directed on package.

2. Meanwhile, heat milk and cream cheese in large skillet over medium heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and pepper. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Add spinach; mix well.

3. Drain pasta. Add to spinach mixture; mix lightly. Stir in tomatoes and remaining parmesan cheese.