Ecuadorian Ceviche

(2 EA) Bell Peppers - Any Color

(1 EA) Medium/Large Onion

(3 EA) Medium/Large Tomatoes

(4 EA) Garlic Cloves (or Equivalent Garlic Powder)

(2 EA) Stalks Cilantro

(1/2 Cup) Lime Juice

(3 EA) Oranges

(1/2 lb) Shrimp or Chicken

Salt to Taste

Pepper to Taste

Hot Sauce to Taste


Directions:  Chop peppers, onions, tomatoes.  Mix in crushed garlic and chopped cilantro.  Add lime juice and juice of oranges.  Add meat and seasonings to taste.  Serve with rice or chips.


Note:  All measurements are approximate.  Proportions are to individual preferences.

Banana Bread

Combine in small bowl. Let rest.
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
1 rounded tsp. baking soda

Cream with beaters:
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening

Add and mix together.
2 cups flour
1 pinch of salt (1/8 tsp. salt)

Add mashed bananas.  Beat.

Grease and flour loaf pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Fruit/Veggie Bread

Adapted from "The Best Banana Bread" by Libby on allrecipes.com

I found this recipe and loved the sweet banana taste.  I've also made it with applesauce and plum butter.  I think it could be used with other fruits and veggies as well (see suggestions below).  You may want to add some spices to bring out flavors, such as pumpkin pie spice with pumpkin.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed fruit or vegetable (banana, applesauce, fruit butter, pumpkin, sweet potato, zucchini, etc)
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

Directions:
Cream margarine and sugar.  Beat in eggs, then fruit.  Add dry ingredients, stir just until combined.  Pour in greased bread pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Homemade Magic Shell

You know that chocolate ice cream topping that is really thin and then it goes hard when poured onto ice cream and something about that makes fact is amazing and extra delicious?  I tried making some...at home...and it worked!

This recipe comes from "Go Dairy Free", which is somewhat ironic because I drizzled it all over dairy-filled ice cream.

Ingredients:
6 ounces (3/4 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I'm thinking the possibilities are pretty endless though... any kind of chocolate chips, candy bars...go crazy!)
1/4  cup coconut oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or grape-seed oil)

Directions:
Melt chocolate on HIGH in 30-seconds interval, stirring between each until chocolate is smooth and creamy, but not scotched.  Add coconut oil and vegetable oil.  Mix.  Heat for 15 seconds in microwave if mixture doesn't combine completely.  Drizzle over ice cream.  It makes a lot so be sure to have a container to store it in.  If shell hardens in bottle it can be melted in microwave again.

Enjoy!  I know I am.

Pita Pizzas

6 pita breads
1 (6.5 ounce) can tomato sauce
4 ounces shredded cheese
1 pinch dried basil
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch crushed coriander seed
desired toppings

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Warm pitas in the preheated oven or in a microwave for 1 minute, or until soft. Spread lightly with tomato sauce, pressing to flatten while spreading. Sprinkle with cheese, toppings, basil, oregano and coriander.

Spread the pitas on a large baking sheet and place in the preheated oven 8 minutes, or until the pita bread has reached desired crispness. Serve whole, or cut into slices.

Banana Cornbread Muffins

I think I've made about 5 batches of these in the last three weeks and I've eaten up to six muffins in one sitting. Yes, they are that good!

Ingredients
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup white sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 banana, peeled
1 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil

Set oven to 400 degrees F and grease muffin tin. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Set aside. In a separate smaller bowl, mash banana with the back of a fork until smooth. Mix with milk and oil. Combine all ingredients.

Spoon mixture into muffin tin. Each cup should be about half full. Bake for 15 minutes. Makes one dozen.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

This recipe comes from Ryan's mom.  It has been HIS birthday cake for many years.  His Mom loves making it for him...and I finally remembered to get the recipe.  It is soooo yummy and surprisingly simple as well.  If you like chocolate and peanut butter you'll love this cake.

Cake Ingredients:

1       1 package devil’s food (or other chocolate) Cake Mix

8-oz. sour cream

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup water

       3  eggs (or just under 3/4 cup applesauce)

*HIGH ALTITUDE (above 3,500 ft.): add 1/3 cup flour to dry cake mix and increase water to 1/3 cup.  Bake as directed.

In my example pictures I used applesauce instead of eggs.  The substitution makes the cake a little flat, but using applesauce adds a lot of moisture (plus it's healthier).  My son's egg allergy keeps me motivated to use eggs as little as possible.

Directions:

-          Preheat oven to 350;  grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans of 9X13 inch pan

-          In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients listed above

 

Mix at low speed with mixer until moistened.  Beat 2 minutes at high speed.  

So...I'll be honest, I didn't mike my batter with hand mixers, not that I didn't want to, but my baby was napping and the whole making a cake idea would've been ruined had I used my mixers.  I was kind of surprised but how thick this batter was...almost like a muffin batter, but it still turned out just right.

 

Pour batter into pans (if using two round pans then divide equally between the two)

    

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. If using round pans: cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans. 

Frosting Ingredients:

     1/3 cup shortening (I used margarine instead and it worked as well)

      ½ cup peanut butter

      ¼ cup cocoa

      About 2 cups of powdered sugar

      1 tsp. vanilla

      dash of salt

      Enough milk to moisten

Directions:
Cream together shortening and peanut butter

-      I don't know about you, but this next picture makes me want to eat the entire bowl of frosting.  I didn't though...luckily.

     Mix in cocoa, vanilla and salt

-    Alternate between adding powdered sugar and enough milk to moisten mixture

- Add additional powdered sugar, or milk ( in small amounts) until your reach desired consistency.

So...here's my finished cake.  The taste is incredible, so it makes up for my lack of decorating skills.

 

This is the double layered round cake version (made by Jan Whittier).