chocolate banana muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

5 overripe bananas (I'm talking BROWN)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 tablespoons wheat germ

1 cup Hershey's chocolate chips

vegetable oil

***

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease/oil two 12-muffin pans.

2. Cream the shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl (using an electric mixer is great), and then blend the eggs and bananas until thoroughly mashed.

3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking soda, and stir in the wheat germ and chocolate chips. 

4. Add the dry ingredients to the banana/sugar medley, and blend until just mixed.

5. Divide the batter into the two pans, making it as even as possible. Once done, put the pans in the oven for approximately 25-30 minutes. I go by sight and by poking the muffins with a toothpick. You want them to be soft, but when poked, no batter should stick to the toothpick.

6. Once the muffins are done, serve and enjoy!

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salmon with creole sauce

Ingredients:

2" wide salmon filets

renee's creole sauce (can be found at metro, etc)

handful of green beans

6-8 mini potatoes

herb de provence

lemon juice

butter

***

1. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to boil. Add about a tablespoon on lemon juice to the water. Get a smaller pot of water boiling as well (this smaller one will be for the potatoes).

2. While waiting for the water to boil, wash and cut the ends off of the beans. Put the beans into a deep glass dish, adding about 1/4 cup of butter, and a dash of lemon juice. Cover the top in plastic wrap, and place it in the microwave. On high, cook the beans for about 2-3 minutes, or until soft but crunchy. Once done, add a tiny amount of salt and pepper, and a bit more lemon juice.

3. Once the medium-sized pot of water has boiled, place the skinless salmon filets into the water. It will take about 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. Keep an eye on it, and if unsure, use a knife to peek in the centre of the thickest part to see if it's cooked.

4. In the smaller pot of boiling water, add the mini potatoes. Cook until they slide easily off of a knife when poked. When cooked, drain the water, and in the pot, cut the potatoes in half. Add a dollop of butter, and 1-2 tablespoons of herb de provence, and mix thoroughly. The heat of the potatoes should melt the butter, allowing the herb de provence to coat them nicely.

5. Once the salmon is cooked, remove them from the water, and place on plates. Pour some creole sauce on top, and serve with the green beans and potatoes!

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sundried tomato and goat cheese pasta

Ingredients:

3 cups penne pasta
100 g plain goat cheese
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (slivered)
1 chicken breast
1 tsp garlic (minced)
olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
rosemary
1/4 tsp cinnamon
***
1. Rub olive oil on both sides of the chicken breast, and a sprinkle of rosemary before grilling the chicken. While the chicken is cooking, pour the pasta into a pot of boiling water, and cook until soft but firm.
2. In a pan, add some olive oil, and then the sundried tomatoes and garlic. While stirring, cook for about 2 mins, then set it aside.
3. Once the pasta is done, drain the water out. Dump pasta into a large bowl, and add most of the goat cheese, leaving a small amount for a final garnish. The heat from the pasta should melt it, so stir in the cheese well. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pasta.
4. Add the sundried tomatoes, garlic, and the fresh parsley. Mix. Add the cinnamon, and mix well.
5. Cut up the cooked chicken breast into slices, and add to the pasta.
6. Crumble some goat cheese on top, and serve! Serves approx. 4-5.

Note: This was a first-time creation of mine, and I added a little too much cinnamon in. You want enough to add some sweetness without being able to recognize the taste. In this recipe, I tried to guess the amount of cinnamon that would have actually been needed. When I make it again, I'll tinker with the measurements and edit this recipe, but the measurements provided should be fine.

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mushroom and tomato omelette

This morning, my housemates and I decided to cook a huge brunch for each other. I decided to serve omelettes.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

a handful of chopped tomatoes

a handful of chopped mushrooms

mozzarella cheese (shredded)

feta cheese (crumbled)

rosemary

***

1. Crack the eggs in a bowl, and add a splash of water (makes the omelette fluffier). Beat. Turn on the stove, and heat some oil in a pan.

2. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for about 30 seconds, and add the eggs.

3. After cooking the bottom, without burning it, flip and add the cheese and rosemary on one side. Fold the omelette in half and continue cooking until cheese is melted.

4. Slide onto plate, and add a sprig of parsley for decoration. Serves 1.

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