Banana Oat Breakfast Cookie

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

recipe of Sarah D.

1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup dry oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Also, chopped up nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray or use parchment paper; set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey and vanilla.  In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon and baking soda.  Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combines.  Stir in cranberries.  Can also add some chopped nuts.

I use my small sized cookie scoop and then flatten with a rubber spatula to be about 1/2" thick.  I think you should get about 18ish cookies from the recipe; I doubled the recipe, so can't remember exactly the number I ended up with.

Bake, one sheet at a time, 14 - 16 min. or until browned.  **I found this baking time to be too long for the smaller sized cookies that I made!  Check at 10-12 minutes and adjust accordingly.**  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in airtight container or resealable bag up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

I used snack sized baggies and froze 2 cookies/baggie, so that the kids can just grab a baggie out of the freezer each morning and they are thawed and good-to-go by snack time.

Spinach/blueberry shake

2 cups ice

1 cup blueberries

2-3 handfuls of spinach

1 scoop protein powder (ours is vanilla flavor, but we have friends that use chocolate)

1 cup almond milk (so far I've bought Silk vanilla flavor)

1/2 a banana

1-2 Tbsp peanut butter (we substitute almond butter and use less.  I thought it was too peanut butter flavored with original recipe since I don't love peanut butter)

Our family loves this shake and has it for breakfast most mornings.  You don't taste the spinach at all. :)

Easy, Yummy Taco Chicken

Put 4-6 frozen chicken breasts in a crockpot.  Sprinkle taco seasoning on top.  (No water or anything else needed.)

 Cook on low most of the day or if I put it in at noon, I will cook on high. Then shred chicken and use in tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burritos or whatever.  Always moist and good.  SO EASY.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Recipe of Ann F.

1-2 10 oz bag(s) baby or regular spinach

Dressing:

1 cup salad oil (olive oil)

1/2 c sugar

1/3 c red wine cider vinegar (I just use cider vinegar)

1 T poppyseeds

1 T grated onions (fresh or I use dried)

1 t salt

1 t mustard (the condiment)

3-4 strawberries

Blend all the dressing ingredients together and mix with spinach (or serve on the side). Garnish with extra sliced strawberries.

Cut stems off of spinach to avoid choking.

Corn Salad

A recipe of Jen D.

2 cans of Mexi-corn
2 cans of White corn
1 cup of Mayo
crushed chili cheese chips (Chili Cheese Fritos)

Drain all the corn in a strainer. Mix may with corn. Refrigerate at least an hour. Sprinkle the crushed chips on top right before serving. I also like to let people add their own chips to their individual portion. This way the left overs do not have soggy chips mixed in and everyone gets the amount of chips they want in their own portions.

I also cut the recipe in half usually when I make it just for our family.

Baked Cinnamon Apples

6 large very tart apples, cored, sliced
1 cup granulated sugar (or 1/2 c splenda/sugar mix)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (or 2 T. splenda/brown sugar mix)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons butter, sliced



Directions:

1Put all ingredients EXCEPT BUTTER into crock pot; stir well, coating all apple slices, and place slices of butter on top.
2Cook on HIGH for 1-1/2 to 2 hours OR cook on LOW 3-1/2 to 4 hours, stirring once half way through.

Serve and enjoy!

My new favorite Chili

Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/debdoozies-blue-ribbon-chili/detail.aspx

2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey

1/2 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 1/2 cups tomato sauce ( I use a 29 oz can of Hunts tomato sauce, which is a little more than 2 1/2 cups)

1 (8 ounce) jar salsa

2-3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans

1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans



1.In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the ground beef and the onion and saute for 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain grease, if desired.


2.Add the ground black pepper, garlic salt, tomato sauce, salsa, chili seasoning, oregano, cumin, paprika, worcestershire sauce and kidney beans. Mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour or place in crock pot and let simmer for the afternoon.

***Truth be told on the spices - I do not measure.  I add according to taste, but these measurements are a guideline/guess for what I add.