Dark Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Banana Bread

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Banana Bread Recipe

INGREDIENTS

3 cups of oatmeal

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 t. pure vanilla extract

2 egg whites

1 cup smashed raspberries

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Make oat flour: Place oatmeal into blender and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended.

Measure out just 2 cups of the oat flour and place in a medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a separate large bowl, beat mashed bananas, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs for 1-2 minutes until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Gently fold in raspberries and dark chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. (If using individual small loaf pans, bake 28-30 minutes.) Cool 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack to finish cooling. 

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Crock pot Tortellini Soup

This is one of the best crock pot meals I have ever made. It is super easy and tastes amazing!

Crock pot Tortellini Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 (19 oz.) bag frozen Cheese Tortellini
1 small bag of fresh spinach
2 (14.5 oz) cans of Italian Style diced tomatoes, drained
1 block (8 oz) of cream cheese or neufchatel (less fat)
1 lb. of ground sausage or chicken/turkey sausage
4 cups of chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

Brown the sausage and put all ingredients in crock pot,
chunking up the cream cheese. 
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
(Keep an eye on your tortellini, it may be done sooner as crock pots can vary in temperature.)

Serves 4-6
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Tuscan Kale Salad

This recipe was inspired by a Kale salad that was at one of Sam Fox's restaurants in Scottsdale, AZ called True Foods Kitchen. After first tasting this salad, my husband found the recipe online and became OBSESSED with tweaking it and making it even better! The end result and taste is fantastic!

Tuscan Kale Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS

6 cups Italian Black Kale, loosely packed, sliced, and midribs removed (Sprouts & Whole Foods both carry this type of Kale) 
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic / minced and mashed
salt and pepper, to taste
hot red pepper flakes, to taste
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, marinade the garlic cloves in the olive oil. (About 10 minutes).
2. Remove the garlic cloves from the olive oil.
3. Add lemon juice, salt & pepper, and red pepper flakes to the olive oil and whisk.
4. Pour dressing over kale in serving bowl and toss well.
5. Add 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese and toss again.
6. Let kale sit at least 5 minutes.
7. Add Italian bread crumbs and toss again.
8. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Makes 2-3 servings
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Coconut Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you love coconut and dark chocolate these cookies are for you! They are full of soft chewy coconut goodness. Enjoy!

Coconut Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup + 1 T. Brown sugar, packed
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 T. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
12 oz. dark chocolate chips
1 1/2- 2 cups shredded coconut (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Set aside 2 eggs until room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet.

3. In a mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat the coconut oil and brown sugar. Add in the eggs and beat until fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract.

4. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder with whisk. Mix the flour mixture into the coconut oil mixture a little bit at a time with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. Add in the chocolate chips + coconut and mix well.

5. Drop by small rounded spoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 8-9 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges. They will be really soft and chewy, with a slightly crispy edge. Let them rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing to rack to cool completely. 

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Crock pot Mexican Chicken

This recipe is great if you want to have a quick, easy, and HEALTHY meal, using ingredients you may already have on hand. You can also make adjustments to taste preferences.

Crock pot Mexican Chicken Recipe

INGREDIENTS

5 or 6 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn 
1 cup chunky medium salsa
1 cup Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place frozen chicken breasts in slow cooker and pour corn, beans, and salsa over the chicken.  Cover and cook 4-6 hours on low heat. Sprinkle cheese over the top and cover for another 10 minutes. Serve with a dollop sour cream. Garnish with cilantro or tortilla strips, if desired.. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

This recipe was inspired by a recent visit to The White Chocolate Grill Restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ. My husband and I went there to celebrate our 6th Anniversary. We split a slice of White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake for dessert. As much as I loved the dessert, I knew I could create something very similar.
I set out to make my own version of this delectable dessert.

I ended up making my version of white chocolate raspberry cheesecake for a Christmas Eve party and received rave reviews! The best part about this is it looks much more difficult than it really is to make.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe

INGREDIENTS

crust:
10 whole cinnamon graham crackers, crushed  **may substitute oreo cookies (minus the cream filling) for a chocolate crust**
2 T. butter, melted

filling:
2 pkgs (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup white chocolate baking chips
2/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs, lightly beaten

topping/sauce:
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (I used All Fruit brand jam)

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into the bottom of a greased 9 inch springform pan; set aside.

In a small pan, melt the white chocolate baking chips on the stove using low heat until smooth.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, melted white chocolate, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed until just combined. Pour over crust. 

Here is the FUN part...

Stir the jar of raspberry jam until fluid. Spoon 1/2 cup of raspberry jam into a pastry bag with a small circular tip (I used a ziplock bag and cut a small hole in the corner instead). Carefully squirt a thin line of jam in a tight circular pinwheel pattern until you reach the edge of the pan. (You should have about a half-inch between the lines in the circle).

Next, take a thin bladed knife or toothpick and starting in the center of the cheesecake, draw four lines from the center of the edge of the pan, basically quartering your cheesecake (make sure not to cut too deeply into the batter). Wipe the knife clean between each stroke. Take the knife and draw it from the edge of the pan to the center, between the lines you made previously. This will pull the jelly into a beautiful pattern that makes your cheesecake look professionally made.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until the center is almost set. Turn OFF the oven but Do NOT open the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the cooling oven for exactly 1 hour. Remove and chill in the refrigerate overnight.

Garnish with fresh raspberries in the center of the cheesecake. You may want to top with white chocolate shavings. 

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Penne Pasta and Smoked Sausage Bake

This recipe is one of my husband's favorite recipes. 

It is hearty and full of flavor.

UPDATE: I recently made this recipe using a can of cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic instead of just plain cream of mushroom soup. The roasted garlic in the cream of mushroom soup added such a delicious element to the sausage and pasta. I HIGHLY recommend doing this! However, if you don't have the roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup, regular cream of mushroom soup will work fine.

Penne Pasta and Smoked Sausage Bake Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 box penne pasta, cooked and drained
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup (I prefer cream of    mushroom soup that has roasted garlic for enhanced flavors)
1 1/2 cups french fried onions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I prefer colby jack with this recipe)
2 cups frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste 

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat for 5 minutes; drain. In a large bowl, combine milk and soup. Stir in 1 french onions, 1 cup cheese, peas and sausage.Drain pasta; stir into sausage mixture. Add salt and pepper.

Transfer to a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining french onions and cheese. Bake, uncovered, 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. 

Serves 6
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