Banana Nut Blondies

Good way to use up those remaining bananas that are slightly past their prime.  Once you taste these little delicacies, you may end up buying more bananas than you need just as an excuse to make them. Use the type of nut that you like best.  I prefer the taste of black walnuts, but pecans work nicely too. 

3 C. All-purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Salt
½ C. Butter, softened
3 ripe Bananas, mashed
1 ½ C. Brown Sugar
½ C. White Sugar
2 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Nuts

Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 9 x 13 baking pan. Whisk dry ingredients together. Set aside. In separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until well combined. Add banana, eggs and vanilla. Beat until well incorporated. Add dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Stir in nuts. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the Blondies comes out dry. Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes

It’s been a tough battle, but I finally have my husband eating ground chicken.  Don’t understand why he put up a fuss with this when he doesn’t have a problem with other ground meat,( i.e. pork).  Just another little mystery of life. J  Add as much hot sauce as you want.  I like to use Texas Pete Buffalo Wing Sauce.

1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
½ Onion, chopped
1 C. Carrots, diced
1 lb. Ground Chicken
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
¼ - ½ C. Hot Sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
½ tsp. Celery Seed

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion, carrot and celery seed until softened. Add ground chicken. Cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up into small pieces. Stir in tomato sauce and Worcestershire. Simmer on low until thick. Serve on buns or over rice.

Red Curry Beef

One of the best curry dishes I’ve tasted outside of an authentic meal.  Don’t be afraid of the pungent aromas of the fish sauce.  It has a very strong unique smell, but tastes like heaven when it has time to incorporate with the dish and mellow out, and a necessary ingredient for the dish.

2 Pd. Cubed beef
1 lg. Onion, minced
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
15 oz. Coconut Milk
2 C. Baby Spinach, rough chopped
1 C. Beef Broth
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 ½ Tbsp. Red Curry Paste
2 Tbsp. Lime Juice
2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
Fresh Basil leaves, chopped

In a crockpot, combine broth, fish sauce, coconut milk, brown sugar, curry and lime. In a large skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Cook beef in batches until browned. Place in slow cooker. Saute onions and garlic in skillet until translucent and tender adding more oil if necessary. Place in the crockpot. Stir to evenly coat the beef with the liquid mixture. Cook on low for about 8 hours or until the beef is tender. Add spinach. Cook about another hour until spinach is wilted. Serve with jasmine rice. Sprinkle with basil if desired.