Banana Sour Cream Muffins

For some reason all my pictures show this one muffin with the curlicue on top!?!  You'd think that's all I made but this recipe actually makes 18 moist medium muffins

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the butter, sugars and eggs together.

Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together and add to the wet ingredients. And finally add the banana, sour cream and vanilla.

Bake at 375 F for 20 - 25 minutes for muffins.
Or if you want to make a banana loaf, 350 F for 50 minutes.

Here's a close-up of that curlicue!

Cuban-Style Picadillo

Looking around the other day for something to make with ground beef, I stumbled upon this dish that's easy to prepare and is packed with flavour!

1  1/2 lbs lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red pepper
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 -  1 tsp minced jalapeno
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
1  1/2 tsp ground cumin
Pinch cayenne
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped greens
14 oz diced canned tomatoes
2 tbsps capers
2 tsps caper brine
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

In a large saucepan cook ground beef, onion and red pepper in olive oil until the meat is no longer pink and the veggies have softened. Add garlic, jalapĕno and bay leaves.

Mix the remaining ingredients together and add to the pan.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes.

Serve with rice and salsa.

We used our Spicy Peach Salsa here
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2016/09/spicy-peach-salsa.html

Picadillo adapted from Renees Kitchen Adventures

Fruit and Nut Israeli Couscous

When your daughter says "this is the best thing to hit my mouth!" you know you've got a keeper.

And it's not what comes to mind when you think of pasta salad, but couscous is a tiny pasta.

1/2 cup israeli couscous
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp lemon thyme
1 small apple diced (I used red delicious)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 radishes, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts

Dressing:
2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp grainy mustard
pinch salt
pinch lemon pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Heat a saucepan with olive oil to medium-high. Stir in the dry couscous and lightly toast for 3-4 minutes.  Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes, then remove from heat and cool.

Once cooled stir in the parsley, lemon thyme, apple, dried cranberries, radishes and peanuts. Lots of sweetness and crunch!

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour into the couscous. Stir well to coat.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Great to pack for lunch.

Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

Cheese and bread...I mean how can you go wrong with that?

Slice a soft baguette-style bread into 3/4 - 1" slices using a chopstick as a stopper to keep from slicing all the way through.

I used a small bread here so only used a small batch of garlic butter...multiply to suit your needs.

1/4 cup butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 pinches of oregano
and a little salt

Mix together then spread between each slice and all over the outside of the bread.

Stuff each slice with some shredded mozzarella, about 1/2 cup. And sprinkle a little more oregano on top.

Take a large piece of foil and bring the sides up loosely to the top, sealing the sides and top tightly.

Only 4 or 5 minutes in a hot barbecue then tear the foil opened and pull apart.

Blueberry and Basil Muffins

You don't really taste basil in these muffins, but it gives a what-is-that-taste?? kind of taste.

3/4 cup (wild) blueberries
2-4 tsp finely chopped basil leaves
1/2 tsp lime zest
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
4-5 tbsps honey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

First set aside 1/4 cup of blueberries. Next toss 1 tsp of flour with the remaining 1/2 cup of berries. This will keep them from sinking in the muffins. Set aside. (These were still some wild blueberries we picked on our camping trip, but you can use the berries you pick up at the market)

Mix together the basil leaves, lime zest, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Whisk together the egg, milk, honey, olive oil and vanilla extract, then mix this into the dry ingredients just until combined.

Fold in the floured blueberries.

Pour batter into paper-lined muffin tins and sprinkle the 1/4 cup of berries on the tops of the muffins.

Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes.

Makes 12 medium muffins...not too sweet and not too cakey.

Another recipe using Algonquin Provincial Park blueberries:
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2017/07/fresh-blueberry-pancakes.html

Fresh Blueberry Pancakes

Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario has bears. And it has wild blueberries. Enough for the bears and campers to share if you don't mind picking while keeping an eye out for the bears.
Obviously they get first pick!

So for our latest camping trip we packed some of our favourite mix..Healthy Pancake Mix but you can use any pancake mix you like.
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2015/11/healthy-pancake-mix.html

Make the batter and heat up your griddle. Even with our non-stick pan we still add a little butter. Pour the batter into the hot pan and wait to see bubbles start to break the surface of the batter. Make sure you can loosen the bottom from the pan. Sprinkle blueberries over the top then carefully flip the pancake. Only 1 or 2 more minutes of cooking is needed as it was mostly cooked through before flipping. The heat brings out the flavour in the berries.

Adding blueberries directly to the batter could give you soggy pancakes, but cooking them this way ensures a well cooked pancake full of juicy blueberries!

Serve with maple syrup.

Baked Avocado and Tomato

Another side made with leftovers (I love leftovers!) I am not big on avocados but my avocado lovers liked it ☺

2/3 cup cooked rice
1 avocado
1 tomato
lemon juice
parmesan cheese

1/4 cup mayo
1 tbsp srirracha
1/2 tsp soya sauce
splash of lime juice

Use any leftover cooked rice and season to taste.

I used leftover rice from my Rice with Artichokes
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2017/07/rice-with-artichokes.html

Cut tomato and avocado in half and scoop out the flesh of both leaving enough around the edge to keep the cup solid. Brush the avocado with a little lemon juice to keep it from turning brown.

Chop up the tomato and avocado and add it to your rice then spoon the mixture into the veggie cups.

Sprinkle with parmesan.

Bake at 425 F for 12-15 minutes.

Mix together the mayo, srirracha, soya sauce and lime juice and drizzle over the top. Serve warm.