My Story in Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Blog Posts
  • My Story
  • Connect

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

9/24/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
Anyone else struggling to find their calm in the midst of this tumultuous time?   My catering business has been anything but stable and reliable lately.  In all honesty, it's not unusual for my business to go through periods where orders trickle in slowly and times when I can barely keep up with customer requests.  I've owned my business long enough that I learned to anticipate the natural flow of the business.  To enjoy the rest in the quiet times and the thrill of being up to my ears in orders during my busiest weeks.  

I've had to deal with some very unusual circumstances in my business this year.  More than just the natural ebb and flow of the catering world.  Maybe this is the reason that I find myself having a much harder time "rolling with it" lately.  The reason that I seem to get more flustered when a curve ball gets thrown into my plans.  Or maybe it doesn't have anything at all to do with my inner peace.  Perhaps my lack of centered-ness is the result of the heightened emotions that everyone is experiencing during this pandemic.  
Picture
By definition, I am most definitely not a yogi. 🧘🏻‍♀️ Even though I enjoyed taking yoga classes, I attended a only handful classes every year for the past several years.  But with my emotions so all over the place this past month, I've taken quite a few classes and found more comfort in it than ever before.  Unfortunately, the yoga studio that I was attending, is closing its doors at the end of the month.  😢 So I will try take the calming principles that I learned in yoga and apply them.  😬

Since I don't have yoga classes to go to for relaxation anymore - I guess I'll just be a stress baker.  (Why couldn't I have been a stress cleaner?😂 That would've been much easier on my waistline.) I've always found peace and comfort in my kitchen.  I don't know why I find so much pleasure in the aroma of something sweet in the oven but for some reason, it soothes my soul.  🍞💁🏻‍♀️ So right now, we have a record number of loaves of banana bread in the freezer.  😅 It's probably not the best way for me to deal with my anxiety but it works for me.  🍌
Picture
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
4 bananas, mashed
1 cup brown sugar
10 Tablespoons butter
2 eggs
4 ounces dark chocolate chips
​2 Tablespoons sugar
Picture
Picture
Whisk together bananas, brown sugar, butter and eggs.  
Add flour, baking soda and salt. 
Picture
Fold in chocolate. 
Picture
Transfer batter to a greased loaf pan.  Sprinkle sugar over batter. 
Picture
Place pan on a baking sheet and bake 1 hour 10 minutes at 350.
Picture
Let cool 30 minutes in pan.  
Picture
Picture
Picture
Remove from pan and slice. ​
Picture
I'm so thankful that I have my faith in God to rely on when things start spinning out of control.  I can only imagine what kind of crazy person I would be if I didn't have that grounding force in my life. 🤣 I'm so grateful for the peace that He's put in my heart - despite my circumstances.  

​Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
1 Comment

Tuna Melt

9/22/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Where are my work from home peeps?  I've had a home based business for the last 11 years and although 2020 has had its own set of unique challenges, my work environment changed only minimally.  I'm fortunate that I was able to continue to accept and fulfill catering orders throughout this difficult and most unusual time. 

I recognize that my situation was somewhat unusual.  Most people have experienced a much more drastic change in their work life in the last 6 months.  Some people had to risk their own lives and take extreme precautions just to able to go to work.  Other people had to figure out how to do their job remotely without interacting with anyone face to face.  Not to mention the fact that some of these people had to juggle doing their jobs at home while parenting young children at the same time. 👶🏻And a certain percentage of people lost their jobs altogether as a result of this terrible virus. Watching people adjust and adapt to these new challenges has given me hope that we are all more flexible and resilient than I ever believed.  
Picture
I've noticed that more businesses are starting to reopen and people are slowly starting to go back to work in my neighborhood but there still is a large percentage of people that continue to work from home.  My husband is one of those people who is doing some of his work remotely from home.  And even though he will deny it ... I'm convinced that he schedules his work from home days in conjunction with my baking days.  (He's all about the scraps.)  😅🧁 We're both adjusting to the fact that there are two of us now sharing the kitchen during the day.  (aka my workspace between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm)  😂 

I'm not in the habit of stopping to eat lunch everyday at noon.  I've been known to nibble on cake scraps or snack on a bag of baby carrots when I get hungry but I certainly don't interrupt my cooking to stop and prepare lunch for myself.  🥕 Apparently, a bag of carrots doesn't qualify as "lunch" for my work from home husband.  🤷🏻‍♀️  I'm still working on trying to schedule in time to make and eat lunch with my favorite guy on the days that he works from home. 

It's not always easy to come up with lunch ideas.  I don't pack lunch boxes anymore so I don't keep those kinds of foods in the house. 🥪 Heating leftovers is always my first option for a quick lunch but if we're out of leftovers - I draw a blank.  The struggle to come up with healthy lunch options is real.  Hello, tuna. 🐟My dear, delicious, and always in my pantry, fishy friend.  I'm kind of obsessed with these Tuna Melts because they're quick and easy and most importantly - hubby approved.
Picture
Tuna Melt
Tuna
5 ounce can solid white tuna in water
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon chopped onion
2 Tablespoons bread and butter pickles, chopped
1 stalk celery, minced
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
pinch salt
 
Sandwiches
4 slices white sandwich bread
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 slices deli sharp cheddar cheese
2 slices American cheese
Picture
Picture
Combine tuna ingredients in a bowl. 
Line baking sheet with foil.  Brush 1 side of each piece of bread with butter.
Picture
Picture
Top half of the slices with cheddar.  
Spread 1/2 of tuna of 2 bread slices.
Picture
Picture
Add slice of American cheese on top. 
Top with second piece of buttered bread.  Buttered side up.
Picture
Picture
Bake sandwiches for 8 minutes at 425. 
Flip sandwiches and bake another 5-8 minutes. 
Picture
Cut in half and serve. 
Picture
I want to hear from my work from home readers.  What are you eating for lunch?  I want to hear from parents of virtual learners?  What are you feeding your kids for lunch?  Help a girl out.  I need more lunch ideas.  

Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
0 Comments

Halibut Puttanesca

9/18/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
Fish recipes.  Why is it so hard to convince ourselves that fish recipes are the perfect choice for quick and easy weeknight meals?  For some reason, cooking fish just seems like a daunting task.  Chicken - we know what to do with that.  Ground beef - easy peasy.  But we tend to get a little freaked out about fish recipes and it's easy to talk ourselves out it and grab a package of ground  beef instead.  This is what runs through my head when I plan to cook a fish recipe: How do I even cook fish?  How will I know when it's done?  Will anyone even like it?  

I get it.  I'm with you on the uncertain feelings that come with fish recipes - and I cook fish at least once a week.  It's still hard for me even to look at a fish in the seafood counter and envision myself cooking it up for dinner.  🐟 The weird thing is that I LOVE fish - all seafood for that matter - so I don't know why I get anxious about cooking it.  
Picture
Some fish recipes just seem too good to be true.  Can I really just sprinkle my fish with a little salt and pepper, drizzle it with lemon and stick it in the oven to bake?  My brain tries to tell me that a good fish recipe really can't be that simplistic and that I need to put more effort into it to make it taste good.  The reality is that the less I do to my fish - the better it turns out.  (The less is more strategy works for most of my recipes, really.)  💁🏻‍♀️

Halibut is one of my very favorite types of fish to cook.  It's a flaky white fish but it still has some "beef" to it.  I feel like I've eaten a meal when I finish a halibut filet. 😅  This Halibut Puttanesca is one of the easiest ways to cook it.  It's simple, it's quick and it's super delicious.  
Picture
Halibut Puttanesca
4 halibut filets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 shallot, minced
5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 Tablespoons anchovy paste
2 teaspoons oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
​1/4 cup fresh parsley 
Picture
Picture
Sprinkle halibut with salt and pepper. 
Whisk together oil, shallot, garlic, anchovy paste, oregano and red pepper flakes.  Cook 4 minutes. 
Picture
Picture
Stir in tomatoes and olives.
Nestle halibut into sauce.  Bring to simmer.
Picture
Transfer skillet to 375 degree oven and bake 13-16 minutes.  
Picture
Transfer halibut to plates.  Spoon sauce over fish and sprinkle with parsley.
A simple green salad and a slice of whole wheat bread ​was all that I served with this delicious halibut.  (The bread was super handy to soak up all the extra delicious sauce that I didn't want to go to waste.)  😉   

Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
1 Comment

Spanish Style Green Beans

9/14/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
It’s no secret that most Americans don’t incorporate enough vegetables into their diets.  When I feel like I need to eat more veggies, my go-to favorites are broccoli, corn and green beans. They're easy to find all year long and they're relatively simple to prepare.  Oh, and my family is much more likely to eat them than beets or squash or kohlrabi.  🥦

If I had to choose a favorite vegetable, it would be green beans.  They’re high in fiber, low in sodium, and a good source of folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and other essential nutrients.
I grew up on canned green beans and because of that, there's a special place in my heart for salty canned beans.  But my absolute favorites are fresh green beans in overflowing bins at the grocery stores and the farmers markets.  I'm the girl who patiently stands in front of the bin of beans at the grocery store and carefully and purposefully inspects each and every bean before adding it to my bag.  (#sorrynotsorry) 
Picture
I've made ultra fancy green bean dishes to elevate the flavor, but frankly, green beans are just as delicious with a sprinkle of salt and a little bit of butter.  I've steamed them, roasted them, blanched them, and tossed them into a salad.   I've also been known to made a meal out of a heaping mound of perfectly seasoned and slightly crunchy green beans.  

Like I said earlier, it really doesn't take much to make a fresh green bean really exceptional.  A few simple ingredients and a handful of slivered almonds is all it takes for this girl to devour some green beans.  I adapted this recipe from America's Test Kitchen and I'm not exactly sure what makes them uniquely "Spanish" but I decided to stay true to the recipe and keep the name.  If you've got some inside information on the origin of Spanish Style Green Beans - please share it with me.  
Picture
Spanish Style Green Beans
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 ounce prosciutto, sliced into 1/4" ribbons
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Picture
Picture
Cook almonds in 2 T. oil until golden. 
Add ham and garlic and cook 2 minutes. 
Picture
Picture
Heat 2 T. oil to smoking.  Add beans and 1/2 t. each salt and pepper. Cook until lightly charred.
Add ham/almond mixture and 1/2 cup water to beans.  Cover and cook on low for 3 minutes.  
Picture
Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving dish. 
Picture
Picture
Heat 1/2 c. water in skillet.  Bring to a simmer until reduced to 2 T.  
Remove from heat.  Stir in paprika.  
Picture
Drizzle sauce over beans and serve.  

Since summer is coming to an end, it's getting harder and harder to find fresh green beans in my local supermarket.  That's usually my clue that it's time to transition back to canned or frozen green beans.  If you've got a favorite recipe using frozen or canned beans - send it to me.  I would love to see it.  I definitely need to spice up my winter vegetable repertoire.  

Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
0 Comments

Fish en Papillote

9/11/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture

Anyone recognize this cookbook?  I have the 1989 edition that I'm fairly certain I received as a wedding shower gift.  It was my go-to resource for all things cooking in the early 90s when we were first married.  Sadly, over the years, it's been replaced by new and exciting cooking magazines that arrive in my mailbox on a monthly basis and loose pages that I've printed out from my favorite cooking websites.  
Picture
This classic cookbook always maintained a permanent spot on my cookbook shelf and every once in a while, I get it down to dust it but it's been a loooooong time since I've opened up this old friend and flipped through its pages.

​I'm not sure what possessed me to grab this book off the shelf last week, maybe it was nostalgia, but I had this sudden urge to look through the cookbook that I used to depend on so faithfully.  I will admit that I was really surprised when I opened it.  I guess I expected the recipes to be outdated and somewhat old fashioned.  What I found was quite the opposite.  There were recipes for homemade fondant and brioche, crepes suzette and bloody marys!!  🍹
Picture
The fish recipes were the ones that really stood out to me though.  Wild rice stuffed fish, grilled halibut with sherry sauce and fish en papillote. (which means "Fish in paper.")  🐟 Why have I never made these amazing delicious sounding recipes before?  My only explanation is that when I first started cooking, I steered clear of anything that sounded remotely fancy or complicated.  Tuna casseroles and oven baked salmon were more in my comfort zone in the early 90s.  
Picture
After a 20 year hiatus from my Better Homes and Garden Cook Book, I feel like I'm looking at with a new perspective now.  A few more years of cooking experience under my belt has made me less apprehensive about messing up a recipe.  (#theresalwayspizza)  I'm also more comfortable with putting my own twist on a recipe by swapping out ingredients than I was when I first started cooking.  

Fish en Papillote is one of the first recipes that caught my eye.  It's a simple way to prepare fish but it's an elegant way to serve it.  I love all of the flavors in the sauce too.  You can make it rich and creamy by using whole milk or lighter and thinner by substituting lemon juice and white wine.  Fresh herbs are a nice addition to this little flavor packet too.  🌿😉
Picture
Fish en Papillote
4 fish filets
1 cup water
2 lemon slices
1 bay leaf
1 chicken bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules)
1 carrot, sliced thin
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
​1/2 cup milk
Picture
Picture
Cut four 12" parchment circles.
Bring water, lemon slices, bay leaf and bouillon to boiling in a large skillet. 
Picture
Picture
Add fish in a single layer.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until fish flakes easily.
Remove fish from pan and place each filet on a parchment circle.  Strain liquid, reserving 1/2 cup.
Picture
Picture
Melt butter in skillet.  Add carrot and onion and cook until tender.  
Stir in flour and mustard.  Gradually stir in reserved liquid and milk. 
Picture
Picture
Cook and stir until bubbly.  Cook 1 minute longer.  
Spoon 1/4 of sauce over each fish filet. 
Picture
Picture
Fold parchment circle in half, over filet and seal tightly by turning up edges.  
Place packets on a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes at 400.  
Picture
To serve, transfer a fish packet to each plate.  Cut an x in the top and peel back the paper.  Viola - deliciously simple and elegant fish dinner!  
Picture
Now I feel like I have a new whole new collection of recipes to explore and I couldn't be more excited.  If you happen to have one of these cookbooks that's been sitting on your shelf for quite a while, I highly recommend dusting it off and flipping through it.  And if you use this cookbook regularly - I want to know which recipes you love.   

​Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
1 Comment
<<Previous
    Like my page on facebook.

    Follow me on Instagram


    Follow Me on Pinterest

    Categories

    All
    30 Minute Meals
    30-minute-meals
    Big Green Egg Recipes
    Chocolate
    Christmas Classics
    Comfort Foods
    Crock Pot Meals
    Fall Favorites
    Healthy-choices
    Healthy-choices
    My Favorites
    Springtime Treats
    St Patrick's Day Goodies
    Summertime Specialties
    Thanksgiving Classics
    Valentine Treats
    Vegetarian
    Winter Warm Ups

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

Photos from Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel, Texas_Custom_Patios
  • Recipe Index
  • Blog Posts
  • My Story
  • Connect