Banana Breakfast Cookies

Hi Guys!

It's been way too long since I've posted!  Busy doesn't even begin to describe what's been going on around here.  First of all, my daughter moved to New York.  She's a grown-up now.  Not sure how I feel about that yet.  And, we drove her to New York.  You read that right, we DROVE from Louisiana to New York.  Over 1400 miles each way.  With all of her stuff crammed in to the SUV along with Old School Italian Hubby, me, her and her brother in the back seat reverting to younger and more annoying brats with every mile.  It was fun.  But seriously we did have a few silly spats but for the most part it was a great old-fashioned family road trip.  We stopped at fun roadside attractions along the way and made wonderful memories.  Most importantly, we got her moved into her new life and she's happy and thriving.  What more could a Mama want?

We also lost our beloved family dog, Peanut.  He was such a special part of our family and we were lucky to have him for more than 13 years.  I'll miss my little shadow who followed me everywhere and sat at my feet while I cooked, hoping I would drop something yummy.



The other day I noticed that a few bananas in the fruit bowl were very ripe.  Perfect for baking.  I usually use over ripe bananas to make banana nut bread but I thought I'd try something new.  I'm not a huge breakfast eater.  I'm more of a coffee and more coffee kind of gal.  But I've been trying to eat healthier lately so I thought breakfast cookies would go great with my coffee and more coffee.  These are easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. 

BANANA BREAKFAST COOKIES

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp cinnamon, optional*

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  In a big bowl, mix the mashed bananas, peanut butter, vanilla extract, oats and cinnamon (if using) until combined well.  Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.  Scoop out with 1/4 cup measuring cup (I use an ice cream scoop) and roll into balls.  Place on the lined cookie sheet and flatten each ball.  Bake 15 minutes or until firm and lightly golden on top.  Let cool 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

These "cookies" have no added sugar and go great with a cup of coffee or tea.  They are healthy and filling.  You can substitute raisins for the chocolate chips if you'd like.  You can also use any nut butter you have.  This recipe is very versatile and a great way to use up over ripe bananas.  They keep for a week in an airtight container, even longer in the fridge. 

Roast Beef Poboys

I was in the mood for a roast beef poboy.  If you're not from Louisiana, you might not know what a poboy is.  It's just a sandwich.  Well, a very good sandwich.  A roast beef poboy isn't just sliced beef on bread.  It's slow roasted tender, shredded beef with gravy on bread.

I ordered a roast beef poboy from a local place (I won't name names) but it was gross.  The beef was way too salty, the gravy was nasty and the bread was tough.  I threw it out.  Very disappointing.  So, I decided to make my own the next day.  Here's how I did it:

The poboy in this pic is not "dressed".  That's what we call it when it has mayo, lettuce and tomato.  I like my poboys dressed (especially shrimp poboys!) but I was in the mood for plain old meat and bread.


ROAST BEEF POBOYS

1 chuck tender roast (3 lbs or so)
12 small cloves of garlic or 6 big ones cut in half (I like it garlicky, you can use less)
3 TBS vegetable oil
All-purpose flour
Salt/pepper/Creole seasoning
Onion powder/garlic powder
3 TBS Worcestershire sauce
Unsalted Beef broth (2-3 cups or so)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Cut 12 deep slits in the roast (all over it including the underside).  Stuff the garlic cloves into the slits, as far down as they'll go..

Season the roast with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder on all sides.

Season the flour with the Creole seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's).

Dredge the seasoned roast in the seasoned flour on all sides.  Shake off the excess flour.

You'll need a pot with a lid that's oven-proof.  Let it heat up over medium-high heat.  Add 3 TBS oil.  When the pot is hot, brown the roast on all sides.  You want it to have a nice crust on all sides.

Once browned on all sides, remove the roast to a plate and set aside.

Now, we want to get all those brown bits off the bottom of the pot (that adds great flavor to the gravy).  While it's still hot, pour about 1/4 cup of beef broth in and scrape with a wooden spoon.

Return the roast to the pot and add enough beef broth to reach about halfway up the side of the roast.

Then, add 3 TBS Worcestershire sauce.  Now, taste the broth in the pot to see if it needs any seasoning.  I use unsalted beef broth because I like to season it to my own taste.  I usually add a little Creole seasoning at this point.

Bring it to a boil then cover it with the lid and place it in the preheated oven.  Let it roast in the oven for 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  This takes some time but it's easy and well worth it.  You can also transfer everything to your crockpot at this point and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours.  But I find the oven works best.

Use 2 forks to shred the meat.  Remove any big chunks of fat and discard.  Stir the shredded meat into the warm gravy in the pot.

Serve on poboy rolls or split french bread.  Spoon extra gravy over if desired.

This beef is so tender and flavorful!  My old-school Italian hubby said it was a little too garlicky for him (he still ate two poboys!) but I love garlic, so I thought it was great. Feel free to use less garlic if you're not a big fan.  You can also stud it with chunks of onion if you prefer.  This makes a lot of shredded beef!  We had leftovers that I used to make quesadillas a few nights later.  Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Chicken Paprika

I've been making Chicken Paprika for over 20 years.  I learned the recipe in a college cooking class.  It isn't difficult to make and it is so delicious!  My Pickiest -Eater -Ever Son absolutely loves it!  I think you will, too.  Here's how to make it.

CHICKEN PAPRIKA

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 onion, cut into thin slices

3 TBS oil (olive, vegetable, canola, etc)

salt/pepper   

paprika

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

Saute the onions in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika.

(I know, this is more than 4 chicken breasts, I made extra because my son will eat it for lunch the next day).

When the onions are golden, remove them from the skillet and set aside.

Brown the chicken on both sides over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken broth and return the onions to the skillet.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Put a lid on the skillet and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes (my chicken breasts were on the thin side, if you are using real thick ones simmer 20-25 minutes or until cooked through).

 Once it is done simmering, remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Whisk the sour cream into the broth and onions until smooth.  Do not boil it!  It will curdle!  Just gently warm it through.

Whisk it until it is smooth.

Remove from heat once it's warm.  Spoon sauce over the chicken.  I always serve this with angel hair pasta.  The sauce is wonderful over the pasta!

See how easy that was?  You are definitely going to want to give this one a try.  Let me know what you think.

Spicy Chicken & Sausage Pasta

Hi Guys!

I'm back!  I'm six weeks post surgery and doing well.  I had a spinal stimulator implanted to help with the chronic back & ankle pain I've been dealing with for years.  So far so good.  Praise God!

I made a really yummy pasta dish last night and made sure to take some pics so I could share with y'all.  It's pretty quick & easy, too.

SPICY CHICKEN & SAUSAGE PASTA

1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced into thin pieces
1-2 boneless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into cubes
1 onion, diced
1/2 a bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes & green chilies
1 splash Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS cane syrup (or honey)
salt/pepper
1 lb Rotini pasta (or penne, bow ties, ziti, etc)

Bring a big pot of water to boil for the pasta.  Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the sliced sausage on both sides.

Once browned, remove the sausage to a plate and set aside.  Add the chicken to the rendered sausage drippings.  Season it with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.

Once browned, remove the chicken to the plate with the sausage and set aside.  You should have some brown bits on the bottom of the skillet.  This is called gratin in Cajun cooking.  It adds a ton of flavor to food.  We are going to get those bits up by adding the onion and bell pepper.  While they cook, the water in them will help release the bits from the skillet.
 

Cook the veggies down for about 5 minutes or until softened.

Next, add the chicken broth and the water then scrape the rest of the brown bits up.

Now add the Rotel tomatoes.  I zip them in a blender first because my picky guys don't like chunks of tomatoes.  But you don't have to.

Then add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and 1 Tablespoon of cane syrup (or honey). 

Return the sausage and chicken to the skillet.

Let this simmer for 10 minutes or so until the pasta is done.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the skillet.

Stir well to incorporate.  Taste it to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  It has a bit of spice so you may not need any pepper unless you like it really hot.  You can garnish with green onions or parsley.

This dish is warm and filling.  Serve it with a salad or green vegetable for an easy supper.  Give it a try and let me know what ya think.

Black-eyed Peas & Cabbage

Happy New Year!

Long time no see.  I haven't had time for blogging lately.  I've been dealing with some medical issues and my Etsy Shop had a nice Christmas rush so I was sewing in the spare time I did have.  I may not be writing for another stretch because I am having surgery in mid January.  But I thought I would wish y'all well and tell you about a Louisiana tradition.  On New Year's Day we eat black-eyed peas and cabbage.  It's supposed to bring us health and wealth.  Who couldn't use both of those?

I never liked smothered cabbage, which is how my Mama and her Mama cooked it.  So I roast my cabbage.  It's very easy.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Prep the cabbage by peeling off the first few outer leaves and cutting off the stem and core.  Then cut the cabbage into 8 wedges.  Place them on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender and golden brown on the edges.  Done.  So yummy!

Black-eyed peas take longer but are just as easy and a great way to use up that leftover Christmas ham!  If you don't have ham, use smoked sausage or bacon.



BLACK EYED PEAS

1 lb dried black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked ham, chopped
1 TBS oil
4 cups chicken broth (or water)
salt/pepper/Cajun seasoning

Heat oil in a big pot on medium-high heat.  Add ham and brown lightly. 

Add onions and cook until softened a bit.

Add beans and broth (or water) to the pot and stir.  Season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning.

Bring to a boil then cover, lower the heat and simmer for an hour and a half to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve the black-eyed peas over rice.  Yum!

Make these recipes and treat yourself to some extra health and wealth!  Have a super fantastic 2019!