Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Cookies - total time 1 hour

I used to make banana bread often.  But since I have started making an effort to eat locally/seasonally... bananas are never really in season in Ohio (pawpaws taste similar, but are hard to find).  So when I got bananas from the grocery store the other day, I forgot we had them!  They ripened to the point they were just too mushy to eat and I didn't want banana bread... but how about banana cookies!  I'm always up for some cookies, these guys are light like banana bread, but sweet and chocolaty like the normal chocolate chip variety.  They got the co-worker seal of approval as the whole jar was gone by lunch time.  Yum!

2.5 cups flour
2 ripe bananas
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp peanut butter
.5 sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp baking soda
1 pinch salt
8 oz chocolate chips
top with vanilla sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mash butter and bananas in mixer until well combined.  Add both sugars and beat on high for one minute.  Add in peanut butter, egg, and vanilla; mix slowly.
2.  Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add a half cup at a time into the banana mixture.  Add chocolate chips.
3.  Refridgerate dough for one hour!  This allows the flour to absorb the fat (PB and butter) but is short enough to prevent the banana from browning.
4.  Bake for 12 minutes and allow to cool on a rack.

Weekly Menu

The great thing about weekly menu planning, you can really reduce food waste.  Before I started planning ahead I would buy bread most weeks since bread is considered a staple.  I figured we would eat sandwiches for lunch... but we always ended up tossing at least a half a stale loaf out (at least it was into the compost, but that makes some expensive compost).  Now, I only buy bread when it is in the menu plan and make sure it will be all used up... so this week, we have two sandwiches to make sure we use the whole package of fresh baked buns.

mexican stuffed shells
lasagna soup
fish burgers
pulled chicken sandwiches (crockpot)
sour cream chicken enchiladas

Mini Taco Pies - total time 40 minutes

Another mini, individual serving meal... this may become one of our go-to, easy meals.  Taco/fajita night used to be a staple in our house... at least every other week.  But because of Pinterest, I have been trying new and different things most nights.  We haven't had a taco night at home in a while.  Well, it's back!  These little guys would be cute as an appetizer too.

1 pound ground turkey

3 torillas

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1 cup bell peppers, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1.5 cup shredded cheese

chili powder

red pepper flakes

salt & pepper

dollops of sour cream

green onions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook ground turkey.  Add onion, tomato, pepper, chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and cook for seven minutes.  Add in half the shredded cheese; melt and incoorporate. 

2.  Cut tortillas into smaller circles using a jar or container as a guide.  Spray muffin tin with oil and then tuck each tortilla into each cup.  Scoop meat/veggie mixture into each up.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes.

3.  Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of green onions.  Eat with your hands!  They are tacos afterall!

Breakfast Cups - total time 40 minutes

I love the idea of cooking in individual serving sizes.  It is so easy to serve and then get seconds and thirds.  These are also great to make on a Sunday and enjoy throughout the week.  You get a savory breakfast (the whole deal; potato, eggs, and cheese) and all you have to do is warm it up in the toaster oven or microwave.

2 large potatoes, shredded (I used Yukon Gold)
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
.5 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 eggs
.25 cup sour cream
2 green onions
salt & pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Shredded potatoes and cheese.  Squeeze out excess liquid from shredded potatoes.  Combine shredded potatoes, half of the shredded cheese, chopped onion, garlic, salt, and pepper into a mixing bowl.
2.  Spray muffin pan with olive oil.  Place a scoop of potato mixture in each muffin cup, then form into cups with fork.  Bake for 12 minutes.
3.  While potato cups are baking, crack open eggs into mixing bowl (optional: remove half of the egg yolks). Add salt and pepper and then whisk together with a fork.
4.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Pour in egg mixture into each muffin cup.  Top with remaining shredded cheese and bake for 18 minutes.
5.  Add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of green onions on top of each breakfast cup and serve!

Winter Squash Lasagna - total time 2 hours

I haven't always been a winter squash fan.  In fact, it was only a few years ago that I first tried summer squash (zucchini)... and I finally tried butternut squash last year.  Since I am trying to eat more seasonally (and I don't want to starve while trying to do so) I am trying all kinds of squash this year.  The one I used in this lasagna is a golden hubbard squash and I got it at Kroger of all places, so it should be pretty easy to find.  It is supposed to taste similar to butternut.  I liked it!  Trying new thing, especially fruits and vegetables, is always good... then you know what you like (expanding your veggie and nutrient palette) and find out what you don't like which is just as important.

1 winter squash (butternut, acorn, hubbard)

8 lasagna noodles

8 oz. ricotta cheese

.5 cup fresh mozzarella

.25 cup parm cheese

sage leaves

salt & pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut squash in half and bake for 50 minutes.  

2.  Scoop out squash into blender with bay leaves, salt, and pepper.  Blend into a puree.  Mix in half of the ricotta.  

3.  Spray bottom of casserole dish with olive oil.  Boil lasagna noodles for one minute then add two noodles to the casserole dish.  Spread a layer of the squash mixture over the noodles.  Add another two noodles.  Spread the remaining ricotta and then another two noodles.  Scoop out the remaining squash mixture and then the final layer of noodles.  The final layer is the fresh mozzarella and parm cheese.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Baked Potato Soup - total time 45 minutes

The cold weather has come and it is soup and stew season.  I looked through my posts for our favorite soup recipe wasn't on here yet!  I couldn't believe it.  We love baked potato soup... what a comfort food when you need to get warmed up.  It is easy to keep it vegetarian too... just don't put the crunchy bacon pieces on top.  And it really doesn't take too much effort... the time is all in the baking of the potatoes (which you can use your microwave as a shortcut).

5 yukon gold potatoes

1 onion, chopped

2 cups vegetable stock

1.5 cup milk

.25 cup cream

1 cup cheese, shredded

2 tbsp butter

green onions

2 pieces organic bacon (optional)

salt & pepper

1.  Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or 15 minutes in microwave.

2.  Melt butter in a pot.  Saute onions with salt and pepper for five minutes.  Add broth.  Cut up baked potatoes into half inch sized squares and add to pot with milk and cream.  Bring to a boil for five minutes while smashing potatoes in pot.  Add half of the cheese and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.  Cook bacon (if wanted).  Spoon out soup, add a dollop of sour cream, sprinkling of cheese, some green onion slices, and a few small pieces of bacon.  Yum!

tip: run a metal skewer through bigger potatoes to bake evenly (the metal gets hot and bakes from the middle)

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds - total time 35 minutes

Happy Halloween!  All those pumpkins you used as decorations or for carving can be turned into a tasty and healthy snack.  Pumpkin seeds are full of protein, vitamin B & E, and fiber... and they are super easy to make!

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Scoop out the insides of the pumpkin into a colander.  Wash all of the pumpkin off the seeds.  Boil seeds for ten minutes, then pat dry with towel.

2.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix in spices (chili powder and paprika), salt, and pepper.  Spread dried pumpkin seeds on baking tray and drizzle butter mixture over top.  Bake for 20 minutes.