whole wheat oatmeal and banana pancakes

on sunday morning wes requested banana pancakes. hawaii has the best bananas in the whole universe and we eat a million more bananas than we ever did before we moved to the island. (just a quick shout out to my friend, banana.) anyway, i am on a health kick since coming home from our five week eating frenzy so i quickly searched for a super healthy banana pancake that i could feel good about eating. this is defiantly a keeper, and i recommend you try them too. and if you care at all, 2/3 cup of batter or 2 of the pancakes pictured are only 7 weight watcher points. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 banana, mashed

Directions

1. Place the rolled oats into the jar of a blender and blend until the texture resembles coarse flour. Whisk together the blended oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
2. In blender, blend together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop 1/3 of a cup of batter onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

pioneer woman

i came across a recipe on pinterest that i thought looked delicious, as most things on pinterest do. over the weekend i pulled the recipe up and it just so happened to be from the now-famous-blogger, the pioneer woman. i know of her, but have never ever visited her blog let alone cooked one of her meals. shocking, right? well let me just say this, i am hooked. this meal was amazing and easy and delicious and a huge hit with my boys. huge. annnnnnd, it just so happens that the food network gave her her very own show! it starts this saturday, and i have already set the dvr. told you i was hooked. i think i am going to try one new pioneer woman recipe a week. lordy lou, i better start working out.


so here is it, the pioneer woman's grilled chicken with lemon basil pasta.  a couple things, coen looooved it, so i have no reason to think that your kids won't either. also, it makes A LOT and would be great to serve if you are having company. we may or may not be eating the left overs tonight, because i may or may not be refusing to leave the house today, and may or may not have an empty fridge/pantry. you'll never know. 

i do know this, the pioneer woman is kind of a big deal. i mean she has her own show now, so i am a little bit jumping on the train a little late. if you have been a fan of hers and have some recommendations of good pioneer woman recipes, send them my way. my stomach is growling. oh, and below is my version. i hope those left overs make it till dinner time. 

side note: her pictures of food are stunning, i had no idea pictures are food could be so captivating. so aside from being a good cook, she is also a good food photographer. i think photographing food is tricky. 

little cookie chef

my obsession with pinterest has launched an out right baking frenzy! i have found a million and five new recipes that i am dying to try. maybe i will do a future post with some of the stuff we are baking...and eating! thankfully, i have a lot of help in the kitchen. oh and yes, i do totally get distracted by his cuteness. and yes, it is kind of a problem. 

my sweet little cookie chef! 

how much does he like it? 

um, just ask him. 

peanut, peanut butter...

last night coen and i whipped up a batch of delicious peanut butter cookies. this post isn't really about the cookies, as much as it is about my assistant pastry chef. the cookies were really good though, and i suggest you try them if peanut butter cookies are your thing. here is a link to the recipe, soft peanut butter cookies.

now, onto the important stuff. coen loves to help me in the kitchen and i love it. everyday duties become learning experiences. it is fun to watch the wheels spin in his head. 

i promise he wears clothes, he just sleeps naked baby (with diaper) at nap, cause it gets too stinking hot! 

um yes, his lip is resting on the bowl. 

what do you mean i can't lick it?! 

the reward for all that hard work! 

(apologies about the small section that is sideways. although it's not really MY mistake to apologize for, ha!)

when life goes bananas

make banana bread!

okay, here's the truth...it has been one of those weeks. i have promised myself since monday that we were not going to leave the house. ha! it must have been opposite day and no one told me. so not cool. well here it is thursday, and thanks my wonderful husband who got up early to deliver coen's stool samples to the lab in hilo, (i told you it had been quite a week), i am curled up with a cup of coffee and some unbelievable banana bread.

last night as a stared at the pile of ripe bananas in my fruit basket, i decided it was time to test out another banana bread recipe. fyi: the last one went horribly wrong. (unless you like smokey banana bread, i do not.) so this time i did something very different, i pulled out a cookbook. it has been a very long time since i have baked or cooked straight out of a cookbook. everything is online now, and thanks to the magic of pinterest i can organize all of my online recipes in one spot.

i am glad however that i pulled out this recipe. it is call unbelievable banana bread and it is well, quite unbelievable.

unbelievable banana bread

1.5 cups macadamia nuts

2.25 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon

.75 cups vegetable oil

2.25 cups sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1.5 teaspoons vanilla

1.5 teaspoons baking soda

.5 cup buttermilk*

2 cups very ride mashed bananas

position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

put the mac nuts (or any kind of nut for that matter) on a baking sheet and roast until lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. after 6 to 8 minutes shake the pan and rotate to ensure even browning.

spray 2 9 by 3 inch loaf pans with cooking spray

stir together flour, kosher salt, cinnamon in a medium bowl, set aside.

combine the oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. beat on low speed until combined. add the eggs and vanilla and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.

stir the baking soda into the buttermilk* in a small bowl. add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the mixer, followed by half of the buttermilk*, and mix on low speed until barley combined, 10 to 15 seconds. repeat. scrape down the sides and mix in the remaining dry ingredients. add the mashed bananas and nuts and mix until just incorporated. do not over mix.

pour the batter into the prepared pans. bake until the bread in golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about one hour. transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool 5 mins, then remove the loves from the pans and let cool on the racks for at least 10 minutes before serving. enjoy!

*easy buttermilk substitute

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice.

place 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a 1 cup measuring cup.

fill the cup to the top with milk.

let stand for 5 minutes, then use what is needed.

whatcha got cooking?

um, yum. this slow cook mongolian beef is oh so easy, and bursting with flavor. i serve it with brown rice, and everyone seems to gobble it up. this is one of the easiest things i make. i even cook the rice when i start the slow cooker, then everything is just ready and waiting when hungry tummies come a' growling.

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

• 1 pound flank steak, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 large green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce

Directions

1. Place flank steak and cornstarch into a resealable plastic bag. Shake the bag to evenly coat the flank steak with the cornstarch. Allow to steak rest for 10 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir steak until evenly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Place onion, garlic, flank steak, green onions, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, and hoisin sauce in a slow cooker. Cook on Low setting for about 4 hours.

a couple notes: this is for 4 servings. if you have more that 3 hungry people, i would double the recipe. also, the flank steak cooks rather quick and can get kinda mushy if you over cook, i would check in around 3- 3.5 hours and turn your slow cooker to warm till you are ready to eat. enjoy!

whatcha got cooking?

after an overindulgent eating spree the last few weeks, i am more than eager to get back to the grind. i have never craved a home cooked meal so much in my life. even the thought of ordering my food at a restaurant makes me feel sick. the chaos of the past month has been quite entertaining, yet has done nothing for our eating habits. so here i am putting my apron back on and the knife is back on the chopping block. for now.

last night i made chicken fajitas. always a favorite. every time i make these wes and i talk about them all. night. long. they are as good as any i have ever ordered from a restaurant. so there.

Pollo Fajitas

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place chicken in sauce, and turn once to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for several hours.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken strips to the pan, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper, and saute another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with lemon juice.

whatcha got cooking? (Christmas edition!)

i truly enjoy baking. i also enjoy eating what i bake, but i know it's not in my best interest to always have homemade goodies floating around the house. thus, i really really enjoy baking for others. it's a win-win. i get to enjoy the baking (and some sampling), and pass the extra calories on. the christmas season is the perfect time to go on an all out baking spree. butter. sugar. more butter. yum! i was up to my elbows in flour, not to mention when all was said an done i had gone through 14 (yes, FOURTEEN) sticks of butter. oh lordy lou, no wonder it all tastes so darn good.

if you have any desire to get some baking done, i highly recommend these wonderfully delicious recipes. i can't pick just one, they are THAT good. enjoy!

Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup green sugar crystals
• 1/2 cup red sugar crystals
• 1 cup pecan halves

Directions

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.
2. Combine the flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chopped pecans. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. On four sheets of aluminum foil, shape dough into four 6 inch rolls, 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each roll tightly in foil and refrigerate over night.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with foil. Remove rolls of dough from refrigerator one at a time. Coat each roll with red or green sugar crystals; cut dough into 1/4 inch slices.
5. Place on prepared cookie sheets; top each cookie with a pecan half. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until bottom of cookie is lightly browned when lifted

Instead of red and green sugar crystals, i used traditional sprinkles. I also rolled the dough in wax paper, instead of foil. It was very very easy, and oh so good!

Nut Butter Balls (bad name, great cookie)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Mix butter or margarine with sugar until creamy. Add salt, almond or vanilla extract, flour, and nuts. Mix WELL.
2. Chill dough until firm enough to handle.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
4. Using fingers, shape dough into 1 inch balls or crescents. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. While cookies are still warm, roll in powdered sugar. These keep well.

Spritz Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix the butter or margarine, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Add the flour and mix by hand.
2. Spoon into cookie press and press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars.
3. Bake in preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 7-10 minutes.

this dough was magical in my pampered chef cookie press. so rich & buttery!

Best Toffee Ever (Really, ever!)

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions

1. In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally.
2. While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
3. As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften. Spread the chocolate into a thin even layer once it is melted. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press in slightly. Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess.
4. Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

okay, i know i said it didn't have a favorite...but, if you were only going to make one thing, make this. so so so easy, and it tastes amazing! no joke.

i have sampled everything (more than once), licked all the spoons, spatulas, and beaters (after i was finished with them of course), and packaged everything in to delightful jars to be delivered to wes' office tomorrow. okay, there may be a small box of treats hiding in the pantry. it is Christmas after all!