Homemade Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)

1/3 cup water

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Heat oven to 350*. Grease bottom only of 9-inch loaf pan. Mix sugar and margarine in bowl. Stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas and water; beat 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips just until moistened; stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan. Bake until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (about 55-60 minutes). Cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

[1 loaf/approx 24 slices: ~120 calories per slice]

with faith, love, & coffee,

kellie ann

♥

Cheesy Jalapeno Burgers & Sweet Potato Fries

It's recipe time!! I actually had a little bit of a break this weekend from work & coaching basketball (thank you MLK!) to give my husband a break from the fabulous meals he's been cooking and to have dinner ready for him when he gets home from work! I spent some time on Pinterest to find some recipes, and this is one I made last night. It was quick, easy, and delicious! J even took the two extras I had made to work today for lunch (that must means he approved ☺).

Ingredients

~1 lb ground beef chuck

small can diced jalapenos

1/2 container of chive & onion cream cheese

pepper jack cheese

kaiser rolls

salt & pepper

anything else you like on your burger (lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup/mustard, etc...)

2 sweet potatoes

olive oil

seasonings (I used paprika, cumin, and chili powder)

Sweet Potato Fries Directions

These healthy version of fries are super simple to make. Preheat oven to 400*. Slice sweet potato into circles or wedges (either way works). Toss in bowl and mix with olive oil and seasonings. Throw onto a pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. That's it!

Cheesy Jalapeno Burgers Directions

1. Combine meat, jalapenos, and cream cheese into bowl. You can either mix the ingredients by kneading them together with your hands, or I used my KitchenAid Mixer on low (mostly because I haven't had a chance to use it yet and I was excited to!).

2. Form the meat mixture into patties (mine made 4 decent sized ones- you could probably get 6 out if it if you wanted to).

3. Toss them on the George Foreman grill (or outside grill or skillet on the stove- I used my GF today) for 4-5 minutes. Add pepperjack cheese and let melt and then remove from grill. Place them onto toasted kaiser rolls with whatever burger toppings you love, and enjoy! Yummmmmy!!

I promise it tasted better than it looks :)

with faith, love, & coffee,

kellie ann

♥

Oven Roasted Chicken, Redskin Potatoes, & Green Beans

I'm excited to share my first recipe with you guys!! Tonight's dinner was inspired by ingredients I had left over in my fridge at the end of my grocery shopping cycle, not wanting to get too fancy after a good workout, and of course my attempt at being healthy. It was quick, easy, and oh-so-delicious! Hope you like it ☺

Oven Roasted Chicken, Redskin Potatoes, & Green Beans

Prep Time: 20 minutes   Cooking Time: 60 minutes   Eating Time: Really fast (I was hungry...)

Ingredients

3 Chicken Breasts, cut in half

8-10 baby redskin potatoes, quartered

2 handfuls of green beans (very scientific measurements, I know)

2 cloves of garlic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Spices: I used Chipotle Chile, Mrs. Dash Chicken Grilling Blend & Garlic and Herb blend (both salt free!)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Prepare a 9'x13' pan with EVOO brushed along the bottom.

2. Wash, cut, and prepare green beans, potatoes, and chicken.

BE CAREFUL OF CROSS CONTAMINATION!!

I proudly sent my fiancee a picture of my prepared meal and his first comment was "I hope you don't get sick." So of course I panicked and did my research. As long as you prepare the vegetables separately from the raw chicken and DO NOT use the same cutting board or wash/bleach it very thoroughly during the prep process, your finished meal will be safe to eat, given you cooked it for the right amount of time.

3. Season the green beans and potatoes by mixing them in a bowl with EVOO & your choice of spices (see ingredients for the ones I used tonight).

4. Add all ingredients to your pan in 3 pretty rows as shown below :) Spice your chicken and add your minced garlic to the top of the entire pan.

5. Cover with tin foil and place in oven. Cook for one hour. Make sure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165*F (this is where you want to make sure that salmonella my fiancee warned me about doesn't happen). 

6.

Optional:

 If you like your veggies and chicken to be a little more browned/crispy on the top, remove the foil and keep the pan in the oven for an additional 7-8 minutes with the BROILER on. I did this and it turned out golden brown and great.

7. Smile at your pretty creation and dive in! Enjoy your delicious, easy, and healthy homemade meal. Share with your family, friends, or significant other if you're feeling generous ☺

Yummmmmy!!

Let me know if you decide to try this recipe and if you like it! Did you change anything? I'd love to hear your feedback!

with faith, love, & coffee,

kellie ann

♥