Weekly Menu

It’s another wonderful week!  I do love putting together a weekly menu.  Looking at recipes is certainly one of my favorite things to do. 

This past weekend I did a lot of cooking and loved it.  Really no meal was bad this past weekend.  My two favorites were  Potato Bacon Breakfast Taco and Thai Chicken Chopped Salad.  I think these two will will be repeated.  Repeating a recipe is very rare for me.  There are just way to many yummy recipes to try.  

Here is a look at this week’s menu

Monday Mediterranean Kale Salad

Tuesday Pasta with Tuna (use broccoli)

Wednesday Beet and Cabbage Borscht and Kale and Goat Cheese salad

Thursday Spicy Sriracha Chicken Quinoa Bowl and Chinese Restaurant style Green Beans

Friday baseball game!

Dessert for the week Red, White and Blue Berry Parfaits

Banana Nut Muffins (eggless)

Yesterday morning I wanted to make muffins.  After thinking about it for a couple of minutes I decided to make this Sour Cream Banana Muffin recipe.  I felt the recipe was too large and could use a few other changes.  Here is my version.

Banana Nut Muffin

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 ripe banana

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup white wheat flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Heat oven to 350ºF

Mix together the butter and sugar for about 4-5 minutes, until pale yellow in color.  Add in the banana and mix until banana is well blended in.  Mix in sour cream and vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add dry ingredients into the wet ones, mix together gently.  Mix in the walnuts.  Spoon into muffin pan.  I made 8 muffins with this recipe.

Bake for 21–25 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes in pan and then remove and enjoy.

 

Chocolate Pudding

This summer I am trying not to eat ice cream.  I can’t go completely without ice cream this summer but I will definitely eat less of it.  I do love it.  I have a smoothie that has been a go to any time I want some ice cream.  Here is the recipe to this wonderful smoothie.  Strawberry Chocolate Milkshake.  

Now onto the pudding recipe.  Usually I do not like pudding.  Any pudding from a box or pre-made is certainly not for me.   I am beginning to love making pudding.  I looked over a few recipes before creating this version.

Chocolate Pudding

serves 8 or 4 if you love pudding

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups milk plus 1/4 cup milk

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract

In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.  Whisk this together to blend.  Add 1/4 cup milk (I used whole milk but really I think any milk will work), whisk until smooth.  You need to blend the cornstarch well or lumps will form.  Mix in the rest of the milk and heat over medium heat.  Whisk often, after about 8 minutes the mixture will be thick.  Then add in the dark chocolate.  Cook another 4 minutes, mixing the whole time with a rubber spatula.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract and chocolate extract.  Strain into a medium bowl (with a spout is certainly nice).  Pour into serving bowls and chill for 2 hours.