Mad Over Bananas

I don't get mad over - over ripped bananas. I get baking.

Banana Bread is one of my favorites. I'm the luckiest girl ever when I make BB because J and T don't share the same feelings. More for me!

Oh so Good (for you) Banana Bread Muffins

4 mashed overripe bananas

2 cups whole wheat white flour

1/8 cup honey

1 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degree. 

Mix all ingredients until combined.

Line cupcake pan with liners (optional). Sray liners with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake for 25 minutes.

These not only taste outstanding, they are good for you too.

The Many Faces of T-day Leftovers

For the last five days I've had at least one meal a day that contained turkey. Thanksgiving I had a wonderful dinner at Michelle's. Then the day after Thanksgiving I cooked a Thanksgiving meal (the reason why). For the remaining three days I've come up with these meals out of the leftovers. I'm happy to report there is not a piece of leftover Turkey or it's side kicks in my fridge. Mission complete.

The Classic Turkey Cranberry Sandwich 

Biscuit

Cranberry Sauce

Mayo

Turkey

Easy Turkey Pot Pie

To make this I chopped up half a small onion. In medium sauce pan I added the onion with a small amount of olive oil. Over medium heat cook until soft. I added half a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. Add 1 cup of milk. In a microwave safe dish melt 1/2 a tbsp of butter. Stir in 1 tsp of corn starch to melted butter. Add butter and corn starch mixture to vegetable pot. Stir until it thickens. I then added my leftover carrots and cut up cooked turkey. Transfer to a baking dish. I then took 3 Pillsbury biscuits and cut them in half. Flattening each one out and place them on top of the mixture. 

I cooked this in a preheated 350 degree oven for 14 minutes.

Turkey Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Lettuce and Turkey - I love simple.

Cranberry Dressing

1/2 cup cranberry sauce

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

salt to taste

Turkey Shepherd's Pie

For this I sauteed some onions in a pan with some olive oil. I added the last of the turkey (chopped) and gravy. I then added some frozen vegetables (corn, green beans and carrots. In a separate pan I reheated the mashed potatoes with a little milk. I also had a little stuffing left over so I just added that to me potatoes. In a baking dish I added the turkey/vegetable mixture. Then I topped that with the mashed potatoes. In a preheated 350 degree I baked this for about 15 minutes.

Can you say easy?

I'm am officially done with turkey. I do not want to see, taste or hear another turkey for a very long time.  

Sunday Bakeday

T has been asking bugging me all week to bake her some cookies. Today was her lucky day.

These little puppies are out of this world yums. I came across these while searching  for a chocolate chip and peanut butter cookie recipe. I scored because not only did I find this recipe I found a new blog to follow. Great looking recipes and a fun read. 

Source: Peas and Thank You - I've made a couple modifications (in bold).

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Balls

1/2 cup of margarine

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup powder sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp of salt

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

3/4 cup chocolate chips

In a mixer mix the first five ingredients.

In a separate bowl combine the following four dry ingredients. 

Add the dry ingredients a little at a time to the mixture.

Mix until dough forms.

Add chocolate chips. Mix until combined.

Mama P says to chill for 30 minutes. I didn't and they worked just fine.

I scooped the dough using a 1/8 cup measuring cup. 

Place onto a cookie sheet.

I baked these in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.

Turkey Dinner Part II

The Menu

Turkey

Creamed Corn

Stuffing (I won't be stuffing the bird. I just don't like calling it dressing. That's for the salad)

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Pineapple Cranberry Sauce

Candied Carrots

Dinner Rolls

And for dessert... 

Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream

The Bird

1 cube of butter, 1 tbsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and Pepper. 

I slathered the butter mixture on the turkey.

I then placed 6 slices of bacon over the turkey.

This 12-pound turkey is cooked in a preheated 350 degree oven for 4 hours. I kept the bird uncovered for the first hour. For the remaining three I covered it with foil. 

Creamed Corn

1 12oz bags of Frozen Corn 

1 cups of cream 

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

2 tsp of cornstarch

1/4 cup of sugar

salt to taste

Add the corn and cream to a pot. Cook over medium heat.

Melt the butter and add the cornstarch. Add to pot.

Cook until until corn thickens. Add the sugar. Cook over low heat for a couple minutes.

I also make a healthier version. 

1 12oz bags of frozen corn 

1 cup of cream soy milk

1/2 stick 1 tbsp of unsalted butter earth balance margarine

2 1 tsp of cornstarch

1/4 cup of sugar agave syrup or honey

salt to taste

For the Stuffing, I cheated a little. Thanks for your help, Mrs. Cubbison!

I just followed the directions on the box.

Mashed Potatoes

Lots of Cream and Butter

Gravy

Remove the turkey from the roasting pan. Using two burners (if needed) on low heat. Deglaze your pan by adding a couple cups of chicken broth. When you are done scrapping all the goodness. Add some onion to flavor the sauce. Cook for 10 minutes.

Strain the gravy into a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat. While whisking add a couple tablespoons of cornstarch (more if needed). Continue whisking until the gravy is thickened.

Pineapple Cranberry Sauce

12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries

1/2 cup of pineapples (I use Trader Joe's frozen pineapples)

1/4 cup of Chardonnay

3/4 cup of orange juice

3/4 cup of sugar

Rinse cranberries.

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan.

Cook to boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl and let the sauce cool completely to room temperature. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Candied Carrots

I made a small amount because Jason and Taylor aren't big carrot eaters. I didn't want to waste it. This makes four small servings.

4 large carrots - cut into large slices

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch of pepper

Salted water - enough to cover carrots.

Cook carrots for about 10 minutes. You don't want to overcook the carrots. 

No mushy carrots are allowed. Drain the water. Reduce the heat to low. Add the butter, brown sugar and pepper. Cook until the sugar is bubbly, about 3 minutes or so.

Pumpkin Pie - Yep I got a little help with this one too.

Drum Roll Please...

It's Back On

So it looks like Thanksgiving is back on.  Brits feeling better. MGQ said she may be feeling better now all the cleaning is done. Ahh, a girl after my own heart. As soon as I got back from shopping for all the fixings I received the message. Lovely, I know. Looks like we will be having two Thanksgiving feasts. Just what my waist needs. I am not complaining. I take back the cleaning comment. Just kidding... I will help if I have to.

Lunch

I finally used up all the leftover chicken. YAY!

Chicken Salad Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread

Kept the Chicken salad simple. Since the chicken was already seasoned I all had to do was add a little mayo, some chopped onion and a little salt and pepper.

Don't Have a Choice

So I was planning on having a nice relaxed Thanksgiving at my friend's place. And by relaxed I mean no cooking, a glass or two or three of wine, plenty of socializing... OK I would have helped with the dishes. But my plans have changed. Her poor daughter has come down with the stomach flu. Since she doesn't want everyone going home with big bellies and the bug she has cancelled Thanksgiving. 

Even though I'm feeling a little better, I'm still not 100%. And I sure don't need to catch the flu. So thanks M for thinking of us. So now I need to figure out what I'll be making on my new unrelaxed Thanksgiving. Since it's only three of us I can keep it small (nice!). I think I'll just do the traditional meal.  Keep it simple with plenty of wine (did I say that?). Now I just need to get the energy to go shopping for the menu. Sick or not I don't have a choice.

Breakfast

I woke up craving Eggs and Toast. I added a couple clementines for the vitamin C.

What Setback?

No workout for me. Just not feeling well at all. I have the worst ear ache that is causing a horrible headache. I'm not going to let this little setback keep me from finishing what I started and making my final goal. In the past (before the weight loss a couple years ago) I would have setbacks and just give up. Not anymore. I'm ready for this. I'm going to get sick. I'm going to have a day here or there I don't feel like exercising or I might want to indulge in a not so healthy for me piece a cake. Just because I'm on pause doesn't mean I can't press play again.

This is going to be a little hard with the holidays coming up. I know I'll indulge Thanksgiving day and Christmas day. I have a couple holiday party invites already so I'll probably indulge a little at those. And you know what, that's OK. I'll be really good in between and after the holidays. Well until my birthday a couple weeks later. Then I'll be really good 

Dinner

I had leftover chicken from our dinner a couple nights ago so I wanted to use that up. I had planned to make corn chowder this week so I decided on Chicken Corn Chowder for dinner. I made this up as I went. I wanted to make it as healthy as I could. Instead of cream I used potato and soy milk to chowder it up.

Healthy Chicken Corn Chowder

Ingredients

1 small onion chopped small pieces

1 celery chopped small pieces

1 carrot chopped small pieces

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 potato diced

3 cups of chicken stock - low sodium

1 14 oz. bag of frozen corn 

1 large chicken breast diced

1/4 cup soy milk

1/4 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

- In a tall pot heat olive oil and add the onion, celery and carrot over medium high heat. Cook until onions and celery are soft and translucent.

- Add chicken stock and potato. Lower heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes

- Add half the bag on corn and cook for 1 minute.

- With a hand blender (if you don't have one you can transfer to a blender) and blend until fully blended. If not using a hand blender transfer back to pot.

- Add the remaining corn, chicken, soy milk and garlic powder. Cook over medium low heat for 5 minutes.

- Add salt and pepper to taste. 

This was really easy and really good. I will for sure make this again. I think I'll add more corn next time. I love corn.

Here's to feeling better tomorrow so I can get back on track. I would like to get in one really good gym workout before Thursday.