Monkey Bars

From Woman's Day magazine - Sept 2010

The Recipe

Preheat oven to 350°  F and line lasagna pan with non-stick silicone mat or parchment paper.

Whisk together
   1-3/4 c. mashed bananas (about 3 large)         3/4 c. t. brown sugar
   1/4 c. oil                 2 large eggs                   2 t. vanilla       
     1 t. salt                 1 t. cinnamon                     
Stir in
  1-3/4 c. whole wheat flour

Spread contents on pan and sprinkle with 
   1/4 c. carob or chocolate chips

Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and cool pan on racks, pull bars out by silicone mat or parchment paper and cut into strips. 

The Review

Lovely bars - bake very quickly which is great.

Pumpkin Bread

From kraftcanada.com

The Recipe

Preheat oven to 350°  F

Combine dry ingredients
   1-3/4 c. whole wheat flour                 2 t. pumpkin pie spice
   2 T. corn starch                                 1 t. baking soda
   1 T. baking powder                            1 T. dry milk powder
   1/8 t. baking soda               

Whisk together: 
  1/2 c. melted butter            1 t. vanilla
     1 c. sugar                        1-3/4 c. canned pumpkin
    
Add:  2  eggs 

Add flour mixture, stir till just moistened, pour into loaf pan, sprinkle with 1/4 c. of chocolate chips, carob chips, or nuts.

Bake 40 minutes, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for another 20 - 25 minutes.

The Review

Nice and moist - pumpkin flavor kind of milk - it might have been the squash I used. Doesn't crumble in lunchbox.

Pink Banana Squash Soup

My own creation

The Recipe

Saute the following on med-low heat:   
   1 large onion
   4 cloves of garlic
   2 T. olive oil

Add and saute for 5 - 10 min
6-8 c. cubed and peeled banana squash (about 1 foot) 
             
Transfer everything to heavy bottom pot and add
  7 large sage leaves
  1 bunch of parsley
  1 t. nutmeg
  1/2 t. cinnamon
  1/2 t. ginger
   5 c. water
   2 bullion cubes
   1 pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper
   1 pinch of pepper
   1 T. honey

Boil till squash is soft (20 - 30 min) and puree with stick blender.

The Review

Very nice and smooth, great with garlic bread.

Banana Crackers

From my husbands old recipe box - source unknown

The Recipe

Preheat oven to 350°  F

Combine dry ingredients
   2 c. whole wheat flour         1 t. salt
   1/8 t. baking soda               
Cut in
  6 T. cold butter
Mix the following
   1 large mashed banana    2  T. honey
   2 T. warm water 
Mix together to make dough. Roll 1/8" thick, cut into squares, prick with fork, and bake 20 minutes, turning once.

The Review

Delicious and slightly sweet, but great with cheese, peanut butter, or any other sweet or savory toppings. Great for graham cracker rust, or dipped in honey - last very long time in dry dark place.

Best Apple Pie Ever

From http://www.momswhothink.com/pie-recipes/apple-pie-recipe.html

 

The Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 425° F

Crust
2-1/2 c.  flour
1/2 t. salt
1 c. chilled butter
1/2 c. ice water

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and cut in the butter till crumbly. Stir in the ice water 1 T. at a time, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Roll dough out, then divide in half.
Flling: combine the following

8 c. sliced peeled apples
2 T. lemon juice
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg

Fill 9" pie plate, dot with butter, cover with crust and make slits in pie for vents. Seal pie edges with fork or spoon. Brush with egg and/or milk, sprinke with sugar and  bake at 425° F for 15 minutes  then turn oven down to 350° F for 40-45  minutes

The Review

Awesome - pulled out a hot pie out of the oven, cut into it and was a bit worried that it was abit runny BUT by the time the 3rd piece of pie was served, it was nice, thick, and perfect. The crust was amazing as well! Great recipe.

Roasted Beets 'n' Sweets

From a combination of various internet recipes on the subject

The Recipe

Preheat oven to 400°  F

Combine the following:
   6 beets (red, pink, yellow etc) cubed
   2 T. olive oil
   sprinkle of salt

Put on lasagna pan and bake 15 min 

Combine the following and mix well
  3 yams (cubed)       1 large onion chopped
  1 t. salt                  1 t. pepper
  2 T. brown sugar    3 garlic cloves crushed
  2 T. olive oil

Add to beets once their 15 minutes is up and mix well. Put in oven and bake for 45 - 60 minutes stirring every 15 min. for even baking.

The Review

Delicious, love the sweetness of the beets and yams. I think this would work if you added rosemary and regular potatoes into the mix. Great colors but not a stand alone dish - needs a side.

Zucchini Bread

From More-With-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre p.82

The Recipe

Makes 2 loaves

Preheat oven to 350°  F

Combine and beat well
   3  large eggs            3/4 c. sugar
   1 c. oil                     2+ c. grated zucchini
   1T. vanilla extract

Sift Together
   3 c.  whole wheat flour     1 t.  salt
   1 t.  baking soda               1 t. baking powder
   3t. cinnamon
   1 c.  flour

Add wet to dry, stir well until blended

Add
   1c. of any of the following: raisins, carob chips, chocolate chips, nuts

Pour into 2 8" bread pans, bake 1 hour.

The Review

Great tasting and easier than most other recipes. Good crumb and doesn't collapse after baking like my other zucchini breads do sometimes.

English Muffins

From More-With-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre p.67

The Recipe

Makes 18 Muffins

Heat till warm                                 In a large bowl mix
    1-1/2 c.  milk                                    2 T.  sugar
    1/4 c.  butter                                   1 t.  salt
                                                             1 pkg.   yeast
                                                            1-1/2 c. whole wheat flour

Gradually beat in liquid to dry ingredients. Increase speed and beat 2 min. 

Beat in
   1  egg
   1 c.  flour

With a dough hook or spoon add 
    2+ c. flour till you get a stiff dough

Knead 2 min. Shape into ball, put in greased bowl and cover. Let stand for 1.5h 
Punch down, turn on floured surface, cover with bowl and wait 15 min.
Put cornmeal in pie plate.
Roll dough 3/8" thick and cut into 3" circles. Dip both sides in cormneal, cover and let rise 45 min. 

Brush skillet with oil and heat, cook 8 min on med-hot for each side or till brown. 

The Review

Need to add gluten to the whole wheat flour - a bit too crumbly. I do you some coarse stone ground whole wheat flour. Other than that - much easier to make than I thought.