Chocolate Chip Sour Creme Muffins

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Instructions
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Line one cupcake pan with liners, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4.  In another large bowl, combine the egg, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla extract, mixing well.
5.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
6. Gently add in the chocolate chips until thoroughly combined.
7. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared cupcake liners (I use a large ice cream scoop for this) so that the liners are about 3/4-full.
8.  Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 14-18 minutes.

Recipe from The Curvy Carrot

Quinoa and Black Beans

Pronounced (Keen-wah)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained ( only used 1 because I forgot to buy 2)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Quinoa is one of my new FAVORITE things!!! YUM! I have been researching "eating clean" and have discovered how fantastic this stuff is for you! So I thought I would give it a try...SO glad I did! It was FANTASTIC!!! There are so many different recipes out there for using "quinoa" I can't wait to try more! Just google this little gem and do some research on just how great this little grain is for you!! This can be served as a side dish OR as the main dish with a salad. It is extremely high in protein and could replace your meat in your meal. The dish can also be served warm OR cold!!! I'm in LOVE!!!! :)

Recipe from : Allrecipes.com

Carrot Cake W/Creme Cheese Frosting

Cake Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 cup raisins

Creme Cheese Frosting Ingredients

4 cups powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract


Cake Preparation

Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.

Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made one day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)

Frosting Preparation

Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

Place one cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared two days ahead; cover with cake dome and refrigerate.)

Serve cake cold or at room temperature.

**This cake was AWESOME!!!! But next time I bake it, I will OMIT the raisins....just NOT my thing:)
**I only did two layers on the cake and did the rest as cupcakes (omitting nuts) for Caleb and his nut allergy :(

Recipe from the Epicurious.com (featured on the Today Show)

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

2 bags vanilla wafers (I recommend Jackson's)
6-8 bananas, sliced (I used 6 large)
2 cups milk
2 (3.4oz) boxes of French vanilla instant pudding
1 (8 ounce)package of cream cheese, softened
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12oz) container Cool Whip

Directions:

1. Line the bottom of 9X13 dish with vanilla wafers and layer bananas on top.
2. In the bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a mixer.
3. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth.
4. Fold in Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture.
5. Add the cream mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.
6. Pour the mixture over the wafers and bananas and cover with the remaining vanilla wafers.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve. **Overnight is the best!!! It gives the pudding time to set!**

Recipe is from a SWEET friend Lisa Greene! This stuff is AMAZING!!!!!

Grilled Kabob Marinade

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 teaspoons honey
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 teaspoon pepper
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

In a small bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, thyme, red pepper flakes, pepper and salt if desired. Cut chicken into 2in cubes; weave on skewers. Place in an 9X13 glass baking dish. Pour marinade over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Drain, discarding marinade. Place skewers on grill over medium-low coals. Grill, turning for 12 minutes or until juices run clear.

**If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 min prior to placing the chicken on them.
**I also marinated and placed fresh veggies on mine! SO GOOD!!!! I served them over brown rice and with a spinach salad!

Recipe from: allrecipes.com

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

2(6.2-ounce) packages of long-grain and wild rice mix
2(6-ounce) jars of marinated artichoke quarters, undrained
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
optional ingredients: 2 celery ribs, chopped
1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced ripe olives drained
1/2 cup colby jack cheese.

Cook rice mix according to package directions.
Drain artichoke quarters, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Stir together rice, artichoke, chicken, chopped bell pepper, onions, and walnut. Stir together artichoke liquid, mayonnaise, and curry powder: toss with rice mixture. Bake uncovered 25 minutes on 350. Remove from oven and add 1/2 cup grated colby jack cheese and cook 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.

**Recipe from a sweet friend, Kendal Tashee**

Burgundy Pork Tenderloin

2-3 pounds pork tenderloin
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoons Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
1 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
3 cups red wine (1 bottle)
1 1/2 (.75 ounce) packets dry brown gravy mix

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Pour wine and gravy mix into the bottom of a large baking dish. Add sliced onion and garlic.
Place pork in the baking dish, and sprinkle meat with salt, pepper and herbs.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
When done baking, remove meat from baking dish, slice and place on a serving platter. Pour gravy over the sliced pork tenderloin.

**Recipe from my sweet friend, Amanda Harris**