Chocolate Banana Bread

by Irene Lindvall

It's Tuesday and I'm back to baking. I had some ripe bananas on the counter which is the main reason why I chose this recipe today. The second reason I chose it was because one of the main ingredients was prunes. Sound gross? I know, I thought so too. In fact, it smelled a little funny after I blended them and also after I took the loaf out of the oven. It tasted even more strange than I could've imagined. I had a tough time swallowing it. It really didn't seem right. I think the recipe should be called "Prune Banana Bread w/a Hint of Chocolate Chip" - it would've been more fitting. Needless to say, the bread did not make it to bowling.

Things I learned from this recipe:

I think I could make this for a retirement community. 

Would I make this recipe again?:

Probably not.

The recipe

Spicy Soba Noodles w/Shrimp

by Irene Lindvall

I've have not been doing well on the cooking front this weekend. I totally goofed yesterday with the Seahawks game and dinner plans, but I did manage a dinner tonight. I'm glad I chose this dish to get back in the swing of things because it was super fast. The instructions said 25 minutes, but it really felt like 15 minutes. While the water was boiling I cleaned the shrimp and while the shrimp were cooking I cleaned and cut the veggies. The spicy sauce was delicious - so much so that Eric asked if it was made from scratch. Indeed it was! I liked this dish because it really made me feel like I was eating my favorite summer noodle dish except heated up and perfect for the winter. Not pictured: shredded carrots and red bell peppers I added for more color and extra vegetables. 

Things I learned from this recipe:

8oz of soba for two people is WAY too much.

Would I make this recipe again?:

Yes

The recipe

Broccoli Delight Salad

by Irene Lindvall

I keep saying I'm not in the market for new recipes, but new recipes still seem to find me. In this instance, I'm not at all upset about it. At bowling on Tuesday some of the gals were asking me what I cooked for Thanksgiving and in telling them about my fantastic brussels sprout salads, one friend told me about her broccoli salad. Albertson's grocery store near my home has a broccoli salad that I love, mostly because it doesn't have bacon in it. This recipe calls for pork bacon, but I used my uncured turkey bacon that crisps up nicely and it was perfect.

I made it in the morning and was going to cook the bacon in the evening and serve it with dinner, but I now can't remember what happened and we didn't end up eating it until Saturday. I actually didn't cook the bacon until Saturday...so really it was a two part recipe (that's what I'm telling myself). Even though I didn't get it eaten on the day I planned, I did actually follow the directions ("The flavor is much better when it is made the day before") and I must say, this salad is perfect. It is the exact taste I was hoping for and tastes identical to the grocery store version except a little less dressing which is perfect for me. 

Things I learned from this recipe:

To save time, I used shredded broccoli and carrots from Trader Joe's as well as their bagged broccoli florets.

Would I make this recipe again?:

The recipe:

Salad

1 Bunch               Broccoli florets

1 C                       Raisins

¼ C                      Red Onion, diced fine                        

10 - 12 Strips       Bacon, fried crisp & crumbled

2 Ounces             Sunflower seeds, or to taste

Dressing

6 Tblsp.            Sugar

1 Tblsp.             Seasoned Rice Vinegar  (Regular vinegar can be used, but Seasoned is best.)

½ C                   Mayonnaise  

Fry bacon crisp and cool. Crumble bacon & set aside.

Mix all the dressing ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.

Cut up broccoli into small florets. 

Mix all the other ingredients together except the bacon. Pour the dressing on top and mix again.

Make it the day before & add the bacon just before serving (The flavor is much better when it is made the day before).

Chicken Bites w/Tomato Mint Salsa

by Irene Lindvall

I made this appetizer as a small dinner tonight before we went to the movies. All of flavors were great, but I can see why it is meant to be an appetizer. By the end of the plate I was over it and wanted to eat something else. That said, I would totally serve this as an appetizer for anyone. An added bonus to making this was having leftover salsa. I plan to make quesadillas for lunch tomorrow.

Things I learned from this recipe:

This salsa was very similar to the one we made this summer on the grill. In a pinch, it's nice to know I can just pop all the ingredients in the oven and get the same great taste that the grill produced. 

Would I make this recipe again?:

Yes

The recipe

Sweet Potato Salad

by Irene Lindvall

I'm in sweet potato heaven! And Eric is wishing it wasn't fall, I'm sure. In addition to the twice-baked sweet potatoes I made this salad. In addition to it being another sweet potato dish, it also has red bell peppers and Dijon mustard both of which Eric hates. Poor guy. He was nice enough to have a bite and say that he can see why the recipe called for the peppers. I thought all of the flavors were genius. The sweet potato plus bacon was a no brainer, but the addition of the bell pepper plus the green onion was simple yet perfect. The sweetness of the bell pepper plus the dressing was great. I'm happy Eric didn't want to eat it because that just means leftovers for tomorrow. 

Things I learned from this recipe:

Simple great flavors still win every time.

Would I make this recipe again?:

Sure

The recipe - Another great one from my favorite magazine.