Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt (can substitute 1/2 cup milk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yields about 1 dozen.

Popovers

3 large eggs
1 cup milk
3 tbsp. melted margarine or butter
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Grease each cup and lightly dust with flour, sugar or parmesan cheese. Have all ingredients at room temperature. With mixer, beat eggs, add milk and melted butter, slowly blend in flour and salt. Fill each popover cup 3/4 full. Bake approximately 50 minutes. Remove and serve immediately. For a drier popover, prick top of popover the last five minutes of baking. Serve with jam, butter and cinnamon sugar or eat it plain.

Pancakes

1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1 tbsp. melted shortening or vegetable oil
2 tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 cups sifted flour

Mix with whisk not an electric mixer. Do not over-mix. Batter will be lumpy. Makes 8 pancakes.

Crepes

1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp. melted margarine or butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sifted flour

Combine ingredients in order listed. Mix until smooth. pour 2 tbsp. batter onto hot, greased 6 inch fry pan. tilt and rotate pan quickly to spread batter evenly over bottom of pan. Cook until top is set and underside lightly browned; turn and brown second side. Makes 16 thin pancakes. Serve with butter and cinnamon sugar, fruit or syrup.

Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup liquid shortening (vegetable oil)
1 egg - beaten
1/2 cup milk

Mix the dry ingredients with a fork. Mix the wet ingredients with a fork. Gently add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until almost mixed. Add the blueberries which have been rinsed and drained in a large strainer. Finish mixing but do not over-mix. Fill greased muffin cups 1/2 to 2/3 full or put in cupcake papers. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Yields about a dozen muffins.

Orange Glazed Banana Bread

1 egg
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 large bananas mashed or 4 1/2 small
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Beat egg slightly. Add sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Blend bananas and add to egg mixture. Sift together flour, soda and salt and add to mixture, mixing only until just mixed. Do not over-mix! Add nuts. Bake at 350 degrees in greased loaf pan (4 1/2" x 9" x 5") for 45 minutes or until inserted wooded toothpick comes out clean. Cool and remove from pan. Drizzle with orange glaze when cooled. Makes 6-8 servings.

Orange glaze:
2 tsp. butter or margarine - melted
powdered sugar
orange juice

Mix together melted butter and orange juice. Then add powdered sugar gradually until desired thickness is achieved.

Michelle's notes:

I have found that my banana breads usually get really brown before the middle is done, so I watch for my desired top color and then smack a piece of foil on top and then bake until bread is done. Can also use for making muffins. Do not substitute chocolate chips in here. Use my other banana bread recipe.

Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pancake

Courtesy of www.thepioneerwoman.com

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk
2 large eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons butter

Extra butter
Maple or Pancake syrup

Mix together dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix together milk, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring very gently until just combined.
Melt butter and add it to the batter, stirring gently to combine.
Cook on a greased skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown. Serve with an obscene amount of butter and warm syrup.

Michelle's notes: Also fantastic with fresh blueberries.

Cheddar and Bacon Quiche

4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 9 in. refrigerated pie crust (or frozen pie crust, thawed)

optional:
1 cup fresh baby spinach chopped
handful of chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the eggs, half and half, salt and pepper in a food processor (I whisked it really well by hand). Layer the bacon and cheese (and spinach and green onions) in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Do not bake it on a cookie sheet.

Chocolate - Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cocoa, sifted if lumpy
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all-purpose flour, chocolate chips, sugar, cocoa,salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Create a well in the center.

Beat egg in a small bowl. Add milk, cooking oil, and vanilla. Stir and pour into well. Stir until just moistened.

Grease 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Fill cups 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes until tops are firm.