Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 stick butter, melted and cooled
3 ripe bananas, mashed well
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Stir the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.  Carefully fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.  Mix in the chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased loaf ban. 
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 55 minutes until the bread the riens and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Cool and wrap in plastic wrap and foil or ziploc freezer bag.

Store in fridge or freezer.

Source:  www.moneysavingmom.com

Submitted by:  Caroline G.

Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Breasts for Freezing

Ingredients:

6-12 chicken breasts
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Place the chicken breasts in the crock pot. 
Mix water and spices together and pour over the chicken.
Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours.
Remove the chicken breasts, shred or pull the meat from bones (if you bone in) and remove the skin.
Place meat in individual freezer bags/containers.
Freeze.
Defrost and add to any recipes calling for cooked chicken.

This is great for casseroles, pizza, burritos, pasta, and soup etc.

Submitted by:  Caroline G.

Source:  www.food.com

Sausage Balls

These are easy and tasty. A great make ahead  party appetizer or to serve guests".


1 pound of bulk pork sausage (you can use any flavor or heat).
2 cups of Bisquick or a homemade substitute
3 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese


*I added a bit of Worcestershire Sauce to my mixture, however, this is not in the original recipe


Mix all ingredients together using your hands. I would suggest combining the sausage and the Bisquick first and adding the cheese last. You may have to work at it to get everything incorporated, but it will come together.
Roll about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture in a ball. Repeat until done.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.


Freezer instructions: Roll into balls and flash freeze on wax paper on a cookie tray. When the sausage balls have hardened move to freezer bags. Thaw in your fridge and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.


Submitted by:  Caroline G.

Peanut Butter Bon-Bons

Peanut Butter Bon-Bons

Makes 4-5 dozen (or more, if you like them smaller)
Ingredients:

• 2 cups peanut butter
• ½ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups crispy rice cereal
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 12oz semi-sweet chocolate chips*
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

* This amount of chocolate is just enough to cover each ball. If you coat them very thick, you will need more chocolate than this.

Directions:

Melt peanut butter and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in vanilla. Add rice cereal and powdered sugar and mix well (it might seem a little dry at first but will start holding together the more you mix. I usually finish up the mixing using my hands).
Form into 1-inch balls, firmly packed. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm (at least 30 minutes).
In a saucepan (or the top of a double broiler), melt the chocolate chips and oil together over very low heat, stirring often.** Using a toothpick, dip each peanut butter ball in the chocolate and place on wax-paper lined cookie sheets (I go back later and smooth out the toothpick hole on the top of each bon-bon). Chill until firm.
**You want the chocolate to stay in a nice, warm “liquid-y” state during all the dipping. I don’t have a double broiler, so I usually take the saucepan on and off of the very low heat several times during the process. You can also add a little more oil if you need to.

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Ingredients: • 1/2 cup Hungry Jack® Instant Mashed Potato Flakes • 1/4 cup water • 1 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter • 1 tablespoon butter, melted • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips • 1 tablespoon Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening Preparation Directions: 1. COMBINE potato flakes and water in large bowl. Allow to stand 2 minutes or until potato flakes are fully hydrated. 2. BEAT in peanut butter, butter and almond extract with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth. Make 36 1-inch balls using 2 teaspoonfuls of mixture for each ball. 3. MELT chocolate chips and shortening in medium bowl. Dip peanut butter balls partially into chocolate, keeping the top uncovered. Chill until chocolate has hardened. Yield: 3 dozen Prep Time: 45 min Source: Hungry Jack

Brownie Mix

This looks like a great solution to making inexpensive brownies:

http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.it/2012/04/fake-betty-crocker-brownie-mix.html

PEANUT BUTTER PRETZEL BITES

Yield 60 – 80 pretzel bites

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used natural and it worked wonderfully well)
2 tbsp softened butter (I used unsalted)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
Pretzels
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine peanut butter and softened butter in a large bowl with a fork. Add the sugars and mix to combine. At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go. If not, add a little more of each sugar until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll.

Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling. Roll each portion into a small ball, then sandwich them between two whole pretzels (you could use mini pretzels in squares or shaped).

When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.

Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until completely melted.

Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate. Return to the tray and repeat with remaining sandwiches.

When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely.

Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time. I store in airtight container in fridge for up to a week.

Submitted by:  Caroline G.

Source:  www.twotinykitchens.com