Banana Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ cup shortening (or butter)
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1 egg
• 1¾ cups quick oats

FROSTING

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

COOKIES

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Sift dry ingredients together
3. Once dry ingredients are sifted, cut in shortening (or butter).
4. After shortening (or butter) is completely cut in, add bananas, egg, and oats and blend together well.
5. Spoon drops onto cookie sheet and bake at 400 F for 8-10 minutes

FROSTING

1. Cream butter. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. You can add more milk or powdered sugar to get it to the consistency you want it.

NOTES

Note: this is a lot softer than normal cookie dough and will not form balls, hence spoon "drops"

Found here! 

Five cheese Spinach and Artichoke dip

1 jar (12 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers

1 jar (6-1/2 ounces) marinated quartered artichoke hearts

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese

2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened and cubed

1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese

1/3 cup minced fresh basil

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

1. Drain peppers, reserving 1 tablespoon liquid; chop peppers. Drain artichokes, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid; coarsely chop artichokes.
2. In a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray, combine spinach, cheeses, basil, onion, mayonnaise, garlic, artichoke hearts and peppers. Stir in reserved pepper and artichoke liquids. Cook, covered, on high 2 hours.
3. Stir dip; cook, covered, 30-60 minutes longer. Stir before serving; serve with crackers. Yield: 16 servings (1/4 cup each).

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/five-cheese-spinach---artichoke-dip#ixzz3Cpjv8htX

Assorted crackers

Nutella Pastrys

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups Nutella
• 1/4 cup water

How to Make

1. In a large bowl cream together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour to mixture until combined.
2. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Refrigerate in a zip-top bag for at least an hour, until dough is no longer sticky.
3. When dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°.
4. Lightly sprinkle counter with flour. Roll out one portion of dough into 10"x7" rectangle. Trim edges if necessary. Cut dough into 2 1/2" squares. Place a heaping teaspoon amount of Nutella in the center of each square. Moisten edges of dough with water, fold over diagonally and then pinch closed.
5. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a SilPat. Place pastries on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden.
6. Transfer to wire rack when done and continue cooling.
7. **If desired drizzle you can drizzle the pastry cookies with some extra Nutella...heat 1/4 cup Nutella in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, add in about 1/4 -1/2 tsp vegetable oil and stir to thin. Lightly drizzle the Nutella on top of the pastries.

Read more: http://cookiesandcups.com/nutella-pastry-cookies/#ixzz3CN9a8RLw

Banana Bread Bars/ Or Banana Cake

Ingredients:
1-1/2 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. milk

1. Heat oven to 375F. Grease and flour
15x10-inch jelly roll pan. For the bars, in
a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour
cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.
Blend in bananas and vanilla extract. Add
flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1
minute. Stir in walnuts.

2. Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake 20
to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in
a large saucepan over medium heat until
boiling. Let the butter turn a delicate
brown and remove from heat

4. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract
and milk. Whisk together until smooth (it
should be thicker than a glaze but thinner
than frosting). Using a spatula, spread
the brown butter frosting over the warm
bars (the frosting will be easier to spread
while the bars are still warm).

Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Ingredients
1 small onion, grated
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 large egg
2 tablespoons marinara sauce (I use Victoria's) plus 1/3 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package of ground beef (1.5-2lbs)
16 cubed pieces of smoked mozzarella cheese (1/2 inch cubes)
Position the oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the onion, parsley, parm cheese, bread crumbs, egg, marinara, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Once mixed, add in the beef, mixing with your hands. Shape the meat mixture into 16 meatballs. Make a hole in the center of each meatball and place a cube of mozzarella inside. Reform the meatball so the cheese is completely concealed.
Spoon 1/3 cup extra marinara in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the meatballs inside and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through.

Cheesecake Pumpkin pie

Cheesecake Pumpkin Pie 
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 
1/2 cup white sugar 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
2 eggs 1 (9 inch) graham cracker crust or regular pie crust 
1/2 cup pumpkin puree 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1 pinch ground cloves 
1 pinch ground nutmeg 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Creamed Potato Pea soup

 
2 lbs red potatoes, boiled
 ¼ cup butter 
3 Tbsp. flour 
 1 ½ tsp. salt 
 ¼ tsp. pepper 
 1 ½ cups milk 
 1 cup evaporated milk 
10 oz. frozen peas 
 ½ cup onion, diced 
 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cut potatoes in half and place on greased baking pan. Sprinkle peas over potatoes. In saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk, stirring constantly until right consistency. Pour sauce over vegetables. Top with bacon and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.