Black Bottom Banana Bars

A fantastic combination of banana bread and chocolate.  Who can beat that?  I have found that the easiest way to mash the bananas is with the beaters as I put them in.  I used to do it with a fork before hand, but I am a lazy cook!   Use the extremely ripe-black on the outside bananas as they give the best flavor.  Another trick is to put the bananas you don't want to throw out into the freezer and defrost them just before using.  Frozen bananas are a great treat anyway, we used them as popcicles growing up.  The easiest way I have found is to take a gallon size zip lock bag, peel the banana and put it in, you can keep adding to it as you have the stray banana that is overripe.  Then make banana bars to your heart's content!   Makes 12


Black Bottom Banana Bars

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups mashed bananas, about 3 medium
1-1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c cocoa

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly combined.  Blend in the bananas.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Divide batter in half.  Add cocoa to one half and spread into a greased 9/13 pan.  Spoon remaining batter on top and swirl with a knife.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until the bars test done.

Texas Cake

OOOOOH Yummy! And fast too!  This cake is probably what made my husband fall in love with me.  If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.  I think it is also why I gained at least 20 lbs in the first year of our marriage.  Texas cake is a chocolate lovers dream.  Fudgy frosting, soft cake--the ultimate in comfort food.  Perhaps that is why I have not made it that often since I have been eating healthier.  Everything in moderation though so don't make this weekly like I did when I first was married.  But have it every once in a while and enjoy the decadent chocolate goodness!

Texas Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 Tbsp cocoa  (I use heaping Tablespoons)
1 cup water
2 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp soda

In a microwaveable bowl combine butter, cocoa, and water.  Heat in microwave until butter is mostly melted.  Stir and then bring to a boil.  (Be careful not to burn it!) Mix with beaters and slowly add sugar and flour.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.   Pour into a well greased 11x17 inch cookie sheet with sides.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Frost while still warm.

Icing for Texas Cake:

1 stick butter
4 Tbsp cocoa (heaping never hurts here either)
1/3 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Bring butter, cocoa, and milk to a boil.  Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.  Spread over warm cake.  Makes 24 servings.

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Mom's Chicken Fajitas

Ohhhh, so good!  These are the best fajitas!  What really makes them the best is the southwest seasoning we use from Penzey's spices.  They are good with chili powder but the Southwest seasoning makes them that much better!  We have cooked these on the smoker, bbq, and under the broiler.  The bbq by far makes them the most tasty but all versions are good!  We usually make extra and have the chicken on pizza in salad or anything else you can imagine.

3 lbs.  boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Marinade:

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup lime and or lemon juice.  Lime works the best
2 tsp sugar
4 tsp oregano
4 tsp chili powder (or southwest seasoning)
4 cloves chopped garlic (2 tsp garlic powder)
1-2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Mix oil, lime juice and spices together for marinade.  Put chicken in a gallon zip-lock bag.  Pour marinade over chicken.  Seal and place bag in flat container.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 24 hours, turning bag over at least once.

To put them together:

Fresh limes
10 large flour tortillas
2 onions sliced
2 green re or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/4 inch strips
salsa or picante sauce
shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
guacamole or avocado slices
sour cream
shredded lettuce
chopped fresh tomato

Place chicken on broiler or grill.  Sprinkle with southwest seasoning or chili powder.  Broil until chicken is beginning to blacken.  Turn pieces and broil 5-10 minutes longer until cooked through.  Slice meat in thin strips.  Squeeze fresh lime juice over meat.  Saute onions and peppers until crisp-tender in saute pan sprayed with oil spray.  Squeeze fresh lime juice over vegetables when just ready to take off heat.  Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in 325 oven until warm, or warm one at a time over open flame on gas stove, being careful to watch so they don't burn.  Immediately place in foil wrapped in a towel.

To serve:  Place some chicken onion mixture, salsa cheese, guacamole, sour cream and lettuce in center of tortilla.  Fold 1 end up about 1 inch over mixture; fold right and left sides over folded end.

This is best served buffet style. 

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

5-7 layer bean dip

Yes I realize that it has been a very long time since I have posted on here.  I have a good excuse I promise!  We bought a house, moved and sold our old house all within two months.  It went very quickly but of course only after about 8 months of waiting on the house we bought.  So I promise I will make up for my absence...



5-7 layer bean dip.  Why is it 5-7?  Because my husband hates onions, and I don't always have tomatoes around when I make it.  I think it is so versatile because it tastes just as good at five layers as it does seven.  You can mix and match the layers as you want to, but here is how we like it. 


3 cups refried beans,  I use reconstituted beans from the LDS cannery but canned work well too. (use2 cans)
3 ripe avocados, smashed with a little lemon or lime juice to maintain color
1-16oz container sour cream
1 package taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheese or to taste
1 large can olives, sliced
3 tomatoes chopped.

Spread refried beans along bottom of a 9x 13 pan, spread mashed avocados over the top evenly. Mix taco seasoning and sour cream together, (I usually do in the sour cream container) spread over avocados.  Sprinkle cheese and then olives and tomatoes over the top of the pan.  Place in fridge.  Enjoy with jicama strips, peppers or chips.  So yummy!