Baby Food: Banana Bread Sticks

Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana
1 3/4 cups flour (white, whole wheat, or a combination)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Combine ingredients and stir only until smooth. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour or until firmly set.

Cool, remove from pan, and cut into sticks. Spread sticks out on a cookie sheet and bake at 150 degrees F for 1 hour or longer until the sticks are hard and crunchy. Store in a tightly covered container.

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/baby/banana-bread-sticks.html

Black Bean-Goat Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon(s) olive oil, plus more for brushing (optional)
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cumin (preferably whole seeds, freshly toasted and ground)
2 can(s) (15 1/2 to 19 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup(s) chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large poblano peppers
1 bunch(es) scallions, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup(s) coarsely chopped cilantro
1 log(s) (11-ounce) fresh goat cheese
6 whole-grain tortillas, cut into wedges


Directions

1.In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and cook 30 seconds. Add 1 can beans and lightly mash using a potato masher. Stir in chicken stock and remaining can of beans. Simmer until very thick (but not pasty), 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

2.Meanwhile, place poblano peppers directly on a burner over a medium-low gas flame. Turn regularly with tongs to blacken skin, 10-15 minutes (if you don't have a gas stove, you can blacken peppers on a sheet pan under a broiler, turning regularly, about 15 minutes). Place peppers in a paper bag; seal and let sit (and steam) until cool enough to handle. Peel peppers, removing as much of the charred skin as possible without rinsing. Seed and coarsely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with scallions and cilantro.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the bottom of a 1- to 1 1/2-quart soufflé or baking dish, spread half of bean mixture. Top with half of cheese, crumbled, and half of pepper mixture. Repeat layering once more, ending on pepper mixture. Place dish on a sheet pan and bake 30-35 minutes, until top is bubbling. Meanwhile, arrange tortilla wedges on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Place in oven with dip and bake 10-12 minutes or until crisp. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Serve hot with tortilla chips on the side.

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/black-bean-goat-cheese-dip

Molten Chocolate Cakes

Ingredients:
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Make It!
PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Blend in eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk. Stir in flour. Divide batter among prepared custard cups.

BAKE 13 to 14 min. or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately, topped with whipped topping

Website: Coupn Cravings

Coupon Cravings is an amazing website that my fantastic friend Megan turned me on to. It runs very similar to a blog in that it is updated everyday in the daily entry style. You can get the inside track on coupons and deals from different stores and restaurants around the country! We are very big fans of their diaper coupons and deals already. Enjoy!

Article: Unhealthiest Chicken Dishes in America

From our favorite authors of Eat This, Not That here are the unhealthiest chicken dishes in America. Check out this really great article from Men's Health!

Girl Scout Cookie Recipes!

Check out this great list of Girl Scout Cookie Recipes from Delish! They have everything from Thin Mints to Somoas to Tag-Alongs. Very yummy!!! Now you can have them anytime of the year!

100 Calorie: Quick Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

Ingredients:
1/4 cup(s) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, melted (see Tips & Techniques)
1/2 cup(s) part-skim ricotta
12 chocolate wafer cookies
1 tablespoon(s) 100% fruit jam, such as raspberry or cherry


Directions

1.Combine melted chocolate and ricotta in a small bowl. Spoon a scant 1 tablespoon of the mixture on each chocolate wafer and top with 1/4 teaspoon jam.

Tips & Techniques

To melt chocolate, microwave on Medium for 1 minute. Stir, then continue microwaving on Medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted. Or place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir until melted.

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/quick-mini-chocolate-cheesecakes-recipe