Apple Walnut Bread

Pin It I love fall and all of the awesome things that go with it!  Apple picking is near the top of my favorite things about fall list.  This bread is an awesome way to use some of those apples when you don't feel like an apple pie.  It is also relatively healthy.  This makes a delicious breakfast or a yummy snack on a fall day.  Great for sharing too!

Shared at Weekend Potluck Strut Your Stuff Saturday and Sweet Confessions

Apple Walnut Bread
Original Recipe from Skinny Taste
1 large apple, peeled and finely diced
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp agave syrup or honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour *or all purpose
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
brown sugar for the topping **optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl combine apples, lemon juice, agave and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.  Toss to coat and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites, applesauce, oil, sugar and vanilla until it starts to thicken.
4. Sift together flour, baking soda and remaining spices.  Slowly add to wet mixture and mix until just moistened.  Don't over mix or your bread will be dense and tough.
5. Fold in apples and walnuts.
6. Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.  Sprinkle top with brown sugar.
7. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool before slicing.

Pumpkin Cake Cookies

Pin It It's fall and that means it's time for pumpkin desserts.  These cookies only have 4 ingredients!  These cookies are moist, soft and chewy.  They really are more cake-like than cookie.  These would be great to take a fall party.  These are sure to get gobbled up quickly.

Shared at Weekend Potluck and Strut Your Stuff Saturday .

Pumpkin Cake Cookies
makes 3 dozen cookies
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can pumpkin
4 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, pumpkin and pie spice until creamy and well blended.
3. Mix in the cake mix, scraping the sides to combine all ingredients.
4. Scoop large spoonfuls of dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle tops with pumpkin pie spice.
5. Bake 12-14 minutes or until bottoms are golden and cookies can be removed easily.

Crunchy Cheesy Chicken

Pin It It's getting to that time of year when I don't mind turning my oven on to make dinner.  Over the summer it was so hot I didn't want to turn the oven on for anything so we did a lot of grilling.  This is a fabulous weeknight meal.  It can be whipped together in about 5 minutes and then you just put it in the oven and forget it for about 40 minutes.  And what's not to love about cripsy, crunchy, cheesy chicken?  While the chicken is cooking whip up a few side dishes and you have a fantastic dinner.

Crunchy Cheesy Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Get out 3 plates or shallow dishes.  Place flour in one, egg in one and cheese and breadcrumbs in the third dish.  Mix cheese and breadcrumbs together.
3. Dip chicken in flour, then egg, then cheese/breadcrumb mixture.  Pat the cheese/breadcrumbs on the chicken so it sticks.
4. Place chicken on a foil lined baking sheet.
5. Bake 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your chicken.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Muffins

Pin It Everytime I make chili I have to make cornbread.  I usually just make a pan and cut squares.  Today I was feeling creative and decided to spice it up a bit.  I originally was just gong to make cheddar cornbread, but I had an open jar of jalapenos that were just asking to be used.  Don't let the jalapenos scare you.  These are not too spicy at all and you can definitely adjust the amount to your liking.  These are absolutely fabulous with my Weeknight Chili!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Muffins
1 box cornbread mix (I used Krusteaz Honey Cornbread mix)
ingredients to make cornbread according to box
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 4 oz can diced jalapenos, well drained 0r 1/4 cup chopped jalapeno slices*adjust amount according to taste**
12 jalapeno slices

1. Make cornbread according to box directions
2. Stir in jalapenos and cheddar cheese.
3. Fill 12 greased muffin cups with batter.  Top eacah muffin with a jalapeno slice.
4. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Weeknight Chili

Pin It It's finally starting to look and feel like fall!  I'm so excited to light my fall scented candles and wear long pants and sweaters again.  Fall also means it's time for chili!  I love making a big pot of chili on rainy weekend days.  It's just so comforting and there are always leftovers for lunch during the week.  I call this recipe weeknight chili though because it is so simple and fast that it makes a great weeknight dinner during the cool months.

Weeknight Chili
1 lb ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 can chili beans
1 can chili tomatoes
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 packet chili seasoning
2 tsp white sugar

1. In a large soup pot brown ground beef with the onions and garlic.  Drain grease and return meat to the pot.
2. Add beans, tomatoes, water, seasoning and sugar.  Stir well.
3. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for at least 30 minutes. 
4. Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream and green onions.
**I think this gets better the longer you can let it simmer.  It's great after 30 mintues, but fabulous after an hour**

Glazed Chocolate Banana Muffins

Pin It I had some bananas in my freezer and they kept falling out every time I opened the door.  I decided it was time to use them up.  I started browsing Pinterest and stumbled upon some chocolate donut muffins that didn't have any bananas in them, but looked amazing.  So then I found some chocolate banana muffins that I thought would be great with glaze on top.  I tweaked both recipes and this scrumptious breakfast treat was born.  The muffins themselves are relatively healthy.  The glaze kinf of ruins that, but you could definitely enjoy these without the glaze.  This is a fabulous way to use up those brown bananas!

Shared at Weekend Potluck, Sweet Confessions and Strut Your Stuff Saturday.

Glazed Chocolate Banana Muffins
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 5.3 oz container plain or honey Greek yogurt (or about 1/2 cup)
1 egg
4 Tbsp melted butter
3 medium over-ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp vanilla almond milk (or regular milk)
1 cup chocolate chips **optional

Glaze
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp hot water

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place paper liners in 12 muffin cups.
2. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine bananas, yogurt, egg, butter, milk and bananas.
4. Slowly add flour mixture and mix until just moist.  Do not over mix or your muffins will be dense.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Fill muffin cups 2/3 of the way full.  Bake 18-24 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let muffins cool for about 10 minutes before glazing or it will just soak in.
8. Whisk together all ingredients for the glaze.  Dip muffin tops in the glaze and allow to dry before serving.  If desired let glaze dry and dip in the glaze again for double glazed muffins. (That's what is pictured)

Healthy German Chocolate Bites

Pin It I'm all about healthy desserts, but they need to taste delicious, not like cardboard.  These are little bites of heaven.  You would never guess that they only have 6 ingredients and NO SUGAR!  Sounds too good to be true, right?  Don't be fooled.  These taste just like a brownie with nuts and coconut... really!  I literally ate the first entire batch in a day.  I just kept nibbling and pretty soon they were all gone.  These turned out so well I'm going to experiment with some new flavors too. 

Healthy German Chocolate Bites
Original Recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie
3/4 cup pitted dates
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp shredded coconut
1/2 cup pecans

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Pulse until ground into fine bits.  It will be crumbly.
2. Roll into balls (or any other shape you want - would make a nice bar shape)
3. I store mine in the fridge so they are less sticky, but you can leave them at room temperature if you want.