Pear Cobbler Muffins

These are right up there with the best muffins ever!  At AFewShortCuts I found a recipe for Peach Cobbler Mufffins that looked really good.  One problem though, I didn't have any peaches.  I did have pears though and combining those pears with a choice to make these a little better for you I came up with this recipe.

3 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 cups peeled, cored, and chopped pears (about 3)

7 oz flavored yogurt

Preheat oven to 375*.  Lightly grease or line 24 muffin tins.

Mix together the oil, eggs, sugar and yogurt.  Add flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Mix until well incorporated (may be thick).  Stir in the pears.  Spoon into prepared tins.  Sprinkle with streusel topping.  Bake for 20-25 min or until done.

Streusel Topping

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup flour

2/3 cup finely chopped nuts, optional (called for pecans I used pinenuts)

4 Tbsp butter, softened

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix all together.  Sprinkle 1 Tbsp on muffins before baking.

Enjoy.  They didn't last long in my house.

Linked to eatathomecooks.com

Chicken and Bean Quesadillas

Adapted from Clean Eating magazine

8 oz boneless chicken breast

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 small to med mango, diced

1/4 cup chopped onion

3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1/2 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 can beans (black would be traditional but I used kidney)

3/4 cup shredded cheese (whatever you like)

1/2 cup sour cream

Tortillas

Season chicken with grill seasonings.  Grill, broil or fry chicken until cooked.  Let cool and when cool enough to hand shred it.

In medium bowl combine; tomatoes, mangoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt.  Set aside.  This will be your salsa.

In another medium bowl slightly mash beans with remaining lemon juice and salt.  Stir in chicken, cheese and sour cream. 

Spread chicken on half a tortilla and fold over.  Now you can either bake these in an oven at 400* for about 15min making sure you spray with cooking spray and turn halfway through or use a grill pan to cook or just a fry pan.   I used the fry pan and cooked with cooking spray until warm and golden brown.  Serve with salsa and a nice salad for a complete and easy dinner or lunch.

Thai Peanut Noodles with Shrimp

Adapted from Clean Eating magazine

1/3 cup light coconut milk

1/3 cup tomato juice

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 Tbsp fish sauce

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp honey

1/4 +/- crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp Maggi seasoning

1 lb medium raw shelled and deveined shrimp

8oz rice noodles or fettuccine noodles

2 cup thinly sliced cabbage

2 green onions white part thinly sliced, greens bigger pieces for garnish

3 Tbsp chopped peanuts 

In large serving bowl, whisk coconut milk, tomato juice, peanut butter, fish sauce, lime juice, honey, red pepper flakes and Maggi seasoning.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add shrimp and cook till done 1-3 min.  Remove shrimp to bowl with coconut mix, return water to boil and cook noodles according to directions.  Drain noodles well.  Add noodles, cabbage, and green onion whites to shrimp; toss to coat.  Top with peanuts and green onion greens.

We had ours with cucumbers and mangoes

Apple Cobbler?

Looks like it.  Smells like it.  Tastes like it.  So, it should be it, but....it's not.  This is zucchini cobbler!  If you ever have too much zucchini and are tired of breads and chocolate cake (like that would ever happen) you can make this fake out cobbler.  To make the zucchini look apple like you first peel them, second scoop out the middle part with the seeds, and third slice.  For this batch I didn't care because I could make my kids eat it anyway so you can see the green peel.  However, a couple of days later, when I made it again for a get together dinner, I did and no one knew until I told them.  Very handy to have just in case you have picky eaters and you want to slip in some veggies.  My poor brother-in-law probably wanted to cut me out of the family when I told him.  Hahaha

Adapted from athomemyway.blogspot.com

Filling:

8 cups slice zucchini or summer squash about 3lbs

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Crust:

4 cup flour

2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2-1 cup coconut depending on taste

In large saucepan combine zucchini and lemon juice; cook for 15-20 min or until tender.  Add sugar and spices.  Simmer for 1 min.  Remove from heat.

For the crust combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter.  Stir 1/2 cup into zucchini mix.  Add coconut to remaining crust mix.  Press 1/2 into greased 9X13" pan.  Spread zucchini mix on top.  Crumble remaining crust mix over top.  Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mix; optional.

Bake at 375* for 35-40 min or until golden and bubbly.

Homemade Oreos

So I couldn't tease you with pictures of us eating these goodies and then not share the recipe.  Just be forewarned that these are not for the faint of heart and you will definitely need to add a little extra running to your daily exercise routine.  That said make these puppies and start running!

Lex sure savored hers

2 devils food cake mix with pudding

1 1/2 cup shortening

4 eggs

1 lb powdered sugar

8 oz cream cheese

1 stick butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla

Combine cake mix with shortening and eggs.  Should be pretty thick.  Form into small balls and bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8min at 350*.  I use my small scoop from Pampered Chef to form the balls; about 1 1/2 tsp or so worth of dough.  Cool completely.

When cooled combine remaining ingredients together and spread between cooled cookies and sandwich together.  Store in fridge if they last that long.

This was a recipe from my sorority days at college.

Greens and Beans on Toast

When I first saw this recipe I thought, "Yum, except...."  I wasn't really hip on the anchovy paste or the raisins, but I was surprised.  This is a yummy fall food.  So, don't be put off by the anchovy paste or raisins in this recipe.  The taste of the paste is subtle and balanced by the sweetness of the raisins.

Adapted from Clean Eating magazine.

1Tbsp olive oil

2oz anchovy paste

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2-2 cup water

6oz kale, washed and chopped

1 can white beans

1 can kidney beans

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 loaf french bread, sliced and toasted

In large sauce pan or stock pot, heat oil on medium heat.  Add anchovy paste and garlic, stirring until golden.  Add water 1 1/2 cup water, kale, beans, raisins, and nuts and cook until kale is tender and wilted. 3-5 min.  Add up to 1/2 more water if needed or if you want more of a soupy consistency.  Remove from heat.  Place 2 slices of toast in bowl.  Top with kale mixture with juices.  Garnish with cheese.

Guacamole Fettucine

Mexico meets Italy and falls in love.  That is what this dish is.  Your favorites from tacos: guacamole and beef strips; served with noodles.

1 lb fettucini

2 avocados, peeled and pitted

Juice of 1 lime

5.3oz plain greek yogurt

1/4 tsp salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1lb sirloin beef, trimmed of fat and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

pepper to taste

1/2 lb roma tomato, diced

1/4 cup minced cilantro for garnish

Cook fettucini according to package.

Meanwhile smash avocados in medium bowl.  Add lime juice, yogurt, salt, and 1 garlic clove.  Set aside.

In large fry pan; saute beef for 2 min, season with salt and pepper, add remaining garlic and cook for 5 more minutes or until beef is done.

Place fettucine in large serving bowl and toss with avocado mixture.  Top with beef, tomatoes and cilantro.

Serves 8

Just add a roll and fruit and dinner is done.