Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread - April Sugar Block of the Month Club

1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 medium size mashed bananas

Mix first 6 ingredients together then add,
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients well then pour into greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Makes 2 loaves

This was a very easy recipe to make.  I don't usually make banana nut bread very often because the recipe that I normally use as several steps and it just frankly takes way to long to prepare.  I'm all about quick and easy.  Recipes....I'm talking recipes here!!! LOL

I like the chocolate chips in the banana nut bread.  I've never had it that way and the chocolate just helped make a good bread even better.  If you use dark chocolate chips, along with the bananas and nuts, why I think we can just call this a "healthy" bread.  We'll just pretend that the sugar doesn't count!  It's yummy....try this one, you'll like it!!!

And here is my April quilt block.  I waited until the last day of April to make it because it involved paper piecing and I am not a fan!!!  It was actually pretty easy compared to one I've done before.  It only took me 3 1/2 hours to do, LOL!  I think it turned out okay.  It's called Sunny Day. 

Grandmother's Refrigerator Bran Muffins

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup Crisco
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup boiling water
1 cup 100 % Bran Cereal
3/4 cup raisins
2 cups All Bran Cereal

Cream sugar and shortening, add eggs, flour, soda, salt, buttermilk.  Mix until smooth.  In a separate bowl, pour boiling water over the cup of 100% Bran Cereal flakes and let stand until water is absorbed, mix into batter and add raisins and All Bran Cereal, mix thoroughly.  Refrigerate.  Grease muffin pans with cooking spray.  Spoon batter into muffin cups (do not stir batter before adding to pan)  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

I haven't had these in ages.  My mom use to make them a lot when we were younger.  They seem like muffins for old, constipated people but really they are for anyone who just likes a good muffin.  Oh, they are good for what ales ya if you know what I mean, but they are a great way to start off your day too.  I can't really describe the flavor but trust me, take these babies out of them oven and butter them while they are hot.  You can thank me later!

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

1 can of Grands Flaky Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp karo syrup
waffle iron
cooking spray

Preheat waffle iron.  When iron is hot, generously spray with cooking spray.  Place uncooked cinnamon rolls in each waffle space.  (some have 4, mine had 2).  Close the waffle iron all the way down and lock if it has one.  You will need to keep an eye on these so you don't burn them.  2-4 minutes should do it but waffle irons may vary.  It's okay to open the iron up and check on the roll, just make sure it is not burning.  You want it browned and crispy like a waffle.

Cream Cheese Syrup:
Mix the can of cream cheese frosting that comes with the rolls with the water and karo.  Stir to combine and heat in microwave for about 15 seconds or serve at room temperature.  Drizzle over warm waffles.

How easy is this?!  If you like waffles and cinnamon rolls you will love these.  It's a fast, easy way to get the same great taste only with the consistency of a waffle.  I was amazed how these seemed like real waffles, crispy!  Yummo!!!!  Try! Try! Try!!!!

King Ranch Chicken

3 large chicken breasts, cooked
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 onion, chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 jar (8oz) cheese whiz
dash of Tabasco
dash of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
tortilla chips, crushed
8 oz cheddar
4 oz mozzarella

Dice the cooked chicken breasts.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the soups, onion, tomatoes, Cheese Whiz, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce until blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Line the bottom of a casserole dish with the crushed tortilla chips.  Place the chicken on top and pour some of the soup mixture over the chips.  Add a layer of half of the cheddar cheese.  Repeat the process, then add cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top.  Bake for 35-45 minutes until bubbly.

Now I love King Ranch Chicken.  It's a great comfort food.  I think there is even another recipe on this blog for it but is a little bit different.  I think I prefer it to this one.  This recipe turned out okay but I have had better.  It was easy to put together but I had a hard time finding Cheese Whiz.  I haven't used this stuff in years.  And I was at Wal-Mart of all places looking for it.  You'd think that if anyone in town had processed cheese in a jar it would be them! 

Yummy Fruit Salad

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
juice of 1 orange
zest of 1 orange
2 whole Vanilla beans, caviar scraped out (or 2 tsp Vanilla extract)
4 pints strawberries, cleaned and halved
2 pints blueberries
2 cups red grapes, halved
2 cups green grapes, halved
mint leaves

Place the sugar, water, orange juice and zest into a small saucepan and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Set aside to cool then store in fridge until cold.  Mix together all of the fruit in a large bowl and pour the cooled syrup over the top, tossing gently.  Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

This was fabulous!  So easy, pretty, delicious and impressive.  Very colorful and fragrant too!  I made this with blackberries and I've had it with blueberries and either one works great.  It's the color effect that you are going for here.  We eat with our eyes first so when something looks this pretty and good you know you are going to love how it taste!!!

P.S.  I got this recipe from my mom who saw it on Pioneer Woman.  Now you know it's got to be good!

Lemon Monkey Bread

12 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed but still cold
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp melted butter

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Lemon Monkey Bread, Tex Mex Egg Bake, Fruity Salad 

Cut rolls in half and place in a greased 9x13 pan.  Drizzle with melted butter.  Mix lemon zest and sugar together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle half of the lemon sugar mixture over the rolls.  Cover and let rise till doubled.  Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture on top.  Bake at 350 degrees about 20-25 minutes.  Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over rolls while still warm. 

Well who doesn't love Monkey Bread?!!!  I love this stuff and we use to have it every Christmas at my mother-in-laws house.  I have to say that I haven't had any in a long time (hint, hint Nana).  I have tried to make regular monkey bread myself but I can't make it as good as Nana's.  When I saw this recipe for Lemon Monkey Bread I just about went bananas!  ;)

I made this for a breakfast/brunch and it was so good!  The only thing is that to me, if you use all the sugar and zest mixture it can be a bit much.  So as you sprinkle it on before and after the rolls rise just eyeball how much you think you need.  If you want yours really sweet then by all means use it all!  This is really a nice change from the traditional recipe so try it out on your friends and family! 

Overnight Tex-Mex Egg Bake

12 oz bulk spicy pork sausage
5 cups frozen southern style hash brown (32 oz bag)
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained
3 cups shredded Colby-Monterrey jack cheese
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
salsa

Spray a 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray.  In a skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally until no longer pink.  Drain on paper towel.

Spread frozen potatoes in baking dish.  Sprinkle with sausage, green chiles and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and salt with fork or whisk until blended.  Pour over potato mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese.  Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 12 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake uncovered 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Cut into square and serve with salsa.

This was a great brunch/breakfast dish!  I love stuff like this.  The salsa made it very tex-mexy!  The only thing I would change is that it needed a lot of salt and pepper so I think the next time I make this I will salt and pepper the hash brown really well before I pour the rest of the ingredients on top of them.  Make this for a crowd or a special family breakfast get together.  They will love you for it!

Chocolate Cobbler

3/4 cups sugar
1 cup self rising flour
2 tbs cocoa
1/2 cup milk
3 tbs melted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and spread in a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Top mixture:  mix together and sprinkle over batter.
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cocoa

Pour 1 1/2 cup of hot water gently over the topping mixture.  DO NOT STIR! Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Okay, this sounded so good, it looked really good and it smelled really good.  I served it warm with vanilla ice cream and it was a big hit with everyone except.....me.  I just didn't care for it.  To me it needed to be sweeter or needed cinnamon or something added to bring out the flavor.  It was just okay for me but it is worth a try.  Easy to make and your guest will like it.  It makes it's own hot fudge sauce as it bakes.  Give it a whirl. 

Fire Crackers

1 box multi grain saltine crackers
1 1/2 cups oil
2 packages of dry Ranch dressing mix
3 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil

Using two large gallon size storage bags, place two sleeves of saltine crackers into each bag.  Mix all seasoning ingredients together and divide evenly.  Pour seasoning mix with oil into each bag and seal.  Toss gently to coat the crackers.  Let set but toss about every 15 minutes until oil is absorbed and all crackers have been seasoned.  Transfer all the crackers in to a fresh bag and keep sealed air tight.

These are sooooooo good!  I love seasoned crackers and these babies have a kick to em too!  They are good with cheese or just by themselves.  A lot of ingredients but easy to make and it seems that they get hotter the next day.  I did spread them out on a cookie sheet lined with paper towel in a warm oven for about 5-10 minutes just to help absorb the oil and dry them out faster so I could start eating them sooner!!  Yum!

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Jalapeno Crescent Rolls

1 can crescent rolls
1 4 oz can chopped jalapenos
1 8 oz container of cream cheese

Mix jalapenos and cream cheese together and set aside.  Gently unroll crescent roll dough so that all of the squares/triangles stay together and you have one large, square sheet of dough. Pinch any holes together. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough surface.  From one of the long sides, gently, but tightly as you can, roll the dough up jelly roll style.  Using a serrated knife, cut dough into eight equal slices.  Place rolls, circular side up on baking sheet and cook at as directed on crescent roll can. 

OMG!  These are fantastic.  I could eat all eight by myself!  I love spicy foods and these are spicy!  They are best if you can serve them warm.  I served them with King Ranch Chicken but I've also had them as an appetizer.  So simple, so delicious!

Carrot Cake Muddy Buddies

5 cups rice Chex cereal
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 cups carrot cake mix
1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a large plastic bowl (that has a lid), melt chocolate chips in 30 second increments until melted.  I add about a tsp of vegetable oil to help make the chocolate smooth and silky.  When chocolate is melted, add cereal and stir gently to coat the cereal.  In a separate small bowl, combine carrot cake mix (just the powdered stage from the box mix) and the powdered sugar.  Sprinkle this mixture over the coated cereal.  Place the lid on the large bowl and shake the bowl to coat the chocolate coated cereal with the powdered mixture.  Keep shaking until all the powdered mixture is absorbed.

These are great!  I made these for a girls weekend and they liked the surprising flavor of the carrot cake.  I usually make these at Christmas time with milk chocolate and peanut butter.  These are our favorite but the spicy carrot cake flavor is nice for a change.  I got this recipe off of Pinterest and if you go to their website you will see other flavor ideas.  I think I'll try the red velvet cake flavor next!

Photo courtesy of Pinterest