Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are great muffins for using your wheat flour. You can also use  powdered eggs in place of the real eggs. We like these as mini muffins at our house.

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

by Melanie from The Sister's Cafe (from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick or 4 ounces)
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cups chocolate chips (I like to use mini choc chips)

Preheat the oven to 350. Line or grease a 12 cup muffin pan. (I usually make these in my mini muffin tins. Makes 34 mini muffins.)

Beat together the butter, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the banana, honey and eggs, beating until smooth. Add the flour and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Divide batter into the muffin cups, they'll be nearly full. Bake the muffins until a cake tester inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 23-28 minutes. Remove from oven and after a couple of minutes transfer the muffins to a rack to cool.

Monkey Bars

I have made these a few times and they are good for snacks and school lunches. Logan was the only one who didn't care for them.

Original recipe source

• 1 2/3 cups mashed, ripe bananas {about 5 bananas. Pumpkin puree is also good!}
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup oil {can use applesauce instead!}
• 1/4 cup milk {can use powdered milk}
• 2 large eggs {can use powdered eggs}
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips {I reduce this by half, I know, I'm mean!}
• 1-2 TBSP ground flax {my addition}

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15x10.5" pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Whisk all ingredients except for the flour and chocolate chips. Gradually add in flour until just blended. Mix in half the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle remaining chips on top. Bake 15-20 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely. I've even stuck the entire pan into the freezer so that they'd cut cleaner! Once cool, cut into squares.

If you're preparing these for school lunches, I suggest bagging them individually and freezing them like that. If you freeze prior to cutting, the chocolate on top doesn't make a mess in the baggie.

Cheese Fondue

We made this last night.  This is my favorite cheese fondue recipe (so far)!

2 tsp oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese at room temp.
1 c. fresh Parmesan cheese
1.2 cup Gruyere cheese (1 1/2 oz.)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Saute onions with oil until soft, about 4 minutes.  Then add the rest of the ingredients and heat on low until melted.  Season with salt and pepper.

Dip:  variety of breads, steamed veggies, red potatoes (look below)


Red Potatoes for fondue:
1 lb red potatoes cut in 1" cubes
Boil potatoes in 6 cups of water with 1 tsp. salt until tender.

Then add 1 T. olive oil, 1 T. chopped parsley, and salt & pepper to taste.  You can prepare these a day ahead and then just warm up in oven for 10 min at 350.

3 month supply recipes

My dear sister in laws,

I was wondering if we could help each other out by providing our favorite food storage recipes where all the ingredients are from our pantry/food storage. I know several recipes have been already submitted over the years...so maybe we could create a new label "3 month supply" and go back and label the old ones and submit new ones????

I know we have a food storage label already, but a "3 month supply" label would require all ingredients from food storage.

Like for example: egg powder or beans or ground flax instead of real eggs-

I'm really trying to find 30 awesome breakfasts, lunch and dinner recipes that I can make from my food storage...and I know you guys would have some awesome ideas and recipes to share.

If you already have your 3 month recipe plan, can you share it with us?

What do you think?

Best Ever Flour Tortillas

 I got this recipe from the Mixing it Up With Grains class from Mary Ann Wilcox.  They are easy to make and use ingredients that are in your food storage, plus they have no fat!

4 cups flour whole wheat or white (I used 3 cups whole wheat and 1 cup white)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups boiling water (I added a couple more Tablespoons because it was too dry)

Mix dry ingredients together.  Add water all at once and mix together until it forms a ball.  When it is cool enough to handle, turn it out on a floured board.  Knead a minute or so until the ball sticks together.  Divide into 20 balls (you probably could make 30) about the size of a 50 cent piece round.  Roll each ball on a floured board into a very thin circle.  (I cut mine out with a bowl, so they are all uniform and look authentic).  Preheat griddle to 400 degrees (350 worked better for me).  Place on dry griddle and turn when browned on each side (about 30- 60 seconds each side).  Cool and store.

For more photos and a link to Mary Ann's website, click here to read my post.
*my tips are italicized

Orange Poppyseed Scones

A friend brought these scones to book club last month. I got the recipe from her to share! Sorry, I don't have a photo. But these are quite tasty! The notes and additions are hers, not mine. I personally haven't made this recipe yet.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces 
2 large eggs, divided
5 tablespoons freshly-squeezed orange juice*
2 teaspoons grated orange zest*
1 tablespoon milk

* You may substitute lemon juice and zest for the orange juice and zest.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with vegetable-oil cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, poppy seeds, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until particles are the size of small peas.

In a medium bowl, beat (1) one egg lightly with orange juice and orange zest. Add to flour mixture; stir just until mixed.

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough gently. Pat or roll out the dough into a circle 1/2-inch thick. Using a lightly greased and floured 2- or 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut into rounds, cutting close together to generate as few scraps as possible. Dip cutter into flour as often as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Push scraps of dough together so that edges join; firmly pinch edges with fingertips to make a partial seal. Pat this remaining dough to 1/2-inch thick; continue to cut 3-inch rounds. Space 1-inch apart onto prepared baking sheet.  

NOTE: When making scones, work the dough quickly and do not over mix. Scones can be cut into any shape you desire. Use a drinking glass to make circles, or cut into squares or wedges with a knife. Dip the edges of the cutter in flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Do not pat the edges of the scone down; instead leave the cuts as sharp as possible to allow the scones to rise in layers.

In a small bowl, combine 1 egg and 1tablespoon milk; brush onto top of scones. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve either at room temperature or warm.

NOTE:  I combined some powdered sugar (confectioners') sugar and orange juice together to make a think icing to top the scones after baking. If making Lemon Scones, use lemon juice.

Tips: When the scones are cool, wrap airtight and hold at room temperature for up to one day or freeze to store longer. To reheat, unwrap scones (thaw wrapped, if frozen) and place onto a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degrees oven 8 to 10 minutes or until warm.

Yields 8 to 10 large scones and 12 to 14 smaller scones.

Refrigerator Bran Muffin

This recipe comes from my time-tested Set For Life Cookbook.  

1 cup hot water
3 cups 100% bran cereal (All Bran)
1 cup chopped dates or raisins (I leave these out)
1/2 to 1/2 cup oil or 1 cup applesauce (I used 1/2 cup olive oil)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar or honey
2 cups buttermilk or nonfat plain yogurt (I used a combination of the two)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt


Pour hot water over cereal and dates in large bowl.  Let stand while preparing other ingredietns.  In blender, combine oil, eggs, honey, and buttermilk.  Pulse to mix well.  Pour into bran mixture, and mix together.  Combine flour, soda, and salt.  Add to bran mixture, mixing just long enough to blend ingredients.  Do not stir batter again.  (At this point you can let this sit in your fridge overnight to help the all bran to break down - the recipe doesn't require this step.  I went ahead and baked mine right away.  It's totally up to you and how you like it.)  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes in a greased muffin pan.
Yield:  2 dozen muffins

These muffins are high in fiber and a great way to start your morning!

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

I have made this oatmeal twice for my family and they love it.  It comes out of the cookbook, Beyond Oatmeal.

6 cups water
3 cups rolled oats
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (I use 1/2 cup and it's still sweet)
3 bananas, mashed (I used 1 1/2 bananas and it's perfect)
chocolate chips

In saucepan, combine water, oats, and salt.  Simmer 5 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and cover; let stand 3 minutes.  Stir in brown sugar and bananas.  Serve with a few chocolate chips sprinkled on top.  Makes 6 servings.

This is a great recipe to help you rotate through your food storage supplies.