Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yes, the name is a mouthful... and so are these cookies!  They combine all of my favorite flavors.  The best part about the cookies is that each of the flavors is very strong, but nothing overpowers.  The flavors just blend into a small round of deliciousness.

( Note: I always say the full name, because the cookies look like chocolate chip... and I never knew so many people were allergic to bananas.  :/ )

ingredients:

• one medium-sized, really old banana (should be black and very soft for best flavor) 
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/4 cup flour (can use 1/2 C whole wheat and 3/4 C regular if you are so inclined) 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet.  or chunks.  whatever.) 

directions: 

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees (or a few degrees cooler).
2. in a large bowl, mash the banana.  you want it to be pretty smooth.  the older the banana, the easier this will be.
3. add the egg, peanut butter, and sugars, and beat until smooth.  (for the peanut butter, i just use a large spoon to scoop some out and compare that to a 1/2 C measure.  it's hard to transfer it between containers.)  (i use a fork to beat in this recipe, because then it's easy to stab out any banana or brown sugar chunks.) 
4. once smooth, add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.  dough may become a little difficult to mix.
5. once everything is combined, add in the chocolate chips.  i use my hand at this step because the dough is really thick.
6. taste the dough.  savor the flavor.
7. roll into balls and place on cookie sheet (may want to grease your hands first so nothing sticks).  you can make them whatever size you want... just make sure they are all the same size so they bake evenly.
8. bake for about 10 minutes.  pull out and cool on a wire rack if you have one.  the cookies are pretty great warm though.
9. enjoy! 

old banana, mashed 

peanut butter mixture, with flour

dough

plus chocolate chips 

cookies, ready to bake (you can press them down to make them flatter if you want) 

one cookie, sweating a little :)

baked cookies

mmmmm!  these are round because i didn't press them down at all.

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Crock Pot Lasagna

Sorry I've been gone for a while! I've been cooking and baking, but always forget to take pictures. Back today with a new favorite recipe... lasagna, in a Crock Pot! The recipe makes a ton, so I have to commit to lasagna for every meal for a week. I like this recipe because all of the ingredients cost about $20, and some of them (basil, parmesan, noodles) carry over for your next batch.

*Disclaimer: Crock Pot (or slow cooker) recipes are awesome because of the "set it and forget it" factor. However, this recipe only needs to cook for two or three hours. So it's best to make on a weekend day when you're around the house anyway.

ingredients:

• 1 pound of meat
  options: bulk italian sausage, ground beef, ground turkey, or a blend.
  I like 1/2 lb Italian sausage, 1/2 lb ground beef.
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped (one medium onion, or just use the frozen stuff)
• 3 cans of pasta sauce (any flavor, just need at least 60 ounces)
• 3 teaspoons of dried basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon of salt (feel free to add any additional seasonings to taste!)
• 2 cups shredded Italian Blend cheese (that's one bag)
• 1 egg (optional)
• 15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese (that's one small container)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• about 10 uncooked lasagna noodles (buy the "oven ready" ones)

directions:

1. Turn on your Crock Pot. Low setting.
2. In a very large skillet, cook the meat and onions. There should be no pink left in the meat (about 12 minutes), and make sure to break it up into really small pieces. Once cooked, drain and add pasta sauce, basil, salt, and any other favorite seasoning. (I add "Italian Bistro Blend.")
3. While the meat is cooking, mix the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and half of the shredded Italian cheese in a bowl. If you have an egg laying around, add that in too (will make the cheese blend a little smoother). Put the other half of the shredded cheese in the fridge.
4. Time to layer!
   
   Meat sauce (about 1/4)
   Noodles (you'll have to break them to fit)
   Cheese mixture (about 1/2)
   Meat sauce (about 1/4)
   Noodles
   Cheese mixture (rest of it)
   Meat sauce (about 1/4)
   Noodles
   Meat sauce (remaining amount)
5. Cover and cook for about 2.5 hours on low.  Once you turn off the Crock Pot, sprinkle the remaining cup of shredded Italian cheese over the top, and let the lasagna sit until the cheese melts.
6. Enjoy!

Meat and onions:

Basil, salt, and extra seasonings:

Cheese blend (pre-egg and pre-mixing):

Cooked meat:

Meat with pasta sauce and seasonings:

Layers in the Crock Pot:

Final product:

I also love this recipe because the lasagna really holds it's shape when you take it out of the Crock Pot. Bon appetit!

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