Banana Bread

Banana bread is a staple recipe in any kitchen, right? Well I have a recipe that I particularly like, and I often over-buy bananas so that I have a reason to make it. This time I made it in large muffin cups and in mini loaf pans (about the size of a large muffin).

I got these loaf pans at an outlet in Kittery, ME, and I love the excitement of making tiny little breads!
I missed the opportunity to photograph the muffins in the tin (or afterwards), but I did get a nice shot of them cooling upside down on my cutting board.

Pesto & Ricotta Pizza

It seems to be more and more often that I find myself looking at the basil and tomatoes in the store, and imagining up a tasty pizza creation...!

This time I thought I'd go for something a little bit different. I used a mix of ricotta and pesto as a base-layer instead of sauce (which I never actually use).

Here's the final product:
I was most of the way through assembling the pizza, and I just had to stop and take a picture because it looked so beautiful! This was before the final layer of cheese went on.
And for the pineapple-lover in the house, half was topped with small chunks of fresh pineapple.
Here's a basic summary of the layers for this pizza:
1. whole wheat crust (I used the same one from Trader Joe's that worked so well last time)
2. a tiny little bit of olive oil brushed on (probably could have skipped this)
3. blend of ricotta cheese, pesto, and a little bit of crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper (mixed in a bowl)
4. a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese
5. fresh basil, oregano, chives -- chopped finely (many thanks to my dad and his gardening skills)
6. diced garlic, ground black pepper
7. caramelized/sauteed onion
8. a variety of little heirloom tomatoes, sliced/diced
9. pineapple (on half)
10. diced fresh mozzarella, chevre goat cheese crumbles

Tuna Pasta Salad and Black Bean Salad

On a night when you can't decide on a good dinner plan, why not just make all your little favorites? It's still healthy even if you just make a bunch of sides, right? Well these actually seem to balance out, and make a delicious meal!


Tuna Pasta Salad:
whole wheat pasta
mayonnaise
fresh lime juice
seasoning
cilantro
red bell pepper
canned white tuna

Black Bean Salad:
can of black beans
tomatoes
red bell pepper
cilantro
avocado
fresh lime juice
balsamic vinegar
seasoning

Grilled Swordfish over Coscous and Greens

Couscous:
-leftover black bean salad
-seasoning
-whole wheat couscous made with broth
-chopped up red bell pepper
-lots of chopped cilantro and scallions

Okra

After seeing okra in the grocery store the other day, I have been tempted to make some on my own. I cut it the long way, so it'd be a bit more interesting. Sauteed it in garlic and seasoning in olive oil. Delicious!

Waffles!

I finally caved in and bought a waffle iron! In making the first batch of waffles, I decided to use an old family recipe for lemon waffles. It made for a delicious brunch, and I can't wait to try out more recipes in the future!
And inspired by a friend, I made fresh cinnamon whipped cream.

Blackberry Limeade with Fresh Mint

Juice with blackberry, lime, and fresh mint. Delicious!