Chocolate Banana Cake {Egg-free, Dairy-free}

As I have mentioned before, I am always looking for ways to use up my ripe bananas.  I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest and had to try it.  Who doesn't like chocolate and bananas together!   I even made it with wheat flour, as described in the recipe.  I also used the extra sugar, since I didn't frost mine.  I did dust it with a little powdered sugar to make it look pretty.  This is a sweet treat you don't have to feel all that guilty about eating!  It has a little extra fiber, it is cholesterol free and low-fat!  And it is delicious!  Mmmmmm.  Enjoy!

The chocolate banana cake with a dusting of powdered sugar.

 The chocolate banana cake before the dusting of powdered sugar.  I was amazed at how well it kept its shape.  This is my first successful egg-free bundt cake attempt! 

Chocolate Banana Cake - Click here to link to recipe.

Homemade Playdough

I have been a little neglectful toward my blog this month.  It has been a crazy busy month!  I will try to catch up and still make my goal of six posts this month.

Earlier this month, I made some homemade playdough.  I haven't ever had any desire to make my own playdough.  With it being so inexpensive at the store and coming in all kinds of cool colors with all sorts of fun gadgets, why bother making it from scratch?

Interject the school years and alas we do all sorts of things we don't think we would ever do.  Haha. 
Anyway, I made this with my oldest child and it turned out better than I expected.  The recipe is even egg-free, but I wouldn't recommend eating it.  I think it would make you sick!

Update (01/31/15):  Although this recipe works, I have found one I like better.  Check out today's post here.

Play Dough Recipe 

3 c flour

1 ½ c salt

6 t cream of tarter

3 T oil

3 c water (with food coloring of choice)

Mix all ingredients in pot.  Stir constantly over medium heat until ball forms.  Knead until texture matches play dough.  Keep in airtight container.  Keeps 3 months.

Lemon Cream Pie {Egg-free}

We made a lemon cream pie for Easter.  MMMmmmm.  I think the soft lemon flavor is perfect for Easter!  My husband LOVES this pie!  It is one of his favorites.  Have a Happy Easter!!

Here is a picture of the pie filling before I added the whipped cream.

Lemon Cream Pie

Crust:

1/3 c butter, melted

1 ½ c vanilla wafer crumbs

2 T granulated sugar

Filling:

1 t gelatin

2 T cold water

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 t grated lemon zest

½ c freshly squeezed lemon juice

Topping:

8 oz heavy whipping cream

3 T granulated sugar

½ t pure vanilla extract

To prepare crumb pastry shell:  Preheat oven to 375°.  Pour melted butter in a 9-inch pie plate.  Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and sugar, until combined.  Stir crumb mixture into butter and press firmly over bottom and around sides of pie plate.  Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack before filling. 

To prepare filling:  Sprinkle gelatin over water to soften.  Set aside.  In a sauce pan (off the heat), combine milk, zest and juice until blended and smooth.  Fold in softened gelatin.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thins slightly, steams and the gelatin is dissolved.  Do not boil or the milk will curdle.  Remove from heat and pour filling into prepared crust.  Cool slightly, then refrigerate until filling is chilled and set.

To prepare cream topping:  Using an electric mixer, beat cream until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar and vanilla extract, beating until thick and smooth.  Spread over chilled filling.

Shrimp and Broccoli Scampi Pasta

I have made this recipe twice now.  My kids love it!!  They both actually really like shrimp, broccoli and pasta so this recipe combines some of their favorites.  It also has a nice light sauce which is perfect for kiddos, especially my oldest who isn't a big fan of any sauces with tomato 'chunks'.

I have also used a couple of different kinds of multigrain pastas with this recipe.  This recipe is a delicious, well balanced recipe you can feel good about feeding to your family.  It would be easy to kick this recipe up a notch with a little added spice, if you prefer spicier dishes.

Shrimp and Broccoli Scampi Pasta - I made this recipe as published in the January 2014 issue of Cooking Light magazine.  Click here for the recipe.

Gluten-free notes:  This recipe could easily be made gluten-free if you substituted your favorite gluten free pasta and made sure the chicken broth was also gluten free.

Wheat Biscuits {Egg-free}

Here is another attempt to make some of our favorite recipes a little healthier.  Again, I replaced half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour.  I know these still aren't whole wheat biscuits since I use half and half white and wheat flour.  But it is still a big increase in fiber when compared to biscuits only made with white flour!  Whole wheat flour has 6 times more fiber than all-purpose white flour.  So, by substituting just half of the flour with whole wheat, these biscuits now have 3 times the fiber!


Top these with a little margerine and grape or plum jelly!  Delicious!!

Wheat Biscuits

1 c all purpose flour

1 c whole wheat flour

5 t baking powder

1 T sugar (optional)

¼ t salt

6 T shortening

¾ c milk

Mix all dry ingredients until combined.  Cut in shortening until crumbly.  Add milk and knead dough for 2-3 minutes.  Roll out ¾ inch thick and cut with biscuit cutter.  Bake at 450^o for about 12 minutes.

Makes 9-10 2 inch biscuits.

April Fools' Day

Did you do anything fun at your house for April Fools' Day?

I left a little love note for my kids inside the rolled toilet paper and froze the juice I gave them for lunch.  They loved the note but were less amused by the frozen juice.

Then we made brown 'E's for Daddy (pictured below).  My oldest was so excited to tell Dad that we made brown 'E's.  We were sure to also make these Brownies (EF, DF).  My husband loves brownies and would enjoy the joke more if the real deal were to follow!