Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Hello faithful followers!

It has been some time since I've added a new recipe! Over a year and a half to be exact. Life threw some curve balls, but God has provided - beyond my imagination! In addition to a new job in which I'm very happy and a "new" sporty car passed along to me by Dad, I now own my own business as a Thirty-One Consultant! (You can check that out at www.mythirtyone.com/LauraRamsey).

Lately I seem to have the cooking bug again, and tonight I find myself in the kitchen wanting to make a twist on banana bread. I had some chocolate chips on hand, and Rachael Ray came to the rescue with a recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Thanks Rachael!

Pampered Chef Batter Bowl

So here we go! Set the oven to 350. Spray a large loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Now, pull out a large bowl. (If you don't own Pampered Chef's Large Batter Bowl-pictured to left, buy one immediately! I use this for all of my baking recipes; it's so convenient with the handle). We're gonna whisk together 1 & 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. 

Mashing bananas

Now mix in 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup bananas (2 large bananas = 1 cup, 3 small bananas = 1 cup), and 2 eggs, lightly beaten. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips (but do not overmix). 

Cool completely

Pour the mixture into your loaf pan, and bake until a toothpick or knife comes out clean from the middle of bread - about 45-50 min. Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely, right side up.

And...enjoy! It's really tasty. I surprised my colleagues with this to brighten a Monday 
morning, and it was gone in about two seconds flat.

Chicken Enchiladas!

Believe it or not, I've never made enchiladas! Turns out they are "souper" easy. The recipe I used is called "Souper Enchiladas" from Campbell's Back Label Recipes And More! It only takes nine ingredients--which speaks my language. I turn the page if I see too many ingredients in a recipe! :)

                                            

So I'm trying to cook new things, but I'm also on a tight budget. My advice is to see what you already have in your kitchen. Since I was making cheesy enchiladas, I needed a light side dish or two. I already had mixed greens, cucumbers, carrots, herb goat cheese, and two types of salad dressing in my fridge...so right there was my side! Enchiladas are very filling, so salad is a perfect sidekick.

For this meal last night, I invited my friend Mark from Greensboro. He was a willing recipient of my "1st time enchiladas"! And he was a really good sport to chat with me while I took a bit longer than a seasoned chef to get everything to the table. Once we sat down to eat, Mark was helpful in discussing the meal honestly (that's a good friend). I had  sauteed some zucchini & squash as a 2nd side dish, and we agreed that it really was not needed in addition to the enchiladas and salad. Love that honesty! He gave my enchiladas a great compliment saying that "they tasted just like the ones in a restaurant." What a proud moment for little me!

Ok folks, here's a recipe for "Campbell's Souper Enchiladas" that is very similar to the one I made. The only difference is that I didn't use Picante Sauce or a tomato, though I think the red color would look beautiful! I'm just not a tomato gal. http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/campbells-kitchen-creamy-chicken-enchiladas/Detail.aspx 
Here is my signature salad: mixed organic greens, garlic herb goat cheese, cucumbers, red onions, and Zesty Italian or Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing. Simple but I love it! For the squash and zucchini, I simply saute them in a pan with butter, salt, and pepper. Just until soft. ENJOY!

Three Bean Chili

Today's recipe is Three Bean Chili. It is lowfat and vegetarian. For those of you who prefer your kitchen to remain spotless (like me), you'll love this. Everything goes into the crockpot. The only thing you have to chop up is a few fresh veggies. 

The colors of the fresh veggies make this chili look so pretty. Besides the beans & veggies, all that remains is a dash from a handful of spices. There is minimal clean-up with this. Your kitchen is spotless once again while this healthy delicious chili cooks
up quietly and neatly in a cozy corner of your kitchen.

The beans used in this recipe are Organic Garbonzo, Organic Great Northern, and Organic Red Kidney. I also added my favorite thing on this earth...cilantro! Though this blog is intended for me to try new recipes, this one I have made once before. Thought I'd build my confidence and have success in the first recipe of my new blog!

Welcome to my brand new blog, Chop To Live!

Welcome and thanks for stopping in! This is my first dive into the world of blogging. As you may have guessed, the subject of this blog site (Chop To Live) is COOKING! In the last few years I have become fascinated with cooking shows on TV. I share the same last name as Chef Gordon Ramsay (Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares), so that has been kinda fun! :)

I am fashioning my premiere blog after Julie's from the movie Julie and Julia. However, I will not be cooking my way through Julia Child's Mastering The Art Of French Cooking. Instead I will be advancing my culinary skills via recipes from many different sources. I am no chef, so this will be an adventure for me. Prepare to hear honest accounts of my experiences with each recipe!

Enjoy this journey with me. I hope you will laugh, learn, and be inspired. Oh yes, I should probably tell you how I came up with my blog name. I chose Chop To Live because it reminds me that if I take the time to cook and eat healthy at home, my body and health will benefit from it! So get out your cutting board and chop those vegetables!