Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Muffins

I haven't posted in so long, but I had to stop in and give you this awesome recipe. These chocolate chip banana muffins are my kids' favorite muffins, and I feel good about making these for them because they are pretty healthy.

So, if you have bananas that look like this:

You're in luck! (Sorry if this grosses you out!) The browner the bananas, the better. This is my go-to recipe for overripe bananas!

Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Muffins

Adapted from Allrecipes

Photos by Jill Chall

1 c White Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 c all purpose flour

3/4 c white sugar

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

3 T flax seeds (optional)

1 egg

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1/2 c plain greek yogurt (I've also used lowfat vanilla before with great results)

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

1 c  mashed ripe bananas

1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips

Combine the dry ingredients together. Combine the wet ingredients together. Mix the wet into the try using a rubber spatula. Mix gently until just combined-don't overmix! Fold in the chocolate chips. Spray 2 12-count mini muffin tins with cooking spray or line with mini-muffin liners. Fill mini muffin tins 2/3 of the way. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until just golden. Let cool for 5 minutes in pans, then remove to a wire rack for cooling. Store in an airtight container, but most of all enjoy!

Baby tested, Baby approved!

And he'll even share :0) 

Our Little Monster is 1! Landon's 1st birthday party!

Two weekends ago, we celebrated our younger son's birthday. Family and friends got together for food, presents, and cake for our sweet Landon. I decided on a monster theme after seeing a link for monster cupcakes on Pinterest. These cupcakes turned out too darn cute and they were so easy to make!

First, I made homemade funfetti cupcakes, then topped them with buttercream frosting. I used the Wilton #233 tip for a "furry" look.

 

To make the body parts, I drew them with permanent marker on a piece of white paper. Then I placed wax paper overtop of the drawings and traced using Wilton's candy melts. (do not try to dye the candy melts or you will get a gloppy mess! you have to buy the already colored melts!) To trace the images, I simply put the melted candy in a small ziploc and clipped a small hole in the bottom corner of the bag (but you certainly could use an icing bag and tip). I did many different parts including, eyes, fangs, teeth, mouths, horns, tentacles, arms,wings, noses, ears, and even moustaches!

Didn't everyone do a great job?

For the favor, since we had way more adults than children, I decided to do a homemade monster cookie mix! I simply layered cookie ingredients together and tied the jar with a ribbon. I also included instructions for baking the cookies.

Landon had such a wonderful time at his party!

Things I'm Loving

My new nephew, Christian Scott! Born December 21, 2011

He was definitely the best Christmas present!

I get to start watching this sweet little boy in a few weeks!

Do you think I'll have enough boys around my house? :0)

This face on Christmas morning. Porter was so excited for Christmas this year! Christmas morning with a three year old was magical. (Landon's first Christmas and our first Christmas in our new house too!)

Gotta love posed family shots! 

Cousins on Justin's side! My boys are so lucky to have such a big family-Landon has three cousins born the same year as him!

All the cousins on my side! So funny that my parents have three grandsons after having three daughters.

My two boys sharing their room!

Many generations getting to spend quality time together! My boys love their great granddad!

Porter playing a superhero video game

My baby turning one! I can't believe it's been a year, and I could never imagine our family without our Landon Bean!

Landon's bouncy horse! He loves his big birthday present (and so does Porter!)

Celebrating Landon's birthday with banana cake :0) He loved it!

This very toothy grin! (and days at the park with Daddy)

This very happy boy!

Just a few things I'm loving these days!

Crockpot Turkey Enchilada Chili

Man, do I love a good crockpot recipe! Well, the best part about this recipe is that it wasn't really a recipe at all. I knew I wanted to make a soup in the crockpot, so I raided my freezer, fridge, and pantry to see what I could come up with! It was then that I realized I had 6 cans of enchilada sauce in my pantry. Whoops! So I decided to throw it in the crockpot for a chili, and I'm glad I did. This chili is seriously delicious-even after eating it for lunch 5 days in a row (I would know, I did!).

Crockpot Turkey Enchilada Chili

Recipe and photos by Jill Chall

1 lb ground turkey

1 pkg taco seasoning (or use homemade like I did-cuts down on sodium)

1 medium onion, diced

1-2 stalks celery, diced

1 c frozen corn

1 can black beans, undrained

1 can stewed tomatoes, cut up with kitchen scissors

2-3 c reduced sodium chicken stock (depending on what consistency you like)

1 can mild enchilada sauce

a couple tablespoons cornmeal

Brown your ground turkey with the taco seasoning. Drain the meat and place in the crockpot with all other ingredients except the cornmeal. Cook on low for 6 hours. When you're about ready to eat throw in a couple spoonfuls of cornmeal. This will thicken up the chili nicely. Enjoy! 

I served mine with these cornbread muffins with corn instead of blueberries-so yummy!

Root Beer Pulled Pork

You will need pork tenderloin, liquid smoke, root beer, and bbq sauce

You've gotta love recipes that only have four ingredients. You heard me. Four. All you need is your trusty crockpot, a couple of hours, and 4 ingredients. (5 if you're like my husband and HAVE to have some super spicy and vinegary homemade Carolina bbq sauce too :0)) I'll give you the step by step of this recipe to show you how incredibly easy this is!

Trim any obvious chunks of fat off your pork tenderloin and remove the silverskin. Place your pork tenderloins in the crockpot and add 1 t of liquid smoke.

This picture freaks me out. I had a slight moment where I said, I can't believe I just poured soda on my pork tenderloin! Just go with it-your mouth will thank you!

Add 1 can of root beer. I used A&W.

Cook on low for 5-6 hours until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork.

Remove the pork and shred with two forks. Add your barbecue sauce. 

Mound some pork on your bun and add sauce. Salivate. Take a bite and enjoy! This would be great for a party-minimum prep and cooking and maximum flavor!

Root Beer Pulled Pork

Recipe by Jill Chall

2 lbs. pork tenderlon, trimmed

1 t liquid smoke

1 can root beer

1 bottle barbecue sauce (I recommend Stubb's and Sweet Baby Ray's)

Place pork tenderloin in crockpot. Add liquid smoke and root beer. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, until pork shreds easily. Add desired amount of barbecue sauce. Mix. Enjoy! 

Mini Cornbread Muffins {with blueberries} and Honey Butter

Wow, that's a long blog title for these little muffins. Boy, are they delicious though. Porter ate 5 with his black bean soup and I had *cough cough* more than that :0). This recipe comes from one of my absolute favorite blogs-The Pioneer Woman. You really should go check out her site-her recipes are out of this world (and she's hilarious!). 

Thanks, Mom, for the awesome melamine condiment cups-so glad they aren't breakable, already dropped one :0)

Anyway, back to the muffins, if you make them please please please make the honey butter to go with them! I can't tell you how yummy it is. I loved the muffins with the dried blueberries (I accidentally bought craisins flavored with blueberry juice and they were great), but next time I think I'll try them with the supersweet organic corn that I buy from costco (yum)!

These are definitely some of the most moist cornbread muffins I've ever had! Make them for your family and they'll love you for it!

Blueberry Corn Mini-Muffins:

Photos by Jill Chall

Recipe by The Pioneer Woman

1 c yellow cornmeal

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 t salt

1 T baking powder

2 T white sugar

1 c buttermilk

1/2 c milk

1/2 t baking soda

1 whole egg

1/4 c shortening, melted and cooled

1/2 t vanilla

8 oz dried blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine corn meal, flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, milk, egg, and baking soda. Stir to combine. Add melted shortening, stirring constantly. Add vanilla extract, then stir in dried blueberries (you can use a little more or a little fewer if you'd like.)

Pour into a greased mini-muffin pan, trying to make sure blueberries stay evenly distributed. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

*This recipe made about 30 mini muffins for me

Honey Butter:
Recipe by Jill Chall

4 T (half a stick) unsalted butter, very soft
2 T honey

Mix butter and honey together until smooth and combined. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!