recipe

How to Make Easy Basil Pesto

Homemade pesto is one of the quickest ways to brighten any dish from caprese chicken to pizza and even to macaroni and cheese. This is my tried and true method to make the perfect basil pesto recipe every single time.

I’ve made homemade pesto many times and totally loved it. And just as many times I’ve totally screwed it up. Why? There are likely several reasons, but it’s mainly because I veered away from my perfected proportions and added too much garlic or not enough olive oil or didn’t season my basil pesto sauce nearly enough.continue to the recipe… about How to Make Easy Basil Pesto

Blueberry Oatmeal Quick Bread

This incredibly easy blueberry bread gets an added dose of healthy with the addition of Greek yogurt and oats, making it an even better option than banana bread or blueberry muffins.

This quick bread recipe is a favorite I originally shared back in 2013. Lately I’ve been making it over and over again—it’s that perfect food gift for welcoming the new baby (hello, baby Max!) or saying hello to new neighbors. So while I was at it, I took new photos to share again here.

This oatmeal blueberry bread recipe came about after standing at the kitchen counter one day with a half dozen super ripe bananas, swatting my husband’s headed-to-the-garbage-can-hands in an attempt to quell their discarded fate.

I knew by the super sweet smell and the mooshy touch—not to mention Smudge’s squinched up expression each time she passed them by thanks to their rather unattractive state—that I’d be lucky to squeeze even one more day in before my opportunity to make banana bread would be gone. And just like that, it was.

That’s when blueberries came to my quick bread rescue, for a quick bread worthy of any breakfast, brunch, or treat.continue to the recipe… about Blueberry Oatmeal Quick Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This chocolate chip banana bread is made sans oil and instead uses Greek yogurt to add moisture. This is easily the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever made!

When she speaks, I listen. And when her friends speak, I listen louder.

Yes, I meant to say that. Louder. Because actions are louder than words and when they eat every morsel, every crumb, I know we have a winner.

Smudge is becoming a big help in the kitchen. I find myself stopping in my tracks to watch her flit from counter to cupboard, completely unaware of anything going on around her as she sings softly under her breath to the tune that never seems to end in her head. For good measure she’ll give a twirl, an elegant flick of her wrist then cock her elbow, throw her hand behind her head and rock a pumping sprinkler dance.

And then we return to the never-ending song in her head.

Recently a friend of hers came over for a playdate. What did they want to do? Bake banana bread. Well alright then, let’s do it. And we did. And they ate. And I listened when her friend declared this recipe was, “the best banana bread I’ve ever eaten.”

Umm, yeah. Perhaps because it tastes like a giant slice of banana bread chocolate chip heaven?

Hey, I’m just here to listen.

I’ve experimented with plenty of banana bread recipes, including the recipe I used in 7th grade that called for vegetable oil as the main moistening ingredient, resulting in a greasy crumb that deflated quickly. Using Greek yogurt in this easy banana bread recipe gives ample moisture minus the greasy fingers. This is banana bread, not french fries people.

Of course adding in a few chocolate chips to any recipe can only make the world go ’round a little easier, a little sweeter.

But when I’m in a need for a basic proven recipe I’m often drawn to my go-to 1,028 recipe tomb: The New Best Recipe Cookbook by Cook’s Illustrated. I’ve slightly adapted the recipe by adding a touch more vanilla, subbing pecans for walnuts, and yes, the aforementioned chocolate chips.

What’s in Choc Chip Banana Bread?

The beauty of homemade banana bread is that it uses very few ingredients, but is so incredibly flavorful and moist (yes, I just said moist). This banana bread with yogurt uses the following key ingredients:

All-purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Baking soda
Salt
Chopped pecans
Bananas
Plain Greek yogurt
Eggs
Unsalted butter
Vanilla extract
Chocolate chips

Make sure to buy plain Greek yogurt, preferably whole fat or low-fat (non-fat yogurt is much tangier and the lack of fat will result in a drier loaf). The brand you buy doesn’t matter, just get whatever’s on sale.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

To make this homemade banana bread, you just have to stir together the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet in another. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry, then pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.

Bake the chocolate chip banana bread for a good 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. I like to eat this moist banana bread warm with butter, but it’s also delicious at room temp with a glass of milk.

How to Store Banana Bread

Choc chip banana bread will last for a few days on your counter. Make sure to wrap it in foil to prevent it from drying out, though. If desired, you can rewarm slices of banana bread in the microwave or oven.

Can You Freeze Banana Bread?

Homemade banana bread freezes really well and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze the whole loaf, let it come to room temperature before wrapping it in a few layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil (this prevents the bread from developing freezer burn). When you’re ready to enjoy the frozen loaf, set it on your counter in its wrappings to thaw.

You can also slice and freeze the banana bread and keep it in a freezer bag, but I find that it dries out more quickly in the freezer if it’s pre-sliced. But if you think you’ll eat the chocolate chip banana bread quickly enough, it shouldn’t be an issue!

Do I Have to Add the Nuts?

If you have a pecan allergy or don’t have any on hand, feel free to omit them. You can also substitute them with another type of nut if preferred.

Tips for the Best Banana Bread

The bananas you use for this chocolate chip banana bread recipe should be overripe and almost black in color. If your bananas are far from being ripe enough to use in banana bread, poke them all over with a fork and then bake them at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned. Let the bananas cool completely before adding them to the batter.

I’ll also say that although I love me some warm banana bread, you don’t want to slice into this loaf when it first comes out of the oven. Give the moist banana bread time to firm up and cool down a bit before slicing.

Lastly, I used semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe because I like how the slightly bitter chocolate contrasts with the super sweet bread. But you’re welcome to use any chocolate chips or chunks you have lying around in this banana bread!

More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.

4 from 5 votes

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This chocolate chip banana bread is made sans oil and instead uses Greek yogurt to add moisture. This is easily the best banana bread recipe I've ever made!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Banana Bread, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Servings 9 people

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup pecans toasted and coarsely chopped
3 bananas very ripe and mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
2 large eggs beaten lightly
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan and set aside.
Whisk first five ingredients together in large bowl; set aside.
In a medium bowl mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, vanilla and chocolate chips. Gently fold banana mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is golden brown. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm with a swath of sweet butter or at room temperature with a cold glass of milk.

Recipe Notes

If you need to ripen your bananas quickly, poke them all over with a fork and then bake them at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned. Let the bananas cool completely before adding them to the batter.
Recipe slightly adapted from The New Best Recipe Cookbook from Cook's Illustrated

More Banana Desserts to Try

Obviously as I was creating this post I was on the hunt for more lovely banana-inspired recipes and I must say, the banana is severely neglected out there unless its in a muffin, pancake or bread variety.

I say, “Raise the banana flag!” Let’s give the banana it’s sweetened day in the sun. Here’s a selection of food bloggers doing just that, and doing it well.

Modesty must be Glory’s thing because according to her Glorious Treats’s Banana Caramel Cream Dessert isn’t groundbreaking. I beg to differ.

Gluten- and dairy-free but full of flavor with a history in family lore and subject that leaves Shauna in stitches, Gluten-Free Girl’s Coconut-Banana Cream Pie is sure to make us smile too.

Cassie makes sure the health nuts aren’t left out with a chia see and whole wheat flour recipe for Bake Your Day’s Vegan Banana Nut Breakfast Cake that’s enough to convert even the non-vegans in some of us

Diana layers her nana-nanas with an extra banana-flavored icing thanks to banana extract in Created by Diane‘s Banana Icing on Banana Walnut Muffins.

Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner, the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life.

We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.

The Best French Onion Soup

This traditional French Onion Soup recipe has a rich, decadent broth loaded with caramelized onions and topped with everyone’s favorite part: the toasted bread and melty cheese.

Rich and Delicious Homemade French Onion Soup

If there’s one soup I absolutely cannot resist, it’s french onion soup. I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to F.O.S., so don’t bother with that watery broth or get stingey with the onions. And please, make sure that cheese is plentiful and melty and creates a serious cheese pull.

As an expert french onion soup taster, I’ve narrowed down my very most favorite versions. There’s that one from that French Bistro in San Francisco, and the one I first had when I was probably 11 or 12, shopping with my mom at Trolley Square with lunch at The Pub, now known as Desert Edge Brewery, where they still serve a very good version. I seriously thought I had hit adult hood with our special lunches out.

But my new number one favorite French Onion Soup is from Nordstrom Café Bistro. It’s where my mom and I usually stop for a bite when we go shopping together, which in all honestly is actually our excuse to get this french onion soup. I loved it so much after eating it so many times that I asked them for the recipe, and surprise, surprise, they said yes. It’s now replaced my original french onion soup recipe here on the blog because it really is so much better.continue to the recipe… about The Best French Onion Soup

Gwyneth’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe

These homemade blueberry muffins are moist, loaded with berries, and so easy to make from scratch that I’ll never make the boxed kind again.

There are several recipes for my favorite baked goods that I am perennially trying to find the PERFECT recipe for. My top three recipe-seeking baking obsessions are: the best chocolate chip cookies—CHECK! and with chocolate chip with oatmeal—CHECK!, the best brownies—CHECK!, and the best blueberry muffins—now it’s CHECK CHECK CHECK!

I made these easy blueberry muffins as I always do for Christmas morning, and then I made them again a week later, and then I made them again just a few days ago. After referring to this post that many times, I wanted to give it a refresh. So here we are, all shiny and new.

A few years ago when I purchased my copy of the multi-faceted-actress-singer-Goop-creator-now media mogul Gwyneth Paltrow’s My Father’s Daughter cookbook, and discovered her mother’s recipe for blueberry muffins, my heart skipped a beat.

The photography plus my girl crush on Gwyneth back then made me pick up the book. But it was that blueberry muffin recipe that sold it. And why I’m sharing it again today.continue to the recipe… about Gwyneth’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe

5 Easy Tips for Juicy Roast Chicken

A juicy, crispy roast chicken with vegetables is one recipe every home cook can—and should—easily master.

Roast Chicken Recipe

Why would a little old bird seem so intimidating to me? Maybe because the little clucker has inspired more failed recipe attempts for me than any other recipe I’ve tried to master.

Am I alone here?

Roast chicken is supposed to be easy. It’s not like you need new technology or fancy schmancy ingredients. It’s one of the basics and cooks have been roasting birds for, like, forever.

So what was my problem?

continue to the recipe… about 5 Easy Tips for Juicy Roast Chicken

Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

I’ve been making this easy vegetable lasagna for years. It’s layered with a smooth butternut squash puree, shiitake mushrooms, a creamy white sauce, and melty cheese to make an irresistible layered lasagna noodle you’ll love digging into.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

It’s not even Christmas yet and I’ve already been looking toward the new year and listing out a few of the goals I plan to hit next year.

One of the biggies in my new year goal making sessions is to eat more meatless meals. It’s easy for me to do for breakfast and lunch, but where I tend to run into a road block is when I make meatless dinners because that’s not exactly my husband’s idea of a meal. But I’ve found it’s a whole lot easier to convince the family to join me on my veggie train when I’m serving dishes like this vegetable-loaded lasagna where nobody ever misses the meat.

I used to make this vegetable lasagna every.single.year when I hosted the volunteer holiday party for my fave animal rescue, where everything had to be served vegetarian. We were an animal rescue, not an animal eatery.

So did anyone (aka my husband) miss the meat? Not a chance! Why not? Because this Italian dinner recipe is completely delicious! That, and the layers of cheese don’t hurt to convince any doubting Thomas too.continue to the recipe… about Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

Juicy Roast Turkey Breast

The best way to cook roast turkey breast isn’t in the crockpot, but in the oven instead, and it only takes 30 minutes to cook.

Thanksgiving isn’t the only time of the year to talk turkey. Sure, it’s a popular protein over the holidays, but it should totally be considered as a dinner contender any time of year.

Turkey. It isn’t just for sandwiches anymore.

Turkey has so much more to offer than just a side dish to mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy. Especially when it’s cooked as a roasted turkey breast like this easy-to-make recipe.

My turkey-making-tricks result in a turkey breast that’s juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and ready to gobble down, whether it’s served with all the fixins’, in my favorite turkey pot pie, or yes, even as an awesome grilled cheese turkey sandwich.continue to the recipe… about Juicy Roast Turkey Breast

Easy Quick Roasted Tomatoes

While there’s nothing quite like biting into a garden-fresh tomato, quick roasted tomatoes in the oven create a savory sweetness that’s delicious made into a simple roasted tomato sauce on pasta, made into soup, or served as appetizers, no matter what time of year.

You could say I’m obsessed with roasting tomatoes.

Even when they’re at their most flavorful, summertime prime, it’s highly likely that sweet cherry tomatoes, Italian plum roma tomatoes, and just about every other variety I pick up (minus the big beefsteaks) typically find their way into the oven at some point for a quick roast to pull out their most jammy-sweet flavor.

But the real appeal of roasting is when we’re eating those dead-of-winter tomatoes. You know the ones. The tomatoes who left their taste at the door.

I love long, slow-roasted tomatoes at a low temp in the oven, but sometimes there’s no time to wait. When it comes to quick and easy, no-fuss roasted tomatoes, the big return on the little time invested is totally worth it, because a roast in the oven for less than an hour is all that’s needed to release the super sweet powers of any noble tomato. continue to the recipe… about Easy Quick Roasted Tomatoes

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

This Chinese Chicken Salad takes the healthier high road than the heavier versions I always see at those popular food chains that everyone loves. But this one with crunchy romaine, wontons, and an almond crunch, topped with protein-packed chicken breast, pasta noodles, and a flavor-flav sesame dressing.

Lighter fare that totally satisfies is what I’m craving now. And as summer’s flowy skirts and loose-fitting shift dresses morph into fall’s jeans and thigh hugging pants, it seems lighter food is part of my weekly anthem.

Goodbye my fave potato salad and chocolate drizzled ice cream cones dripping down my chin. Hello meal planning, gym going, and my fave weight loss plan.

And that’s where my all-time favorite—and healthier—Chinese Chicken Salad comes in.

I’ve updated this recipe post because I refer to it all the time and it needed some updated love.

I CRAVE this salad, and it’s one I love to make for ladies lunches or for a simple, and lighter meal for a crowd. Because who doesn’t love a good Chinese Chicken Salad anyway?

continue to the recipe… about Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes

This easy caprese pasta salad recipe steeps cherry tomatoes in a garlic-infused oil that becomes the dressing over any type of pasta with sliced mozzarella, capers, lemon, and basil making it a healthy potluck recipe that’s perfectly ripe for brunch, lunch, or a dinner everyone will love.

This is a re-do of one of my favorite tomato pasta salad recipes I published my first year of blogging. I’ve been making this caprese pasta salad on repeat ever since the clock struck summer, but it’s very likely that many of you haven’t ever even seen it, and that’s a darn shame because it’s just too good to miss.

So after looking at it so many times already this summer, I thought it could use a refresh. And so here it is once again, with a spit shine, some new photos, and a video to show you easy it will be for you to make it too.

I’m a huge fan of summer’s fresh tomatoes, especially when my garden starts producing my beloved cherry tomatoes I pop straight into my mouth like candy. So back in August of 2011 when I spied this recipe on the Martha Stewart Living cover peeking over the others on the grocery store rack, there wasn’t a question whether the issue would be coming home with me.

And that’s why this salad has been in my summer recipe-making-repertoire ever since.continue to the recipe… about Caprese Pasta Salad with Garlic Marinated Tomatoes

Mediterranean Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Olive Tapenade

A simple marinade with two kinds of balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs, and grainy mustard gives this grilled balsamic chicken topped with an easy olive and sun dried tomato tapenade a classic Mediterranean flavor zing.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

It’s no secret that I have a love affair with Mediterranean flavored food, and there’s no better season than summer to really get into exploring all the flavors as a cook and relishing every bite as an eager eater.

From Italian-style Burrata and Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salads to classic Greek Pork Souvlaki and The Best Lebanese Fattoush Salad, summer is the season to take advantage of Mediterranean vegetables in their prime, fresh herbs at their peak, and outdoor grilling techniques that naturally become the dinnertime norm.

This grilled balsamic chicken served with a super-simple-to-make olive and sun dried tomato tapenade is one of my favorite, and easiest gateways to making healthy Mediterranean eating a weekly ritual.

continue to the recipe… about Mediterranean Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Olive Tapenade

21 Easy Recipes for Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey

This roundup of 21 easy but creative leftover turkey recipes will help you make the most of the lingering bites of Thanksgiving.

Ahhh, it’s the most wonderful time of year. Thanksgiving is upon us, which means we’ll soon be eating our weight in turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. And even though next day leftover turkey sandwiches with all the fixins’ are a gift from the gods, there’s only so many of them we can manage to shovel down our gullets. That’s why we’re determined to leverage our leftovers as best we can, in as many different ways as we can.

From soups and curries, to pot pies and casseroles, and even pop tarts (yes, pop tarts), we’ve got 21 delicious ways to enjoy your leftover T-Day bird. It’s the stuff tryptophan dreams are made of. Gobble, gobble.

continue to the recipe… about 21 Easy Recipes for Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers

Fresh green bell peppers become their own all-in-one serving vessel when stuffed with chicken, rice, mushrooms, and a creamy mushroom-infused sauce to create a weeknight dinner that puts the all the essential nutrients in one easy-to-make and totally delicious dinner.

You know how you have staples in your culinary repertoire? Those dishes that no matter how gourmet you try to fool your family and friends into thinking you are—and more often trying to convince yourself? The recipes that are the staple for Sunday night comfort food cravings and oh so easy to make on a weeknight, too?

This here recipe is one of them. Crave-a-licious.

I first shared this stuffed bell pepper recipe nearly 5-years-to-the-day-ago and after referring back to it so many times over the years, I felt it needed an update. Five years ago it was one of our go-to, favorite dinners then, and it absolutely still is today.

My mom used to make stuffed peppers with hamburger and tomato sauce, but as I kid I was so. not. into. peppers. Ew. But true to form, I began to like them the more I had them. I keep telling myself my little girl AliSmudge would be making the turn too. And she has. Oh yes, she’s a fan too.

My man and and I came up with this stuffed bell peppers recipe that will forever be in our top 5 favorite meals to make at home: Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers for the all-in-one-dinner-for-the-stuffed-bell-pepper-win.

continue to the recipe… about Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers

31 Instant Pot Dinner Recipes to Make in October

These 31 recipe ideas for the Instant Pot are perfect for whipping up homemade dinners on the fly this month!

Happy October!

For our tenth installment of our 31 Days Series, we’re simplifying with the all-in-one magical unicorn workhorse Instant Pot. If you’re a little late to the party, the Instant Pot is the newfangled version of the pressure cooker, and if you don’t have one yet, you likely have major appliance envy, because this baby is the Beyoncé of kitchen appliances.

I’m telling you now…there isn’t a single appliance I’ve loved more since I got my Instant Pot last year than this and my friends and family can all vouch for this because I think they’re sick of hearing me talk about its virtues. And if you don’t believe me, believe Amazon, where it was the #3 best-selling product on 2017’s Amazon Prime Day.

But really, it does it all. The thing I love about it most is you can actually sear meats, chicken, vegetables in it before using the slow cooker or pressure cooker function so you get all that good flavor and don’t have to dirty any extra pots! It’s the true one and done.

It’s user-friendly, often cuts our average cooking duration in half, makes perfectly peelable hard boiled eggs!!!!, and it is a powerful force when it comes to weekly meal planning. What’s not to be totally smitten with? Things are getting pretty serious and all of our other appliances are getting jealous, but we #cantstopwontstop now.

If you don’t have yours yet, here’s an affiliate link, but seriously…this isn’t a sponsored post, I just love this machine and I don’t know anyone else who’s bought it who doesn’t love it too.

**UPDATED: I JUST received an e-mail that tomorrow, Oct. 2, 2017, you can get the Instant Pot for $30 off — that’s just $69!!!! — at the one day sale on Amazon!

Click here to buy the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart (limit of 5 for the sale price on Oct. 2, 2017)

Instant Pot, we love you. Thank you for making our lives eternally easier and our kitchen sink considerably emptier.

continue to the recipe… about 31 Instant Pot Dinner Recipes to Make in October

Easy Homemade Pesto Pasta Recipe

Busy weeknights call for simple recipes that can be pulled together in a flash, and nothing’s simpler than a basic, homemade basil pesto pasta recipe that even a kid can make and clean up after too.

There are definite skills one should pass along to the younger generation, the secrets to succeed in life. At our house, one of those skills is keeping up with the daily family chores (I LOVE what the former Dean of Freshman at Stanford has to say about why!!!) and whether Smudge likes it or not, she’s getting a good education in this area. She used to think “getting” to do the dishes was fun — she got to wear an apron and play with bubbles as she twirled about to whichever song is on replay over and over in her head — but these days, that shine has certainly worn off.

With summer’s laziness giving way to back-to-school’s busier nights of homework, two soccer teams to practice with, basketball practice and her other basic daily chores, Smudge’s dish washing time has gotten the squeeze right along with the time I have in my schedule to create time-intensive dinners, if I remember to get anything ready for dinner at all!

That’s why keeping super simple, basic recipes like this one in my back pocket are always weeknight saviors, for days when the basics are really all that’s needed. And craved. Like my basic pesto pasta just yearning for a twirl around the silver twines.

continue to the recipe… about Easy Homemade Pesto Pasta Recipe

Pan-Seared Citrus Shrimp Recipe

This simple, bright, and fresh shrimp dish is ready in under 30 minutes, making it an easy dinner for anyone on the go or the perfect appetizer to take to a party, and it’s lush orange and lemon citrus sauce leaves out the butter and cream but will still have you dipping your bread in for more.

I’d have to say one of the most common complaints I hear about cooking at home is when you suddenly realize it’s one of those days when dinner slips up in front of you and you have absolutely nothing planned to cook. Typically, that’s when some would throw their hands up in the air, concede defeat, and then reach for a bowl, some cereal and milk—or the closest take-out menu, whichever is easiest to get to first.

I know. I’ve been there.

That all-too-common predicament is one reason why this recipe spoke to me, because:

The ingredient list is short and simple.
It’s healthy, low-cal, high in protein, and frigging delicious.
99% of the time I have the ingredients in my freezer, fridge, and in my pantry.
It’s ready in under 30 minutes.
And it’s amazingly adaptable to be served with a variety of sides or re-invented in other dishes for just about every one of the picky eaters.

Sorry cereal, you’ll have to wait for your time to come.continue to the recipe… about Pan-Seared Citrus Shrimp Recipe

Chunky Citrus Guacamole

Chunky with a citrus-ey accent or both lime and orange juice plus a hit of spice and just enough girth to make any chip happy, it’s the perfect combo to welcome some spring weather with a few salty corn chips and a nice cold beverage.

If it weren’t for guacamole serving as my avocado gateway, the jury is out on whether I would ever have become an avocado fan. Now, they’re one of my favorite things to eat, so how could it be there was a time I didn’t like them?

Just like artichokes, it wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I finally gave in to even trying avocados. I have no idea where my aversion stemmed from. Maybe I just had an aversion to fruits and veggies that started with the letter A?

There are as many guacamole recipes out there in the world as there are stars in the sky and we all have our favorite, and this chunky homemade version is mine.

My husband came up with this guacamole recipe years ago and it was one of the first recipes I published here on the blog when I announced the first issue of FoodieCrush magazine along with some of my favorite things. But after making this guacamole time and time again, my photos and this post were in need of an update.continue to the recipe… about Chunky Citrus Guacamole

The Best Chewy Caramel Corn Plus 5 More to Crunch On

Chewy bites of homemade caramel make this easy five ingredient caramel corn recipe a favorite snack or sweet treat for every age.

I think you’re going to find two camps on this one.

First camp: Chewy. Second camp: Crunchy. Count me on ~~Team Gwen~~ Team #1. Chewy all the way.

Just like my favorite granola bars, I favor a chewy, buttery bite to my caramel corn instead of a crack-the-crown-off-your-tooth type of caramel corn.

Call me crazy but my mom and dad didn’t spend all that money on these pearly whites for nothing. I need all my teeth!

continue to the recipe… about The Best Chewy Caramel Corn Plus 5 More to Crunch On

Bacon Wrapped Grilled Peaches with Balsamic Glaze

The first bite of recipe creating inspiration for me often starts with—you got it—the first bite.

Case in point, my dinner last Friday night. Even though it was Labor Day weekend, the mountains delivered a chilly preview of what’s soon to be in store. I love fall. I can’t wait.

My husband and I were invited to mark the end of summer at the Wasatch Mountain Table at nearby Solitude Resort. It was a very, very long table set at the bottom of a ski hill among forests of trees and a wandering river.

We met some incredibly fun tablemates and laughed the night away, because that what food and drink does to a crowd. But the real focus of the night was the delicious food accented with beer pairings from one of my husband’s favorite local brewers, Epic Brewery.

Peaches are a staple fruit in Utah with orchards dotting the freeways that run north all the way to the border of Idaho. One of the appetizers at our Friday night dinner was a grill full of these Bacon Wrapped Grilled Peaches. Chef Neville cooked down Epic Brewery’s Brainless on Peaches Belgian Ale into the balsamic glaze.

continue to the recipe… about Bacon Wrapped Grilled Peaches with Balsamic Glaze

Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Lemons

Just like how I like my desserts both salty and sweet, I really dig a dinner that combines bright and briny flavors with each and every savory, Mediterranean flavored bite.

My taste buds have a mind of their own. And lemon is usually part of their brainwash. And olives, and capers and anything pickle-ish. We can save the “get pickled” jokes for the weekend.

Making another appearance here on the blog, skinless and boneless chicken thighs are the centerpiece of this dish.

Honey mustard flavored, kicked up Tabasco braised and slow cooker balsamic thighs of the fowl have all found their way to my dinner table. And I’m pretty sure this dish of Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Lemons won’t be the last thigh I’ll be sharing with you anytime soon.

Let’s save the Angelina Jolie thigh jokes for the next awards show red carpet, okay?

continue to the recipe… about Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Lemons

Chipotle Honey Baked Chicken Wings

Maybe it’s because I live a relatively drama-free life that I’m so obscenely attracted to spicy food.

I’m just not one to drum up a whole lot of drama. I don’t create illnesses to obsess over. I don’t overthink the obvious. I pretty much just let things go. Just get over it. I mean, why wouldn’t you?

So when it comes to spicing up my life, I leave it to the happenings going on in the kitchen.

Thai. Cajun. Mexican. Line ‘em up, knock ‘em out and let’s get busy.

Last weekend, I had a surprise guest in my kitchen and did. just. that. and we. got. busy.

continue to the recipe… about Chipotle Honey Baked Chicken Wings

Tortellini Soup with Artichokes

There are plenty of different places I find inspiration for tasty vittles that float my boat. A bite of a dish from a favorite restaurant, a mention from a cooking show I see on T.V and then there are these things on the internets called food blogs. Have you ever heard of ’em?

So when I’m searching for a specific recipe to fix for the fam, it’s usually my fingers that do the walking on my computer’s keyboard.

And while pundits have been plotting the demise of print ever since the internet wiggled it’s way into our information seeking hearts, I say au contraire mo-frair!

I’m still a die hard fan of the printed recipe—whether it’s listed in a favorite cookbook or magazine. And when I’m skimming their pages, that’s usually when inspiration strikes.

continue to the recipe… about Tortellini Soup with Artichokes

Easy Parmesan Buttered Noodles

We’re not yet two weeks into 2014, so I think that technically I can squeeze in one more ode to 2013, right?

2013 was a great year, a fabulous year in fact. It was filled with amazing opportunities and new relationships that came my way thanks to this sweet lil’ blog o’ mine. Sing that 3 times fast to the Axl’s Sweet Child O’ Mine and you’ll feel my vibe.

While I’ve already declared my word for 2014, with 365 days to cover there’s certainly room for one more. And most likely a few others too. That’s why I’m adding this one to the hat: Simplify.

One thing I heard over and over from friends and family in 2013 was this: “I was going to call you, but you’re SO BUSY,” or “I was going to ask you to go/stay/play but you’re SO BUSY.”

Was I really THAT busy? TOO busy for my family and friends?

continue to the recipe… about Easy Parmesan Buttered Noodles

Smoked Salmon Spread

Celebrations call for bites of all sizes, big, small and every other. Luckily, my Smoked Salmon Spread fits the bill no matter how big you’re craving is or the size of your eagerly awaiting mouth.

There’s a beautiful reason to add to today’s celebration, because the lovely food blogger Stefanie of Sarcastic Cooking is soon to deliver a bouncing baby boy.

Babies are not only good for nuzzling and snuggling and the reason to max out the credit card buying an exorbitant amount of needless baby gear for, but also because soon enough they turn into expert taste testers. Which comes in handy when mama is a food blogger.

Stephanie has been a kindred spirit of mine for a long time. Not just because she is a consistent supporter of other food blogs, takes mouth watering photos and develops terrific recipes for my kind of food, but also because she makes food I love to eat.

Like…

continue to the recipe… about Smoked Salmon Spread

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

Today’s post started out as an assignment for my intern Courtney and turned into a tasty lunch for me. See, I’m smart that way.

While Courtney generally helps me with design and layout duties, this week she wanted to play in the kitchen and I said, “Go for it girlie! Let’s check out your chops!” She chose her favorite ingredient combo, created the recipe and after we played around taking pics in the kitchen she wrote this post. My stomach says she came up with a winner and I know you’ll agree after you make her vegetarian Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos.

Take it away Courtney…

There are a few things in life that make me really happy. A well designed book cover, a beautiful fall day, the sound of my kids playing nicely with each other – without me.

When it comes to food, nothing compares to the smell of diced onion and minced garlic over an open flame. I don’t know why but it makes me feel like I know what I’m doing in the kitchen. I feel legit. I feel happy. And once your onions are nice and translucent, the possibilities are endless.

While most of us associate the aroma of onions and garlic with the start of favorite comfort foods like chicken pot pie, meatloaf or just about any Italian or Mexican meal, today we’re going full-on vegetarian.

continue to the recipe… about Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Adults love it, kids loathe it. For better or for worse, spinach is a mainstay super food that just cannot be ignored in today’s diet and my Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas is yet another reason to add it to your lunch or dinner menu plans.

This post is sponsored by Tabasco as part of its 10-Ingredient Challenge. Thanks for supporting companies I believe in, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you.

This recipe combo is the final installment of my Tabasco 10-Ingredient Challenge, following up my Tabasco Brined Spicy Drumsticks, Tabasco Chicken Meatballs in a Spicy Tomato and Apricot Sauce and Tabasco Braised Chicken with Chickpeas and Kale.

Spicy and we love it.

continue to the recipe… about Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Tabasco Chicken Meatballs in a Spicy Tomato and Apricot Sauce

This post is sponsored by Tabasco. Thanks for supporting companies I believe in, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you.

Spicy? Yes. Tasty? For sure. Trendy? Absolutely, since 2013 is the year of the meatball. So let’s talk about Tabasco Chicken Meatballs in a Spicy Tomato and Apricot Sauce.

We’re on recipe number two of the Tabasco 10 Ingredient Challenge, where I’ve been tasked with making 5 recipes using just 10 ingredients. Obviously Tabasco is at the top of the list, with the rest of the challenge ingredients listed here.

My first recipe was Tabasco Brined Chicken Drumsticks. An appetizer, a main meal, kind of whatever you want to make of it.

My second and third recipes are for eating in little bites, with a taste here and a taste there. And that makes kicked up meatballs with a spicy sauce the perfect meal for a nosher like me.

Creating a recipe for meatballs using simple and basic ingredients as the girth of this recipe was my starting point. Quality ingredients are always my secret to a great dish so the best Parmesan cheese you can buy acts as the binder, with green onion and Tabasco lending the flavor building blocks.continue to the recipe… about Tabasco Chicken Meatballs in a Spicy Tomato and Apricot Sauce

Monte Cristo Waffle Sandwich and a Virtual Babyshower

The best part of breakfast is when it can be eaten anytime of day and for just about any occasion. Like for a virtual baby shower for a waffle making queen who will soon bequeath us a mini waffle eating princess.

I bet that’s exactly the occasion you were planning for making Monte Cristo Waffle Sandwiches.

It’s really been 9 months already? Really? It truly seems like maybe a month ago when I drove to the airport to pick up Melissa, the exceptionally talented recipe creator/food blogger/designer behind the lens and in front of the oven at The Faux Martha.

She and a few moree food blogging friends were making their way to SLC for the blogging conference Alt Summit and we were setting up camp at my house. Sure we’d be hitting the conference, but we were all looking most forward to some quality after-conference time of dinners, cocktailing and the usual friendly merriment.

But Melissa had a secret to share, and she needed a confidante to help with her cover.

On the drive to my house from the airport she spilled the beans to me that she was pregnant.

continue to the recipe… about Monte Cristo Waffle Sandwich and a Virtual Babyshower

Burr Trail Grill Pickled Beets

It’s about time I got on the pickling train, and there’s no better recipe to start than with these Pickled Beets from The Burr Trail Grill in Boulder, UT.

Two years ago we made a trip down south to Torrey, UT for a music festival some of my husband’s old band buddies were in. After the gigging was done, we went exploring and landed about an hour east of Torrey in Boulder, UT, the gateway to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (look at this landscape!), Capital Reef National Park and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area including Lake Powell.

While the stunning red rocks contrasting the bright blue sky and wooded canyon lend to amazing outdoor adventure that brings world wide travelers to the area, in my opinion the real deal here is the the local eateries including the renowned Hell’s Backbone Grill.

We tried to grab some lunch at Hell’s Backbone while we were there, but since they were open only for dinner that weekend, we skipped next store to the Burr Trail Grill for tasty burgers and the most amazing polenta with caramelized onions, grilled red peppers and goat cheese appetizer. Seriously, I still think about that thing.

But what really rocked my socks was the sides of pickled veggies and pickled beets they served with their sandwiches and burgers.

continue to the recipe… about Burr Trail Grill Pickled Beets

recipe

What’s in Choc Chip Banana Bread?

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

How to Store Banana Bread

Can You Freeze Banana Bread?

Do I Have to Add the Nuts?

Tips for the Best Banana Bread

More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

More Banana Desserts to Try

Rich and Delicious Homemade French Onion Soup

Roast Chicken Recipe

Follow @foodiecrush on Instagram

5 Quick and Healthy No-Sweat Simple Meals