Banana Muffins

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp cinnemon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2-3 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp hot water

Directions
Bake in muffin tin at 350 for 12-18 minutes.

Amazing Bacon Jalapeno Poppers

INGREDIENTS

4 slices of bacon

1 link Italian sausage

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 oz. cream cheese6 large jalapenos

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon half way, cut each slice into thirds and set aside.

2. Remove casing from sausage, cook until crumbly and brown. Set aside to cool.

3. Combine garlic, all the cheeses and the cooled sausage and mix well.

4. Using gloves, remove the stem from each jalapeno, leaving the top intact, and slice each jalapeno length-wise. Remove the seeds and membrane from each one. 

5. Evenly stuff each jalapeno with the cheese/meat mixture (tip: stuff to slightly above the sides of the pepper because some settling will occur but not too full or it will run over the sides.) and place one piece of bacon on top of each pepper. Lay on a sheet of tin foil.

6. Grill over high heat until cheese is bubbly and pepper bottoms start to turn brown/black. They will be super hot so allow to cool before eating.

This makes 12 poppers so for a big crowd we usually multiply it by 2 or 3.

This can be done in the oven as well.

Recipe by Christina and Brandt Brinkerhoff

Photo by Haley Rencher

BYU Mint Brownies

INGREDIENTS

Brownies
1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)

Mint Icing

5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

Chocolate Icing

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup coco

4 cups powder sugar

3 tsp vanilla

4 TBS milk

DIRECTIONS
Brownies:  Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 13 by 18 inch jelly roll baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Mint Icing:  Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.


Chocolate Icing: Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

MAKES ONE 13 BY-18 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

Recipe from BYUMagazine

Photo by Haley Rencher

Jamie's Soft Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
7 c flour
1 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 c butter (can use baking quality margarine)
1 T vanilla
1 c sour cream (can use light)
2 eggs
2 c sugar

Directions
Cream sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream (will be quite runny). In a separate bowl mix flour, soda & salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Dough should be somewhat firm, but not too much since you will add flour as you roll them out.

Bake @ 400 for 5-10 mins until bottoms are *very* slightly browned. I usually double up my baking sheets to prevent the bottoms from browning too much, so they are like bakery cookies. Parchment paper is nice, but don't use those dark non-stick pans, they will brown them way too much.

Buttercream Frosting
1/2 c butter
1 T vanilla
powdered sugar (about 1 lb or so)
milk or whipping cream




Recipe from Jamie Mansfield

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 T vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 c choc chips
1/2-3/4 c chopped nuts (optional)

Directions
Mix flour soda and salt. In another bowl cream butter and sugars. blend in vanilla, egg and egg yolk until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients until just blended. Stir in chips (and nuts) by hand. Bake @ 325 for 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. They WILL look slightly doughy in the center. This is what makes them chewy. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks.



Recipe from Jamie Mansfield

Soft Ginger Cookies

These cookies flatten and crack as they cool. The secret in keeping them soft is to remove them from the oven as soon as they are set but before they start to brown.

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses

4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
l/2 tsp. cloves
l/2 tsp. salt


Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat until thick. Add the molasses and stir until combined.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Add to creamed mixture and stir just until blended. If the dough is very soft (hot day? warm kitchen?), wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (or freezer for about 10-15min;).

Shape into 1” balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350º for 7 - 10 minutes or just until set but before they start to brown. It is about 9 minutes in my oven. I look at the bottom of the cookies to see if they are browning. 

White Chile

Ingredients

1 pound of chicken (cooked & cubed)
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
6-8 small garlic cloved, minced
1 can diced green chiles
2 (15 oz). can white beans (do not drain)
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp chicken bullion
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper(depending on how tough you are)
1 cup sour cream
3 cups cheese
2-3 TBS chopped cilantro

Directions

Cook the chicken and set aside. In a large stock pot heat up vegetable oil and add minced onion. Cook 1-2 minutes and add minced garlic. Cook another 1-2 minutes until both are tender. Add the diced green chiles and cook for about 1 minutes. Add beans, broth, buillion, cumin, oregano & cayenne pepper & cooked chicken. Stirl together and put a lid on the pot. Simmer at a boil for about 10-15 minutes. Turn down to a low heat until ready to serve.

Right before serving, stir in cheese & sour cream. Garnish with cilantro.

(Great with tortilla chips!)

Serves about 6 adults.


Recipe from Colleen Morrell
Photo by Sophie Weber