Banana Bread

There's not much better than a warm slice of banana bread and fortunately it's IC friendly!

Banana Bread
4 eggs
5 ripe bananas
1 c shortening
2 c sugar
4 c flour
1 t salt
2 t soda
1 c walnuts (optional)

Mash bananas and then beat together with eggs. Set aside. Cream shortening and sugar. Add salt, soda and banana mixture. Add flour last. Bake at 300 for 1-2 hours. This will make 2 loaves.

I like to sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the greased pan before pouring in the batter--it gives the loaf a nice touch when it comes out.

Hot Milk

One of the hard things about IC is that all you can drink is milk and water--no juice, no soda, nothing else. During winter months when everyone is drinking steaming mugs of hot cocoa, it's torture.

I found this recipe and it's a great drink to warm up cold nights and break up the monotony (even though it's still milk).

Hot Milk
1 c milk
1 T sugar
1 t vanilla

Combine and stir well. Heat in microwave for ~1 minute or until hot (do not boil). Top with a dash of cinnamon.

The vanilla you use can make or break this drink, so use the good stuff. :)

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos

Two fish recipes in two days?! Oh yeah . . .

The sauce is not IC friendly, but my husband really liked it. I just left it off mine and everyone was happy.

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos
1/4 c sour cream
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 T fresh lime juice
1 c thinly sliced white onion
1 1/2 t brown sugar
1 t dried oregano
3/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 t ground red pepper
4 (6 oz) tilapia fillets
1 T oil
8 (6") corn tortillas
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, thinly sliced

Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Combine with onion in a small bowl (this is the "bad" sauce, so leave it off yours . . .).
Combine brown sugar and other spices. Sprinkle evenly over the fish. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add fish to pan, cook 3 mintes on each side or until done.
Warm tortillas and divide fish, onion mixture, and avocado evenly among them.

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree

I know, sound fancy enough for you? I love seafood and am always up for trying something new, so when I found this recipe, I figured, "Why not?"

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree
2 c chopped cauliflower florets
1 c cubed, peeled Yukon gold potato
1 c water
1/2 c chicken broth 
1 T oil
1 1/2 lbs sea scallops
3/4 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1 1/2 T butter

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until potato is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil, swirl to coat. Sprinkle scallops with 1/4 t salt and pepper and add to pan. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove scallops from pan.
Pour cauliflower mixture in a blender and add 1/2 t salt and butter. Secure lid (but keep the center open to allow steam to escape) and blend until smooth.
Serve together.

NOTES
I used mini scallops as that was all I could find, but the big ones would have been a LOT better.

Brown Sugar Muffins

I don't understand it, but I cannot make these as well as my husband. He's a much better baker than I am for some reason, and it kills me. :)

These muffins are just the right amount of sweet and almost have a banana taste to them if done right. They are best right out of the oven and we usually double the batch (for just 2 of us) because they disappear so fast.

Brown Sugar Muffins
1/2 c margarine
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
2 c flour
1 t soda
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 c milk

I cream the margarine and sugar together, add everything else, then add the flour, but like I said, mine never turn out as well as the spouse's. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. This will make ~18 muffins.

Baked Apple Donuts

I cannot express to you how AMAZING these are. They come out with a crisp outer layer and a warm and soft inside. Oh, I'm drooling just thinking of them. My husband actually made these the first time, which made them taste that much better (the best food is food you don't cook yourself).

Baked Apple Donuts
1 1/2 c flour
1 3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c shortening
1 egg
1/2 c milk
1/2 c finely diced apples
For Later:
1/2 c butter (melted)
1/2 c sugar mixed with 2 t cinnamon

Sift together the dry ingredients and cut in shortening (pastry blender or 2 knives) until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Set aside
Combine egg, milk and apples. Add to dry ingredients and mix.
Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 min or until done.
Remove donuts immediately from pan and roll in butter then sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Cool on wire racks.

NOTES
No idea why they are called donuts, muffins might be a better description. Regardless, they are awesome.
I used 1 Granny Smith apple and it was plenty. I used my food chopper to get it small enough, but left the skin on, which added some fun texture.
Also, I may use a smaller muffin tin and make 24 small rather than 12 large next time.