Blender Salsa

Servings: 8-10

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

14 oz can diced tomatoes

10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 one jalapeno, chopped

Handful of cilantro, chopped

Juice of one lime

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

Directions 

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until thoroughly mixed. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Adapted from Mountain Mama Cooks  

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Servings: 14-16

Time: 1 hours

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 Tbsp poppy seeds

1 Tbsp lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

1 Tbsp orange zest (about 1 orange)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 large egg (room temperature)

1 large egg yolk (room temperature)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) (melted)

3/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, zests, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, yolk, and melted butter just until the eggs are broken up. Add milk, juices, and vanilla and mix to combine. 

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until evenly combined. Do not overmix. 

Place batter into prepared pan using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop. Bake for 17 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. 

Banana Bread

Servings: 8

Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup smashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)

1/3 cup milk

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch pan and dust with flour (this is approximate measurements - I've used a 9 inch pan before with the same results).

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Which together eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in smashed bananas, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add in dry ingredients and mix together until combined. Add in walnuts and shredded coconut and mix until blended. 

Transfer batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown on top and tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Turn out onto a rack and cool. 

Store in airtight container for up to a week. Can also be stored in the fridge (this bread is very moist and may grow unsightly things in extra humid environments, so keep it in the fridge in the summer!).

Chocolate Cupcakes

The absolute-best chocolate cupcake recipe based on the general recipe for Depression Cake. Better than the boxed mixes, with the same type of flavor and consistency. Stays moist, even in the fridge, for days. Also egg and dairy-less, for those with allergies.

Servings: 14-16 cupcakes

Time: 1 hours

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp vinegar

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cupcake pans with paper liners. 

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. 

Add in canola oil, water, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Mix throughly. 

Scoop batter into a lined cupcake pan using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop. Fill each well about 3/4 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

*Note: recipe can be doubled to make a layer cake - place batter into two nine inch round cake pans. Increase baking time to 35 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.   

Rum Cake

Servings: 12-14

Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 Tbsp + 1/2 cup coconut oil, divided

3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs (room temperature)

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup rum

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Rum Syrup

3/8 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/8 cup water

pinch of salt

1/4 cup rum

Directions 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12 cup capacity Bundt pan. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts around the bottom and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and 3 Tbsp of the coconut oil and mix on medium speed for a minute or two until it resembles wet sand. Add the pudding mix and mix again on medium low until combined. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, rum, remaining 1/2 cup coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed until throughly combined. The batter will be very thin. 

Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 

Star the rum syrup when the cake has about 10 minutes remaining in baking time. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add the sugar and water. Boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and stir in the rum. Once it is mixed in, return to medium heat for about 30 seconds. 

When the cake comes out of the oven, slowly pour 1/3 of the syrup over the bottom of the cake. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until cool enough to remove from the pan. 

Invert the cake onto a serving platter. Using a fork, poke holes all over the cake. Slowly pour the remaining syrup over the cake allowing it to seep into the holes and drip over the sides of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving. 

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Also freezes beautifully. 

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Servings: 4 dozen

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon-sugar Topping

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions 

Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together in a medium bowl. 

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin puree on medium speed. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat to combine on medium speed. Add in the dry ingredients just until combined. Cover the dough and refrigerate at least one hour until firm. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon-sugar topping together in a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop to make balls of the chilled dough and roll in the topping before placing on parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of space between each ball. 

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Let cool slightly on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Also excellent from the freezer. 

Adapted from A Bitchin' Kitchen

Coconut Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

Servings: 4 dozen

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup quick oats

4 oz white chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. 

Combine the sugars and eggs together in a large bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Add in the coconut oil and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. 

Mix in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time. Add in the oats and white chocolate chips and stir to combine. 

Bake for about 9 minutes per batch. 

Adapted from Tracy's Culinary Adventures

St. Patrick's Day Colcannon

Servings: 4-6

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz grass fed ground beef

2 pounds red potatoes, cut into large chunks

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup grated Dubliner or Blarney Castle cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground pepper

6 Tbsp butter

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 cups chopped cabbage

Directions

Cook ground beef in a large skillet. Remove to a plate and add 1 Tbsp of the butter to the skillet. Saute onions and then add cabbage until cooked and soft. Add cooked ground beef to onion and cabbage mixture. 

Boil potatoes in a large saucepan filled with water for 10-15 minutes or until soft enough to easily pierce with a fork. Drain potatoes and place back in saucepan. Mash potatoes and add remaining 5 Tbsp of butter, milk, cheese, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and add the beef, onion, and cabbage mixture to the mashed potatoes. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes if you want a firmer texture, otherwise serve immediately.