Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 cups mashed Bananas 
2 sticks Unsalted Butter (1 cup) (softened)
2 cups Sugar
3 large Eggs
1 ½ cups Buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan, set aside. Mash bananas, set aside. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Sift into a mixing bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat butter while adding sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat in vanilla extract. Beat in bananas. Pour batter into pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees on the 3rd rack for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package Cream Cheese (softened)
1 stick Unsalted Butter (1/2 cup) (softened)
4 cups Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Chopped Pecans

In a large mixing bowl and with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter. Slowly add powdered sugar while beating. Beat in vanilla extract. Frost cake with mixture. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Fast, Cheap, and Easy.

When it's hot out I like to keep the cooking to a minimum to keep from heating the house up. Anything that can be cooked on a small appliance is a real winner.If it's a quick fix, doesn't cost a lot, and is easy, I'm even more on board. One of our absolute favorite fast, cheap, and easy small appliance meals is chicken quesadillas. They can be made on/in several appliance. Indoor electric grill, toaster oven, sandwich press, electric griddle, or even a waffle iron. We've also made them on a campfire and an outdoor grill, which makes them great for camping too.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Jennie-O

Jennie-O as some great recipes for Cinco de Mayo!  I am especially pleased with these Miami Steet-Style Turkey Tacos .  I was pleasantly surpised to find out that there are made with Lean Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey from Jennie-O and topped with a mango citrus slaw.  Each taco contains only 180 calories.

You can eat guilt free for Cinco de Mayo with this great recipe from Jennie-O.  This is easy to make in under 30 minutes(HELLO!) and is a low calorie meal!  What are some of your favorite meals to make with Jennie-O products?

Jennie-O provided me with coupons in exchange for this post.

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Now that warmer weather is upon us, a lot of us will be starting to spend our weekends outdoors. My family loves to be outside doing things. We spend many weekends visiting state parks, and camping.

Because of our fondness for camping and all things outdoors, we love food that can be made ahead, stores well, and travels easily. Most people would say, "SANDWICH!", but not us. Oh no. We require much more delicious than your standard run of the mill PB&J or ham and cheese.

Enter: Lavash Pinwheels.

Easter Brunch with Jennie-O

Image courtesy of Jennie-O

If you are searching for some great Easter recipes and menu ideas, I have quite a few for you, thanks to Jennie-O, I was looking for some inspiration beyond the traditional Easter dinner,  I found this incredible picture with ALL RECIPES on Jennie-O for an Easter brunch!  Can you say candied bacon?  Check out all the menu ideas HERE and let me know your favorites in the comments! 

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Trifles are so easy to make and look elegant on your table. This decadent dessert is always a hit at my family gatherings.

Items needed:
1 box Fudge Brownie Mix
1 (5-ounce) box Chocolate Pudding & Pie Filling
3 cups Cool Whip

6 Heath Candy Bars

Bake brownies according to package directions, let cool completely and crumble, set aside. Make chocolate pudding according to package directions, then place in fridge to firm up. Combine pudding with 1 cup cool whip, stir together and set aside. Crush heath bars into small pieces, reserve 1 tablespoon of bars and set aside. Spread ½ of crumbled brownies in the bottom of a trifle. Layer with ½ of chocolate mixture. Layer with ½ of heath bar. Layer with 1 cup cool whip. Repeat process. Top with remaining 1 tablespoon heath bar. Place in fridge to chill.

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If you have been following  The Biggest Loser you know they have partnered with Jennie-O to make delicious low-calorie meals with the contestants.  I am a big fan of the show and Jennie-O.

The recipe featured on the show last night is made with Jennie-O Turkey breakfast sausage.  Making a delicious and healthy  meal can be challenging.  But, I have a great recipe for you to try.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage Chilaquiles is packed with flavor and on 200 calories.   Take a look at this recipe by clicking HERE.  Created in collaboration with Biggest Loser RD Cheryl Forberg, the recipe puts a tasty, low-cal spin on a favorite south-of-the-border dish. 

Thanks to Jennie-O for providing me product coupons .

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

These are perfect for the class parties or gatherings.  Easy to make, Drop in a treat bag or on a serving tray and they are ready to servve! 

Items needed: