Banana Ice Cream in a blender

2 - 3 bananas (cut into chunks and freeze overnight)
1/4 almond milk (we used homemade that had not been strained)
add ins (nuts, raisins, cocoa powder, honey, etc. - whatever you want)

Dump banans and milk in a blender and blend until desired consistency. May need to adjust amount of milk depending on size of bananas. Add extras and blend a bit more or just add them in your bowl. Serves 2.

This is a new favorite dessert!

Our FAVORITE Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are our favorite chocolate chip cookies of all time.  Brody requests these anytime I need to make a treat for something.  Just so you know, the trick of these cookies is rolling them huge (I'm talking golf ball sized) so that they turn out nice and chewy.  Enjoy! 


Ingredients: 
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk, from a large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with cooking spray (or a silpat if you have one)
3. Mix flour, baking powder & salt in a bowl or bag and set aside.
4. Mix butter and sugars with a mixer until smooth.  Then add egg, yolk & vanilla.  Mix until incorporated.
5. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
6. Stir in chips and optional nuts.
7.  Divide into 18 equal balls, a 2" cookie scoop works just about perfectly (this is really important for the cookies to be chewy and delicious!)
8. Space 9 cookie dough balls on each cookie sheet.
9. Bake for 12-18 minutes (our cookies usually take 14 minutes), rotating the pan front to back and top to
bottom after 8 minutes.
10. Cool on sheets to maintain chewy texture.
11.  Hide cookies so you don't have to share. 

Zucchini Brownies

1/2 Cup vegetable oil (or applesauce)
1 1/2 Cups white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 Cups flour
1/2 Cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Cups shredded zucchini
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl mix together oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until well blended. In another bowl combine the flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. A little at a time stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in zucchini. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.  Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.  To make them unhealthier top with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Homemade Reeses

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar
1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter + 1 tbsp peanut butter
1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted
1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)

In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined.  Press into a parchment (or waxed paper or foil) lined 9×13 pan.

Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth.  Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly.  Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars.  Tip:  If the bars chill until the chocolate is too hard to easily cut, use a sharp knife and score the cuts first, then gently cut through.  Can be stored in the fridge or at room temp.  They will stay firmer if stored in the fridge.