Homemade Ice Cream...in a bag

This takes about 15-20 minutes to make, but is very yummy (and entertaining to teenagers!) *Rock salt is imperative!

Homemade Ice Cream… in a bag

Ingredients:
2 c. whole milk
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 gallon bags
3 c. ice
1/3 c. rock salt

Directions:
1. Put first 3 ingredients into one of the gallon bags, seal it tightly.
2. Fill the second gallon bag with ice and salt. Place sandwich bag inside, then seal gallon bag
3. Squeeze bag until ice cream is thickened, about 10 minutes
4. Remove small bag, unseal, and eat

Black Bean Brownies

The reaction to these brownies at school is priceless...jaws dropped in disgust. But then I catch them licking the bowl - proud teaching moment:) These are delicious and changing the sugar and flour would help too

Black Bean Brownies
½ can black beans
½ c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
¼ c. cocoa powder
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*, grease a 9x9 pan
2. In a blender, puree beans with the oil. Add the eggs, cocoa, sugar, and vanilla
3. Melt HALF the chocolate chips, add chocolate to blender. Blend on medium high until smooth
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the blender and pulse until just incorporated
5. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips.
6. Pour into the pan, bake until an inserted fork comes out clean, about 25 minutes
7. Serve a la mode – with ice cream

Microwave Cheese Sauce

This is a much healthier alternative to the canned cheese dipping sauce
Microwave Cheese Sauce
Food.com

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
½ c. warm milk
½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
¼ tsp. salt (optional, to taste) or Italian dressing mix

Directions:
1. In a large, microwave safe glass bowl, melt the butter - cover with a paper towel, cook for 30 second intervals on power 7, repeat until the butter is melted
2. Add the flour and milk, whisk all together until mostly smooth
3. Add the shredded cheese to the mixture
4. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on HIGH for 1 ½ - 2 minutes, whisking every 30 seconds or so, until sauce is thick and heated through
5. Season with salt, if desired

Microwave Lava Cake

These are perfect for small servings or a quick dessert. I didn't have success at home, but my students made them perfectly!
Microwave Brownie Lava Cake
Yummylife.com

Ingredients:
½ bag of brownie mix
¼ c. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. water
1 ½ eggs
2 chocolates/person

Directions:
1. Pour the brownie mix into a bowl, whisk out the chunks to make a smooth powder
2. Spray 6 oz. custard cups with cooking spray then dust with a little bit of brownie mix powder to prevent sticking
3. In another bowl, combine the water, oil, and eggs. Whisk until combined
4. Pour the liquid mixture into the brownie mixture, stirring until combined
5. Spoon about a ½ cup of batter into each custard cup. Stack two chocolates on top of each other, then press into the middle of the brownie mix. Spread batter to cover the top of the chocolate
6. Place the custard cup on top of a plate then place in the microwave. Cook in individual cake for about 1 minute on full power OR you can cook multiple cakes at a time - add 30 seconds to the cook time for every cake – 2 cake = 1:30, 3 cakes = 2:00, 4 cakes = 2:30. No more than 4 cakes at a time in the microwave!
7. (The cakes will rise while it cooks then fall slightly once the cooking is done)
8. If you want to flip the cake upside down (to look like a volcano) run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the cup then flip onto a plate
9. Top with whipped cream or powdered sugar!

Cream Puffs

Cream Puffs
Ingredients:

Pastry: ½ c flour
½ tsp. granulated sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ c butter, cut into pieces
½ c water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Filling:1 c. whipping cream
½ tsp. vanilla
1 ½ tbsp. sugar

Garnish – Powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425*, line baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a large pot, bring butter and water to a rolling boil. Allow butter to melt halfway before adding water. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball.
3. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using your electric hand mixer on low, beat the dough for a few minutes to help cool the dough. Slowly beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. You must cool the dough before adding the eggs, otherwise the eggs will start to cook. The dough will become a thick paste once it is done
4. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheet
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven, until golden brown. During the last few minutes of cooking, poke each puff with a fork. You need to allow steam to escape in order for the puff to not fall or be soggy. Just poke each puff once, don’t kill it!
6. Turn the oven off, allow shells to cool in the oven for a few minutes. When the shells are cool, cut a slit around the top (not in ½) and fill with whipped cream

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

This is delicious!

Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips
Ingredients:
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
2 cups of grapes, diced
1 carton of strawberries, diced
1 banana, diced
1 ½ c. pineapple chunks
2 tablespoons white sugar (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (more or less to taste)
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
1 cup cinnamon sugar mix

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix apples, grapes, strawberries, bananas, and pineapples, white sugar and brown sugar. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle tortillas with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges.
Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Zucchini Bread/Muffins

This recipe is from Stephen's old MTC teaching companion, who's younger sister ended up being in my class. This recipe is originally much healthier with Agave, and non-gluten flour but my students weren't down for that. This recipe is my attempt to have teenagers eat "vegetables"!

Zucchini Bread 
Life Tastes Good Again, Kirsti Kirkland, Betsy Thomas
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1 cup finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1/4 cup oil
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 12 muffin cups.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In another bowl, combine sugar, zucchini, oil, and egg.  Mix well.
4. Add dry mix to zucchini mix.  Stir just until moistened. Pour into muffin cups
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops bounce back.

*I do muffins because they bake faster but loaves work too

Blueberry Muffins

We made these at school, and my 8th graders LOVED them, very yummy and not too hard. Add a little streusel topping for extra deliciousness:)

Blueberry Muffins (from scratch!)
Ingredients:
2 c flour
2/3 c suagr
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
½ c milk
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 c frozen blueberries
12 paper liners
1 toothpick

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400*
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
3. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, butter and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries
4. Place paper liners in muffin tins. Fill cups ¾ full of batter. Bake at 400* for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm

Makes 1 dozen muffins

Seventh Heaven Bars (aka 7 Layer Bars)

Everyone loves these; they always disappear quickly.  Thanks, Stephen, for the new name!

Ingredients:

1/2 C.butter

1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs

1(14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

about 1 1/2 C. chocolate chips

about 3/4 C. white chocolate chips

1 C. flaked coconut

1 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350˚.  In 13 X 9 pan, melt the butter in the oven or melt butter in the microwave and pour into the pan.  Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over butter and press down.  Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumbs.  Top with remaining ingredients, amounts according to your tastes.  Press down.  Bake 20-25 min. or until lightly browned.  Cool.  Cut into bars.