Banana Berry Muffins

You will need:

• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1-1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cup oil
• one egg
• two bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup blueberries, washed
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease muffin tins
2. Combine all ingredients besides banana and blueberries. Mix until lumps disappear
3. Add in mashed bananas
4. Mix in blueberries, gently, being sure not to break them
5. Fill muffin tins and put in oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Muffins will be done when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

Easy Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

You will need:

• 8 large jalapenos, stems and tips cut off and seeds removed. cut in half (for a shorter jalapeno 'ring')
• 8 ounces (one small brick) of cream cheese
• bacon slices
• toothpicks or small skewers

How To:

1. Fill each peice of jalapeno with cream cheese.
   
2. Wrap each jalapeno with bacon, length-wise, so that the cream cheese mixture will not drip out while grilling.
3. Insert a skewer or toothpick to hold the bacon in place.
4. Grill on an open flame until bacon is at desired crispyness.
   

You can also make these in the oven if you put them on a cookie sheet and in the oven at 375 degrees.

The best mashed potatos ever.

You will need:

• 1 piece of garlic, minced
• about 8 red potatos, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, preferably shredded
• 10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Fresh chives
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• salt and pepper to taste

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
   
2. Bring a sauce pan of water to a boil, and add potatos. Cook until potatos are soft when stabbed with a fork.
3. Drain potatoes and put in a large bowl. Mash potatoes, adding in milk and butter (leaving a small amount for frying the garlic. For whipped potatoes, try using an egg beater.
4. Fry the garlic with the butter for a couple of minutes. You don't want to actually cook the garlic, just make it sizzle a little bit.
5. Add the butter/garlic to the mashed potatoes. Transport all of the mashed potatoes into a casserole dish. Smooth flat.
   
6. Top with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and chives. You can also substitute the chives for scallions, for a more onion-y dish.
7. Put into oven, and let bake until cheese is melted.
   

Mel's Whole Wheat Blackberry Pancakes

The other night I decided I would make my own pancake recipe. The end product was delectable. Here's the recipe:

Whole Wheat Blackberry Pancakes

Combine:
1 cup whole wheat flower
1 Egg
1 cup of milk
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup oil

Mix all ingredients until large lumps disappear. Gently stir in blackberries. Heat large pan and lightly grease with butter. Pan is hot enough when drops of water dance when sprinkled on skillet. Pour about 1/2 cup batter into skillet. Flip pancake when bubbles start to form around edges of pancake. Cook until bottom is golden brown. Makes 6 large pancakes.

Mel's Super Hot Avacado Salsa

Here is a recipe I created over the weekend.
Please beware! If you have sensitive taste buds, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

You will need:
1 Large avacado, sliced in half, pitted.
2 Habanero peppers, chopped into tiny pieces
One dash garlic powder
2 Large Jalepeno peppers, chopped into tiny pieces
2 Tbsp diced white onion
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp water

Makes 2-3 servings



The avacado can be diced or mashed. I prefer mashed.



I recommend cutting the pieces smaller than this.



in a skillet on VERY VERY low heat, add vegetable oil, water and 1 diced jalepeno and 1 diced habenero. Heat until the peppers begin to sizzle. You do not want to cook the peppers, you only want to extract the flavor from them.



add the contents of the skillet to the mashed avacado. Add in garlic powder, onion and the remaining diced jalepeno and habenero. Stir and enjoy.

This was my first homemade salsa that I have created myself. This salsa is VERY hot.