Chocolate Banana Bread

This recipe is from the recipe-a-day calendar my wife gave me.  It was the recipe from February 8, 2018.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 cup very ripe banana (3 or 4)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. Chop walnuts.
4. Mash bananas in a large bowl.
5. Melt butter, then whisk it into the bananas along with brown sugar, egg, and vanilla abstract.
6. Add baking soda, kosher salt, all-purpose flour, and cocoa powder and mix with a spoon.
7. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and top with chopped walnuts.
8. Bake 55 to 65 minutes.
9. Cool in pan for 10 15 minutes; the run a knife around the edge and invert it onto a cooling rack.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pizza Sloppy Joes

Swap out the crust for soft hamburger buns, and you've got a tasty pizza-inspired version of sloppy joes with pizza sauce and mozzarella.  As always...Kraft recipe, Kraft ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
• 1 cup Catelli Tomato & Basil Pizza Sauce
• 1 cup Cracker Barrel Shredded 3 Cheese Pizza Cheese
• 6 hamburger buns

Directions:

• Brown meat in large skillet on medium heat.
• Add pizza sauce; simmer 3 to 4 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. 
• Top with cheese; cover. Cook 1 min. or until melted; stir until blended.
• Fill buns with meat mixture just before serving.

Slow-Cooker Pantry Chicken Stew

Most of the ingredients in this recipe are standard refrigerator and pantry staples, but this slow-cooker dish is anything but ordinary.  As always...Kraft recipe, Kraft ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 pkg.  sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1-3/4 cups 25%-less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Philadelphia Herb & Garlic Cream Cheese Product
• 1 cup frozen peas

Directions:

• Toss chicken with flour in slow cooker.
• Add all remaining ingredients except cream cheese product and peas; cover with lid.
• Cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours).
• Stir in cream cheese product and peas for the last 30 min.

Meat-Lover's Stromboli

A stromboli is a type of turnover filled with meat, cheese and/or vegetables.  Serve this delicious recipe as part of your next game-night menu with friends.  As always...Kraft recipe, Kraft ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. Italian sausage
• 2 oz thick-cut pancetta, chopped
• 1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough
• 3/4 cup Classico Traditional Pizza Sauce
• 3/4 cup Cracker Barrel Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• 2/3 cup pepperoni slices
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Remove casings from sausage, if necessary. 
• Crumble sausage into small nonstick skillet; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until sausage is evenly browned, stirring frequently. 
• Drain sausage; spoon into medium bowl.
• Add pancetta to skillet; cook 3 min. or until crisp, stirring frequently. 
• Drain pancetta; add to bowl with the sausage.
• Roll pizza dough into 15x10-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface; spread with pizza sauce to within 1/2 inch of edges. 
• Top with mozzarella, sausage mixture and pepperoni.
• Moisten edges of dough with water. 
• Starting at one long side, fold 1/3 of the dough over filling; repeat with other long side. 
• Firmly pinch ends of dough together to seal.
• Place, seam side down, on parchment-covered baking sheet. 
• Use kitchen shears to cut 3 diagonal slits in top of dough; brush with egg.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown. 
• Cool 5 min. before transferring stromboli to cutting board. 
• Cut into 10 slices to serve.

Pepperoni Pizza Fries

How do you turn frozen fries into a delectable appetizer for a crowd?  Top waffle fries with all of your favourite pizza toppings.  As always...Kraft recipe, Kraft ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 10 cups frozen waffle fries
• 1 cup Classico Fire Roasted Tomato Pizza Sauce
• 2 cups Cracker Barrel Shredded 3 Cheese Pizza Cheese
• 3 oz sliced pepperoni
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup Kraft 100% Parmesan Grated Cheese
• 1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning

Directions:

• Heat oven to 450ºF.
• Bake fries as directed on package.
• Top with pizza sauce, shredded cheese and pepperoni; bake 3 to 4 min. or until cheese is melted.
• Top with remaining ingredients.

Farmers' Market Pasta Salad

Can you get all of this at the farmer's market?  If you know where to look.  As always...Kraft recipe, Kraft ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. orecchiette pasta, uncooked
• 4 cups small broccoli florets
• 1 pkg. baby spinach leaves
• 2 cups grape tomatoes
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1/4 lb. sliced salami, cut into strips
• 3/4 cup Kraft Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tuscan Italian Dressing
• 1/4 cup Kraft 100% Parmesan Aged Grated Cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:

• Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt and adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 4 min.; drain. Cool.
• Combine pasta mixture with all remaining ingredients except cheese and basil in large bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Top with cheese and basil just before serving.

Greek Grilled Chicken Tacos

Transport taco night to the Mediterranean with these Greek Grilled Chicken Tacos!  Greek Grilled Chicken Tacos include Greek dressing, crumbled feta, cucumbers and tomatoes.  As always...Kraft recipe, Kraft ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Kraft Extra Virgin Olive Oil Greek Feta Dressing
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 small flour tortillas
• 1 cup chopped cucumbers
• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 3/4 cup plain low fat Greek-style yogurt
• 1/4 cup Cracker Barrel Crumbled Feta Cheese
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

Directions:

• Pour dressing over chicken in medium bowl; stir to evenly coat chicken with dressing. 
• Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.
• Heat barbecue to medium heat. 
• Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. 
• Thread chicken onto 4 skewers.
• Grill 6 to 7 min. on each side or until chicken is done, adding tortillas to the barbecue for the last minute to heat just until warmed.
• Transfer tortillas to plate; top with chicken and remaining ingredients.