Granola bars

I just use Joyful Abode's fantastic recipe, trying different fruits, seeds and nuts. I use jaggery (panela) instead of brown sugar.

Eggnog Popovers

2 large eggs
1 cup eggnog
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 tbsp melted butter the pan

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Heat a muffin tin, greased well with the melted butter, in the oven for 5 minutes while you mix the batter.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, vanilla and nutmeg. When smooth, whisk in flour and salt.
4. Remove heated muffin tin from oven and quickly divide the batter into the muffin cups.
5. Bake for 20 minutes at 450F, then use a sharp knife to poke a small hole in the top of each popover. This prevents them from deflating.
6. Turn oven down to 375F. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Slow-Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

1 lb frozen meatballs
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 1/2 cups vegetable juice (I use V8)
1 6-oz can of tomato paste
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tbsp olive oil

1. Cook onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent.
2. Place meatballs in greased slow cooker insert. Add onions, juice, tomato paste and herbs, and cover.*
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. An hour before you eat, add the spaghetti. Stir occasionally to prevent clumping.>

*At this point, the insert can be stored in the fridge. Just get it started before you leave for the day, and dinner's hot and ready 30 minutes after you get home.

The vegetable juice in this dish is a good way to sneak veggies into your meal.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 tbsp raw sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups milk
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
1 tbsp molasses
1 egg
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp vinegar

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin, molasses, egg, oil and vinegar.*
3. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir lightly.
4. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat and reduce heat to medium.
5. Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using 1/4 cup for each pancake. Spread the batter out so that each pancake is 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
6. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

*Buttermilk can be used in place of the milk and vinegar. I just never have any!

Serve with maple syrup. I'm always in search of healthy ways to sneak vegetables into my family's diet. My toddlers gobble these pancakes up! The whole wheat flour adds to the heartiness of this dish.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/3 cup sugar
7 tbsp cocoa powder
3 eggs
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp instant coffee powder
5 ripe bananas (well mashed)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer, beat together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
4. Add the coffee powder and the well mashed bananas.
5. Add the flour mixture in thirds, beating only until well blended after each addition. Don't over-beat!
6. Stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour the batter into a VERY WELL GREASED 9" x 5" loaf tin.*
8. Bake on the middle rack of the oven. The 9" x 5" tin will take 70-80 minutes, a small tin 45-50 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven, cool bread in the pan(s) 5 minutes. Remove from the pan(s) and complete cooling on a wire rack.

* If the bananas are large, there may be some leftover batter, which can be baked in a small loaf tin.

If you have the patience, let the bread sit overnight for the flavor to develop! I got this recipe from my friend Dustin. He's a wonderful baker, and this is one of his best dishes.

Sour Cream French Toast

3 eggs
3 tbsp sour cream
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch salt
8 slices bread
butter for frying

1. Beat eggs, and add sour cream, water, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Beat until you can no longer see sour cream chunks.
2. Pour the batter into a shallow dish.
3. Heat small pat of butter on medium heat.
4. Place a slice of bread in the batter. Quickly turn over in batter.
5. Fry toast, turning once, until browned on both sides.
6. Repeat, adding a small amount of butter each time, until batter and bread are exhausted.

I came up with this recipe when I'd already beaten eggs for french toast and found myself out of milk. My husband asked that I use this as my standard recipe, because he likes the "bite" the sour cream adds to the dish. I like to put a plate in my oven, set the oven to the lowest setting, and place the cooked toast in the oven to keep it warm while I finish the batch.

Slow Cooker Chicken Spinach Curry

1/2 cup red lentils
2 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, boiling
8 chicken thighs, skinned
8 0z frozen spinach
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt
black pepper

1. Rinse and drain lentils.
2. Put lentils, curry powder, coriander, cumin seeds and stock in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
3. Place chicken in the slow cooker and push down into sauce. Recover and cook for 3 hours on high.
4. Add spinach and cilantro to slow cooker and push into sauce. Cook for another 30 minutes, until spinach wilts.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I serve this with basmati rice, cabbage bhaji, and sweet pickles.