Mustard chicken, my man cookies, whole wheat banana bread

My Man Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 scant teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups quick oats
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut
(option: 1 cup butterscotch chips)

Oven 350

Cream together 1 cup shortening, 1 cup white sugar, and 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar. Add 2 eggs. Beat until light and fluffy. Add: 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 scant teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix again. Add: 2 cups sifted flour. Mix until just combined. Fold in: 2 cups quick oats, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut, (Optional 1 cup butterscotch chips).

Roll into balls. Bake on lightly greased or lined cookie sheet until lightly brown on top, 7-10 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from pan.



Whole Wheat Banana Bread
1 ¾ cup soft wheat flour (sift out some bran with a strainer if you grind it yourself). (You can also use whole hard wheat flour (white or red), or a mixture of white flour and whole wheat flour.)
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup shortening or butter
2 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix 1 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add banana, shortening and milk. Beat on low, then high for 2 minutes. Add eggs and rest of flour. Mix again, then add nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into 8x4x2 loaf pan, cook 55-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. Wrap in plastic wrap overnight to keep it from falling apart when you cut it.



Mustard Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I like Italian seasoned)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven 375. Rub chicken with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Sear quickly over medium high heat, then remove to oven safe dish.

Mix mustard and butter. Spread 3/4 of it onto chicken. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and thyme. Bake until internal temperature is 165 degrees.

While chicken is cooking, reduce chicken stock by half over medium heat. Add reserved mustard/butter mixture and heavy cream, continue reducing over low heat until creamy. Serve over chicken.

Chicken Marinade

1 cup olive oil
1.5 cups soy sauce


1/3 cup brown sugar
3 cloves garlic
4 tbsp. mustard

Poke holes in chicken breasts and marinade for at least 3 hours. Grill.
I'm still trying to get the ratios right. Let me know how it turns out!