What's cookin?

I love trying new recipes and am blessed to have family that is willing to try them. Do you have an over abundance of zucchini? I did a google search for recipes and printed off a few that sounded good. A couple got thrown out, but here is one that was very yummy and is going in the recipe box.
I got the recipe for this from here:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cheese-and-Sausage-Stuffed-Zucchini/Detail.aspx
but I changed a few things, so here is what I did:

Cheese and Sausage Stuffed Zucchini
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces pork sausage and hamburger mixed
1 large zucchini
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded Colby cheese
2 cups cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch garlic powder
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (I didn't have tomatoes, but we put salsa on top. I will make with tomatoes when they are ready in the garden)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a baking dish (size is dependent on the size of your zucchini).
Place crumbled sausage and hamburger in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside.
Partially cook zucchini in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from the microwave and let cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine eggs, Colby cheese, cottage cheese, Italian blend cheese, onion, salt and pepper.

Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and rinse. Place both halves in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with garlic powder. Layer the sausage, tomatoes and cheese mixture in each half.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

This is Strawberry and Mango Salsa. This recipe is so easy and you can see it here on Nichole's blog. I made it like she said and we ate it on ice cream. With the hot temps we've been having it was so yummy and refreshing. I had bought several mangoes when they were on sale last week to make this recipe for Strawberry Mango Slush that Anna had on her blog (didn't get a picture taken). So we had plenty when I saw this a day or two later on Nichole's. I didn't have an ice cream maker for the slush, so just used our blender. We added some mangoes and strawberry's and ice to the blender as well as the juices. It too was very refreshing and yummy and the boys were asking for more. Thank you Nichole and Anna for sharing your yummy recipes that will now be family favorites!!
Here is the last recipe to share. I am a hoarder of recipes! I see recipes I like and put them in a file folder. Then eventually I get them made and they either go in the trash or the recipe box. Here is a recipe I took out of Taste of Home in 1997 and just got around to making it!! We have been missing out!! Before I post it I want to share a tip that we do here. We buy lots of bananas when they are on sale and in the summer it is hard to get them eaten before they get too ripe. I can't eat a banana that shows ANY brown on the skin, but the boys can. When they are starting to get brown, I put them in the freezer in their skins. Then when we want muffins, cookies, bread, etc, I take out however many bananas are needed and I let them thaw in a stainer. This way the "juice" drains. All you have to do is cut the top and the banana squeezes right out. The skins will be black, but the flesh is still "banana" colored. You can also slice the bananas frozen for a summer treat.
Okay, on to a VERY delicious banana muffin!!


Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (I used 3 bananas)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 cup (6 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
(semisweet chocolate chunks are yummy too)

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, combine bananas, oil and egg; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.