Sesame Orange Chicken and Peanut Butter Banana Cake

My last blog post was in OCTOBER! WOW am I behind. So since then we had sweet little Gavin. I will blog about the nursery and my son another time but that would take longer than I have tonight. With the baby and now work I have found it rather hard to cook. Like everything else I am having to simplify rather than eliminate things that are important to me. With that said I have found a new interest in pinterest. Right now the only use I have for it is to store my recipes I like so I don't have to print them all and add to the ever growing library in my kitchen. This way I can pin it, try it and if I like it use it again sometime. If I hate, it's gone!

Today is Presidents Day so I didn't have to go to work. We went ahead and dropped Gavin off at Daycare (only for a few hours) so Miles and I could go on a brunch date and then I could prep dinner. These meals were inspired by my pinterest boards. The Sesame Orange Chicken was good but the Peanut Butter Banana Cake as DELICIOUS!!!!!!

NOTE: We buy bananas every week and anything that even starts to turn brown we stick in the freezer. Banana bread or now peanut butter banana cake is always an option in this house. Also, if I try it and it tastes the same I am not opposed to buying great value at Walmart :)

SESAME ORANGE CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2/3 cup honey barbecue sauce
• 2/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
• Hot cooked rice

Directions

• Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker.
• In a large bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, marmalade, orange juice, soy sauce, ginger and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until meat is tender. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

Peanut Butter Banana Cake

Ingredients:
Cake
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup 2% milk

Frosting
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup 2% milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the peanut butter, milk and vanilla until blended; gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over cake.

Both recipes came from www.tasteofhome.com