Banana Nut Muffins and Beef Stew With Barley

I made the banana nut muffins for the Wednesday night dinner at church tomorrow.  I love breakfast food for dinner!  Tonight's dinner, however was a Beef stew (I used pork) with barley.  I didn't take a picture of the muffins, but they looked like regular banana nut muffins anyway.

Banana Nut Muffins:

Prep: 10 minutes bake: 20 to 22 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup milk

5 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg

cinnamon and sugar optional

makes 1 dozen

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Fit 12 muffin cups with paper liner.  Coat each with cooking spray. (I left out the paper liners and sprayed the pan, they came out fine)

2.  Mix; flour, walnuts, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Stir in bananas, milk, butter and egg.  Mix just until blended.

3. Using an ice cream scoop, fill muffin cups evenly with batter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if desired. (I left this part out, because not everyone likes the add bakers touch to the top of the muffins.  I love the bakers touch to them though).

4.  Bake muffins until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20-22 minutes.  Cool 1 minute, then remove from the muffin pan and cool on a wire rack.

I'm not sure where this recipe is from.

Beef Stew with Barley

I know this recipe is from some sort of magazine, but I don't recall which one.

large zip top bag

2 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

4-5 petite red potatoes

1 large onion

4 celery ribs (we left these out)

8 oz. fresh cut carrots (we used baby carrots)

1 32oz. box of reduced sodium beef broth

1 14.5 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf (DON'T FORGET TO REMOVE THIS BEFORE SERVING)

1 cup quick-cooking pearled barley

1. Preheat large saute pan on medium-high 2-3 minutes.  Cut beef into 3 inch chunks.  Place in large zip top bag,beef,flour and pepper;seal and shake to coat.  Place oil in pan, then add beef; cook 2-3 minutes on each side until browned.

2. Cut potatoes into quarters.  Peel onion; cut into quarters.  cut celery into 1/2 inch pieces.  Place beef in slow cooker.  Add remaining ingredients (except barley); cook 4-6 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW.
3. Stir in barley, about one hour before serving.  Do not replace lid; cook 1 hour, uncovered, or until barley and beef are both tender.  Remove bay leaf and serve.