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I had 4 very ripe bananas that needed to be dealt with and I thought Banana Muffins would be nice. Often, Maddy stops by after work and looks for a snack and since she eats vegan, I thought I'd try making a vegan version of Banana Muffins this time! I am so pleased with how moist these muffins came out! And, they make a delicious breakfast this time of year, especially enjoyed with a Hot Cocoa Bomb! Our winter mornings here in Phoenix are still in the 40s, I know many of you are suffering with lower temps than that! Just having these Vegan Banana Muffins baking in your oven add such a warmth and a cozy smell to the house that helps you get through any winter blues!
When I put these in the muffin tin, I topped them with a bit of brown sugar, oats and a dash or two of cinnamon. It turned out to be just the right topping on these tasty Banana Muffins.
Since this recipe used all 4 of my ripe bananas, that's why they came out so moist! Instead of eggs, I used the vinegar and baking soda method to get the rise and softness that I wanted. When my husband tried one the first thing he noticed was how moist they are. No one likes a dry muffin!
Maddy said she will come try one today. I will let you know her verdict when she tries one! I don't think she will be disappointed! So, if you would like to give them a try, here is my recipe for Vegan Banana Muffins!
*If you like the Valentine place mats in these photos, you can find how to make them on this post!
*That cute owl mug was a gift from my friend Joanne! Don't you love it? Sorry, it is currently unavailable on Amazon, but here is a cute one in a similar color.
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Hello! Alicia here with a brand new feature for our blog:What to Read Wednesdays! Because I'm starting up the second season of my podcast, From Cover to Reel, I thought I would share with you guys the things I'm reading that I really love. Not all the books I feature here will be from the podcast but most probably will be, because that's what I'm reading lately.
I have loved reading for...forever! I can't remember a time where I didn't like it. I love reading everything. The more I can read and learn, the better! My favorite books of all time I have shared on other bookish posts we've made. The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, and Harry Potter being just a few of them. I'm so excited to start this new feature and share my passion for books with you. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 
This week I'm sharing a picture book written by Judi Barrett and illustrated by Ron Barrett, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.
This cute storybook tells the story of the town ChewandSwallow where instead of watching the weather report to see if they need an umbrella, the townsfolk watch to see if they need a fork or a spoon. It "rains" food down 3 meals a day. That is until the food starts coming down too large and giant pancakes close down the school! What are the people of ChewandSwallow to do? Guys! You have to read this book if you haven't yet. My son loves it. Our copy is so well worn I need to tape the cover back on (oops)! The story is simple and so imaginative. And the illustrations are so fun! We love reading it together and seeing all the new details we can find in the pictures. Our favorite is a guy with a giant elbow macaroni noodle on his head. 
What's even more fun is that there are sequels to this book: Pickles to Pittsburg and Planet of the Pies! I haven't read these yet but I'm looking forward to it. I can wholeheartedly recommend the first book though. I love it!
And this will be the subject of our podcast this month, so if you read it and watch the movie (it's on Netflix right now) let us know what you think of the movie adaptation.
This post contains affiliate links. We will be compensated for purchases made through those links at no additional cost to you. All views expressed are our own.
*If you are unfamiliar with spaghetti squash, you will probably be even less familiar with orangetti squash. I got my hands on some a couple of years ago and my family really enjoyed it. I posted this orangetti squash with chicken recipe then and it has become one of our most searched for posts! Since I was able to get a spaghetti squash the other day, it reminded me of this recipe which the spaghetti squash would totally work with. So here is a re-post of how to cook orangetti squash!
A few posts ago, I told you about Market on the Move and how I was able to get a ton of squash, as well as other vegetables for $10. In this post, I gave you a recipe for a Carrot/Squash Loaf using the yellow squash I got a ton of. Another type of squash that I was able to get, I was less familiar with. It is called Orangetti Squash.
Orangetti is very similar to Spaghetti Squash, only it is smaller, more orange and a little sweeter.
At our house, we have some people who are less keen on beef and would prefer chicken. We have Maddy who is trying to eat a little more vegan. Then, we have my husband and I who just like to eat! In order to accommodate every one, I decided to make a deconstructed Chicken Cacciatore, using the orangetti squash as a replacement for the pasta! Madalynn left out the chicken and simply ate the orangetti with the sauce. Either way, the result was delicious. Here is how I cooked orangetti squash:
First, I cut open the orangetti and cleaned out the seeds. (Be sure you have a sharp knife because of the tough outer skin.) It smelled like pumpkin and the seeds looked like pumpkin seeds. I was tempted to roast them. I didn't.
I placed the halves of the orangetti squash on a foil lined pan. I drizzled a little olive oil on the squash and sprinkled it with salt and pepper. Then, I put it in a 350 degree F. oven and baked it until tender. (About 45 min. I think, just stab it with a fork to test it.) While it was baking, I started my chicken.
I used chicken breasts on the bone which I first parboiled and then cut off the bone. I cut it into large chunks and browned it in olive oil, adding Italian seasonings, salt and pepper.
Next, make your favorite marinara sauce, or open a bottle of it and doctor it up to make it taste the way you want. Keep all of these elements separate if you want the deconstructed version of this recipe. Otherwise, you can throw the chicken in with the sauce at this point.
When the orangetti squash is tender, shred it into "spaghetti" with two forks. If you want, drizzle a little more olive oil and add a little more salt and pepper.
Now you are ready to serve! This is a great one dish meal!
Just put a layer of Orangetti, a layer of chicken, top with sauce and sprinkle on a little grated Parmesan. It is so tasty!
Orangetti Squash vs. Spaghetti Squash
I think I enjoyed the taste of orangetti squash a little more than spaghetti squash. It has a sweet mild flavor that blended so well with the sauce. As I mentioned before, the orangetti squash is also slightly smaller than spaghetti sauce. I ate more for lunch the next day. (When I put it away, I went ahead and mixed it all together!)
If you find Orangetti Squash in the grocery store, don't be afraid to give it a try!
If you need recipe cards, recipe boxes, bowls or cutting boards, or anything, check out Etsy for some cute ideas! Don't forget our Etsy shop where you can find some sweet printables to help your life. 
Here is a Southwestern Breakfast Version of Orangetti Squash.
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Today for Friday Faves, we are getting you ready for January 27, which is Chocolate Cake Day! Not that we need a day to decide to bake and eat chocolate cake, but here is a great excuse! We've shared a number of chocolate cakes here on the blog, but besides those, today I have gathered some favorites from some of our blogger friends to share with you as well! You can just click on the links to their blogs to find the recipes or to the posts that we have shared before. But, hurry, you only have 2 days to choose which cake (or 2) you will bake! (After all, it is a holiday!)
What is your favorite Chocolate Cake?
I had almost forgotten about this cake that I developed for Alicia and shared in this post about our favorite birthday cakes! I need to revisit it and make it again!
I love the beauty and the story behind this cake from Shelley Webb, internationalcaregiver.com
She made this cake herself for her wedding in 1983. Actually, she made 14 of them! I can hardly wait to make this recipe! Look at how rich it looks: 
This Swiss Cake Roll originally posted for a Valentine's Day dessert. So, if you don't make it for Chocolate Cake Day, keep it in your back pocket for Valentine's Day. Actually, any of these cakes would be perfect for Valentine's Day!
I love a good Texas Sheet Cake and this one from Blogging Grandma Candy Cage at Candy's Farm House Pantry looks just like a Texas Sheet Cake should. It would be perfect for a large family gathering on Chocolate Cake Day.
Shared by Pam Marston at Natural Essentials at Yellow Banks shared this iconic recipe. The marshmallow cream makes this cake decadent.
Maddy was so happy when I shared this Vegan Chocolate Cake that is moist and decadent. The eggs and any other animal products are truly not missed!
The wonderful thing about baking with zucchini is the moisture it adds to the recipe, not to mention it makes you feel like your cake is really healthy so you can eat an extra piece! Thanks to Nancy on the Home Front for this great recipe!
Last but not least we couldn't share a list of great chocolate cakes without sharing this Perfect Chocolate Cake. It is so dense, moist and chocolaty! The perfect cake for Chocolate Cake Day!
Plus 1 update!!!
After going live with this post, Alicia reminded me that I had left out the Black Forest Cake! I couldn't do that! This decadent Chocolate-Cherry Cake is perfect for a chocolate cake celebration! It also reminds me of my days in Germany!
There you have it, 9 choices instead of 8!
Now, how do I choose which one to make? Which one do you think you would like the best? I'll let you know on Instagram and Facebook later. In the meantime, make your cake, and eat it too!
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Creators of Hot Cocoa Bombs! (copyrighted)
Author
Helen Reynolds: Mother of six children , grandmother to eleven! I love to cook, craft and create things and I especially love doing that with my family, So, when my lawyer daughter, Lindsey, my artist daughter, Madalynn, and I came up with the idea of Hot Cocoa Bombs, this blog was born. Then, one more daughter, with her technical and science skills, plus creativity has joined in to round us out! Read more about us here! 
Click this link and visit 3WinksDesignShop on Etsy. Find our Hot Cocoa Bomb Idea Book, our For the Love of PIe e-book and more of our creations!
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