I just finished a Morning Glory muffin with some cheese and yogurt. I've posted the recipe in the past (a couple of years ago, probably) but thought I'd do it again.

I've put the nuts in, or left them out, either way these are good muffins!

Morning Glory Muffins (Muffin Mania)

2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored and grated

3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350*

In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Whisk together.
In medium size bowl combine carrots, raisins, nuts, coconut and apple. Stir into flour mixture.

In small bowl whisk eggs, oil and vanilla.
Add to flour and fruit mixture and combine until just mixed together.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes.
Makes 14 large muffins.

So easy, so good!

Chocolate sour cream cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2.In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; beat until smooth. Pour batter into baking dish.
3.Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool, then cut into squares.

Top with whipped cream, frosting of choice, or dust with confectionate sugar.

I have not tried this yet but plan to when the weather gets cooler here. I have taken this as it was posted so the comments are hers not mine.

Easy Vegetable Chowder
Adapted from the I Do Cookbook (One of my favorite cookbooks!)

5 cups chopped/ diced vegetables***
1/2 cup diced onion
3 TBSP butter
4 1/2 cups water
3 tsp chicken or vegetable bouillon (or use chicken or vegetable broth in place of water + bouillon)
1 1/2 cups milk or a 12 oz can of evaporated milk
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp sage
dash of all seasoning (any basic herb-blend all-purpose seasoning will be good)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

***(I used 4 cups small fresh broccoli florets and 1 cup carrots- but you can change this accordingly, as long as the vegetables are cut small and measure out to be 5 cups. Celery, peas and corn are other great options. )

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onion, all 5 cups of vegetables and half the broth or water. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Whisk in flour.

Whisk milk, bouillon (if you're using it), and seasonings together. Stir into vegetables. Add remaining broth/ water.

Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in cheese right before serving~ heating just until it's melted.

If you like your chowder a bit thicker, you can add in 2-3 TBSP instant mashed potato flakes. Whisk them into the soup about 10 minutes into the simmer.
Easy Vegetable Chowder

And omg this cake sounds great. I am not a baker but my neighbor is and she often brings over some of her wonderful oven goods. So I sent her this recipe I knew she would love it.

Banana Pudding Cake Recipe
A layer cake with all the flavor of banana pudding. Between the layers is a creamy banana pudding filling with Nilla wafers and fresh banana slices. The cake is covered in a delectable whipped topping frosting.
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups mashed ripe banana
1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
1 box Nilla wafers
4 medium bananas, thinly sliced

Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Add oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat on medium-low speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
Beat in mashed banana.
Pour batter into prepared pans doing your best to fill them with equal amounts.
Place in oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Place pudding mix and cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer set to low speed until smooth. Gradually add in cream and beat until mixture is very thick.
Arrange about 15-18 vanilla wafers on top of one of the cake layers. Use a spatula to spread half of the pudding mixture on top of the wafers. Top with ½ of the banana slices placed in a single layer.
Place a second layer of cake on top of bananas, and repeat layers: vanilla wafers, pudding mixture, and bananas.
Top with final layer of cake.
Make frosting. Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Slowly add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Add whipped topping and beat until evenly mixed in.
Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Decorate with vanilla wafers.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Prep time
25 mins
Cook time
25 mins
Total time
50 mins
Banana Pudding Cake Recipe
Notes
Adapted from Taste of the South Magazine

I had never heard of a Hummingbird cake till my neighbor made one and brought us over each a little slice. OMG that is one of the best cakes I have ever had. We don't do many deserts since we both have diabetes but definitely would plan and work that in again! It is originally a Southern Living recipe from long ago and when I looked it up found out it was the most popular recipe there. Here is the link to that for anyone interested. It is worth the effort!
The Original Hummingbird Cake Recipe

I got this recipe from someone here a couple of years ago. I make a few every summer to share with family. It's easy and very good.

Summer Torte

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
pinch salt
fresh fruit of choice (peaches, blueberries, strawberries, etc.)
cinnamon sugar for top

Preheat oven to 350º. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to batter, mix well. Spoon into a 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Arrange fruit on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Shrimp gumbo is like potato salad. Everyone's recipe is different. here is mine.

Shrimp Gumbo

Make a roux using equal parts oil and flour. I don't measure, but I probably use 1/3 cup or a little more. The best roux, I think, is made from bacon...so I fry a pound of bacon and use the grease to make the roux. Stir it constantly until it is very brown...sort of a chestnut color. Do not let it burn. Best to use low heat, if you think you might burn it.

Chop 2 ribs of celery, one onion, and one bell pepper. After the roux is brown, turn it off and add the onions, bell pepper and celery. Cover it and let the heat wilt down the onions, etc.

In a pot put 4 cans chicken broth. Add the roux with the chopped vegetables and cook until they are soft. Add a can of tomato sauce or you can use some tomato paste. I go by color...and I want it to be orange-y brown. Add a package of sliced okra. Season with Tony Chachere's seasoning...a seasoned salt, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, a dash or two of Worchestershire....kind of up to you, but the thyme is necessary for a distinctive taste. (Four cans of chicken broth is usually enough liquid but it you want more, you can add another can or a little water. I used to make gumbo with water....this just happens to be better, but a little water isn't going to dilute the flavor.)

When the okra is done...add the shrimp. You can turn if off and the shrimp will cook enough. Don't boil and boil after you add the shrimp.

You can also add crab or other seafood. I might add crab but I never, ever, ever put sausage in seafood or shrimp gumbo....the reason being that the sausage will completely over power the taste.

Some people like to make broth from the shells to add to the gumbo. I have done that but I have found that chicken broth is easier and has more flavor but yet it doesn't compete with the other flavors in the gumbo.

Once you turn it off after adding the shrimp, stir in a couple of heaping spoonfuls of gumbo file'. That is another distinctive taste and adds to the taste of the gumbo. People say if you add okra, you don't need to add file' but I disagree. I don't use the file" to thicken the gumbo and the frozen okra has been blanched anyway so it isn't going to make the gumbo thicker. Anyway, you don't want it really thick...or at least I don't. You can add some chopped parsley or chopped green onions. Serve over hot rice. When I make rice for gumbo...or, really, any time, I add a big hunk of butter. It makes a better flavor.

All of you who cringe at the thought of butter or bacon...this may not be for you...but it is very good gumbo, and a family favorite. Also, if you don't have shrimp or seafood, it is very good made with chicken. Boil it and take it off the bone and add it in place of the shrimp.

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I live 15 miles from the nearest grocery store. Krogers has packages of onions, bell peppers and celery already chopped in their frozen food section. I keep some on hand and it is very handy. Along with frozen okra, I can throw this gumbo together in a about an hour or less.

Enjoy preparing this recipe:

Smoked Sausage Jambalaya
1/2 pound Smithfield Smoked Sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 1/2 cups water
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup long-grain rice
1/2 to 3/4 pound medium, fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined.
Steps
In a Dutch oven add water, tomatoes, tomato sauce. Add dry ingredients, smoked sausage and rice. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink. You do not want to overcook the shrimp.