Banana Bread My Favorite Recipe

Banana Bread My Favorite Recipe

This is the recipe I always go back to, time and again. It is written on one of my recipe cards, so I am assuming that it is my recipe, pre-stroke. Double the recipe, because this loaf freezes well. I also use this recipe to make minature loafs to tuck into my Christmas cookie baskets.

1 Stick Margarine, melted
1 c. Sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
4 Large mashed bananas
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
Nuts are optional. 1/2 cup pecans

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Melt your margarine in a large bowl. Mix sugar into your melted margarine. Add eggs, one at a time and whisk until blended.
Add mashed bananas, beating well. If you are going to add pecans, dredge them in a cup of your flour and add. Add salt, cinnamon, and soda along with flour. Blend until just mixed.

Pour into your loaf pan, that has been sprayed with Pam.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes. Use a toothpick or a metal cake tester. Make sure they come out clean in the dead center.

Spicy Ground Turkey Chili

Spicy Ground Turkey Chili

When beef prices got so high, we started switching our ground beef recipes to ground turkey. When my
doctor became amazed at my good cholesterol levels, we continued to use the ground turkey. This is a
simple one-pan chili that can be served alone, or over Frito's with cheese or my new favorite is over
ramen noodle soup noodles, drained, omitting the little spice package that comes with it. Again you can
add cheese on top or not.
If you ever accidental get your chili too hot for your taste, just add unsweetened chocolate and it will take
some of the heat away.



Ingredients:
2 Large Onions, chopped
Olive Oil for seasoning your pan for the onions
2 1-pound packages of frozen ground turkey
8 tsp Chili powder
2 tsp beef bouillon
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's More Spice Seasoning ( Optional)
3 Cans Chili Beans ( you can use vegetarian beans if you would prefer, no flavor change)
1 Can Tomato Sauce

Coarsely chop your onions, pour olive oil in the bottom of your pot and start heating it. When its nice and
hot, add your chopped onions and let them cook until they are translucent, but not brown.
In a bowl, open your ground turkey, and add your spices to the center of the meat. Using the back of a
spoon work the spices into the meat. Add the meat to pot, at med-high when your onions are done. Brown
your meat. The browner the meat gets the more flavor, without going to the extent of burning.
Add your tomato sauce, and allow it to heat. Add your canned beans, one can at a time, again allowing
each one to heat, stirring occasionally.
Taste test to check your spices. My hubby would probably add 4 more Tbs. of Chili powder at this time if I
would let him. He adds it at the table to his own taste.
Adjust your spices, just don't add salt until serving. ( Salt is so very bad for you and I swear it's addictive.)
Let simmer for at least 1/2 hour - 1 hour.
This only gets better the next day, and freezes beautifully. I use the plastic freezer tubs, which is just right
for 2. They even travel with us in the cooler (frozen) so we can enjoy a home cooked meal while on the
road.

Pumpkin Bars

I know these remind everyone of autumn get together but I tend to use pumpkin all year-long. This is an old recipe off the raisin boxes. I remember when raisins were rock solid coming out of the box.
I have added my changes to the recipe on the side. I like more raisins, and like a thicker, cream cheesier frosting.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon ( I always add 2 tsp, because its so good for you.)
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1 cup vegetable oil
1 16oz can (2 cups pumpkin) ( the last pumpkin I bought was only 15 oz. )
4 eggs
1/3 cup chopped nuts ( I omit these)
1/2 cups raisins ( I add 1 to 2 cups softened raisins)
Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar ( I add 4 cups)
1/3 cups margarine or butter ( I add 1/2 cup)
1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese softened ( I add an 8 oz pkg, so I can taste the cream cheese)
1 Tbs. Milk ( I add a little at a time until spreading consistency)
1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 1 15x10x1 inch baking pan.

Put your raisins in a microwave safe bowl and cover with water. Heat for 3 minutes and let set in water until you are ready to add.

Combine all your ingredients in your mixing bowl, except for nuts and raisins., beat at low speed until your ingredients are moistened. Increase your speed to medium for 2 minutes.

Drain you raisins, well. On low speed add your nuts and raisins until just blended.

Pour into your greased & floured pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting: Combine your butter, cheese, milk and vanilla and beat until light. Add your powdered sugar, ( again I double mine). Beat on high until smooth and creamy.

Frost when cooled. Cut into bars. Store into refrigerator.
Yield is 48 bars.

If you are using a 9x13x2 inch pan, bake for 45 - 50 minutes.

Trying New Flavors of Cake Balls

I am addicted to making cake balls. I had graduations, birthdays and thought I will just make everyone different flavors. Then I got nervous, What if one turned out better than the others, so I made mixed pans. I took those throw away 9x13 inch aluminum cake pans with the lids, and filled one for each kid.
The flavors I mixed were:

Vanilla Cake Mix,( with 1/2 cup peanut butter added while mixing), Milk Chocolate Frosting and Chocolate Almond Bark

Party Rainbow Chip Cake Mix, Cream Cheese Rich & Creamy Frosting, and Vanilla Almond Bark

Lemon Cake Mix, Lemon Supreme Creamy Frosting, and Wiltons Yellow Candy Wafers

Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, Milk Chocolate Frosting, and Chocolate Almond Bark

The Party Rainbow Cake Balls went first at the graduation.
You can find the recipe here

Boston Creme Pie Cupcakes

Boston Creme Pie Cupcakes

The Mommy's Kitchen Cooking Blog never fail me when I need something special. These are for my oldest sons birthday. He has always adored Boston Creme Pie, so I tried the cupcakes so the would travel better. They were wonderful. One tip, if you buy the Wilton Squeeze Bottles to fill these, cut the tip down to open it up father. You can see what happens when to much pressure and too much filling. Also the filling makes enough for 2 batches.

I used the quickie canned frosting too. Quick and Easy.

You can find the recipe here.

Savannah's Famous Pirate House Onions Au Gratin

Those terrific shriners are selling their classic Vidalia Sweet Onions again. Just once a year these special guys hit the streets with a trailor load of Vidalias. This is one of our favorite recipes for Videlias, taken from an old Folsom Farms Cookbook.

Ingredients:
5 cups Videlia onions, chopped, cooked & drained
5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbs Butter



Chop onions, put in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook until just tender.

Melt butter in the bottom of your 2 quart casserole dish.

Drain onions and mix with 4 cups of Cheddar cheese and remaining ingredients.

Pour into your 2-Quart casserole; Sprinkle with your final cup of cheese.


Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

We served this wonderful side dish with a smoked pork loin from our back porch electric smoker. If you haven't bought yourself or hubby one yet, it's a perfect gift.

Cooking A Delicious Beef Tongue

Delicious Beef Tongue

Ingredients:
1 Large Beef Tongue ( Size to Fit your pot)
1 Large Onion3 Bay Leaves
1 tsp. Thyme Leaves, or ground if that's what you have.

Choose a good size tongue at your local meat market. If you have a large family cook several in your large stock pot. If it is frozen make sure you allow it to defrost totally.

Wash your tongue after removing it from its package, and put it in your large pot, making sure the water will cover your chosen tongue.

Add a quartered onion, and all the spices. Fill your pan with water making sure to cover tongue with water.

Cover and Cook on your stove-top at medium heat until it's at a good boil, then reduce heat to low and let it cook for 4 to 5 hours. Your time won't change whether you are cooking 1 or 10 tongues. You may need to add hot water if the water gets low. This usually only happens if you are using a large stock-pot with a loose lid.

You know when your tongue is done when a large piercing fork slides in and out easily and there is no color to the juices from piercing holes.

Turn off your stove-top heat and allow tongue to stand for 15 minutes. CAREFULLY remove tongue to a large plate. I use the large piercing fork to hold the tongue in place and use a sharp knife to start peeling the heavy skin. It peels easily while the tongue is hot. Just becareful because it can have pockets of boiling water trapped under the skin.

You can eat the tongue hot as a main course, or my children and grandkids favorite is cold tongue sandwiches.
Experience Life !

Fudge Supreme Cake Balls

These little mouthfuls are so delicious. I found the basic recipe at Allrecipes, but it didn't have clear instructions.

1 box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix ( prepared as directed on the package)

1 Can Duncan Hines Creamy Homestyle Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting

1 1/2 packages Plymouth Pantry Make Your Own Almond Bark Chocolate Flavored Coating ( I found this at Walmarts

Candy Sprinkle (optional)

Bake your cake according to package directions. Let cake cool. I was in a hurry so I put mine in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Crumble your cake directly from the cake pan to a large bowl. I used a fork and just shredded it, into the bowl.
Add your frosting and mix well. You don't need a mixer, just use the same fork and it will blend easily.

Some people say to chill at this point but I didn't need to. I used my small cookie scoop and popped a scoop into my palms and rolled into a firm ball. One batch filled 1 and 1/2 cookie sheets. Put the cookie sheet with your cake balls into the freezer. I put one batch in for 30 minutes and the next batch in for 45 minutes. It didn't make much difference.

Melt your Coating in the microwave on defrost for 2 minutes, then stir and return for another 2 minutes on defrost. Stir again until all chucks are melted. I used a 2 Cup measuring cup with 6 Squares in it. It took 3 batches to cover all the balls.

I used a fork to duck my cake balls, tapping it on my measuring cup to catch the drips. Put these on wax paper by flipping your fork, and using it to seal the top.

The Cake Balls set up very quickly, I think they are much better the next day. I notice a few crumbs getting into the coating, but the red looked very pretty. For the holidays I would probably drizzle some melted white chocolate over the tops.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Little Bites of heaven. I found the recipe at allrecipes, with no instructions. The comments helped me get these together. I am going to try these with Wiltons White chocolate next time. Just to see the different flavor.

1 box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Red Velvet Cake Mix ( prepared as directed on the package)

1 Can Duncan Hines Creamy Homestyle Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 packages Plymouth Pantry Make Your Own Almond Bark Vanilla Flavored Coating

Candy Sprinkle (optional)

Bake your cake according to package directions. Let cake cool. I was in a hurry so I put mine in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Crumble your cake directly from the cake pan to a large bowl. I used a fork and just shredded it, into the bowl.
Add your frosting and mix well. You don't need a mixer, just use the same fork and it will blend easily.
Some people say to chill at this point but I didn't need to. I used my small cookie scoop and popped a scoop into my palms and rolled into a firm ball. One batch filled 1 and 1/2 cookie sheets. Put the cookie sheet with your cake balls into the freezer. I put one batch in for 30 minutes and the next batch in for 45 minutes. It didn't make much difference.

Melt your Coating in the microwave on defrost for 2 minutes, then stir and return for another 2 minutes on defrost. Stir again until all chucks are melted. I used a 2 Cup measuring cup with 6 Squares in it. It took 3 batches to cover all the balls.
I used a fork to duck my cake balls, tapping it on my measuring cup to catch the drips. Put these on wax paper by flipping your fork, and using it to seal the top. Sprinkle quickly if you want sprinkles.
The Cake Balls set up very quickly, I think they are much better the next day. I notice a few crumbs getting into the coating, but the red looked very pretty. For the holidays I would probably drizzle some melted chocolate over the tops.

Squirrel Gut Dip

The name just sounds terrible, but it was a delicious recipe given to me by our local, Buck Master, and I think he was just trying to gross me out. This is a quick, (only 5 ingredients) dip that you can make a day or two ahead.
Ingredients:
1 pound tube of Sausage, either hot or mild1 Medium Onion (finely chopped)1 16 oz. container Sour Cream1 8 oz. bar of Cream Cheese (room temperature)1 16 oz can of Ro-Tel (tomatoes & green chilis) original
In a large bowl, pour your can of Ro-Tel, add your finely chopped onions, sour cream and cream cheese. Mix these up with just a spoon to get the lumps out.
In your frying pan brown your sauage until nice and brown and crumbly. Add this while still hot to your bowl of other ingredients, and stir.
Refrigerate at least 8 hours to blend the flavors. Serve with a heavy chip, we usually grab a bag of Ruffles.

Baked Potato Soup

It was so chilly yesterday that I thought while the twins were playing at a reasonable noise level, I would try and duplicate a soup we had in California. It was a wonderful Baked Potato Soup from the local Safeway store and seemed to be all sold out by early afternoon. This is my version, probably without the additives..... both are so good........

Ingredients:

5 pounds of potatoes, you can use Baking potatoes, but if your on a budget just grab a bag on sale.

Bake these, or if in a hurry just microwave them to tender, let them cool, peel and cube.

1 cup real butter

1 cup of flour

8 cups of milk

1 Bunch of Green onions, use anywhere from 8 to the entire bunch if you like onions

1 nice Ham Steak, cut into tiny cubes. Here you can judge how much you want to add. I used the entire Ham Steak.

2 cups Shredded mild Cheddar Cheese

1 16oz container sour cream

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

Do your potatoes first and have them cubed and ready to go, because from there, this is a quick meal. I grabbed my large stockpot since I was estimating.

In the bottom of your pot melt your butter over medium heat, stir in flour, and using your whisk, stir until it is smooth and just starting to bubble. Gradually stir in your milk, stirring until the milks starts to thicken.

Now add your potatoes, ham and onions, stir well to coat and let your soup just reach a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add the rest of your ingredients, and simmer until your cheese has melted. You can serve immediately, with a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top......

Next time I think I will increase my milk to 9 or 10 cups and serve with a nice crusty bread, to dip.

Tropical Treat Cake

Made this lovely Tropical Treat Cake, and found out neither myself or my husband likes the bitter orange flavor in this cake from those dear, Mennonite Girls Can Cook Blog. I think I will try it again without the orange peel, because we both like the texture and the idea of a cake that can be served without icing.
You need to try this one, with or without the orange peel.. the recipe is here..........

Carmel Apple Pudding

Another comfort food recipe from those darling, Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog. We topped it off with a small scoop of ice cream. It was so delicious as are all of their recipes I have tried.

Find the recipe here

Chocolate Cobbler

I found this wonderful recipe for Chocolate Cobbler over at Scotty's Place. It was so quick to mix up for a rushed-supper's desert. Served up with sugar-free ice cream........ This is one of those comfort foods, that can't be made with Splenda.

You'll find the recipe here, and while you're there say Hi to Pammy Sue.......

Banana Cake

If you haven't visited, the Mennonite Girls Can Cook Blog, you are missing out on some terrific recipes. I
tried the Banana Cake just last week. My only changes to their recipe were, I only had 2 bananas instead
of 3 and I poured the Carmel sauce over the top of the cake as soon as it came out of the oven.
The cake just got better and moister the next day and the day after that.... I'm afraid it was all gone by then.........

Here is the recipe