Friday, January 13, 2017

Banana Bread



  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teapsoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 bananas, ripe and speckled
  • 1 ½ cups flour

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream butter and sugar together in a larger mixing bowl.
  3. Add the beaten eggs, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir.
  4. Crush the bananas well and stir into the mixture.
  5. Add the flour and stir until just mixed. About 50 stirs. Do not overstir.
  6. Spray the loafpan with cooking spray and dust with flour.
  7. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan.
  8. Bake for 1 hour.
  9. Turn loaf onto a bread board.
  10. Let cool and cut.
  11. Serve with butter (optional).
  12. Enjoy.
Note:  To make a smaller loaf, use half the amounts of all ingredients.  Put in a smaller loaf pan.  And bake 45 minutes. 

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Poached Pears



  • 4 fresh pears
  • 2 tablespoons dried, pitted tart cherries (optional)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 sticks of cinnamon
  • 6 star anise
  • ½ teaspoon whole cloves

  1. In a mixing bowl, put ice in it until it is about 1/3 full of ice and then run cold water in it until it is 2/3 full.
  2. In a two-quart pan, fill 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil.
  3. Plunge the washed pears in the boiling water for 20 seconds, making sure that all sides get covered.
  4. With tongs remove the pears, and plunge into the ice water.
  5. Remove the pears one by one, and peel.
  6. Half the pears, and remove the cores.
  7. Rinse out the pan that you boiled the water in and use it to make the poaching liquid.
  8. Add the sugar and water to the pan.
  9. Add all the spices and vanilla.
  10. Stir until smooth.
  11. Add the pears and heat about thirty minutes under a medium low heat, stirring often.
  12. Serve the pears with a slotted spoon, avoiding the anise, cloves, and cinnamon. You can refrigerate any leftovers in the poaching liquid and the flavors will intensify.
  13. Enjoy. 

Friday, January 6, 2017

Hamburger Soup


  • 1 lb. ground chuck
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (the refrigerated garlic in a jar)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 can tomato soup + 1 soup can water
  • 1 can whole kernel corn (undrained) + 2 corn cans of water
  • 8 oz. Bowties, uncooked
  • 6 cubes beef bouillon

  1. Brown ground chuck in a Dutch oven, stirring until the beef is crumbled.
  2. Blot the meat with a paper towel, or rinse in a colander to reduce the amount of fat in it.
  3. Return the meat to the Dutch oven.
  4. Brown the chopped onion with the meat for a few minutes.
  5. Add the garlic.
  6. Add the pepper.
  7. Add the tomato soup and stir. Add the soup can of water and stir.
  8. Add the corn and the 2 cans of water.
  9. Add the pasta.
  10. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
  11. Serve and enjoy.


Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Lists of Foods


Appetizer
Chili Sauce Apple Jelly Meatballs

Meats and Main Dishes

Aunt Maxine's Meatloaf
Beef Bourguinon
Beef with Broccoli

Breakfasts
Breakfast Casserole
Sausage Bread


Casseroles

Cookies

Desserts

Pasta
Sandwiches
Egg Salad Sandwich for One
Olive Bread
Prosciutto Stromboli
Pastreubens

Snacks
Krispy Rice Squares

Salads:

Cranberry Orange Relish
Mexican Corn Salad for Two