Super Moist Banana Bread

Super Moist Banana (Nut) Bread, from The Weekend Baker -- Abigail Johnson Dodge

1 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Table Salt
3 medium, very ripe bananas (about 14 ounces), peeled
3/4 Cup firmly packed Light Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Canola or Corn Oil
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2/3 Cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted, optional

1. Position oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350° (375° for muffins). Lightly grease and flour a loaf pan (around 8x4.5"-to-8x5"). **For muffins, line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with foil or paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well blended. In a large bowl, combine the bananas, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer (stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or handheld mixer) on medium speed until well blended with only small bits of banana visible. Pour in the dry ingredients and gently stir with a rubber spatula just until blended. If using the nuts, add them when the flour is almost blended and stir to incorporate.

3. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack to cool for 15 minutes. Using a thin knife, gently loosen the cake from the pan sides and slip it out of the pan. Tip the loaf on its side and let cool on the rack until warm or at room temperature.

**For muffins: Scoop the batter into lined muffin cups, dividing evenly. They will be almost full. Gently tap the pan on the counter top to settle the batter. Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of 1 muffin comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Transfer the muffin pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, and then carefully remove the muffins from the pan and set them on the rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Storage: Cover the cooled muffins/bread with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Frances' Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This is a recipe from my grandmother, Frances. I'm sure she didn't originate it, but hers is my favorite, therefore it earns her name in the title.

Heat oven to 350.

White Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 C. Milk

Melt butter in a 2 Quart saucepan. Stir in the flour using a whisk, until there are no lumps. Add the milk and continue mixing with whisk until smooth.

Add 2 Cups of Sharp Cheddar (or your favorite) cheese to the white sauce, and stir with the whisk until all cheese is melted.

Cook 1 Cup of macaroni noodles according to package directions, while you are mixing the sauce.

Drain macaroni, add the noodles to the sauce and mix until noodles are well-coated. Place macaroni and cheese into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes.

*Add salt and pepper to taste, if you wish.

Rose's Quick and Easy Pasta

• 1 package Chicken Breast Tenders
• 1 tbs basil
• 1 tbs oregano
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic minced

In a frying pan add oil, seasonings and garlic. Cut chicken up into small bite size pieces and add to pan. Stir occasionally until cooked thoroughly. Toss with bow tie pasta and serve hot.

You can add a white wine sauce to it and peppers and onions as well ..depends on your taste and what you have available.

Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chip
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a 13x9" pan.
3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Set aside.
5. Beat the sugar and butter together until creamy.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, until well blended.
7. Add sour cream, banana and vanilla; mix well.
8. On low speed, blend in flour mixture gradually until well incorporated.
9. Stir in 1 cup of the mini chocolate chips.
10. Pour batter into pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/2c. chocolate chips on top.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Banana Blueberry Mini-Loaves

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (lemon works, too!)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw)

1.	Preheat oven 350.
2.	Grease and flour bottoms only of 4 mini loaf pans.
3.	In a large bowl combine oil and sugar.
4.	Beat in bananas, yogurt, vanilla and eggs, blending well.
5.	Add flour, salt and baking soda and mix just until moistened.
6.	Gently fold in blueberries.
7.	Pour into pans.

Bisquick Pancakes

• 2 Cups Bisquick (or other baking mix)
  
• 1 Cup milk
• 2 eggs

Stir ingredients until blended.

Pour by slightly less than 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.

Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden.

Makes 14 pancakes.

*For thicker pancakes, put a little extra Bisquick into the measuring cup. For thinner, use 1 1/2 cups of milk. We like ours thick!

**Melt-in-your-mouth pancakes: Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp sugar and 2 tsp baking powder.

To reheat: Microwave for about 10 seconds per pancake, then toast until they are hot and a little crispy (unless you like yours soggy).

Baked Potato Soup

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 7 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 14 slices bacon, cooked till crisp and crumbled
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

1.	Heat oven to 350F and bake the potatoes until fork tender, about 1 hour.
2.	Melt butter in a dutch oven or stock pot.
3.	Slowly blend in flour with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended.
4.	Cook the roux (flour in butter) until a very pale golden.
5.	Gradually add milk to the roux and season with salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne, seasoning salt (whichever you prefer), whisking constantly.
6.	Cut potatoes in half, scoop out the interior and set aside.
7.	Chop up half the potato peels and discard the remainder.
8.	When milk mixture is very hot, whisk in potato.
9.	Add green onion and potato peels.
10.	Whisk well, add sour cream (low-fat or no-fat are fine, too) and crumbled bacon.
11.	Heat thoroughly.
12.	Add cheese a little at a time until all is melted in. (I don't add the cheese into the soup, I put it in the individual servings)