Banana Bread

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans (opt)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon water
2 cups flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter & flour a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. In another bowl, mix together the flour, water, baking soda and salt; stir.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

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I wanted to mention that my older sister Shirley always bakes her breads in clean soup cans.  Grease & flour them as you would the other way and fill them two thirds full. Place them on a cookie sheet to bake. Should bake in about 30 minutes, just keep checking on them.

She changes the way she does things every year. So if asked, she give you ten different ways to make the same thing. Sh… don’t tell her that I said that.

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Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

• Decide on a centerpiece, contact florist to order, or make one yourself.
• Purchase any needed supplies, such as table coverings, napkins, cups, etc.
• Plan your cooking timeline, so you know which dishes need to be cooked when on Thanksgiving Day.
• Take your non-perishable items shopping list to the grocery store and buy those items that won’t spoil.
• Make breads and rolls — freeze.
• Select the beverage/drinks to go with your meal.
• Involve your kids in helping to organize games for the younger guests.
• As you receive RSVPs, create place cards for each setting.
• Make Holiday hair & nail appointments.

To be desperate is to discover strength. We die of comfort and by conflict live. ~ May Sarton

 

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin (fresh or canned)
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup raisins

Icing:

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons whip cream
1/4 teaspoon rum extract (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into butter mixture until well blended. Add nuts and raisins. Drop by teaspoonful onto parchment covered baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake about 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool.

Icing: Cream confectioners’ sugar and butter. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. (If icing is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar; if too thick, add more cream.) Drizzle over cookies.

November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.
~ Elizabeth Coatsworth

 

Persimmon Drop Cookies

Persimmon Drop Cookies. An English Dessert, that takes 12 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook with an Oven.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup persimmon pulp
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ cup butter
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 egg beaten
1 cup nuts (we use a mix of walnut & pecan)
½ tsp. salt
1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS
Beat until creamy: pulp, soda, sugar & butter
Add: egg & beat well
Sift flour & spices
Add: flour, raisins & nuts to creamy mixture
Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet
Bake at 375° for 12-15 min.
Makes 3-4 dozen

We cannot hope to scale great moral heights by ignoring petty obligations. ~ Agnes Repplier

 

Sunday Supper

You know that I love pork loin. Its so easy to make, you can put it on before you leave for work or shopping and it will be waiting on you when you get home. That’s one less thing to worry about.

MENU
Spinach Salad
Maple Glazed Pork Loin with Tomato & Pine Nut Relish
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Peas & Baby Carrots
Rolls and Butter
*Baked Apples
Beverages

Maple Glazed Pork Loin

INGREDIENTS
1 (5 pound) pork loin roast
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup light maple flavored pancake syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Place the roast into a large resealable bag. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, vinegar, pancake syrup, cornstarch and brown sugar. Pour into the bag with the roast. Seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Then bake the as per my Easy Pork Loin directions, making sure that the Butcher cuts the loin in half lengthwise for you.  Its done when its internal temperature is at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer.

Pine Nut Relish

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup (generous) chopped dried apricots (about 3 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped white onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño chili with seeds

2/3 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS
Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Add tomatoes, pine nuts and cilantro to apricot mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve along

*Baked Apples – stuffed with raisins, walnuts and brown sugar.

I do not regret one moment of my life. ~ Lillie Langtry

 

LAMB & PORK LOAF

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 lb ground lean pork
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups course soft bread crumbs, firmly packed
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 eggs beaten
1 cup lamb broth* or milk
Pepper
1/4 cup melted butter

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients except 1/2 cup bread crumbs and the butter. Mix thoroughly and press the mixture into a loaf pan (8 1/4 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches). Mix together the butter and the 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, and pat over the top of the loaf. Bake in a moderate oven (325 to 350 degrees F) for 1 1/2 hours. Before turning out, let loaf stand for 15 minutes to absorb meat juices. Garnish with parsley or mint.

Makes: 5 servings

The good is the greatest rival of the best. ~ Nellie L. McClung

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the Lamb make thee? ~ William Blake

* When purchasing lamb buy some extra bony pieces to prepare the broth.

 

Company’s Coming

its time to break out the bone china and stem ware…

MENU
Lamb & Pork Loaf
Baked Potatoes
Creamed Peas
Shredded Lettuce, Dressing
Whole Wheat Bread, Butter
Lemon Whipper Snappers
(with or without lemon pudding or lemon curd)
Beverages

Lemon Whipper Snappers

INGREDIENTS
1 (18 oz) box lemon cake mix
2 eggs, beaten
1 (8-10 oz) Cool Whip
1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS
Mix eggs, cake mix, and blend in Cool Whip to make soft dough. Drop by small teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar and roll until coated. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Self-knowledge is best learned, not by contemplation, but by action. Strive to do your duty and you will soon discover of what stuff you are made. ~ Goethe … and me!