MADISON COUNTY'S BANANA (NUT) BREAD

I'm still trying to use up the bananas that didn't get eaten on Palm Sunday at church. I cooked as much as I could at first and froze it all and then froze the rest of the bananas. Since then I keep searching for as many different recipes as I can using bananas. So far I haven't heard any complaints about all of the banana treats.

The first Sunday, I shared Amish Banana Bread from my most popular post ever. Then the next Sunday I shared a Banana Bread recipe from the Stephenson's Apple Farm Restaurant. This past weekend I had planned to offer some more of Stephenson's bread, but changed my mind and decided to use some more of the frozen bananas. That meant I was on the lookout for a new recipe that I hadn't made so I could then share it with you here on my blog.

I only had to look through about five cookbooks before I picked up my Madison County Cookbook with Stories and Traditions of Winterset, Iowa and saw their Banana Nut Bread recipe. It must be a popular recipe in the county as two different names were credited with it - Shirley Bush and Rosemary Stuchel.

I liked that it used three bananas and was low on sugar with only 1/2 cup required. I considered using stevia for the sugar, but since I already had a sugar-free treat for the Cafe, I went on and used the real thing.

I had several compliments on the bread and the three loaves didn't last long. I cut them into 13 + slices.

 

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MADISON COUNTY'S BANANA (NUT) BREAD

1/2     cup (1 stick) margarine or butter

12      cup sugar

3        eggs

2-3/4  cups sifted flour

1-1/2  teaspoons baking powder

1/2     teaspoon baking soda

1        teaspoon salt

1-1/2  cups ripe mashed bananas (about 3 medium)

1/3     cup chopped walnuts 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 5 " loaf pan or three mini loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar til creamy.

Add eggs and beat well.

Sift together some flour and then measure 2-3/4 cups into a sifter. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt and sift twice to blend together.

Mash the bananas to measure 1-1/2 cups and add alternately with the dry ingredients mixing well after each addition

(3 parts dry ingredients and

2 parts banana beginning and ending with the dry ingredients)

Don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Stir in nuts if using. I didn't.

Pour into one large loaf pan or divide evenly between three mini loaves. (I weighed each loaf as I filled them so they would be about even.)

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes for the large loaf or about 40 minutes for the mini loaves or until done.

Remove from pan(s) and cool on wire rack. I ran a knife around the inside of the pan to remove.

Can wrap with foil to store before serving or to freeze.

At the Cafe at PWUMC

DORENE'S RAISIN COOKIES

 

When Friend and Cafe Treats Baker Dorene told me that she would like to join the Cafe Treats Bakers, she added that she loved to bake. If the frequency of her participation is any indication, she definitely does love to bake. Everything she has baked and shared has been very delicious and very well received.

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DORENE'S RAISIN COOKIES 

coffee

2     cups mixed golden and regular raisins

1     cup butter

2     cups brown sugar, not packed

2     eggs at room temperature

1/2  cup rolled oats

3-1/2  cups flour

2        teaspoons baking powder

1/2     teaspoon salt

1        teaspoon cinnamon

1/2     teaspoon nutmeg

1/2     cup milk

Cover the raisins with enough coffee to cover and let stand overnight.

Cream together in a large mixing bowl the butter and brown sugar til smooth. Add the eggs.

In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients - the oats, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk mixing thoroughly.

Add and mix by hand, the coffee soaked raisins.

Refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheets. (This is a flatware teaspoon not a measuring teaspoon.)

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 

Allow to finish cooking on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool. (Dorene said she left them on the cookie sheet until the cookie sheet cooled.)

STRAWBERRY CREAM SWEETNESS

 

The year is going by so quickly. This month was our month to host our dining out group we call the Tasty Bunch. One couple is still in Florida for the winter so it was just six of us. We had a delicious meal at a locally own restaurant, BC Bistro, and then came to our house for dessert and more conversation.

I had seen a recipe on Facebook that looked interesting and thought I would make it for dessert. As is common, Wayne asked me if I was going to try it out first and as is common, I told him that I hadn't planned to. 

Well, I surprised him by giving it a try first. I had planned to make it several days in advance, but something kept me from  accomplishing that. Well, I'm so glad I did decide to try it out, because even though it tasted great, I wasn't happy with my results in appearance.

By the time I made it for our friends, I had come up with several changes. All of them I was very happy with them.

One of my changes was with the cream cheese mixture. The problem with the recipe is it made too much cream cheese mixture and I was determined to use all of it for the cake and that was a BIG mistake. I rewrote the recipe with less amounts and that was so much better. The thing is I still had too much cream cheese mixture that I'm not sure what I am going to do with. Right now it is in a plastic container in the refrigerator.

The thing is I think I could reduce the amounts even more and it will be enough and I won't have leftovers. If you want to try this make these substitutions...*4 ounces cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons (half a stick) butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for the amounts in the recipe.

This Strawberry Cream Sweetness is a recipe I am sure I will be making again. I had to freeze quite a bit of the two attempts I ended up with since there was no way we could eat it all in a few days. I cut generous pieces for us for the Tasty Bunch so only had half of the 9 x 13 - inch cake left. 

With the first attempt since I was making it just for us, I used a Zero Sugar yellow cake mix so that helped to reduce the sugar amount. When I decided to use a strawberry cake mix for the second one, that made the finished cake really pretty and pinkish red. If you wanted to use a Zero Sugar cake mix, just add some red food coloring to make the cake more like a strawberry looking cake. 

I did use the white baking chips for the first cake, but since I didn't have a full half - a - cup left, I used some cream cheese chips I had just bought last week. I had never seen them before in the stores. That helps since I reduced the amount of the cream cheese mixture.

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STRAWBERRY CREAM SWEETNESS

1     box strawberry cake mix + water, oil and eggs as directed n the box

1     cup fresh strawberries, chopped

6    ounces cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat Neufchatel) 

6    tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3    cups powdered sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup cream cheese chips or white baking chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray a 9 x 13 - inch pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Set aside.

Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box.

Gently fold in the strawberries.

Pour the batter in the pan.

Drop teaspoonfuls of the creamed cheese mixture over the cake batter. (I didn't use all of the mixture so I just stored the rest in the fridge. See notes above.*)

Sprinkle the coconut flakes first and

then the cream cheese chips or white baking chips over the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cake is set and the edges are turning brown.

Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

I added some fresh sliced strawberries that I had sweetened with some sugar and allowed to chill in the refrigerator

along with a scoop of ice cream when I served my friends.

APPLE CRUMBLE POT

 This is the first time this year that I have hosted our canasta group. It seems like it has been forever since I last hosted. Not sure why either. 

It was a perfect day to play cards since the sky was full of clouds, a little rain had fallen just before we gathered, and the wind was cold feeling and strong. For the first time as far as I can remember, I didn't feel rushed getting everything ready. I even had time to cut some strips for another friend from the Blankets of Hope quilting group so she could come by and pick them up. 

One reason, I guess, is the recipe I had chosen to make for dessert was so easy to prepare. Since I wanted to serve it warm and it had to cook for maybe 3 hours in the slow cooker, I had everything in the slow cooker at noon to cook. Since they group wasn't getting there until 1, I even had time to clean up the mess from preparing the dessert so my kitchen looked nice and clean when Friend Janice arrived first at 12:58. 

The recipe called for four Granny Smith apples but added about 2 pounds. Since I had five, I thought I would weigh four of the apples and I'm glad I did. It took all five of them to get to 2 pounds. I just didn't think four apples were enough to feed six of us. Then after filling the slow cooker to the absolute top, I was thinking maybe I should have used my larger slow cooker. When after two and a half hours, the topping didn't look done, I was really having doubts about using my smaller slow cooker.  All I could do was just cook it a little longer (even though the recipe stressed not overcooking it) and at three hours the topping looked done and I could serve it after it sat for a bit.

I added a scoop of ice cream that personally made it perfect. Everyone loved it and declared it a hit. I think you will also.

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APPLE CRUMBLE POT

FILLING:

2/3     cup packed brown sugar

2        tablespoons biscuit baking mix

1-1/2  teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4     teaspoon ground allspice

2        pounds (4-5) Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 8 wedges each

1/2    cup dried cranberries

2       tablespoons butter, sliced

TOPPING:

1       cup biscuit baking mix

1/2    cup uncooked old-fashioned oats

1/3    cup packed brown sugar

3       tablespoons cold butter, thinly sliced

1/2    cup chopped pecans

Spray a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. (I used a 3 quart slow cooker.)

Filling instructions:

Prepare the apples.

Combine the brown sugar, baking mix, cinnamon, and allspice in a large bowl.

Add the apple wedges and dried cranberries.

Toss to coat.

Transfer to the slow cooker. Place the sliced butter over the top. Set aside.

Topping instructions:

In a medium size bowl, combine the baking mix, oats, and brown sugar.

Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or 2 knives or

like I do with your fingers.

Sprinkle evenly over the apple mixture in the slow cooker. Top with the pecans.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH until the apples are tender...2-1/2 to 3 hours. 

Turn off slow cooker. Remove the cover and let stand 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Taste great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6 generous servings

COLORFUL SPIRAL PASTA SALAD

 

Can you already believe it is April? I can't. And Easter, 2024 has come and gone.

Our Easter Sunday started early as we planned to go to our 8:00 A.M. service. We chose that service because we planned to go to church with our younger son Patrick and his family at their church at 10. Then we were going to go to our gkids' godparents for a family lunch.

As it turned out we missed going to church with Patrick and fam because they decided to go to the Sunrise service at 7 at their church but I didn't get his text because my phone had updated a few days ago and I didn't go in to exclude family members from the Do Not Disturb setting after bedtime. So we didn't know they had changed their minds in time to go. 

We enjoyed out service and then came back home until time to go meet them for lunch. I had asked Jamie what I could bring and she told me a pasta salad. That was something I haven't made too often so I had to go hunting for a recipe.

I found this recipe in a new cookbook for me called Taste of Home Half Homemade. I thought it looked so attractive in the picture and seemed to be really easy to make. It actually took me longer to cut up the fresh broccoli than it was to mix the ingredients. I have decided it won't be the last time I make it when we are going to a potluck.

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COLORFUL SPIRAL PASTA  SALAD

1        pkg. (12 oz) tricolor spiral pasta

4        cups fresh broccoli florets

1        dry pint grape tomatoes 

1        can ( 6 oz) pitted ripe olives, drained

1/8     teaspoon salt

1/8     teaspoon pepper

1-1/2  cups Zesty Italian salad dressing  

In a Dutch oven or big soup pot, cook pasta according to package directions,

adding the broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Drain and rinse with cold water. 

Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes and olives.

Measure the salad dressing and add the salt and pepper to it, stirring with a whisk.

Pour the salad dressing mix over the pasta mixture in the bowl.

Toss to coat. 

Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Store leftovers in a closed storage container in the refrigerator.

If you keep it a day or two, the flavors will be even better.

HAPPY EASTER