Banana bread

This one is from my cousin. I have seen a similar one on verybestbaking.com and on allrecipes.com. I am loading it in its original email form, so I hope you get the jokes....if not I would be happy to explain them to you later......

wicked good banana bread

Ingredients:
5 TBL butter
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites (Nate's sister could be Egg White, I never thought of that)
1 tea. vanilla
1 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tea baking soda
1/2 tea salt
1/4 tea baking powder
1/2 C. heavy cream
1/3 C. chopped walnuts optional (I haven't tried it this way yet)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bottom only of 9x5x3 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer set at medium, until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add egg, egg whites and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add mashed banana, beat on high 30 seconds.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternating with cream, ending with flour mixture. Add nuts to batter.
Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake until browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 min. (I have never had to go that long to watch carefully the first time).
Cool bread in pan on wire rack 10 min. Remove from pan, cool completely on wire rack. (Or if you are like me blister your hands and mouth as you dig out of the pan straight from the oven and then gulp down some milk.) Also suggested that once loaf cools completely, wrap in plastic wrap over night and let the flavors develope.

Crisco Cake

This is a tasty cake from my aunt in Georgia. She is an awesome cook, so you can bet anything from her is dynamite, besides you really can't go wrong with any kind of southern recipes

2 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup crisco shortening
6 eggs
1/2 tsp lemon flavoring

Cream sugar and crisco together; add 3 eggsone at a time then one cup of flour, mixing well.
add 3 remaining eggs one at a time and remaining cup of flour. add vanilla and lemon flavoring, mix well. pour into greased and floured bundt or tube pan.

bake at 300* for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

**this may need some oven temp variation, because it is from a very sea level area and we are up here in the mountainous regions. I have not yet made this recipe here. I plan on it later this week and will let you know how it goes.

Pear Pie

My girlfriend Heather served this to me once and I was blown away, I had never heard or tasted such a thing, but boy is it good.

Ok, here’s the pear pie recipe:

Mix together:
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 c. sugar
¼ c. flour

Mix together:
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 c. heavy cream

6 med. Pears – slightly green

Peel and slice pears into crust (use deep dish pie pan), sprinkle dry ingredients over and then pour wet ingredients over top. Put top crust on, make vents and bake @ 350 deg for 45-50 minutes. Let stand for at least 15-20 min for custard to firm and serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

ENJOY!!!

Colossal Chopped Salad

This one is from the pampered chef and is sooo good, but beware it is HUGE.

This chicken, pasta and vegetable salad is a lively medley of color and flavor.

1 pkg. (16 oz.) uncooked penne pasta
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (about 6 c.)
2 c. diced cooked chicken
1/2 c. sliced red onion
1 yellow summer squash or zucchini
2 Roma tomatoes
1 lg. carrot, peeled
1 can (3.25 oz.) pitted ripe olives, drained
1/2 c. (2 oz.) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 c. Italian or ranch salad dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions in Executive (8-qt.) Stockpot; drain and rinse under cold running water using Large Colander. Spoon pasta into Simple Additions Dots Large Round Bowl. Meanwhile, thinly slice lettuce and dice chicken using Chef's Knife. Slice red onion using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with v-shaped blade. Slice yellow squash with Ultimate Mandoline fitted with crinkle blade; cut slices in half using Santoku Knife. Slice tomatoes using Tomato Knife; cut slices in half. Cut carrot into julienne strips using Julienne Peeler; cut strips into 1-in. pieces using Paring Knife. Slice olives using Egg Slicer Plus. Top pasta with lettuce, chicken, onion, yellow squash, tomatoes, carrot and olives. Grate Parmesan cheese over vegetables using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with Grating blade. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss using Bamboo Spatulas just before serving.

Yield: 16 servings

Frozen Lemonade Dessert

This one is stolen form one of my best friends. Katie got it from her grandma, and after a rousing game of bunko at her house, during which all of the girls asked for seconds, I begged for the recipe and she was kind enough to share it.

1 (8 ounce) tub cool whip, thawed
1 (1/2 gal) vanilla ice cream, softened but not melted (the good stuff here, don't be cheap)
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (optional)
makings for graham cracker crust (or nilla wafer...for Amy)


Make graham cracker crust in a 9x13 pan. Set aside. Mix remaining ingredients together well. It may take a bit to get them to combine. I used a good wire wisk and a wooden spoon. pour mixture over crust and return to freezer for a couple of hours. Store in freezer.

serves 12

* I personally don't add the orange juice, but if you are concerned about it being too tart that is when Katie says to add it in. Katie also says her grandma makes it with the good vanilla bean ice cream (I think she said Dryers). I am really picky about ice cream, and since there are so few ingredients you should really use a quality one, I am not saying break the bank and use hagan daz...go ahead if you want, but not the nasty store brand stuff either.

Dijon Crusted Hailbut

Since my husband goes fishing in Alaksa every year, I am always searching for ways to prepare fish (namely Halibut) that I will like. I admit to being a picky fish eater....just the way I am. This recipie is from allrecipes.com and is really yummy.


INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon-style mustard **
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish **
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
4 (4 ounce) fillets halibut

1 tablespoon margarine, melted
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish, and lemon juice. Stir in 1/4 cup bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Arrange fish fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Spread bread crumb mixture evenly over fish.
In a small bowl, mix together melted margarine, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the coated halibut.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

**I think next time I will cut back on the horseradish and add more mustard.

Carnation Famous Fudge

As a self proclaimed choco-holic, this is a must. Consider the possibilities.......I give you fair waning one bite and you will have an hard time stopping.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:LINE 8-inch-square baking pan with foil.COMBINE sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.STIR in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into 48 pieces.

FOR MILK CHOCOLATE FUDGE:SUBSTITUTE 1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels. FOR BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE:SUBSTITUTE 1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels. FOR PEANUTTY CHOCOLATE FUDGE:SUBSTITUTE 1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels for Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts for pecans or walnuts.

** I make 2 batches of this, in the first one I substitute peanut butter chips for the chocolate chips and pour it into a pan, then I make the second batch the regular way and pour it on top of the peanut butter one. this is the closest I have come to the fantastic fudge at Gardner Village.