Desserts

Banana Bread

1 stick of softened butter

1 stick of softened margarine (like Imperial or Blue Bonnet)

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs at room temp

1 cup mashed banana ( which is usually 3 and I mash them first and let them sit and get dark before adding to the recipe)

4 Tables buttermilk

1 teas baking soda

1 teas vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup chopped pecans (I don’t add these)

Cream the butter, margarine and sugar. Add eggs and beat. Add flour and soda alternately with buttermilk. Add bananas and vanilla and mix well. Fold in pecans if you are usuing them. Pour into greased loaf pan or deep 9 inch square pan and bake at 325 for almost an hour (depends on your oven). This is a very moist bread and keeps well and freezes well..you can sprinkle powdered sugar over the top if desired…..

Daily Thoughts

Banana Bread (really the best)

Well, I know that I have already put a recipe on the blog for Banana Cream Cheese bread, but I have to admit that it is not my favorite. The one I am putting on today I have made since the 1970’s and every time I take it someplace or someone is here that eats it says that it really is the most moise, most banana tasting bread ever. So have to put it out there for you to enjoy. I love to bake it, then slice it very thin and spread either cream cheese and strawberry jam and make a sammie out of two pieces, or just butter (I get more like the “butterkins” on tv everyday, don’t I)

I think you will just throw out the other recipes for banana bread, once you try this one. A friend and neighbor in Corpus Christi gave this to me. She was Italian from NYC and every recipe that she gave me quickly became a favorite. Her name was Cam Parsley and she was one of the best cooks ever. Always brought different foods to our house and we exchanged recipes all the time. I miss having a neighbor like Cam. She was one in a million. Thanks Cam for all the great food you introduced us to. We still make your meatballs, strawberry pie, banana bread and so many more!

Casseroles · Starches

Sweet Potatoes in Orange Shells

As this is my most favorite time of year, when it just feels good to sit on the couch at night, light the fire place if it gets below 70 and look through my recipes. Came across my old recipe from sometime in the 70’s (yes, I’m old) for sweet potatoes. I had really forgot about this and am going to serve them this year. Wanted to pass it along. It just adds a little “spunk” to your same ole potato casserole. You can use any recipe of sweet potatoes you like, but instead of putting them in a pan to bake, use the following:

Depending upon how many guests you are serving, you will need 1/2 orange per person. Scoop out the inside of each orange half. Reserve the juice and pulp. To your sweet potatoes, add some of the juice from the oranges (to your liking). Put the sweet potato casserole into the empty halfs and top with a marshmallow and bake until the marshmallaw is melted. If you need a sweet potato recipe to use for these, let me know, and I will post one that works great in these. The oranges make it taste so good and make a lovely presentation.

Daily Thoughts

November First Sunday

Can you believe it? It is November and the air has a “holidayish” feel to it already. Coming home a few minutes ago, we saw 2 different neighbors out putting Christmas lights on. So……………Randy, oops I mean Frosty, will have to get out this week and begin untangling lights and get them up, as we cannot be the last to have our lights up, especially since we are known as Noel and Frosty from November through Christmas.

He keeps asking me if I have written about our conversation the other day and I have not, thus far, so think it is a great time to write about it. We were talking with some friends about husbands’ hobbies. I told Frosty that sometimes I felt bad that he never went to play golf with friends or fishing or just out with any other men, but he looked at me and told me that I didn’t need to feel bad, that if he wanted to go, he would, but that “I was his hobby”……..now, I know what you are thinking, “ah, that is just so sweet”. But I have to be honest and tell you that I think he says that because he knows that if he leaves me along for long periods of time on Saturday that I would probably go shopping and spend money. So, he stays with me, takes me shopping and we go out to eat, the movies and sometimes just driving or looking at houses. And while that is so very sweet, he is actually protecting his pocket book. So……..on one hand, it is awfully sweet and on the other, it shows that he is keeping tabs on me so I won’t be out spending his hard earned money. But, I think I will go with the first thought and be grateful that he enjoys being with me and is truly my best friend and we just have such a great time together that I am so glad that “I am his hobby”. We have lots of wonderful memories and hopefully many more years to enjoy being each other’s hobby. Love you, Mr. Frosty!