Banana Nut Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups mashed banana (about 5-6)

1 teaspoon vanilla or rum flavoring

Optional-1 cup chopped nuts (I usually use pecans, but macadamia nuts are really good
Optional-1 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional- 1/2-1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two loaf pans. In medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add nuts. Set aside. In large microwave bowl, melt butter. Add sugar and beat, using electric mixer, till well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add bananas and vanilla or rum flavoring, and mix well. Fold in flour mixture and nuts, if using; blend just until flour is moist. Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake 45 minutes or until center of loaf is firm and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Notes:I have changed this recipe over the years until I got it just the way I wanted it. Quick and easy and the results are delicious. I have often served it sliced thin and made into tea sandwiches with cream cheese as the filling (sometimes mixed with mashed bananas, or crushed pineapple is also good) This is a good accompaniment for a fruit salad. I also make this in the mini-pans to give as gifts.

Deviled Potato Salad (Rachael Ray)

5 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
Coarse salt
1/4 onion
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise, eyeball the amount
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon hot cayenne pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Boil potatoes in water seasoned with coarse salt until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain cooked potatoes and return to the warm pot to dry them out. Let the potatoes stand 2 minutes, then spread potatoes out on to a cookie sheet to quick-cool them.

In the bottom of a medium mixing bowl, grate 1/4 onion using a hand grater. Add mustard and mayonnaise, paprika and cayenne pepper sauce to the grated onion and stir to combine. Add potatoes to the bowl and stir to evenly distribute dressing. Season potato salad with salt and pepper and taste to adjust your seasonings. Top servings of salad with chopped scallions.

Yield: 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 to 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes
Ease of preparation: easy

Super Sloppy Joes (Rachael Ray)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered
Garnish: sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles, Deviled Potato Salad, recipe follows

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Serve with your favorite sides or sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, dill pickles and Deviled Potato Salad. Have plenty of napkins on hand

Apple Streusel – from Jr. League of Salt Lake

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg, beaten
Apple Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
4 cups sliced, pared baking apples
Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
Light cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
In a medium-size bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in butter. Stir in egg to moisten. Mixture will be fairly dry. Divide in half. Press one half in the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in applies and arrange over bottom crust. Crumble remaining dough over apples. Bake for 40 minutes and cool.
In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough cream to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over top and cut into 2x2 inch squares.

Extra garlicky Caesar salad dressing

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, pour over romaine lettuce, tomatoes and sliced red onions and garlic croûtons.

You can add Tyson grilled chicken strips for a grilled chicken Caesar salad.

Just a note - make sure that you and your husband eat this when it is made or you won't be gettin' any lovin'!

To make lighter - use non fat sour cream and mayonnaise.

Meat Loaf

2 lbs ground chuck

3/4 cup dried bread crumbs

2 eggs - slightly beaten

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup ketchup

1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix

½ tsp black pepper

garlic to taste

In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Place in greased loan pan. Bake uncovered for about one hour in 350° oven or until done. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Croissants - Mickey Mohr

2 eggs

2 pkg yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/3 cups cold milk

1 tsp salt

4 cups flour

3/4 lb butter or margarine - soft enough to spread

In small bowl place yeast slightly beaten eggs, sugar and cold milk. Blend together with fork.

In large bowl put in flour and salt. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix together. This makes a soft dough. Roll out dough on a well floured board into a large 12x16" - ½ “ thick. Spread ½ lb butter over it and fold 4 time like ta tablecloth. Again roll out and repeat two more times.

Cover and put in refrigerator over night or for 4 to 5 hours. Let stand 20 minutes out of refrigerator before shaping.

Cut into 4 equal parts sharp each section into a circle, spread with butter. Cut each circle into 8 parts. Roll each section starting at the circle end. Curve into moon shape and place on greased baking sheet. Let rise 2 hours. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes.

Bisquick - One Pan Banana Bread

1/3 cup oil

1 ½ cups mashed bananas

½ tsp vanilla

3 eggs

2 cups Bisquick mix

½ cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

½ cup chopped nuts

½ cup raisins (optional)

Mix everything together in one bowl until completely incorporated with a fork.

Bake in 375° over in 9x5x3" loaf pan for 50-55 minutes.

Leave in pan for 5 minutes before removing.

Melt away cookies - (Frances Sherman)

1 cup butter

½ cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup corn starch

1 cup sifted flour

1 tsp vanilla

Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Chill for one hour.

Roll in 1" balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake in 350° oven for 15 minutes.

Frost if desired.

Frosting

2 Tbs Melted butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Cream together.

Monkey Bread

Scald 1 ½ cups milk

add 3/4 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

1 cube butter or margarine

Cool to lukewarm

Dissolve 2 pkg. Yeast in ½ cup warm water. Add to lukewarm milk mixture. Beat four eggs until smooth then add about 6 cups flour to liquids and knead until no longer sticky. Cover and let raise until double in size. Punch down and grease hands with butter and make into little balls and set in little 9" pie tins. Let rise until double in size. Spread with melted butter and bake for 30 minutes in 375° oven.

Oxtail Soup

2 lbs lean oxtails 2 bullion cubes 1 or 2 cans tomato sauce 1 can crushed or chopped tomatoes 3/4 cup large lima beans 1 onion diced 2 stems celery - cut up 2 sliced carrots ½ tsp garlic salt ½ cup instant barley 1 small package frozen vegetables Salt and pepper to taste Boil oxtails in about 4 quarts of water until partially tender. Chill and remove fat that has formed on top. Replace pot over heat. Add bullion cubes, onion, celery, carrots, tomato sauce, seasonings, tomatoes and beans. Cook slowly for 3 hours. About one hour before end of cooking, add barley and veggies. Finish cooking until beans are tender. 

Noodle Kugel

½ lb medium sized egg noodles, cooked in salt water and drained

½ square melted butter

½ cup sugar less 1 tablespoon

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup milk

1 lb cottage cheese

½ tsp salt

8 oz cream cheese - softened

1 tsp vanilla

6 beaten eggs

Mix all ingredients together and gently stir in the noodles. Pour into a 9" x 13" buttered dish. Bake at 350° for one hour.

Optional topping

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup sliced almonds

2 Tbsp melted butter

Combine and spread on noodles prior to baking.

Passover Puffs

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup matzo meal

½ tsp salt

4 eggs

Bring water and shortening to a boil. Pour in matzo meal and salt all at one time and continue cooking and stirring until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of pan. Remove from heat and add unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Drop in greased muffin tin and bake in 450° over for 25 minutes then reduce heat to 325° and bake 45 minutes longer or until browned.

Sweet & Sour Cocktail Meatballs

1 lb lean ground beef

2 slices soaked white bread

Juice of 1 ½ lemons

4 oz. Concord grape jelly

Salt and pepper to taste

1 clove garlic - grated

½ onion

2 eggs

1 Tbsp spaghetti sauce seasoning

1 bullion cube soaked in 1 cup water

Sauce

1 bullion cube

1 green pepper, chopped fine

1 onion chopped fine

1 clove garlic chopped fine

1 4 oz can tomato sauce

1 can water

2 cups tomato juice

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp sugar or 4 oz. grape jelly

Spaghetti seasoning to taste

Mix ground beef with bread, salt, pepper, garlic, grated half onion, ½ lemon juice and 1 bullion cube which has been dissolved in one cup water and cooled. Add jelly, slightly beaten eggs into meat mixture. After all ingredients have been mixed together, form into cocktail sized meatballs and brown in vegetable oil in hot skillet. Add meatballs to sauce and cook slowly for about 2 hours.

For the sauce, saute onion, green pepper, fresh garlic. Add tomato sauce, tomato juice, water, sugar or jelly, juice of 1 lemon. Bring to a boil in large enough pot to accommodate the meatballs. After sauce starts to boil, add about 1 Tbs of spaghetti seasoning. Cook very slowly to prevent sticking.

Beef Stew

2-3 lbs. Lean beef cubes

3/4 cup flour

salt and pepper to taste

Garlic powder

Vegetable oil

2 bullion cubes

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 carrots sliced

2 cups celery

2 sliced onions

3 medium raw potatoes

8 oz fresh or canned mushrooms

1 small package frozen vegetables

Season meat with salt, pepper and garlic. Dredge in flour and brown in frying pan. Place meat in roaster and add tow cups of water to drippings in flying pan. Add bouillon cubes to dissolve in liquid. Pour over meat and bake in oven until meat is tender. Add carrots, onion and celery and cook until tender. Then add the cubed potatoes. Dissolve 3 Tbs flour in 1/3 cup cold water and add soy sauce to mixture. Pour over contents in roaster. Lastly add frozen vegetables and mushrooms. Heat all together thoroughly prior to serving.

Nana’s One Dish Meatball Stew

Shapiro’s Meatball Stew

2 lbs. lean ground beef
½ grated onion
½ minced garlic
Salt & pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
¾ cups water with beef bullion cubes
2 eggs beaten
3 medium raw potatoes-cut up
1 can water chestnuts
1/3 cups soy sauce
1 pkg. frozen veggies
Mushrooms (optional)
Flour & vegetable oil

Mix beef with onion, garlic, salt & pepper, bread crumbs, eggs. 
Add the water with bullion and add to the meat mixture. Mix well. 
Make 2 inch round meatballs (1 inch high). Roll in flour. Fry in the vegetable oil until browned. 
Place meatballs in a big pan. Add 1 cup water with 1 bullion cube to pan used for browning meatballs.
Add soy sauce to form gravy. 
Pour gravy over meatballs. Bake for 1 hour @ 325 degrees. Peel & cube potatoes-add to the pan & bake for ½ hour. 
Add mixed veggies & water chestnuts (and mushrooms if using). Bake an additional 20 minutes. Serve!!!

Minestrone Soup (Cele Siegel)

1 ½ lbs ground beef - browned and drained

2 chopped onions

2 Tbsp chopped green pepper

5 stems celery chopped

2 potatoes - diced

3 carrots - sliced

1 can stewed tomatoes - diced

1 ½ quarts water

1/4 cup barley

2 bay leaves (optional)

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp garlic powder or juice

2 Tbsp parsley

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 cup tomato juice

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

½ tsp oregano

Boil (simmer) for 3 hours on slow fire.

Butter Pound Cake (Maxwell Cake)

2 squares butter

1 box powdered sugar less 2 Tbs

6 eggs separated

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond flavoring

1 tsp rum

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

4 cups sifted flour

Cream butter and powdered sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time to creamed mixture. Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Add flavorings to milk. Add liquid alternately with flour to creamed mixture. Last add beaten egg whites.

Bake in greased and floured bundt pan for about 1 hour at 375° oven.

Roast Brisket

3 ½ - 4 lbs center cut brisket

1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix

2 tsp crushed garlic

pepper to taste

Place brisket in roaster and spread with garlic and pepper. Spread onion soup over and under meat.

Bake uncovered at 425° oven for about 20 minutes or until onions are brown. Reduce heat to 275° and place lid over roaster. Roast about 3-4 hours until tender. Remove from oven and let meat sit for about 15 minutes before slicing. Slice opposite grain

Old Fashioned Boiled Rice Pudding

½ cup regular long grain rice (not precooked)

½ cup sugar

1 cup salted water

1 qt. whole milk

½ stick butter

3 eggs

1 cup plump raisins

1 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

Pour rice slowly into rapidly boiling water in large pot. Do no stir. Cover tightly and cook approximately 7 minutes or until water is absorbed. Add the milk and butter, stir a little. Bring to a boil cover and cook slowly over low flame for about one hour. Meanwhile beat eggs. Turn off heat and immediately add sugar and slowly add eggs and raisins into hot mixture stirring until rice starts to thicken. Pour into bowls and sprinkle top with the mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Serve warm or cold.

Zucchini Cake

2 ½ cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups grated zucchini with rind

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup raisins

1 cup oil

Cream oil, sugar and eggs in large mixing bowl. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to creamed mixture alternating with grated zucchini. Add vanilla and fold in nuts and raisins.

Bake in two size 9" x 5" greased loaf pans in a 350° oven for 1 hour.

Classic Coffee Cake

1 cup butter

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sour cream

Topping

½ cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9"x9" pan.

Cake

Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar, eggs, vanilla. Beat well. In a separate bowl, mix flour baking powder and baking soda. Add mixture alternately with sour cream to creamed mixture.

Topping

Pour half of batter in pan. Mix sugars and cinnamon and nuts over butter (use only half). Add remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining topping. Bake 45 minutes.

Super Little Pecan Bars (Jean Eisen’s recipe from Fred Wix)

1 pkg regular yellow cake mix

½ cup softened butter

1 extra large egg

1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese softened

2 extra large eggs

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

2 cups chopped pecans

½ cup powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix the cake mix, butter and egg. Press the mixture into a greased 9"x13" pan. In the same bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 2 eggs and the 1 ½ cups powdered sugar. When smooth pour the mixture over the crust. In a small bowl combine the chopped pecans with the remaining powdered sugar. Place nut mixture over cream cheese mixture. Press nuts over mixture.

Place in a pre-heated 350° oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from over and let set, cooling to room temperature before cutting into squares.

The cake

Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

Sift together, put in large bowl

1/4 cup oil

1 square butter

4 T. cocoa powder

1 cup water

Bring to boil over medium heat and add to above ingredients, mix well

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

Add to above mixture, stir thoroughly. Bake in a greased and floured cookie sheet 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Frosting - note make while cake is in oven, frost cake when hot out of the oven

Bring to boil

1 square butter

4 T. cocoa powder

5 t. milk

Then add

4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

pinch salt

1 tsp. vanilla