Gone Bananas

I just pulled a banana nut bread out of the oven and am delighted at how simple it is to bake a non-yeasted bread.  The flour and sugar should be basically as instructed but if it varies by a spoonful here and there, no big deal.  The wet ingredients also are a bit flexible: for instance, this recipe just calls for 2 eggs. How big are your eggs?  Jumbo?  Small? You get the idea...

This recipe also calls for 2 1/2 cups of mashed bananas.  Well, I put in all the bananas I had, five total, which came to just 2 cups and the bread turned out to be yummy and moist. (Still chewing on my piece!).  If you do not eat nuts, leave them out.  If you want something else, you can add it, for instance, how about a 1/2 cup of Craisins or 1/2 cup of chocolate or butterscotch chips or  possibly some dried fruit?  

These breads are not an exact science like the yeasted breads so try the one that follows and if you like it, add something extra to it next time and see what happens.  Be sure to note what you did or didn't do on the recipe so you can remember for the next time!  And if you come up with something totally different, let me know because I would love to try it out.

BANANA NUT BREAD

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 (one stick) butter

3/4 brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/2 cups over ripened bananas, mashed

1 cup walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 & lightly spray a loaf pan with oil.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Stir with a whisk to mix.

3. In a smaller bowl, cream the butter and sugar together then mix in the eggs.  (use the whisk to fully incorporate the eggs). Then mix in the bananas.

4. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir only just to moisten.

5. Stir in the nuts but do not over-mix.

6. Pour into loaf pan and bake in the 350 oven for 60 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out fairly clean.  When the loaf is done it usually cracks on the top and the sides brown and come away from the pan.  If the toothpick is still not clean and the loaf looks done, take it out.

7. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a wire rack to cool

8. When completely cooled, cut and eat immediately or wrap loaf in foil and refrigerate.

ENJOY!

Stir Fried Garlic Shrimp

Stir fry is a quick easy meal to prepare.  After a long day or at the spur of the moment, this really is dinner in about 60 minutes.  Use whichever veggies you happen to have and either meat or chicken if you like (or even both).  If you use already cooked ingredients, just cook them until they are hot.  Remember that the firmer veggies such as broccoli, green beans and cauliflower, should be blanched first.


Be sure to have all ingredients ready before you start to cook:  chop all veggies, assemble bowl of ice water, get your oil out, spices, herbs, soy sauce - all should be ready to go because once started, the stir fry goes lickedy split.

GARLIC SHRIMP STIR FRIED WITH BROCCOLI AND SPINACH

Broccoli, one head, cut into bite sized pieces

One 10oz. package of pre-washed, fresh spinach

2 dozen medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

soy sauce

olive oil

salt

lemon pepper

granulated garlic

6 cloves of garlic, chopped medium

bowl of ice water (have this ready!) 

1. Start your rice.

2. Bring medium pot of water to boil, drop in broccoli and let sit for 3-4 minutes.  Drain and immediately plunge into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.  Drain and set aside.

3. Peel and de-vein the shrimp, dry on a paper towel and sprinkle with a dry marinade of the salt, lemon pepper, and granulated garlic.  Set aside.

4. Chop garlic, set aside.

5. Open spinach package, line up your other ingredients:  soy sauce & oil, and get them ready by your wok (or pan) along with the veggies and garlic.

6. Heat pan on high, add oil then broccoli and garlic, and stir fry for just a few minutes making sure that the garlic does not burn.  Put on the lid, let steam for one minute, then put in a splash of soy sauce, stir, put lid back on and steam for another minute.

7. Turn up flame, add shrimp and stir until pink and plump, about 2 minutes.  Do not overcook!  When all is tender, put into empty blanching pot and set aside.

8. With flame up, add a bit more oil if needed, stir fry the spinach until it cooks down.  Take the broccoli shrimp mixture and add it to the spinach in the wok and toss until well mixed.

9. Serve with rice.
ENJOY!

Please post any questions or comments - I would love to hear from you.

Cranberries Two Ways

It sounds crazy to talk about "leftovers" before The Big Turkey Day but I cannot resist!  Visions of turkey dishes dance in my head along with even bigger visions of cranberries.  Turkey and Cranberries:  a perfect match. 

And since Thanksgiving is the kick off day for Roasted Turkey, I am thinkin' 'bout them fixins.  I make a much bigger turkey and more of the fixins than actually is needed so that I can make some wonderful "encore" dishes and oh, I do all of this while eating my Cranberry Turkey Sandwich.

This homemade cranberry relish is my mom's recipe - delicious and foolproof. One year I thought I was cooking it from memory and later on found out that all I had done was just dump everything together and bake it all at once...  It was delish!  0(^;^)0

You can do it this way though I recommend following the very simple directions printed below.  Double the recipe and it will keep nicely for both your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and you can also put some in pretty jars to deliver to your friends.

CRANBERRY NUT RELISH

2 (12oz) bags of fresh Cranberries

One cup sugar

1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

One jar of Orange Marmalade (about 10 oz.)

Zest of one lemon

Juice of 1/4 or more of one lemon (taste as you go)

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cranberries with sugar in an oven proof casserole.  Cover tightly with foil and place bowl on top of a cookie sheet to prevent over-flow.  Bake for about one hour. In the meantime, toast walnuts in toaster oven or pan for 8 - 12 minutes, constantly checking and stirring, until toasted.  When cranberries are cooked,  add the walnuts and marmalade and then add the lemon juice a bit at a time, tasting as you go.  Be careful - the cooked cranberry mixture is scalding hot!  Combine well and chill. Plenty for 2 holiday meals and some gifts.

Enjoy!

Another Fresh Cranberry dish that my mom always made at the holidays is called Cranberry Nut Bread.  This bread is great with your Holiday dinner, wonderful the next day toasted with cream cheese and makes an excellent holiday gift goody. 

MOM'S CRANBERRY NUT BREAD

2 C Sifted Flour

1 C Sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
juice & grated peel of an orange
2 TB butter,
boiling water
1 C chopped walnuts
1 C raw, chopped cranberries

Preheat oven to 350.  Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in the beaten egg.  Combine orange juice and peel, butter, and enough boiling water to make 3/4 cup.  Stir into the flour mixture, mixing only until moistened throughout.  Stir in nuts and cranberries.  Turn into a well greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  *Note:  it is natural for the top of this loaf to crack while baking.
Cool bread in pan for 15 minutes then remove it from pan and cool on rack.  After it is completely cooled, wrap in foil and refrigerate overnight before slicing.

I like to double this recipe and bake it in a 12 cup bundt pan.  Test for to see if it is done after 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

I am sure you will love these 2 recipes.  If you have any other recipes with cranberries you want to share, please feel free to post them in your comment.  I am looking forward to hearing from you all.

What's in Your Pantry?

A well stocked pantry can yield many creative and delicious meals. Here is a small list of some staple items you may want to keep in your pantry.Adjust these to your budget and your tastes:
Canned Foods:chicken, fish (tuna, shrimp, clams, salmon), beans (white beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans), chicken and beef broths, tomatoes (including paste and sauce), olives, capers, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, corn, olives, green chilies, mushroom and tomato soups, evaporated milk, fruits (peaches, pineapple), Mandarin oranges, pie fillings.
Bottles & Jars: oils (olive, canola, sesame), vinegars (red and white wine, balsamic, rice), marinara sauce, mayo, mustard, ketchup, salad dressings, applesauce, nut butters, salsa.
Dry Goods: pastas, rice, popcorn, dry soup mix, chili spice packet, dry mushrooms, instant puddings and jellos, cake mix, Bisquick, dried fruits, nuts (walnuts, peanuts, pecans), raisins, bread crumbs, seaweed.
Everyday staples: coffee, tea, salt, pepper, herbs and spices, dried onion and garlic, cereal, crackers, jam, juices, protein bars, sugar, honey, flour.
More: onions, garlic, potatoes, apples, bread, Parmesan cheese, frozen meats, chicken, fish, frozen peas and spinach, ice cream.

Here is a recipe right from my pantry:

FUSILLI WITH TUNA, TOMATOES & ARTICHOKE HEARTS
serves 2, double it for 4

Fusilli Pasta 8 oz.
Olive oil
1/2 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 small can tomatoes, chopped (save juice)
2 cans tuna, drained & broken up into chunks
2 dozen Kalamata (or black, ripe) olives (optional)
1 small can artichoke hearts, drained & quartered
Dry parsley; salt & fresh ground pepper
1 tsp.dried red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Fill a large pot with water, add 1 Tb. salt, bring to boil.Add pasta & 2 Tb. oil, cook until al dente, drain & set aside.Save about 1 cup of the pasta water for the sauce.
2.Heat about 1/4 cup olive oil in large pan, saute onion until tender.Add garlic, tomatoes (without sauce), tuna, olives, artichoke hearts and seasonings.Stir to heat. Add pasta, stir until well mixed, taste then add tomato juice or pasta water to add moisture (start with 1/2 Cup), taste, adjust liquid & seasonings.
3.Eat and enjoy!

This is a delicious, quick meal.You can substitute or add any number of the ingredients:  canned mushrooms, roasted red peppers,or sun dried tomatoes.You can even add some white beans (yes!). I cook with rice pasta (from natural foods store) and the combo of rice pasta with beans equals a complete protein!

I am excited to hear from you about the different combinations you have concocted or any questions you may have.

Bon Appetit!