Betsy's Banana Cake

I'm not a huge cake fan, but THIS ONE is one of my very favorites. My Nana, Betsy, first made this cake and my entire family fell in love with it. I like to make it on Memorial Day topped with cream cheese frosting and decorated with strawberries and blueberries to make the American flag.

2/3 cup butter
2 1/2 cup flour
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup ripe bananas (mashed)
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2/3 cup chopped nuts

Sift dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar and add sifted dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Add the mashed bananas and milk. Beat for 2 minutes and then add the eggs. Beat 2 more minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
8 oz package of cream cheese
1-2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Having a birthday in the summer usually means I get to celebrate it at Girl's Camp!!  Chantal made this yummy cake for me so I could have something home-baked and chocolate on my birthday one year.  It's moist and gets even more delicious after a couple of days if it lasts that long!  Both the great friend and recipe are "keepers"!!

1/2 cup butter-softened

1/2 cup oil

1  3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cups flour

4 T. unsweetend cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

2 cups grated zucchini or pumpkin or carrots (or combine them if you want!)

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk.  Mix in zucchini.  Add all dry ingredients.  Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan or 2 loaf pans.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Ann's Easy French Bread

I went to my good friend Ann's class on bread making.  She inspired everyone to bake more bread!  This quick and easy recipe was made and devoured later that week.  

4 cups flour (white or combination of wheat or other grains)

2 cups warm water

2 tsp. salt

3 T sugar

1 package yeast

Add yeast to 1 cup of the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes.

Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast water.  Add just enough of the 2nd cup of warm water to hold ingredients together.  Blend with a spoon until it is all "stuck" together.  Set aside and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.  (Or place in the refrigerator for a slower rise throughout the day)

Punch down and form loaves, braids, rolls, etc.  Let rise an additional 30-60 minutes.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes for bread loaves, or until golden brown for rolls.

Italian Sausage and Pasta Soup

Thank you Penny for this delicious recipe (and for shopping for the ingredients for me)!  This definitely serves 12 hungry people so we will be eating it for a few days which I am very happy about.

2 lbs mild/hot italian sausage

3 carrots

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

3 quarts chicken broth

2- 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes

2 - 15 ounce cans Cannellini beans

1 T. dried basil

2 cups dried pasta shells or similar shape

About 12 ounces fresh spinach

salt and pepper

1 cup parmesan cheese-to serve sprinkled on top

Brown crumbled sausage until well-browned.  Drain thoroughly.  Add finely chopped carrots, onion, garlic and saute for 5-7 minutes.  Add broth, tomatoes, beans and basil, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Simmer (or turn off) until about 15 minutes before you are ready to serve. Then return to a boil and add pasta and spinach.  Cook until pasta is tender.  Adjust salt and pepper.  Top individual bowls with grated parmesan cheese.  

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

I found pre-cut Butternut Squash at Costco which makes the preparation of this soup so much easier.

4 T. butter

2 cups finely chopped yellow onions

4 tsp. curry-or to your taste

3 lbs Butternut Squash

2 apples, peelied, and cored

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup apple juice

salt and pepper to taste

1 Granny Smith apple-shredded and unpeeled for garnish

Melt butter in pan. Add onions and curry. Cook for 25 minutes until onions become tender. Peel squash, take out seeds and chop. Add stock, squash, and chopped apples to onion mixture. Simmer until squash and apples are tender. Puree in batches until smooth. Return to pot. Add apple juice and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Fresh Cranraspberry Salad

So I am not a big jello fan. Actually I hate it. But with the fresh fruit and using orange juice instead of water, this salad is tart and sweet and a perfect side dish with turkey. It looks so festive in a decorative glass dish.

1/2 bag fresh cranberries-finely chopped

2 large apples, cored and finely chopped

2 cup boiling orange juice

1 large package raspberry jello

1/3 cup sugar

Mix jello, sugar and boiling orangejuice. Add to chopped fruit. Pour in shallow, glass dish. Stir before completely firm.