Old-Fashioned Banana Bread

Today is a recipe only post. My daughter asked that I put my banana bread recipe here….It is easier for her to find the recipe when she needs it. Since I have no bananas and absolutely no desire to step foot in a store today….no photos.

 

Old-Fashioned Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf

 

• 1/2 cup shortening (I use Spectrum)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 large very ripe bananas, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large loaf pan with shortening.

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and bananas, mix well. Slowly mix in flour and baking soda. Combine well. Put batter into greased pan. Bake for 1 hour, 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack.

*I start checking for doneness at 1 hour by sticking a wooden skewer into the center. It doesn’t come out completely clean, but with a few moist crumbs. I find if you wait for a completely clean skewer, you will have dry banana bread.

**If the top of your bread begins to get too brown before it is finished cooking, tent full over the top.

 

Enjoy,

Sammi

Tomatoes =Biscuits

Summertime and the living is easy….not really easy…but definitely better! Yes, summer brings its own busyness…gardens to tend…clothes to hang on the line…preserving the bounty…picnics and barbeques to attend. Summer is busy, but it is a good busy!

This morning I spied some fresh tomatoes sitting on the counter; which made me want a tomato biscuit. Not really on the diet…but these are the first tomatoes of the season…so….

Breakfast:

But first:

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup cultured buttermilk

 

Put flour in mixing bowl.

I use a non-hydrogenated shortening!

Use a pastry blender or fork to cut-in the shortening. It should have some pea size lumps when it is ready.

Add one cup of cultured buttermilk (I made my own using raw milk…learn how here.)Mix with a wooden spoon (or in true southern style..use your hands.) It may be slightly sticky, but that’s okay.

Flour your board, a tea towel, or just the clean counter.

Dump out your dough. Knead lightly a few times.

Using the heel of your floured palm, pat out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.Dip your biscuit cutter (or even a glass) in a little flour.

Start cutting out your biscuits, and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. (you don’t NEED the parchment, but it does make clean-up super easy)Take those scraps of dough and gently knead them together.And keep cutting.

You should have about 1 dozen biscuits. Place in an oven, preheated to 425 degrees F.

In about 12 short minutes, you will have these:

Yummy! You can brush the tops with butter. I highly recommend it!

Cranberry-Orange Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped (I pulse them in the food processor)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp. fresh orange zest
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add shortening and blend. (you can cut it in with a pastry blender or a fork, BUT I just used my mixer until the shortening was blended in…)
Add juice, orange zest, and egg.

Mix until dry and wet ingredients are just blended. Stir in the cranberries.

(Can’t believe I forgot to take a picture of the batter while it was still in the bowl!) Spoon into papered or greased muffin tin.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer your pan to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and place on cooling rack. If you have the patience you can let them cool for a few minutes. But personally, I like to break one open and spread some butter on it immediately!

YUMMY! I made the mistake of NOT doubling the recipe and they didn’t last one day. I had two for breakfast…then that afternoon I had one with my tea. The other 9? Boy Wonder ate them all before lunch!!! He’s a hard working farm boy….so I let him get away with it!
Enjoy!!!

Good Morning, Muffin

I love muffins. Here is the recipe for one of my favorites.

Bran Muffins

• 2 eggs (I use Omega-3 enriched)
• 1/4 cup shortening (I use Spectrum non-hydrogenated)
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk (preferably organic)
• 2 cups bran (I used wheat bran, but you can also use oat bran)
• 1 cup  organic Spelt flour
• 1 cup organic whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin tins.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine: eggs, shortening, molasses, milk and bran. Add dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fill tins 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes.
Makes approx. 18 standard muffins.