"Food, Glorious Food"

I don't usually do this much thinking about food, but I'm having fun finding recipes on line and in old cookbooks. Here are two easy blender recipes.

Blender Banana Bread

from Red Castle Historic Lodgings, Nevada City, CA

2 eggs

3/4 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 cup sliced ripe bananas (I used 2 that I had in my freezer)

1/2 cup soft butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup sifted flour

1 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Put eggs, lemon peel, bananas, butter, and sugar in blender container. Cover and blend on high for 20 seconds or till smooth. Sift together remaining dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Pour egg mixture over and stir just until moistened. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans) if desired. I also added 1/2 cup chocolate chips at my grandson's suggestion. (great addition!!!) Turn into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or till done.

Blender Lemonade

from Ina (The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons from my garden)

1/2 cup superfine sugar, to taste

1 cup crushed ice

4 cups water

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until completely smooth. Serve over ice.

Now find a lovely spot in your garden and enjoy!

Rice Salad

I tried a new dish on Papa today. Rice Salad. He was BBQing pork chops and I wanted something quick and refreshing to go with it. I also wanted to use up some leftovers in my refrigerator. Rice... Chopped tomatoes from tacos the other night... I hate throwing food away.

I put the rice and chopped up tomatoes in a bowl and added:

cut up celery

flat leaf parsley and a couple leaves of basil, chopped up fine (about a hand full)

then I tossed the whole thing with:

a generous sprinkling of olive oil

a little vinegar

sea salt and pepper

It was delicious! I'll definitely make it again. It would have also been good with some feta cheese sprinkled in.

Just thought I'd share.

:-)

Biscuits

I found a great recipe. Fast. Delicious. And I can make as little as 4 biscuits which is perfect for the two of us. I'm dreaming of a summer morning sitting on my back porch with a latte and warm biscuits. Lovely dream... Soon...

Fluffy Biscuit Muffins

from Taste of Home: Ultimate Five Ingredient Recipes

(Lots of good things to eat in this book!)

1 cup self rising flour

2 tablespoons mayonnaise (do not substitute)

1/2 cup milk

In a bowl, cut flour and mayonnaise together until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk, stir just until mixed. Spoon into four greased muffin cups. Bake at 425 degrees for 14 - 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 4 biscuits

Try them... Let me know what you think!

iPhone Blessings

Here I am at the grocery store, picking up a few things, when it occurred to me that it was going to be freezing cold and rainy on Monday. And after a full day of work, I'm going to want dinner to be quick and warm and delicious. Tortellini Zuppa! Perfect. I've made it many times but couldn't remember all the ingredients and I certainly wasn't going to want to go to the grocery store on Monday, late and tired, in the rain to pick up that one forgotten item.

So, I got on my iPhone (love my iPhone!!) and went on line to my daughter's "food blog," Busy Mom's Culinary Club. I clicked on "soup" under Categories and found the recipe instantly. Knew what I had at home and picked up the rest. Monday is soup night with enough left over for a couple of lunches. I have bread and cheese and some ice cream for dessert. Mmmmmmm.

Thanks, (T) !! Love your blog.

Beer Bread anyone?

Delicious. Easy. Fast.

You can mix this in 2 minutes and then put it in the oven to bake while you prepare the rest of your meal. Warm bread with dinner tonight? What a treat!

3 1/2 cups self rising flour

1/3 cup sugar (I find Baker's Sugar works best, but regular granulated is good too.)

1 egg

12 ounces beer (Use regular beer. The cheap stuff you don't like to drink.)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Bake in a greased and floured loaf pan at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until the bread is golden brown or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Cool slightly and remove from pan. It slices easily with a bread knife even when warm, so go ahead and get yourself a nice warm piece and spread it with some butter! Enjoy...

Pumpkin Dump Cake

From my Facebook Friend, Noëlle Rábago Boesenberg.

I made it to bring to Sacramento on Halloween for moving day. Very easy. Smells wonderful! Delicious...

1 (29 oz.) large can pumpkin

1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar (ok to use less if you want)

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans

1 ½ sticks butter (melted)

Mix together pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, spices. Beat well. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 inch glass pan.

Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin mixture, then sprinkle on the pecans.

Pour melted butter over the whole thing.

Bake 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch closely at end. It burns easily.

Serves 12-15.

Scarf for Clifford, the big red dog.

I was visiting in Sacramento.

little 6 year old granddaughter wanted a scarf for red stuffed Clifford. I told her I had yarn but no knitting needles. Very sad Nonna. Very sad little girl. Can't disappoint my little girl! :-(

Now what?

Son-in-law (daddy) overheard and asked what knitting needles look like?

"Sticks with points on the ends," I told him.

"Hmmm," he said. And went to the kitchen. He returned seconds later with a set of chopsticks.
Clifford is getting a scarf. :-)
happy little girl.
ingenious son-in-law

Now she wants me to make him a shirt! That's going to be another story...
The end.