Mom's Banana Bread

I believe this is the first thing I ever learn to bake. I also believe it's a staple in everyone of my sisters household!

Banana Bread

*2 medium loaves*

1 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Shortening
2 Eggs

1-3 Ripe (almost over ripe) Bananas
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

1 teasp. Baking Soda

3 Tbsp Sour Milk (*see note below)

1/2 teasp Salt

2 cups Flour

Pre heat oven 325 degrees. Grease two medium bread pans. Cream sugar and shortening, add eggs and smashed bananas. Sift flour, salt and baking soda together. Add 1/3 flour and then milk, then the rest of the flour. Pour mixture evenly into pans. Bake one hour. (I check my bread at about 50 minutes because my oven runs hotter).

Jenny talked Laura into putting some chocolate chips into this recipe and I heard it was a big hit! I'm going to try the addition next batch!

*Sour Milk: there are lots of different ways to sour milk that I've try....you can use buttermilk (but who has and extra 3 tbsp of butter milk lying around, not I); you can microwave whole milk for about a minute until light film forms on top; or you can add a teaspoon of vinegar to the whole milk and stir together (this is my preferred technique).

Sour Cream Banana Bread

I got this recipe from a friend of mine and I like it and will alternate the two recipes.  This one also comes in handy when I have sour cream inching close to the "best by date"!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 1 large loaf pan.  Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Stir in dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt).  Add banana, and then sour cream.  mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 

Christy's Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion (or 1 teasp dried onion)

15 oz can stewed tomatoes

15 oz can kidney beans

15 oz mexican style chile beans (Dennison canned chili works great)

16 oz can corn

16 oz diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cans water

4 1/2 oz can green chili's

1 pkg. taco mix

1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

Brown meat and onion in large sauce pot. Add all other ingredients (all can's undrained) to pot. simmer 15 minutes. Enjoy

Very forgiving recipe, adding and substituting ingredients works well!

*Weight Watchers: 1 cup 2 pt.s*

Creamy Ranch Chicken

6 slices bacon

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast-cut in bite size pieces

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp ranch dressing mix

1 1/4 cups whole milk

3 cups med. noodles

1 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese

1. Cut bacon into strips. In large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towel. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings.

2. In same skillet cook chicken in reserved drippings. Sprinkle four and salad dressing mix over the chicken in the skillet. Stir well. stir in milk cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir for 1 minute more. Stir in bacon. Meanwhile cook noodles according to package direction. Serve chicken with noodles, sprinkle with parmesan.

Sarah's Bean Dip

One of my favorites!

*photo half size and missing tomatoes*

2 cans refried beans

pkg. taco seasoning

1 can diced green chiles

16oz guacamole

16oz sour cream

1 cup shredded cheese

diced tomatoes

sliced olives

Mix refried beans with taco seasoning, spread in bottom of 9x13 casserole pan. 2nd layer diced chiles; 3rd guacamole; 4th sour cream; 5th shredded cheese; 6th tomatoes; 7th olives.

Raspberry Jello Salad

This is aunt Sherry's (Dad's Sister) Famous Jello Salad....And my favorite of all jello salads!

2 large pkg. Jello, raspberry

3 cups boinling water

1 pkg frozen raspberries

*Mix together and pour into an 9x13 glass dish. Refrigerate until set-up.

1 carton whipping cream

6 tblsp powder sugar

1 pkg. cream cheese (room temp)

*Beat whip cream until soft peaks form. Then mix in powder sugar and cream cheese. Addas second layer.

1 pkg gram crackers, crushed

2 tblsp butter, melted

2 teasp sugar

*Mix together and top as third and last layer

We love your raspberry salad aunt Sherry, but not as much as we love you!

Potato Soup

I believe this recipe originally came from Witney home economics class in high school and it has turned into a favorite at both mine and my mom's house! If it's a chilly winter day or a cool rainy day this is the perfect companion!

Potato Soup

4 Chicken bullion cubes

4 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons minced dried onion

1 carrot, peeled and grated

4 lg. potatoes peeled & cut into small cubes

Place above ingredients in a large saucepan, boil until potatoes are tender (30 min.s)

1 can evaporated milk

1/4 cup margarine

1/4 cup flour

melt margarine in a saucepan. Add flour mix until flour looks like paste. Add milk and stir until smooth. A wisk or whip works well for this. Slowly add to soup mixture and simmer for 5 minutes.

*It's important not to boil or cook at a high temp. as the milk and butter will separate.

Snicker Salad

If you like carmel apples you'll love this salad!

Snickers Salad

1- 12 oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed

1 c. milk

1 large package french vanilla pudding mix, instant

1 bag of mini-snickers(or your favorite caramel-filled candy bars)

3 apples (Granny Smith are my choice)

Chop the snickers into small chunks. In a mixing bowl, beat the milk and pudding mix for a few minutes, or until completely mixed and smooth. Fold in the cool whip with a spatula. Chunk up the apples into bite-sized pieces (I toss with a dash of lemon juice to keep from turning brown). Add the candy bars and apples to the cool whip mixture and fold them in. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.