Christmas Eating (part two)

OK, as promised…and promised again, I’ll share the remaining recipes from Christmas day.  Our main course came from A Butcher Shoppe & a Bit More.  It was beef tenderloin but I didn’t get any pictures.  I’ve come to figure that taking pictures of meat, by itself, is not all that appetizing.  Trust me, though, it was amazing!  The people at your local butcher shop are fantastic people to know.  I’m glad I found them.

Now, for Grandma’s recipes…One of the things I remember eating, on quite a few occasions, at Grandma’s was “creamed potatoes.”  If I didn’t know better, I would think this had some kind of special gravy or actual sauce.  NOPE!  It’s just flour and water.  SO very simple.  The trick is to not cook the potatoes until they are mush, because then you end up with just watered down mashed potatoes.  You want some shape left to the potatoes.  I will say, however, that these potatoes resembled hers but didn’t taste exactly the same.  Nevertheless there were very few bites left in the bowl!

Potatoes in Cream Sauce

• potatoes, preferably new (we used russet)
• salt & pepper to taste
• flour for thickening
• enough milk or water to moisten the flour

Peel and boil whole small new potatoes, or cut up others.  Leave them in water in which they were cooked.  Thicken with flour/water mixture and season.  Possibly add small amount of butter.

Grandma’s notes: 6/4/91- walked a mile.  Anthony called; they have a 6:00 ball game; I went and watched the game.  6/5/91 Anthony and Ashley came.  He mowed.  I fixed a pot of potatoes; Haley came; began to rake after dinner.  Marcus cut hay this P.M.  Haley came in thirsty and hungry.  THANK YOU FOR THE HAPPY MOMENTS YOU GIVE ME EACH DAY.  Loyce brought SS class flowers.

Since I had not done too many posts in recent weeks, I decided to make sure I had as many recipes as I could (that would be Christmas dinner appropriate).  So, I also made some great carrots.  Granted, they aren’t your typical sweet, brown-sugary kind, but tasty anyway.

Savory Carrots

• 4 cups carrot slices
• 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable)
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cups onion slices
• 2 TBSP flour
• 1/2 cup water

Cook carrots in broth until tender, do not drain.  Saute onion in butter; blend in flour.  Gradually add water.  Stir in carrots and broth.  Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened; continue cooking 2 minutes.  Makes 8 servings.

I used a 2# bag of whole carrots and doubled the liquid because I did mine in the crock pot to keep from heating up the kitchen too much.  Therefore I had to also add more flour to get a good consistency and thickness to the sauce.

Grandma’s Notes: 7/11/91- Shelled purple hull peas.  Amber, Anthony, April, and Ashley spent night.  7/18/91- Carried Haley to cheerleader practice; took her to hayfield; picked up Marcus; took him to Bible school.  7/27/91- Finished reading I Samuel at 3:00.  THANK YOU LORD FOR BEING THERE FOR ME.  MAY I NEVER BE IN THE WAY OF MY CHILDREN TRUSTING YOU.

 

One of the most favorite things to eat at pretty much any meal, holiday or otherwise, is sauteed cabbage.  Everyone has their favorite way to make it.  Ours is by pan sauteing it in a pan after cooking bacon.  Who doesn’t like a little bacon grease?!

Cabbage

• 1 large head of cabbage
• 6-8 slices of bacon
• 1 lg onion sliced (optional)
• 1 chicken bullion cubes
• salt and pepper to taste

Fry bacon in electric skillet (I just use a pan); crumble; set aside on paper towel to drain.  Cook sliced onion in some of the bacon grease until tender.  Put on another paper towel to remove grease; set aside.  Slice cabbage and cook in some bacon grease, stirring it down to add more (and not burn).  Add 2 bullion cubes dissolved in about 1/4 cup water.  Cover and cook until tender; (add no other liquid).  Put in a large dish; put cooked onions on top and top all with crumbled bacon.

I remembered to take a picture AFTER we had devoured it.  This is all that was left!

Grandma’s Notes: Lance and Barbara were married January 23, 1967 at Ramah Baptist Church in Tenaha.  They have two children, Haley Ann Horton Monroe and Marcus Lance Horton.

 

So, there you have it.   A Christmas breakfast and dinner that even Grandma would have been proud of.

Spicing Up the Holidays

I may or may not have mentioned that my husband is getting ready to retire at the end of this year.  With that comes a LOT of celebration!  With celebration comes guests, and with guests come FOOD!  What better way to utilize some of Grandma’s recipes?!  I even volunteered our house to host Christmas dinner.  I may or may not have bitten off more than I can chew.  All I know is that I refuse to wait until the last minute to get things ready.

So, I have planned my menu and begun to shop for our breakfast goodies.  The plan, for Christmas morning, is a hot cocoa and spiced tea bar to go along with a baked oatmeal casserole and a more traditional breakfast casserole.  The cocoa is going to be a crock-pot version I found here, thank you Pinterest!  As for the spiced tea, thank you Grandma!

This is such an easy recipe and one that can be made ahead of time (ahem, like I did today).  Since it’s shelf-stable in a air-tight container, it also makes for a great Christmas gift for the neighbors.  One tip: try to get your ingredients at a big-box store.  As much as I hate to shop at Wal-Mart, it is one of the few places where you can get Tang.

Anyway, I did change this recipe a little.  The original mix called for lemon-flavored tea and TWO cups of sugar.  Now, I don’t know where you grew up, but when Grandma had Tang at her house, I don’t ever remember having to add more sugar when making it.  So, I used unflavored, unsweetened tea and lemonade mix.  I think it gives a more “natural” lemon flavor.  Well, as natural as a powdered concoction can taste.

So, I mixed everything and put them into mason jars this evening.

Spiced Tea

• 1 cup unsweetened instant tea
•  2 cups Tang
• 1 cup lemonade mix (I used Countrytime)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves

Combine all ingredients and store in jar with lid.  Use 2-4 tsp of mix per mug of hot water.  Side note: this is an UH-Mazing concoction sprinkled over crushed or shaved ice and eaten as-is.

Grandma’s Notes: 11/26/81- Thanksgiving Day; Lance and family, along with George and family were here for a 6:00 P.M. dinner.  Had a good time, a grand meal, and good fellowship.  Called Frank and family about 10:00.  They had celebrated with church friends and had a good day

Mincemeat Cake

So, it felt great to get back to the store to shop today.  I never thought I would enjoy shopping, but I did.  I went with my list and made sure I re-upped my staples (sugar, flour, eggs, milk, chocolate chips, etc.)  What I didn’t do was take my cookbook with me to make sure I had all the random ingredients for specific recipes.  Needless to say, I had a small panic attack was able to calmly decide what to make when I realized I didn’t have any enchilada sauce, tortillas, or powdered sugar (not the same recipes).

So, I went back to the pantry and looked at what I had available: fig preserves, pear mincemeat from this post, and other various pantry staples.   I remembered a recipe, back in May, that called for mincemeat.  That would have to do.  I also had all the other ingredients.

I was excited to be able to use a preserved item that I preserved myself.  I even had to use a knife to unseal the lid, it was THAT well-sealed!  I remember having to do that when opening my grandmother’s preserves and jams.  I guess I did it right?!  And when I added it to the mix, i had to taste the concoction (since it had been January since I made it)…umm…YUM!

Anyway, the cake is fairly simple and the mincemeat could easily be substituted with other fruit preserves.  I think fig would probably work well. *note: I have not tried it with other preserves or jams, so I can not attest to the consistency of a cake made with them.

This cake was a fairly wet mix and I had a hunch that the baking time would need to be increased.  I was right.  I tested the center of the cake at the end of the stated time and needed to increase the time 5 minutes TWICE.  I also used a ceramic corningware dish.  It calls for a 13x9x2 pan with no specificity of the kind, but I’m sure it was supposed to be an actual metal pan.  However, the result was DELISH!

Enjoy!

Mincemeat Cake

• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup homemade mincemeat (I used pear mincemeat)
• 1 cup milk, or buttermilk
• 1 tsp soda
• 2 cups flour
• pinch of salt

Beat together sugar, butter, and eggs.  Add mincemeat.  Mix soda in milk; add  to creamed mixture alternately with flour and salt.  Pour into 13x9x2 pan.  Bake at 375* for about 20 minutes (test center to determine done-ness).  Top with recipe below

Topping

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 TBSP grated orange peel
• 2 TBSP orange juice
• 1.3 cup coconut (or nuts) I used 1/6 coconut & 1/6 pecan
• 2 TBSP softened butter

Mix together all ingredients and pour on top of warm cake.  Broil in oven until top of cake is bubbly

Grandma’s Notes: 5/27/95- Lance and Marcus came; Marcus plowed the garden.  6/4/95- Church service was good.  When we think about it, how terrible life would be without love.  Barry Monroe was at church with Haley.  Went home and finished book.  I think I’ll read it again.  Started reading; then to bed.

I haven’t forgotten!

I really wish I had more time to be as thorough as I once was with the baking & cooking.

I made orange honey bread the other day…it ended up looking more like a bread bowl than a loaf.  And I guess it tasted good.  I mean for something with no sugar, it was ok.  However, not so good I would give the recipe.  Sorry grandma, not this one.

Next time…next time. 

Mexican cornbread

There are quite a few things I love about Texas…tonight, one of those was hatch chiles.  If you aren’t familiar with them, you should be.  They have a fantastic smoked flavor and go with everything!  That being said, I wanted to sub them into a cornbread recipe to go with some pulled pork.  However, dinner was ready and I hadn’t even taken out the ingredients!

So, I just went ahead a made it for whomever, and whenever.

Look at that color!  The picture doesn’t do it justice.

Mexican Cornbread
1 cup cornmeal
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup melted butter
3 smoked hatch chiles cleaned and diced up(recipe calls for 1/2 lb ground beef sauteed with onion and jalapenos)
Grated rat cheese (pretty sure she meant cheddar)

Mix all ingredients, except for cheese and chiles.  Pour one half of the batter into a hot, greased skillet.  Place chiles on top of mix and cover with cheese.  Pour remaining batter on top.  Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350°.

Grandma’s Notes: 8/5/93- Carried April to the doctor with her east.  I had to put in drops.  She fought me like a little tiger.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME TAKE COURAGE WHEN THINGS GO WRONG.  MAY I NEVER GIVE UP.

Three-Grain Peanut Bread

Well, so much for “getting back on the horse.”  I can’t tell you how crazy life has been lately.  Sad thing is, I still have to go to the grocery store, I still have to cook, so why no posts?!  Well, um…I’m lazy.  There you have it.  I really enjoy these recipes and such.  However, after a while, you kind get tired of cookies, cakes, and pies (three of grandma’s fortes).  Even her “breads” are a lot like cakes sometimes.  So, it’s been a bit difficult to be motivated to make desserts.

That being said, we have new neighbors two doors down and I was looking for something easy to make for a house-warming goodie.  I found the following recipe, from November’s calendar, and realized I didn’t have to leave home to get any other ingredients. *Yay*

 

Three-Grain Peanut Bread

• 1 cup fork-stirred flour
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (i didn’t have this, but added a bit more flour and oats)
• 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk solids
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1.5 cups regular milk (this means almond milk in our house, no cows milk)

In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, cornmeal, dry milk solids, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in peanut butter until particles are small.  Beat egg and milk to blend; pour into flour mixture and stir to mix well.  Turn into a greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pan and spread evenly.  Bake in preheated 325* oven until cake tester toothpick (who has a cake tester anyway) comes out clean.  I baked mine for 70 minutes and it was fine.  Place pan on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes; loosen edges; turn out on wire rack; turn right side up; cool completely.  To store, wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Sorry for the horrible picture, but I ALWAYS forget the camera until after I have already cut into it and remember to take a picture.  But, you can kind of see the small chunks of PB in there.  This was one of the first things I’ve made that my husband actually requested seconds two days in a row!

I think this would be phenomenal put under the broiler, toasted, then with a little jam on top.  This bread is just sweet enough to make you LOVE it, but not so sweet that you feel guilty about eating it.  A great gift bread (if you don’t eat it all first).

 

Grandma’s Notes: 11/26/93- If the Lord be with us, who can be against us?  Such a wonderful thought.  Making tatting.  11/29/93- Helen and Phil Nathans spent the night.  Bessie Baldwin called; chatted about an hour.  12/18/93- Fixed Barbara a birthday card.  THANK  YOU FATHER FOR THE REALITY OF YOUR BEING, THE THINGS NOT SEEN BUT VERY REAL EVERY DAY.

 

 

 

When life hands you lemons…

…you make lemonade, or margaritas, or take shots of tequila.  However, when you don’t have lemons but your son wants to help you bake something, you improvise.  In order for me to get back into the swing of making things, I needed something simple- something that didn’t require me getting back into my car and going to the store in the 10000000% humidity that is a Florida summer.

Enter Lemon Bread.  This recipe could easily be made into lemon-poppy-seed, lemon-nut (which is what this one called for but I had no nuts), or even a Lemon-Berry…think: Sonic Lemon-berry slush in bread form…oooh!  But I digress.  This recipe was relatively quick to prepare, but did take a solid 80 minutes to bake through.

Lemon Bread

• 3/4 cup margarine
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2.25 cups sifted flour (I didn’t sift and I only had 2 cups, the last 1/4 I used whole wheat flour)
• 1/4 tsp soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk vanilla almond milk (unsweetened)
• Grated rind of one lemon 1 tsp lemon extract
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts I didn’t have any, and hubs doesn’t like citrus or nuts.  So I figured it was one or the other for him to even try it
• For the Glaze: Juice of two lemons 2 TBSP lemon juice in 3/4 cup sugar (dissolved)

Preheat oven to 325* and grease and flour a corningware glass ceramic loaf dish 9x5x3 (2-qt size). I only have a metal loaf pan, it worked fine.  Cream margarine and sugar; beat in eggs.  Sift dry ingredients together and add to batter, alternating with milk.  Mix well.  Stir in lemon extract (and nuts here).  Pout into prepared dish and bake at 325* for 1 hr 20 min, or until cake tester (aka toothpick in our house) inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 15 minutes in dish.  Remove from dish and cool completely on wire rack.  Pierce in many places and spoon glaze over it.

The little corner cut out was for the boy.  Now, this glaze that was supposed to be all glazy and everything, was not a glaze at all.  It ended up being more like sugar mixed in lemon juice.  I’m not really sure how you would be able to dissolve 3/4 cup of sugar in the juice of 2 lemons.  From what I remember regarding juicing fruits, you never get as much juice as you want.  So, I figured using 2 TBSP of lemon juice from the fridge would help…it didn’t.  Now don’t get me wrong, though, the taste is amazing!  Just not so glazy.  And, when I went to cut a slice this morning, the sugar had formed a sort of crystallized force-field on top of the bread (kind of like a royal icing on a cookie).  It’s crunchy, but not hard, and the lemon flavor is spot-on.

 

Grandma’s Notes: 7/25/93- Meeting Frank in Van.  April is coming to visit.  Enjoyed visiting with Frank’s family.  Sunday, April sang “Do Lord” and a little worship chorus at church.  In the evening service Ashley and April sang “In the Garden.”  I THANK YOU LORD, YOU ARE THE ONE AND ONLY GOD; HELP ME IN MY COMMITMENT TO YOU.

 

 

There’s a Party In My Tummy…

…so yummy, so yummy!  OK, so maybe I’ve watched a few too many episodes of “Yo Gabba, Gabba!”  If you haven’t had the privilege to see an episode, you should.  The music, alone, make it worth it.  What I get a kick out of is the little skits that the characters do, regarding food.  In an effort to encourage good eating habits, they always make things into a song “There’s a party in my tummy; so yummy, so yummy.”  the best part is that the food actually smile about being eaten and want to “join the party in your tummy.”

OK, so maybe it’s not that funny.  I get a kick out of it though.

Tonight, there was not only a party in our house, but there was a party in my tummy too!  My husband recently returned from a mission trip to Cuba and we had all the folks from the trip at our house.  Like any good Southern Gal, I knew I should not rely on guests to bring food.  I grew up where if you were invited to a person’s house, for a party, you didn’t bring anything unless it was a birthday party.  Then, and only then, you brought something- a gift.  So, when I moved to Florida, I was shocked stunned pleasantly surprised to find that people actually bring host(ess) gifts and will even bring food (you don’t even have to ask!).  I still have making-more-food-than-i-need-to-itis and tonight was no exception.

We already planned wings and hot dogs, but I knew that wouldn’t be enough.  So, I decided to pick a few party foods from the cookbook: tomatillo avocado dip, Jamboree Dip (no. 2), Pretzel jello salad, Banana Punch, and Banana Split Cake.  Lest night I made everything and had the dishes done within 3 hours!  I was very proud of how efficient I am becoming.  Since I made so many things I will try my best to describe them well enough.

I already posted about the tomatillo dip.  It was really good again, and this time I made sure I had cilantro.  I also made it in the blender which was difficult as the cilantro got twisted around the blades of the blender.  Some day I will own a Vitamix…someday.  But until then I will just forge on with my Oster blender with a million speeds that all do the same thing.

The Jamboree Dip (no. 2) really didn’t make the party happen in my tummy, although it was tasty.  It’s a blend of black-eyed peas, chili powder, onion, Rotel tomatoes, blah, blah, blah.  It was good with chips, but really just tasted like what I might give my baby when I’m wanting him to have seasoned black eyes for the first time…so I will only divulge a picture.

Grandma’s Notes: 6/3/77- Sid went to Center, Frank went to the garden (she had recently stepped in an armadillo hole and broken her knee).  He gathered greens, picked beans, the began to dig potatoes.  Sid got there in time to help some before noon.

———-

On to the Pretzel Jello Salad…this is a great, um, er, well, I’m not really sure if you want to call it a salad or a dessert.  It’s got a savory pretzel crust, but it’s also got Cool Whip in it.  I always grew up with the idea that whipped topping = dessert.  However, this is one of my mom’s recipes and who am I to tell her it’s not a salad?!

Not the best picture, but you can kind of see the layers: pretzel, cool whip/cream cheese, strawberries, and jello.

Notes: Frank Henry Horton was born June 1, 1950 in Center, Texas to Sidney and Gladys Horton of Tenaha.  Frank graduated from Tenaha HS in 1968 and then graduated from SFA in 1775 with a Computer Science major.  Frank married Cheryl Harris March 18, 1978.  They moved to Bedford, Texas.  Frank worked for Texas Health Resources for 32 years.

———-

Now for the PaRtY!!!!

I don’t want to weigh down this entry with a lot more fluff, so I’ll get to the recipes I want to share.

Banana Punch

• 1 lg can of pineapple juice
• 1 lg can orange juice
• 6 cups water
• 4 cups sugar
• juice of two lemons
• 5 bananas (blended)

Heat water and sugar until dissolved.  Mix in all other ingredients.  Freeze in cubes or rings until needed.  Before using, let thaw 2-3 hours (until slushy).  Put into punch bowl or pitcher and add 2 or 3 bottles of ginger ale.

Like my new bowl? It’s handmade by a friend of ours!  He and I also decided this recipe could easily be “leaded” or unleaded.  Just add rum and blend the frozen mix!

Grandma’s Notes:  6/3/77- Ramah Day; I’m not able to go.  Sid leads the singing (was church song leader at Ramah Church for many years).  Bea sent my dinner.  It was SO nice.  I couldn’t eat it all but it was SO good.  6/5/77- Glenda Bagwell Hendrix came and visited until after 12:00 this morning.  Bea again sent dinner.

———-

Banana Split Cake (Get ready to REALLY Party!)

• 2.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 sticks butter (one stick melted)
• 3 eggs
• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 3 or 4 bananas
• 1 lg Cool Whip
• 1 (or 2) 16 oz can pineapple, well drained (VERY well drained)
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• maraschino cherries

Combine cracker crumbs with melted sick of butter.  Place in 13 x 9 x 2 in pan or casserole dish.  Beat eggs, 2 sticks butter, and powdered sugar for 15 minutes (YES, 15…it will go from a pale yellow to white by the end of the time).  Pour over cracker crust.  Slice bananas over filling and pour drained pineapple over bananas.  Add Cool Whip next, spread evenly.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts and garnish with cherries. Refrigerate overnight.

OK, so I was VERY disturbed about the egg/sugar/butter part, because there was no cooking involved.  However, I am guessing the mixing for 15 minutes does some sort of emulsification to the eggs.  But, I can not find information about it anywhere.  If you know…let me know!  After I got over that initial issue, I prepared the rest of the recipe as indicated.

Holy Bananas Batman!  It was THE one thing people went back for seconds and thirds at the party.  I had not yet eaten any at this point either.  I waited until I was putting everything away to enjoy it.  And yes, there was a super-duper party in my tummy happening!

The after party the next day is just as fun too!

Grandma’s Notes: 6/6/94- Watched memorial service for Normandy Bay (50 years today was D-Day in WWII).  So many did not come back.  James Roy Hill brought fresh vegetables.  Haley came; brought the fan from upstairs; found my walking cane.  Anthony mowed.  THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD THINGS THAT I CAN ENJOY.  MAY I BE CONTENT WITH MY LIFE.

Bad Dates…

If you can name that quote, you are just as much of an Indiana Jones junkie as I am.  Sallah has to be one of my favorite IJ characters.  Not only because of his jovial, people-pleasing ways, but because he save Indie from certain death in a scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark:

“Bad dates”

Sadly, the monkey was not saved soon enough.  The quote is sort of true even if dates are not poisoned.  Dates are a VERY sweet fruit.  I can not say that I even know what a non-dried one tastes like, or if it’s even edible.  Actually, nevermind, they are eating fresh ones in the movie…I digress.  I do know that its dried counterpart is extremely sweet.  Eating a serving size would certainly put me into a sugar coma for some time.  The dried dates are also prone to having pieces of pit still stuck inside them (more so than prunes or dried cherries, in my experience).  So, careful examination of them is necessary when baking with them.  My son liked them though and a good friend suggested using them instead of sugar in recipes.  I might just take her up on that!

Here is what I came up with:

Date Loaf

 

It wasn’t too bad…or really bad at all.  Just, well, different.  I think dried cherries or blueberries would taste a bit better.  This is also one of those loaves that needs to be enjoyed almost as soon as it cools enough to eat or within the next day.  After about 48 hours, it takes on a pseudo-fruitcake persona- NOT good!

 

Grandma’s Notes:n6/8/93- To Della Tempin’s; got potato slips.  Anthony and Ashley spent the PM.  Put out potato slips.  6/13/93- Sebastian and Peaches (Marcus & Haley’s dogs) have run cats and calf till neither could eat.  They have trouble keeping them home.  Haley spent weekend with Stutts twins at their dad’s.  THANK YOU FOR MANY PROMISES IN THE BIBLE.  HELP ME TO RELY ON THEM.

 

Bananas & Broccoli…

…say what?!

My dad came in to town this week.  I was happy to have him visit, since my husband went to Cuba for a church mission trip at the same time.  I was also happy to get to share with him, some of his mom’s old recipes.  I hit a home run with one in particular…he even said it reminded him of his mom’s!  THAT was worth it right there.

Broccoli with Shallots

• 3/4 lb fresh broccoli, cut up (approx 3 cups)
• 1 med red or green bell pepper chopped (3/4 cup)
• 2 TBSP chopped shallots (for butter sauce)
• 1 TBSP melted butter or margarine
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp crushed rosemary
• 1 TBSP cooking oil

Stir together melted butter, lemon juice, and rosemary.  Set aside; preheat wok over high heat and add cooking oil (add more as needed during cooking).  Stir-fry broccoli in hot oil for 2 minutes.  Add sweet pepper and shallots; stir fry about 2 minutes or until veggies are crisp tender.  Pour butter sauce over veggies.  Toss gently until vegetables are well coated.  Serve immediately.

 

**Large Banana Nut Cake** This is THE recipe, according to dad

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp soda
• 3 cups flour (sifted four times)<—HA!  Yeah right!
• 6 bananas mashed
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Cream sugar and butter.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and milk.  Add bananas and nuts last.  Bake in three 10-inch greased and floured pans at 325* for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cake tests done.

Frosting

• 1 pkg cream cheese
• 1 box (1 lb) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Beat the ingredients together (minus nuts).  You may need to add a little milk to make it spreadable.  Frost cake and sprinkle with half cup chopped nuts.

I added the icing almost as soon as I had made it, which meant the cake was still blazing hot.  No worries, though.  I had halved the recipe and don’t own 3 pans, of the same size.  So, I used a 13×9 casserole dish.  This keeps you from having to take the cake out of the pan too!  Let’s just say, too, that if you don’t have a lot of willpower…this is NOT the cake for you!  I don’t even want to admit how little there was left after my dad and I had what we wanted!  However, I did take at least 1/8 of it to work for my coworkers.  Dad just likes food, in general, and ate a great deal of the rest!

Grandma’s Notes: 5/12/91- Mother’s Day…lunch at George’s family; Lance and children brought an orchid and gift; Frank’s family gave a gift and a beautiful card as I left there Thurs.  5/16/91- Fertilized rose, hydrangea, camillia, and the bridal wreath.  THANK YOU LORD FOR MY MOTHER WHO HAS BEEN GONE THESE MANY YEARS.  THANK YOU, I WAS BLESSED WITH 3 GREAT SONS.

5/12/95- Fixed bills, ready to mail.  WE, ALL PEOPLE, SHOULD CONFESS OUR SINS TO YOU LORD AND ASK FORGIVENESS.  ONE DAY YOU WILL RETURN AND THERE WILL BE NO TIME FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS.  Went to George’s for fish supper.  Lance’s family was there also.