Breakfast Loves Banana Bread

Banana bread is always a crowd pleaser and it's fun to try variations. Plus, it's good for breakfast a couple days in a row! I have to say this is one of the best banana bread recipes I've made so it might become the tradition. The bread came out very moist and not too dense. Thank you to authors of The American Heritage Cookbook of 1964.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Grated rind of half a lemon
3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tablespoons commercial sour cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts

Directions:
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Work butter until soft, then work in sugar, a little at a time, until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, add the vanilla, grated lemon rind, and bananas. Stir in flour mixture alternatively with sour cream. Last of all, mix in the nuts. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour or until a toothpick tested in the center comes out dry. Remove from pan and cool on a rack. Cut in thin slices to serve.

Grown-up Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Grown-ups need comfort food once in a while too. Today felt like fall with cool temperatures and I was feeling a little homesick. This was a nice lunch to pair with an episode of Friday Night Lights on Netflix!

Grilled Cheese
Sourdough bread
Butter
Cheddar cheese
Roasted red pepper

Butter bread on both sides. Cut cheddar cheese slices thin. Layer cheddar cheese slice then roasted red pepper and another slice of cheddar on top. Grill in saute pan over medium heat until golden in each side.

Tomato Soup
Tomato soup
Milk
Garlic croutons
Black pepper

Make soup according to directions. I prefer the creamier version with milk instead of water. Garlic croutons make a nice substitution to crackers. Sprinkle with black pepper.

C is for Carrot Cake & Cream Cheese Icing

Carrots were a popular ingredient in baking when sweeteners were scarce or expensive. According to Wikipedia carrot cake was a novelty in the US in the 1960s and became a "fad food" in the 1970s. While flipping through our collection of cookbooks I noted many variations of carrot cake recipes to include pineapple or raisins, and mixture of nuts. I decided on a carrot oil cake and cream cheese icing from the Joy of Cooking of 1975.

Carrot Oil Cake Ingredients & Directions
One eight inch square pan
Have all ingredients about 70 degrees
Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Sift before measuring:

• 1 cup all purpose flour

Resift with:

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix together and add to flour, stirring well:

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil 
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 beaten eggs

Add and blend in well:

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots

Bake in a greased and floured pan about 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Icing (makes about 3/4 cup)
Sift:

• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Work until soft and fluffy:

• 3 oz cream cheese
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cream or milk

Beat in the sugar gradually. Add:

• 1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or orange rind

Or: 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla and
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Or: 

• A good dash liqueur, lemon or orange juice and grated rind