Crispy, Deep-Fried Bananas

 Need something to do with those spotted bananas other than make banana bread?

 Mix together:

1 Cup self-rising flour

1 T sugar

¼ t salt

White corn Flour 1 ½ T

1 cup cold water

Allow batter to rest for 15 minutes.

4-6 bananas, sliced long/thin at an angle.

Dip bananas in batter. Deep fry in canola oil or vegetable oil. Place on a bed of paper towels on a plate to drain some of the oil.

Optional: Sprinkle with sugar or a cinnamon & sugar mix just after taking out of oil.

Banana Split Cake

Mix and pat into a 13" x 9" baking pan:
  1 stick melted butter
  2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Beat the following in electric mixer, on high NO LESS than 15 MINUTES:
  3 eggs
  2 sticks butter
  2 cups powdered sugar
Spread over graham cracker crust.

Cover the creamy layer with sliced bananas.
Cover the bananas with #2 can crushed pineapple, well drained
Cover fruit with cool whip OR, better still, sweetened whipped cream
Sprinkle with chopped nuts and cut up maraschino cherries

Let stand in refrigerator overnight.

(Note:  Contains uncooked eggs)

Layered Butter Cake

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp (plus more for pans)
3 cups flour (plus more for pans)
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
4 large eggs
1 T vanilla
3/4 c heavy cream
1/2 c water
Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Butter 2 9-in round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.

Whisk 3 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks of butter and the sugar in a large bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.)

Mix 1/2 cup water with the cream in a liquid in a small bowl. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture a little at a time. Add in the cream mixture.

Divide batter between prepared pans and bake until cakes are lightly golden on top and centers spring back when pressed (25-30 min). Transfer to racks and let cool 10 min. Run a knife around edges and turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely. Remove parchment and trim tops of cakes with a long, serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

Spread a 1/4 inch layer of frosting on top of one cake. Place second cake on top of that one. Frost entire thing as desired.

Fruit Ice Cream

Ingredients

2 quarts of half and half
3 cups of sugar
6 T lemon juice
3-4 cups fruit

Instructions

Blend fruit and about one cup of half and half until smooth. Completely dissolve sugar into the remaining half and half. Mix the lemon juice with the sugar and half and half. Mix the blended fruit with the lemon juice, sugar, and half and half. Freeze the mixture in the freezer or use an ice cream machine. Enjoy!


Nutrition Facts (per one cup serving)
Calories: 652.7
Total Fat: 28.2 g
Cholesterol: 89.5 mg
Sodium: 100.1 mg
Potassium: 440.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 98.7 g
Protein: 8.1 g

Cheese Cake Flan

1 cup sugar
3 eggs
6 oz cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Put sugar and 1/4 cup of water in microwave until melted and browned.
Pour this syrup into 8”-9” cake pan.  Let harden.

Mix remaining ingredients in blender.  Pour into pan. 

Bake in a water bath for 50 minutes @ 350º.
Check with toothpick. Turn out upside down onto plate.
Allow flan to cool and be chilled before serving.

As per requested by Sarah M.

Tornado Cake

Cake- 
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 cups granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 20oz can crushed pineapple

Topping-
* 1/2 cup salted butter
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2/3 cup evaporated milk
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13" baking pan with butter
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together your flour, sugar, baking soda, eggs, vanilla, and crushed pineapple
3. Pour into your baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown
4. Poke several holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon
5. In a medium sized sauce pan, heat your butter, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla until it reaches a boil
6. Mix in your pecans and coconut and continue cooking for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly
7. Pour your topping evenly over your cake, slice, and enjoy!


from Laurel Brown following Hurricane, Irma Sept 2017

Almond Cranberry Biscotti

2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 T grated orange peel (or lemon juice)
4 large eggs
7 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup dried cranberries
Melting chocolate

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat sugar, butter, orange peel, & eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape half of dough into a rectangle on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with second half of dough.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices (approx. 4 inches long.) Bake 15 minutes or until crisp and light brown. Cool. Drizzle melted chocolate over biscotti pieces and let dry.

Double Chocolate Heath Cookies

1 dark chocolate fudge cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c oil
2 T milk
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 (8oz) bag Heath English toffee pieces

Mix first four ingredients until it creates a smooth, paste-like batter. Mix in chocolate pieces and Heath pieces. Place in 2-T rounds on a greased cookie sheet. (Works best if you cover the cookie sheet with tin foil first.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Optional: Sprinkle with sugar as soon as they come out of the oven.

Sugar Cookie Pie Crust

Ingredients

 

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour

 

Fill with your favorite filling. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake for up to 25 minutes. 

 

You can also pre-bake this crust and fill with pre-made filling. Bake crust alone for 10-15 minutes.

Fruit Bars

1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c quick oats
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c butter or margarine
3/4 c jam (any kind of fruit)

Stir all together except jam. Pat 2/3 of crumb mixture on bottom of a 9 x 13" pan. Spread jam over (soften in microwave, if necessary). Cover with remaining crumbs. Bake at 325 Degrees about 20 min.

(Alternate method: Spread all of crumb mixture in bottom of the pan and spread the jam on top. Bake as directed.)

Crazy Cake and Icing for Crazy Cake

[It's better than you think it will be; very rich and moist.]

3 cups sifted flour, plain
2 cups sugar
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsps vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  DO NOT GREASE or FLOUR pan.   Mix dry ingredients together.   Mix the remaining ingredients to the dry mixture.  Mix thoroughly with electric mixer.  (Batter will be thin.)  Pour into pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean.  Cool and top with fudge icing.  


Fudge Icing for Crazy Cake

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup scant cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
Chopped nuts, optional

Melt butter in pan.  Add cocoa, then sugar, then milk mixing after each ingredient.
Bring to rolling boil.  Boil for 1 MINUTE. and remove from heat.  Cool for about one minute stirring, then add vanilla and nuts. Cool more if needed (no more than two to three minutes) then poor onto cooled cake.  Spread over top.
Be careful to get icing on the cake before it hardens.

Angel Food Cake

(For credit where credit is due, see below.  Follow the instructions; no short-cuts.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Sift together 3 times:
  1 1/2 cups cake flour (regular plain flour can be used)
  3/4 cup granulated sugar

Beat until frothy (not stiff):
  2 cups egg whites, room-temperature  (10-12 eggs; no yolks!)
  1/2 teaspoon salt

Add:
  1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar and beat until stiff and hold their shape, but do not overbeat to dry, like for meringue or  divinity.

Do not use mixer for remaining steps.
Gradually fold in until just blended:
  1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  2 teaspoons pure vanilla
  flour and sugar mixture

Wet the inside of a tube pan with cold water.  Do not grease or flour pan.  Turn batter into pan.  Bake for 60 minutes.  If necessary, adjust time to the oven used.  Bake until golden on top and springs back when lightly touched.

Invert pan until cake is cool.  

Best not to mess it up by trying to frost or glaze.  Angels are better without additions.

Needing so many egg whites can be an impediment to baking this cake.  However, it is easy enough to save egg whites in the freezer without having to decide what to do with so many egg yolks.   Egg whites can be frozen.  They just have to be thawed to room temp before using them by leaving them out on a counter for several hours or overnight.   Keep a pint jar (holds 2 cups) in the freezer.  Every time you make scrambled eggs, or use eggs in some  casserole, save some of the whites in your freezer jar.  Be sure not to let any yolks into the whites.  Always separate each egg over a small dish, then add the egg white from the dish.  If any yolk gets into the white, do not use it for the cake.

This recipe came from a good friend and World Gospel Mission missionary in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  Her name was Mary Lindahl.  She is now in the company of real angels.  Mary and her husband, Leroy, served at the guest house where our family stayed for many weeks in the late 70s while preparing paper work to immigrate into Argentina.  Leroy was the field director and Mary ran the guest house.  She made this cake regularly.  Angel food cake is a favorite of mine, but I was always intimidated to try to bake one.  With her permission and direction, I baked one while staying at the guest house.  Seeing how easy it was, it became a family favorite.  Enjoy! 

Another PS:  You can use the yolks in pound cake. 
    

Irondale Café Buttermilk Pie

Irondale Café Buttermilk Pie

6 Eggs, beaten
2 Cups Sugar
2 oz flour
8 oz melted butter
1/2 oz vanilla extract
2 cups buttermilk
2 unbaked pie shells

Whip ingredients until sooth and lump free. Fill shells and bake at 350 until set... about 25 minutes. (Baking time could be significantly longer depending on depth of pie and humidity. Pie is done when a knife inserted comes out clean.)

This recipe is from the café represented as the Whistle Stop Café in the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" which, by the way, are always on the menu. Based on the book by Fannie Flagg from Birmingham, Alabama.

Chewy Brownies

Easy & Good.

1 1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup cocoa
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups chopped nuts.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl.

Melt butter in a heavy pan over low heat.
Add cocoa, stirring constantly; cool slightly and beat in eggs and sugar.
Mix in vanilla.
Add flour mixture and mix well.
Add nuts and mix.

Pour into greased 13 inch baking pan, or sheet cake pan for thinner brownies.
Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. They may not appear to be done, but they will continue baking when they come out of the oven.

When cool cut into squares.


From "Favorite Recipes, from Wesleyan Church Women: DESSERTS", pg 114, 1969. A recipe submitted by Mrs. Robert Stonoff, Phoenix AZ.
A wedding gift in 1970.

Coconut Cookies

1 Betty Crocker French vanilla cake mix (It's important to use Betty Crocker, b/c the other brands don't have the right consistency)

2 eggs

1/2 small bottle coconut flavoring

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1 c. coconut or more

12 bag white vanilla chips

extra sugar to sprinkle on top

Mix ingredients together, drizzling in oil. Just add enough oil to get it all to stick together. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle on some sugar on each one as soon as they come out of the oven.

Sopaipillas

I got this off of the site:  http://southernfood.about.com/od/doughnutsandfritters/r/bl40329q.htm  These are wonderful! They are kind-of like deep-fried popovers.  They are light, flaky breads that are hollow inside and you can stuff them with a variety of things--meat stews, Carne Adovada, beans or simply sprinkle cinnamon and sugar or honey over them for a tasty dessert.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup warm water

cinnamon sugar

honey

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; stir until blended. Stir in oil, cream, and water. Knead to make a soft dough; turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly. Dough will be a bit sticky. Cover with dish cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.

Heat about 3 inches of oil in a heavy saucepan or deep fryer to 375°. Roll dough into a rectangle about 12 x 9 inches and 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 3-inch squares. Carefully add squares to the hot oil, 2 or 3 at a time. If necessary, use a fork to press down into the oil so they'll puff. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Drain well. To serve, sprinkle the sopaipillas with cinnamon sugar and drizzle honey over them.

Makes about 2 dozen sopaipillas.

Cream Puffs

I got this from the Kraft magazine and haven't tried it yet, but who doesn't like cream puffs?

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1/2 of 17.3-oz pkg) thawed
1 c cold milk
1 pkg (4-serving size) vanilla flavor instant pudding & pie filling
1/2 c thawed cool whip
1 square semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface; roll pastry out to 10 inch square.  Cut into 9 circles with 3 inch cookie cutter or rim of glass.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10 mins.  Remove to wire racks; cool completely.  Meanwhile, pour milk into large bowl.  Add dry pudding mix.  Beat with wire whisk 2 min or until well blended.  Gently stir in whipped topping.  Cover.  Refrigerate 15 min.  Cut pastry circles horizontally in half (like a hamburger bun).  Spoon pudding mixture evenly into bottom halves of pastry; cover with tops.  Drizzle with chocolate.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 9 cream puffs.

Popovers

(Makes 2 dozen)

4 eggs

1/2 t salt

2 c milk

4 T butter or margarine, melted

2 c all-purpose flour

1 T sugar

(For a dessert-like treat, you can add 1 teaspoon of any of the following ingredients vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg.  For a luncheon style treat, try rosemary, oregano, basil, parmesan cheese, or thyme.  Use your imagination!)

Mix all ingredients together well.  Set oven to 425 degrees and put them into a cold oven.  (If using a preheated oven, check often to be sure they do not get done early.)  Leave them for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees for an additional 10 minutes.  Prick each one with a toothpick or metal skewer to allow steam to escape and for popovers to crisp on the inside.  Leave them for 2-3 more minutes.  

GET CREATIVE!

These can be eaten plain or filled with turkey, chicken, tuna or egg salad, cheeses and/or lunchmeat, scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, jams or jellies, pudding, pie filling, melted chocolate or whipped cream.  They are a fabulous appetizer or luncheon addition, main course or dessert.  They are great way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.  They work great with any meal--breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack-time and kids love them!