Tags Kitchen

One of my cousins swears by this recipe.  Her daughter says she makes the best crust.

Recipe from AAUW Assn.

Cake Ingredients

• 2 Cups Sugar
• 3 Bananas, Mashed (You may use more if desired)
• 2 Eggs, Beaten
• 1 Cup Melted Margarine or Butter
• 2 ½ Cups of Flour (not cake flour)
• 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 1 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Cup Buttermilk
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla

Glaze

• 1 – 1 ½ Cups sifted Confectioners’ Sugar
• 1 Tsp. Grated Orange Rind
• 2 Tbsp. Orange Juice or ½ of Juiced Orange
• 1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
• Add Sugar until syrupy

1. In one bowl add sugar to bananas, then add eggs and slightly cooled margarine
2. In another bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
3. In yet another bowl, stir Baking Soda into buttermilk (it will expand)
4. To a 4^th bowl, add alternately: Flour mixture, Banana Mixture, Buttermilk Mixture; Ending with Flour.
5. Add Vanilla
6. Pour into greased and floured Bundt Pan.
7. Bake at 350˚F for 30-45 Minutes (toothpick or fork should come out clean)
8. Punch hold in cake immediately out of oven.
9. Pour glaze over cake

Notes: This recipe does require a bunch of bowls, something that I personally hate – but the cake is well worth the time spent doing dishes after.  My family has stopped making banana bread because this banana cake is so good.

I did bake this in 2 large bread pans and it worked really well.  Since it was a little thicker it required more baking time though.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pints red grouper, skin on, scaled and cut into 2- inch pieces (or substitute redfish, flounder, striped bass, escolar, or any other white-fleshed fish)
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 2 to 3 fresh cayenne chiles, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices
• 1/2 cup fish or chicken stock, or canned, low-sodium chicken broth, or water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• One 14.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Steamed white rice, for serving

Directions

1. Place the fish in a large nonreactive mixing bowl, add the lime juice, and set aside to marinate while you proceed with the recipe.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium- high heat, and add the olive oil. Once it is hot, add the onions and cayenne peppers and sauté, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, stock, and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and stir well to incorporate.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Season the fish with the remaining teaspoon of salt.
6. Then add the fish (with the lime juice) and the coconut milk. Stir to combine, and bring the liquid to a boil.
7. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the flesh of the fish starts to flake, about 10 minutes.
8. Remove the cover, sprinkle the cilantro over the fish, and serve accompanied by steamed white rice.

Notes: I used cod and shrimp and it turned out delicious.  I didn’t have any other fish on hand, and didn’t feel like making a special trip to the store.

Ingredients

• 1 Can Black Beans (drained & rinsed)
• 1 Can Corn (drained & rinsed)
• 1 Medium Yellow Pepper – diced
• 1 Medium Red Pepper – diced
• 1 Medium Orange Pepper – diced
• 1 Small bunch of Green Onions – chopped
• 1 Small bunch of Cilantro – chopped
• 1/2 Bottle of Hendrickson’s Sweet Vinegar & Olive Oil

Mix all together and serve with tortilla chips

Alternative Ideas

• 1/2 Small Red Onion – Diced
• 2-3 Jalepenos – Diced and deseeded

I tried it the original way, and decided I’d like it with a little bit of spice, so I added the jalapenos. I wish I would have added a couple more. I also ran out of green onions, so I used red onions to compensate.

I have also blended the cilantro in a blender with the dressing so there aren’t large chunks of cilantro – both ways are delicious.

Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients

• 2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp (31/40 count)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 bacon slices, chopped
• 1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits

Directions

1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Toss shrimp with flour until lightly coated, shaking to remove excess.
2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet.
3. Sauté mushrooms in hot drippings 4 minutes or just until mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Add shrimp, and sauté 3 to 3 1/2 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute (do not brown garlic).
4. Add lemon juice and next 3 ingredients; serve immediately over Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits.
5. Sprinkle with bacon.

Cheddar Cheese Grits

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 5 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked stone-ground white grits
• 1 (10-oz.) block sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

1. Bring 2 Tbsp. butter, next 4 ingredients, and 5 cups water to a boil in a medium-size Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits, and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours or until thickened.
3. Stir in cheese and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter until melted.
4. Serve immediately.

Quick-Cooking Creamy Cheddar Cheese Grits:

1. Substitute 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking grits for stone-ground grits.
2. Decrease water and milk to 4 1/2 cups each.
3. Prepare recipe as directed, cooking grits 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened.

Lime Marinade

Combine the following ingredients:

• 1 Cup Lime Juice
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
  1/4 cup Green Onion (whole), finely chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP Minced Coriander or chopped parsley or cilantro (I used chopped cilantro)
• 1/2  tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper

Chimichurri Sauce

Mix the following together, cover and let stand at room temperature overnight:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup malt vinegar
• 1/3 cup minced parsley
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 t. dried oregano leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
• 3/4 t Salt
• 1/2 t pepper

Make lime marinade and pour over flank steak and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Score flank steak and drizzle with chimichurri sauce while cooking over the grill.

Cream together:

• 1 Cup Shortening
• 2 Cups Sugar

Add and beat well:

• 1 – 15oz Can of Pumpkin
• 2 Eggs
• 1 TBSP Vanilla

Mix together and then add to creamed mixture, mixing well.

• 4 Cups Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Nutmeg
• ½ tsp. Allspice
• 1 tsp. Salt

Stir in:

• 2 Cups Chocolate Chips

Drop rounded balls of batter (this is a wet batter) onto a greased cookie sheet.  I used a cookie scoop.  Bake at 350 for 11-14 minutes.  When edges are showing a little bit of brown- they are done.

If you are wishing for a sweeter cookie, try frosting with them with cream cheese frosting.

My cousin Anna started calling it Pig Brain Salad because of the shape of the noodles.  There are no actual pig brains in the salad.

Dressing

• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Oil
• 1/2 Cup Vinegar
• Dash of Garlic Powder

Salad

• 1 Pound of Radiatore Pasta, cooked and drained
• Shredded Carrots
• Green Peas, cooked cooled and drained
• Corn, cooked cooled and drained

1. Mix all dressing ingredients together
2. Toss all salad ingredients and dressing together.  
3. Refrigerate until serving
4. Serve Cold

• 1/2 Pound of Bacon – browned and fat drained off
• 1 Pound of Hamburger & Onions – Browned and fat drained off
• 1 Can of Green Lima Beans (don’t drain any of the juices)
• 1 Can Kidney  Beans (don’t drain any of the juices)
• 1 Can Butter Beans (don’t drain any of the juices)
• 1 Can Pork & Beans (don’t drain any of the juices)
• 1/2 Cup Catsup
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

Stir all ingredients together and bake uncovered at 350 Degrees for 1 1/2 Hours

OR

Pour all ingredients in a crock pot and cook or low heat for 7+ hours  (You can also cook on high heat for less time).