I Think It Might Be

TIME FOR SOME BANANA BREAD

This Recipe is From Betty Crocker's 40th Anniversary Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4	c sugar
1/2	c butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c	eggs ( I use egg substitute)
1 1/2	c mashed very ripe bananas (3 medium)
1/2	c buttermilk (I use nf milk and nf yogurt)
1	t vanilla
2 1/2	c flour (I'm using 1 1/2 c white, 1 c whole wheat)
1	t baking soda
1	t salt
1	c chopped nuts, if desired

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	DIRECTIONS: Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350 Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.
	Mix sugar and butter in large bowl Stir in eggs until well blended Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla Beat until smooth Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened Stir in nuts Pour into pans
	Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean Cool 10 minutes Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days This bread freezes well too; up to 3 months

What What in the Butternut

I purchased some butternut squash about a week ago for the purpose of making a soup or just as a side. I never did either of those things so I've had these huge squash in my refrigerator taking up precious vegetable space. So last night I decided I would stuff them with some left over rice.

I used this recipe as a guide but mine looks a bit different. I still wanted to have the squash as a main vegetable so I didn't hollow it out all the way. I didn't have cranberries so I used dried apricots and I used far less onions, maybe about 1/2 a cup. I also used brown rice instead of basmati. I cut the squash in half, then microwaved for 10 minutes. Then I sauteed the onions, apricots and garlic and mixed in the rice. I stuffed these babies, and baked for 25 minutes at 375.
This, again, is one of those versatile dishes you can play around with.

If I had bought these for the purpose of stuffing I thing I would have used dried pears, pecans and fresh sage.


I served mine with tangelo glazed chicken (about 1/4 c juice from a tangelo off my tree in the backyard, 1 clove chopped garlic, a few red pepper flakes and s & p. Brown the chicken and garlic then pour the juice over and let it reduce to a glaze, 10 minutes.) and green beans.

If You Want a Boy, Eat Cereal

My friend texted me early this morning to tell me she was having her second boy! Very exciting stuff. So I had to hop onto Google and find out what she's eating to conceive all these boys, or is it just in the water... Apparently it's not in the water, but in the cereal.
"If you want a boy, eat pleanty of breakfast cereals, says scientists"

Street Vendors for Inspiration

Click here for an article about a new LA restaurant inspired by global street cuisine.

I Like Big Rumps

Until recently I've had problems preparing a tri tip roast, but I came to terms with it, and conquered it. But, dear friends, I failed to mention that I've had problems cooking all sorts of roasts. I believe it stems form a few different things. 1. I grew up in a family of well done meat eaters and meat makers. And 2. Now I have a husband that is a medium-well eater of meat. So when I prepared these dry hunks of stringy beef for them it was always okay, pleasant even, but not for me. I realized in the last year that I am (gasp) a medium to medium-rare sort of carnivore.

I had this epiphany and decided I could change my ways. Now I actually have a few good meat thermometers and I use them religiously. I don't trust myself with timing a roast anymore; time can get away from you in the kitchen.

And I'm purchasing different kinds of roasts so I can find new techniques and really get this roasting thing down. So this week I bought a rump roast. I did it because it was a huge piece of meat and it was on sale, I can't help that I'm frugal. But I figured it would make a tasty dinner as well and lunches for my home bound husband.

I used a recipe called Perfect Rump Roast from recipezaar.com. And it absolutely was a perfect roast. I marinated mine all day prior to cooking it.
Here's the marinade:
2T olive oil
2T cooking wine (red wine vinegar can work too; but any liquid is fine, diet coke, beer, etc.)
1T black pepper
1T coarse salt
1t cayenne
1t garlic powder
1t onion powder
1t paprika
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t rosemary

I cut off the layer of fat and then got out all my aggression for the day by stabbing the roast about 20 times on each side. I let it marinate all day, but I took it out of the refrigerator about 90 minutes before roasting.
I roasted it, pretty much, as recommended by the recipe author, maybe 22 minutes a pound. I posted a photo below of some of the leftovers. I think it continued to cook while we were eating, but I swear it was perfect. Try it, you'll like it.

25 Vintage Cooking Tips

Thanks to tipnut.com for a collection of vintage cooking tips from the 1940's.

“Hara Hachi Bu”

"Hara Hachi Bu" is a Japanese phrase that translates to "eat until you are four/fifths full". Author Michael Pollan is looking for you or your cultures' food rules for his next book/project. You can read the New York Times article here and submit your rules in the comment section.

The Beautiful Brussel Sprout

I love Sundays because I love to peruse the bounty of fresh foods and goods at the local farmers' market. I especially love this time of year because the weather is finally nice and the market is packed with vendors and consumers, it's just a good time.

My favorite items this week were the brussel sprouts. I feel so naive, but I never knew they grew on stalks, it just didn't occur to me. And the funny thing is that I absolutely love brussel sprouts.

I find that a lot of people despise brussel sprouts, my husband included. I think it's because he, and a lot of other people, only had them boiled or steamed rendering them brown, limp, slimy and bitter. Ewww and double ewww!

There are a few ways to make this vegetable spectacular. There is the creamy gratin version, which isn't the healthiest, but it's a good way to test out these baby cabbages if you are the faint of heart. Personally, I like to roast them, quick and easy.

INGREDIENTS:

15-20 brussel sprouts
1 T olive oil
Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350
Oil a baking sheet
Slice sprouts in 1/2
Layer flat side down on sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Roast about 20 minutes, but don't let the leaves get too brown, a nice golden brown is good
Enjoy! This is a simple and clean dish.

(I have to give props to my boss for this little preparation recipe, she made me fall in love with brussel sprouts again)

5 Foods For a Better Mood

I found this accidentally, but I love it...
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/moodfood.htm

Doggy Salt and Pepper Shakers

I wrote about these Doggy Salt and Pepper Shakers, where the salt and pepper comes out of the butts, a few posts ago.
They are available on Amazon.