BANANNACRANNACOCONUT BREADt

This quick-bread is not to sweet but full of fruit and wonderful right out of the over or the next day for breakfast. Smear it with butter or cream cheese or just lop of a piece on your way by.....any way you slice it-YUMMY!
The texture of this bread is light,almost like cake,but dense like bread. To keep this texture don't forget to use a whisk to mix the flour,soda and baking powder!

BANANNACRANNACOCONUT BREAD

In a small,deep bowl whisk together thoroughly:
1 1/3 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

In a large mixing bowl beat ON HIGH SPEED UNTIL LIGHTENED IN COLOR AND TEXTURE(2 TO 3 MINUTES)
5 1/3 tbl butter
2/3 cup sugar

beat in flour mixture until blended and the consistency of brown sugar. Gradually beat in 2 large eggs
2 over-ripe bananas
2 good handfuls of craisins](dried cranberries)
1 tsp coconut extract
1 handful sweetened shredded coconut
(optional) handful of chopped pecans

spread the batter in a well-grease (I use pam) bread tin and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean

cool on a wire rack

I have tried variations such as substituting raisins for craisins,walnuts etc...and at Christmas-time I have used fresh cranberries and Orange extract in lieu of craisins and coconut extract....Experiment with apples,cherries....go ahead-be brave!!! I have figured out that there is NO WAY you can screw this up!!!!

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Years ago when we had neighbors over for coffee and the cookie jar was ALWAYS full-pecan Shortbreads were always tucked away in a tin,to be brought out only when adults were present...They a not a sweet cookie, they are instead melt in your mouth buttery treat. In other words-perfect with fun conversation and hot coffee or tea!

you need:

2 sticks of COLD butter-cut into small chunks
2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour

Using a pastry blender or knife or your fingertips-cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
then beat together with a fork until well blended:
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

stir the egg yolk mixture into the flour mixture and knead to form a smooth dough. Divide the dough into 2 balls. Place each ball between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll flat to about 1/4 inch thick Place in the freezer for appx 15 minutes...

I am a wee bit lazy and like smaller cookies-I slice into strips once chilled,but cookie cutters work great too. Place on a well-grease cookie sheet and place in a 350 degree oven for 18 minutes or until the edges are barely browned. let cool on a rack and enjoy!!!!

SUMMER PASTA SALAD

This recipe is from my Hubby's cousin-in-law-aw ferget it! She is my cousin in law too!!! She is another great cook and is kind enough to pass this on to all of us-When Deb says it is good-SHE MEANS IT!The Best Summer Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb orzo pasta (cooked and chilled)
2 handfuls of arugula
½ cup chopped fresh basil
10 oz. pine nuts (toasted and cooled)
10 oz dried cranberries
5 oz ricotta salada cheese (crumbled) or Feta Cheese if you prefer
Fresh lemon juice from about 2 lemons
Olive Oil ½ cup
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cook Pasta. Rinse and Chill. Toast pine nuts and cool. Mix all ingredients together and eat!!!!!
To Toast Pine Nuts: Put some Olive Oil in a pan and add the nuts. Heat nuts in oil until golden brown. Stir constantly while heating. Nuts toast very fast and can be easily burned. Put aside and let cool before tossing in the salad.

KITCHEN BURN REMEDY

A friend passed this on to me and it makes sense(I guess). I have used flour to stop a bad bleed from a vengeful knife but had not heard of this-Seeing that I am prone to scalds,burns,getting toaster burns,oven burns,etc,,,(I am a klutz in the kitchen) I will keep a small bag in the refrigerator just in case.

A friend passed this along to me.


You may have already seen this, but it seems to be valuable info, I am SO impressed by this...looks awesome!!!

My experience with burns is this:

Once I was cooking some corn on the cob, and stuck my fork in the boiling water to see if the corn was ready. I missed and my hand went into the boiling water....

A friend of mine, who was a Vietnam vet, came into the house, just as I was screaming, and asked me if I had some plain old flour...

I pulled out a bag and he stuck my hand in it. He said to keep my hand in the flour for 10 min. which I did. He said that in Vietnam, this guy was on fire and in their panic, they threw a bag of flour all over him to put the fire out...well, it not only put the fire out, but he never even had a blister!!!!

SOOOO, long story short, I put my hand in the bag of flour for 10 min., pulled it out and had not even a red mark or a blister and absolutely NO PAIN. Now, I keep a bag of flour in the fridge and every time I burn myself, I use the flour and never ONCE have I ever had a red spot, a burn or a blister!

*COLD FLOUR feels even better than room temperature flour.
Miracle, if you ask me. Keep a bag of white flour in your fridge and you will be happy you did. I even burnt my tongue and put the flour on it for about 10 min. and the pain was gone and no burn. Try it!

BTW, don't run your burn area under cold water first, just put it right into the flour for 10 min. and experience a miracle!

Laur's Crab Cake Stuffed Portabella Mushroom With Tangy Tartar Sauce...

A week or so ago we went to the Disney Marketplace. I have posted the Crab Boursin from Foulton's Crab shack (because it was so yummy!) Well,one of the appetizer's was Deep-Fried Portabella Mushroom Strips. My Hubby ordered the Crab-Cake and enjoyed it immensely!
On our trip home, I decided,when the next opportunity presented itself,I would put the two together and - VOILA - My version of the Crab-Cake stuffed Portabella Mushroom!
We had this last evening for dinner with a side of salad and french fries-It was delightful,so I share the recipe with you all!

What you need:

A DEEP FRY PAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES OF OIL
pORTABEELA MUSHROOM CAPS (CLEANED,WASHED AND DRIED)
1/2 POUND LUMP CRABMEAT
1 CUP OF FINE BREAD CRUMBS
1/8 CUP SHERRY
2 EGG
1 SCALLION
1/2 CUP FLOUR
CLEAN THE BLACK (SCRAPE)UNDERSIDE OF THE MUSHROOM CAP, POP THE STEM OUT AND EITHER DISCARD OR ADD TO THE THE CRAB CAKE MIXTURE.SET ASIDE.

HEAT THE OIL TO MEDIUM HOT

IN A MEDIUM BOWL MIX THE BREADCRUMBS ,CHOPPED SCALLIONS AND CRAB MEAT. ADD 1 EGG AND SHERRY-MIX WELL. IF IT WILL NOT HOLD TOGETHER IN A PATTY,ADD WATER A FEW DROPS AT A TIME UNTIL THE MIXTURE CAN BE FORMED INTO 2 BALLS.

TAKE THE CRAB CAKE BALLS AND PAT INTO THE MUSHROOM CAPS.

IN A LARGE FLAT BOWL,WHISK ONE EGG AND IN A SEPARATE LARGE FLAT BOWL PLACE 1/2 CUP OF FLOUR(I USED PASTA DISHES)
FIRST DIP EACH STUFFED MUSHROOM IN EGG(BE SURE TO COAT COMPLETELY) THE DREDGE IN THE FLOUR(AGAIN MAKE SURE THEY ARE COMPLETELY COATED)
IMMEDIATELY PLACE INTO HOT OIL AND FRY FOR 3 MINUTES PER SIDE OR UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN-

TANGY TARTAR SAUCE

1/2 CUP MAYONNAISE OR MIRACLE WHIP
1/4 CUP SWEET RELISH
1/8 TSP LEMON JUICE
1 TBS SHERRY

MIX WELL- SERVE ON THE SIDE....