BANANA BREAD

From my friend Kelly

Ingredients

  • 1 stick sweet butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in one at a time eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Then mix in bananas. Mix dry ingredients together and then mix into batter. Mix until creamy. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Split batter between. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

MONKEY BREAD

This is something my mom used to make and my kids love it!

Ingredients

  • 2 loaves frozen bread dough
  • melted butter
  • sugar
  • cinnamon

Buy 2 loaves of frozen bread dough from the refrigerator section of your grocery store. Thaw. Cut into balls – about the size of a large gumball.

Roll in melted butter and then roll in a sugar/cinnamon mixture (just enough cinnamon to turn the sugar brown). Place dough balls in a Bundt pan and keep filling until about an inch from the top.

Bake as per directions on the dough (usually 50 minutes at 375). Should be browned and bubbly on top. Remove from oven and flip over onto a large plate.

YUM!

Can do a single loaf in a loaf pan. Best served warm and gooey!

CINDY'S CARROT CAKE

Yields 2 9-inch rounds

For cake

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs
  • cup vegetable oil
  • cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 3 ounces coconut
  • 1 cup walnuts

Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.

Mix together in a separate bowl, the oil, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Add flour to wet mixture. Mix in pineapple, carrots, coconut and walnuts.

Line 2 9-inch round cake pans with butter and dust with flour. Pour in batter and bake for 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

For frosting

  • 12 ounces white chocolate
  • 16 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Chop white chocolate into fine pieces and place in a metal bowl that has been placed over simmering water. Stir until chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room temp, stirring occasionally to keep smooth.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with flat beating attachment until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in cooled white chocolate until smoothly incorporated. Beat in butter and lemon juice. Use at once to ensure smoothness.

CINDY'S STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB PIE

This recipe, originally from Saveur magazine, is one that I make all the time and is a household favorite.

Crust

  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 6 tablespoons cold milk

Filling

  • 1 1/4 cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 cups halved strawberries
  • 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
  • 2 tablespoons butter , cut up
  • 2 teaspoons milk

To make crust, preheat oven to 400°. Mix flour and salt. Measure oil and milk together – don't stir. Add to flour. Make crust on wax paper.

To make filling, mix sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add fruit, stirring to coat. Can set aside in fridge and then drain later. Note: If adding blueberry or peach, add lemon zest.

Fill crust with filling. Scatter butter. Add top crust. Pinch edges and ventilate the top. Brush with milk. Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake on cookie sheet for 50 minutes. Can cover edge with tinfoil if cooking too fast.

Allow to cool 1 hour before serving.