Banana Cake with cream cheese frosting

Dense cake, similar in texture to a carrot cake. The baking time may vary based on individual ovens, but an hour is pretty accurate.

1 1/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 1/8 cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 ounce cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 275° (yes two-seventy five).  Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and place directly into the fridge for 45 minutes. For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

Hot and Sour Soup

·         4 dried Chinese fungi (about 1 ounce), such as wood ears, shitake, or cloud ears (can use a mixture)

·         2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

·         1 tsp. sesame oil (or to taste)

·         1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

·         2-3 tsps. red chili paste

·         1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, rinsed well and sliced

·         1/4 pound barbecued pork or chicken, shredded

·         1/4 cup soy sauce

·         ½ tsp minced garlic

·         1/4 cup rice vinegar or red wine vinegar

·         Juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

·         Pinch sugar

·         2 quarts Chicken Stock

·         1 square firm tofu, drained and sliced in 1/4-inch strips

·         3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

·         1 – 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

·         Chopped green onions, grated carrot, and cilantro leaves, for garnish

Put the fungus in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Drain and rinse; discard any hard clusters in the centers. (You can reserve the liquid to add to the soup for extra flavor.)

Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high flame. Add the ginger, chili paste, wood ears, bamboo shoots, and meat; cook and stir for 1 minute to infuse the flavor. Sprinkle with sesame oil.  Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, lemon or lime juice and zest, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, pour it into the wok and toss everything together - it should smell really fragrant. Pour in the chicken stock (and reserved mushroom liquid, if using), bring the soup to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir until smooth. Mix into the soup and continue to simmer until the soup thickens. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 1 direction to get a current going, then stop stirring. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream and watch it spin around and feather in the broth (it should be cooked almost immediately.) Garnish the hot and sour soup with chopped green onions, grated carrot, and cilantro before serving.

Marinated Flank Steak (Alton Brown)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup soy sauce

4 green onions, diced

2 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 cup lime juice

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

3 TB brown sugar

Flank Steak

Combine the first 8 ingredients in lg. ziplock bag. Add the flank steak, seal, then refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the flank steak from the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to cooking. Heat the outdoor grill or grill pan on medium high heat and coat with a quick brush of olive oil. Cook the steak for 3-4 minutes per side or until it’s cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing in thin slices against the grain. 

No-boil Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups macaroni, uncooked
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cube butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed or shredded
4 cups shredded cheese
1 tsp. dry mustard powder or 3 tbs. prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Into dish, combine milk with melted butter, add salt and mustard. Pour in uncooked macaroni and Velveeta. Add half of shredded cheese and stir. Cover with lid (or aluminium foil if your baking dish doesn't have a lid.) Bake for about 50-60 minutes until macaroni is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from oven, remove cover, and top with remaining cheese.  Return to oven uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly and golden.

Lemon Bars

These are from the Barefoot Contessa.


Crust:

1/2 pound butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

 2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:

6 extra-large eggs at room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)

1 cup lemon juice (from the lemons above.  If you don't have enough from what you used for the zest, use bottled lemon juice for the rest.)

1 cup flour

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Dry Shampoo

• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol

Mix together, pour into a spray bottle and give it a shake!

To use: spray anywhere on hair that needs to be de-greased. Do not soak your hair and/or scalp, just dampen it.  Run a comb or your fingers through your hair to distribute evenly, then blow dry. Repeat if necessary.  

English Muffin Bread

English Muffin Bread (From "one good thing" by Jillee)

·         5 1/2 cups warm water

·         3 packages RAPID RISE yeast 

·         2 Tablespoons salt

·         3 Tablespoons sugar

·         11 cups flour

Dump all ingredients in big bowl, mix altogether (can mix with a mixer or with a big spoon by hand.  No kneading necessary), then spoon into 4 well-greased medium loaf pans.  Let rise in pans until dough reaches the top of the pans, and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  10 minutes before done, brush with melted butter. Makes 4 loaves. Bread will be moist at first. Allow to COOL COMPLETELY before cutting. Makes terrific toast.

Spiral cut hot dogs for grill

Best hot dog tip ever

Click on the link above to go to a little clip which will show you how to spiral cut your hot dog before grilling it.  (Looks pretty easy.)  That way you get a lot more surface area to get the yummy browned area of hot dog plus a lot of good nooks and crannies for plenty of mustard.  (mmmmm...)  Kosher hot dogs are always best.

I can't get the picture to post.