just a smidgen

A Mother’s Day Loooong Weekend..

banana b 6My Mother’s Day

long weekend

(they should always last longer than a regular weekend!)

was perfect… slow and simple:

♥book club and a cute crab-cup appie

♥a favorite banana bread recipe for my friends at the hospice

♥an art show and dinner out with friends

♥a busy afternoon Open House at my new listing

♥an evening at Vertigo Theater where my lovely niece played “Young Lucy”
in the smash-hit “Sweeney Todd”

♥another sunny day for a family brunch

♥these pretty flowers and cards from Dave and my sweeties

♥and the season finale of Desperate Housewives

♥

I’m not sure what got into me this weekend,

but I decided it was time to do some

Blog Spring Cleaning

as well

while baking in the sun on our front patio

♥

I’ve accumulated so many Desserts

that I needed to do some sub-categorizing

for easier navigation

♥

I also wanted a new place for my non-food (gasp) Photos,
even though some are already on

Pinterest

and I needed easier links to my poems and videos..

so that meant a few New Headers up there in my menu bar ↑

♥

I spent a little time getting used to the Video Mode on my new camera..

so I can work on that

Rose Tutorial Video

that you’ve been asking for.. hopefully later this week

♥

And I’ve started a little “project” for an indoor herb garden

reusing pretty tea tins… (my kind of “projects” usually take a few minutes :))
Simply line with plastic wrap, scoop in soil and plant. Water carefully because there isn’t drainage at the bottom.. unless you add a few stones in there first!

♥

without further ado.. or much ado about nothing..

here are my latest recipes

 ♥

This one is my newest addition to the Banana Bread Family.. and now my favorite! It is one of those recipes that my friend’s mom has had for year.. diligently typed up on an old typewriter and photocopied. Not only is it lower in fat, but the texture and flavor is so light and fluffy. She makes it for her family and it’s gone in minutes. I love it!!

 

Judy's Banana Bread
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup bran flakes cereal
  • 1 1/2 cups well-mashed ripe bananas
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 2 tbsp water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease one 9x5x3 loaf pan.
  2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together.
  3. Cream shortening and sugar together in another bowl.
  4. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Stir in bran flakes, mashed banana, orange zest and water.
  5. Add dry ingredients, stirring and folding gently just to blend.
  6. Spoon into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
  7. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Photo Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease one 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together.

Cream shortening and sugar together in another bowl.

Add egg and beat until fluffy. Stir in bran flakes, mashed banana, orange zest and water.

Add dry ingredients, stirring and folding gently just to blend.

Spoon into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

My mom is one of my most relied upon source of new recipes to try. This is one she made for us last summer at the lake. It came in so handy last week when I realized I hadn’t planned for an appetizer to take to Book Club yet.

Incidentally, “The Cat’s Table” was underwhelming for all of us. Our next book is “The Virgin Cure” by Ami McKay, I’ll let you know how that one goes…

Crab Wonton Cups
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 32 wonton wrappers
  • Cooking Spray (Pam)
  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 drops hot pepper sauce (Tobasco)
  • 2 can premium crabmeat, drained, rinsed
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
  • ¼ cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Lightly spray tiny muffin tin with cooking spray. Press the wonton wrappers into miniature or regular muffin cups. Very lightly spritz entire pan of wrappers with cooking spray.
  3. Bake for 8-9 minutes until lightly browned.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, cream, egg, mustard, worcestershire sauce, and pepper sauce until smooth.
  5. Stir in the crab, green onion, and red pepper. Spoon into wonton cups. Sprinkle with parmesan Cheese.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until filling is heated through.
  7. Serve warm.
  8. Refrigerate leftovers.
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