Favorite Banana Bread

from Mormon Country Cooking

4 eggs
5 large ripe bananas
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, coarsely broken (or use pecans or omit)

In a large bowl beat eggs until thick; add bananas and beat until smooth and liquid. In second bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg-banana mixture. Sift flour with soda and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Bake in two well greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 /12 inch loaf pans for 75 minutes or until bread tests done (a toothpick stuck in center comes out clean). Cool 10 minutes in pans on a rack, then turn out onto racks to cool.

Stacey’s Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, add egg and beat in well, add sifted flour and baking powder ... roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4" to 3/8” thickness and cut in desired shapes .... bake at 400 for 6 - 7 minutes ... do not over bake.

Decorate by piping an edge of melted white chocolate (or any color desired) around the cookie then filling in with melted chocolate and adding other detail with melted chocolate.

Key Lime Meringue Pie

This recipe is like Grandma Hynes’s recipe, I remember making this pie with her one day when Grandpa Hynes was making his famous Ribs!

1 Baked 9” Pie Shell
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C cornstarch
1 1/2 C water
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/4 C key lime juiice
1 T grated key lime rind (use lemon if not key limes or omit)
3 egg whites
1/4 t cream of tartar
1/3 C sugar

Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minute. Slowly stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Then blend all the egg yolk mixture into the hot mixture in the saucepan and boil 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Continue stirring until smooth. Blend in key lime juice and rind. Pour into baked pie shell. Prepare meringue by beating egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy; gradully add sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Pile meringue onto hot pie filling. Seal meringue to edge of crust. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool away from drafts. Serve as soon as cool.

Heidi and Carson's Wedding Quinoa Salad

1/2 cup quinoa, cooked according to pkg directions
2 green onions, chopped white and green parts or 1/8 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup celery, chopped (more if you like the crunch)
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or slivered almonds
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Let quinoa cool, then add remaining ingredients and toss with a good store bought Cranberry Dressing, if you have trouble finding a Cranberry Dressing then us a Raspberry Dressing ... Chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or serve at room temp. Great with grilled meat or fish .... enjoy

Makes 4 servings

Quinoa Salad

1/2 cup quinoa (double if feeding a crowd)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 garlic, minced
2 green onion chopped (use green part also)
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice (fresh if possible)
1 bunch curly parsley, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup chopped English cucumber
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Transfer to a bowl to cool sightly.

Mix remaining ingredients i a large serving bowl. Add quinoa and stir gently to combine. Can be served warm or cold, flavors are enhances by letting the dish sit for awhile.

Makes 4 servings ... serve alone cold as a salad or serve warm with grilled lamb, beef or chicken kebabs.

Broccoli Risotto

Ingredients:
1/4 c. olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 c. broccoli flowerets
2 1/3 c. chicken broth, heated and divided
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley, divided
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 small onion, diced
3/4 c. arborio rice, uncooked
2/3 c. dry white wine
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. butter
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided


Directions:
In a skillet, heat 2 T. oil. Saute garlic and broccoli until garlic is soft, ~ 3 min.
Add 1/3 c. chicken broth, 3 T. parsley, and S&P to taste.
Simmer, uncovered, until broccoli is tender, ~ 10 min.
Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a saucepan. Cook onion until tender, ~ 3 min.
Add rice and stir until rice is just coated. Stir in wine. Cook, stirring constantly, until all liquid is absorbed.
Add remaining hot broth, 1/3 c. at a time, stirring constantly allowing liquid to absorb between additions.

Cook, uncovered, until rice is creamy and grains are tender, ~ 20 min. Stir in lemon juice, butter, 3 T. parmesan cheese and reserved broccoli. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley.
Serve immediately.

recipe from cooks.com

Tagine Spices Marinade (Charmoula)

Charmoula, a Moroccan marinade of paprika, cumin, cilantro and garlic, is a classic seasoning for fish. "Tagine" refers to slowly simmered meat, fish and vegetable dishes that have both a sweet and savory flavor. Not to be confused, it is also the name of the earthenware dish in which these highly aromatic stews are prepared and served.


Spices:
◦ quarter teaspoon black pepper
◦ quarter teaspoon ground ginger
◦ pinch of saffron
◦ one teaspoon cumin (optional)
◦ one teaspoon turmeric (optional)
◦ one stick of cinnamon or a few pinches of ground cinnamon (optional)
◦ one teaspoon coriander (optional)

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

1 whole large chicken, cut into 8 pieces
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon saffron
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup green olives, pitted
3 small preserved lemons, pulp removed (you can find them in specialty stores; if you don’t have any substitute 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
 
Rinse and dry chicken and place onto a clean plate.
For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix three tablespoons olive oil, the coriander, cinnamon, saffron, salt, half the onions, garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika, and turmeric. Mix thoroughly, crush the garlic with your fingers, and add a little water to make a paste.
Roll the chicken pieces into the marinade and leave for 10 to 15 minutes.
To cook, heat the tagine base on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Drop in the chicken and pour excess marinade juices over the top. Add the remaining onions, olives, and chopped preserved lemons. Place the lid on the base, bring to a boil, and immediately reduce to a simmer.
Simmer on low for 50 minutes to 1 hour. (While chicken is cooking excess juices will bubble up and pool around the edges of the tagine; just carefully ladle the juice out into a bowl. After the chicken is cooked transfer the bowl of juices to a saucepan and cook on high, reducing the liquid for about 5 minutes -- essentially making a gravy -- and serve on top of the chicken.)
Serves 4-6

Holiday Pretzel Rings

• 1 bag of pretzel rings (typically labeled Holiday Rings, hard to find but available in season)
• 1 package Hershey’s Kisses (any variety of Kisses or Hugs, I've also used Rolo's with pecan on top)
• 1 package M&M’s (holiday M&M’s—light green, dark green and red—work nicely at Christmastime)
• red and green sugar crystals (optional)

Assembly
Using a lined cookie sheet or jelly roll pan (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray if necessary), place the pretzel rings flat on each sheet (using as many as you require). Unwrap the Hershey’s Kisses and place 1 Kiss in the center of each pretzel ring. Bake at 275 degrees F, for approximately 3 minutes—just enough to soften chocolate, not melt it (chocolate should stay in Kiss shape, but readily spread when a single M&M is pushed gently into the center). Remove from oven. Place a single M&M in the center of each Kiss, pressing down gently so the softened Kiss spreads and fills the center of the pretzel ring. If desired, sprinkle warm rings with red and green sugars crystals for additional color. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes (or until chocolate is firm), and serve as needed.
While you can leave these Holiday Rings at room temperature to serve, I prefer to store mine in the fridge and take them out as needed.

This recipe will allow you to make as many Holiday Rings as you need or desire. Be sure to make plenty though—they are addictive and tend to disappear in a hurry when serving holiday guests!
Enjoy!

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

3 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla
1 box vanilla wafers
1 can cherry pie filling

Beat all ingredients, except vanilla wafers and cherry topping, until fluffy. Drop 1 vanilla wafer into paper baking cup which is placed in a cupcake pan. Top wafer with cream cheese filling until 3/4 filled. Repeat process until all filling is used.
Bake at 350°F degrees for 15 minutes. Top with prepared pie filling, any flavor pie filling can be used.
Yield: 96 mini cheesecakes.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2 cups cooked wild rice or 1 pouch Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain Medley

2 Tbs EVOO, 1 Tbs Butter (for flavor)

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic finely diced

2 carrots, peeled & diced

2 stalks celery, diced

4 tablespoons all purpose flour

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup low fat milk

1 cup fat free half and half

2 cups diced, cooked chicken

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Prepare rice according to directions on package and reserve or use the already cooked pouch.



In a large saucepan, melt butter in EVOO over medium heat. Saute onion, carrot and celery; stir frequently until soft but not browned, about 7 minutes add garlic and continue to cook another minute or two (do not let the mixture brown). Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stirring constantly, gradually add stock, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes (this will make the mixture creamy). 



Add chicken, rosemary and rice, reduce heat to low and gently cook for 10 minutes; add milk and half and half (can use all milk or evaporated milk if desired) continue to warm the mixture but be careful not to boil. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serves 6 but recipe can be cut in half for smaller servings or just 2 people.