Banana Bread

This is a recipe that my mom has been making for years. I think it's really an excuse to keep all those old black bananas in the freezer. Anyway, it's delicious every time. What makes this recipe unique is the special ingredient of chocolate chips. I think she started doing that around the same time as making our pancakes with chocolate chips, too. My sister even added her own twist to it by putting cocoa powder in the mix.

Merrie's Banana Bread
Ingredients
3 ripe mashed bananas
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine (or 1/2 stick)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (I sometimes use whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1/2 cup milk, soured (add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar to the milk)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix well. In a separate bowl add the flower, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet mix along with the sour milk. Mix well. Add the nuts and chocolate chips.
Prepare 1 large bread pan (5 x 9) or 2 small bread pans (5 x 3) by buttering and flouring (or use a flour spray). Pour in the mix and tap lightly to smooth.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned on top and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before removing the bread from the pan to cool on baker's racks.

Enjoy! I like spreading some butter on the bread, but it's good plain, too.

Stir-Fried Tofu & Collard Greens

This is one of my favorite dishes to prepare. I started cooking it in my mini-wok in Cambodia over the little gas stove. For this recipe I get to use fresh collard leaves picked from my garden!

Ingredients
Firm tofu (I like Trader Joe's brand Extra Firm)
6-8 leaves of collard greens (or substitute kale, spinach or chard)
1/2 yellow onion cut into slivers
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
salt & sugar to taste
1 Tbsp oil

Directions
1. Begin cooking rice in an electric rice cooker or on the stove-top.

2. Heat wok with 1 Tbsp oil. Drain and cube tofu. Place in oil, salt and sugar, then cover. Cook until golden on one side before turning and cooking some more. Add minced garlic and stir in. Continue browning.

3. While tofu is cooking, separate collard leaves from stems by slicing down each side of the stem. Slice stems into 1 inch pieces. Fold leaves over onto each other and slice across the bundle to create thin slices. Slice onions. (If desired, other dense vegetables can be added to the stir-fry mix such as broccoli, cauliflower or cucumbers.)

4. When tofu is slightly crispy on the outside, add the collard stems and any other vegetable you'd like. Don't add the onions or leaves just yet. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan. Stir this together. Cover and let cook for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook another 2 or so minutes covered. Finally, add the collard leaves, mix in and cover for about 1 minute. (You can also leave off the cover and stir with a spoon.) Turn off the heat. Serve with steamed rice.

Garden Delights

My vegetable garden Squash uploaded by Nikkster

I am beginning to enjoy the fruits of my labor of a small home garden that I put together in my backyard using half wine barrels and other large terra cotta pots that were free.


My vegetable garden Collard Greens uploaded by Nikkster

I have enjoyed two yellow zuchhini squash so far, by steaming them and serving with steamed rice. Also enjoyed were several tender leaves of collard greens stir-fried with tofu and onions. In addition, my Bibb lettuce leaves have been a tender addition to my daily salads I take to work.


My vegetable garden Squash & Beans barrel uploaded by Nikkster

Soon the tomatoes will be producing as the first flower buds have appeared. There are also some beans just now growing. I don't think they get enough sun because the squash leaves have taken over. My peppers are slow but steady. I think they'll be late bloomers.

I can hardly wait for the tomatoes to start producing as I have high hopes for doing some canning of homemade spaghetti sauce.

The perfect peach

mmmmmmmm. . . I just ate the most perfect peach. It was the kind of peach that you slurp while eating with just the right balance of sweet and slightly tangy. The juice dribbled down my chin and hands.

It is so rare to find such delicious peaches anymore. This one had to come from the Central Valley of California. The only other time I had such wonderful peaches where when they came directly from the farmer in Dinuba, California when a cousin brought them during a visit.

Mac & Cheese with Broccoli

Baked Macaroni and Cheddar from Everyday with Rachel Ray Magazine

I made this last night. I had higher hopes that it might turn out better than my mom's version. Unfortunately it was not as good. Maybe 'cause it was a "light" version. I found the instructions a bit difficult to follow and ended up doing it my own way.

Ingredients

1 large bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size florets and stalks peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound whole wheat elbow pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 3)
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups low-fat milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
12 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse with cold water. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the broccoli in an even layer.

2. Fill the same pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.

OR,

Fill a large pasta pot that has a steamer basket with water. Bring to a boil. Add the steamer basket full of broccoli to steam. Take out the broccoli after a minute or so. Add the pasta and cook.

3. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°. In the same pot (as what? I'm guessing the broccoli? I just used another pot since I saved one with steamer basket in the pasta pot.), melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup milk until thickened, then whisk in 1 cup more. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, then whisk the mixture into the pot. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. (It actually took much longer to thicken for me.) Lower the heat and stir in the cheddar and 4 tablespoons parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pasta. Spoon the mixture over the broccoli.

4. In a small heatproof bowl, combine the garlic and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter; microwave at high power until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in the bread crumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Discard the garlic, then sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on the pasta. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

In the end, I still ate it. But prefer my mom's recipe as it tasted much smoother and cheesier. This one had a flour-y taste.

Mexican Rice

A perfect complement to Black Bean Enchiladas! It takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

1 cup white rice, long grain (not instant)
1 1/2 cups water
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 a yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
OR, 1 small can diced green chilies
1 tomato, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp oil

Directions

Saute garlic, rice, onions and bell peppers (but not green chilies if using) in a large, deep skillet until onions and peppers are soft.

Add water, tomato sauce, tomato and green chilies, if using. Stir then simmer covered for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for another 10 minutes.

Stir and serve!

Black Bean Enchiladas - easy

These are so easy to make and they are completely meat free! I found this recipe in a Pillsbury or some other cookbook and have been hooked ever since. They are very flexible when it comes to taste, style and ingredients.



Ingredients

1-2 sliced bell peppers (I prefer red or yellow or both), sliced in strips

1 yellow onion, sliced thinly

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained (or cook up your own!)

12 oz of shredded cheese (you pick the type; I like white cheddar or Monterey Jack), leave some extra for topping

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp oil

1 can of enchilada sauce, red or green (or make your own!)

12 or so tortillas (I like flour, but corn is just fine, too; I've even used wheat)

Directions

Warm the enchilada sauce if not already warm while preparing the vegies.

Add garlic to oil in a large skillet. Heat until slightly golden then add the onions and peppers. Stir fry until onions are transluscent.

Remove from pan adding to the black beans and mix.

Warm tortillas before adding a couple of tablespoons of the black been mix, cheese and a tablespoon of sauce. Roll and place in baking dish with some of the sauce spread on the bottom.

When baking dish is filled, top with the remaining sauce and cheese.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Serve with Mexican Rice.