Moist Banana Bread

I love to look at all of the recipes and notes in our Grandma's old recipe book that she started to put together in 1929. I still laugh when I page through it and see all of the hand-written recipes, the little notes and the titles of some of the recipes, such as Date Bread (Mrs. Ness), Francis' Chocolate Cake (oh very good!!), Very Good Gingerbread Mix. So today I thought I would try "Mrs. Erickson's Banana Bread." I don't know who Mrs. Erickson is, but I would say either a neighbor or a church lady. Update: mystery solved, I called Mom and she said Mrs. Erickson was her piano teacher! She also said her house always smelled like baked goods - love it!!
Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sour milk (make this using 1/2 c milk and add 1 tsp white vinegar)
3 eggs
1/2 cup shortening (I used 1/3 cup canola oil instead)
3 overly-ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
There were no instructions except bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, so... these are my instructions - haha!

• Mix all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. 
• In another bowl, mix the liquid ingredients. 
• Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula. 
• Add the mashed bananas and nuts (if you like nuts) and stir. 
• I use coconut oil to grease my loaf pan and lightly dust it with flour.

Bake at 325F for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Check with a toothpick (stick in the top) if it comes out clean, your banana bread is done. Remove from the oven, let cool, remove from pan, slice and serve. Enjoy!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Make A Head Bran Muffins

This is a Bran Muffin recipe we have had for years. It's from a restaurant we liked to eat at as a family when we were younger, like way younger, in the 1980's! It  has closed since then. Luckily our dad asked them for the recipe! It makes about 6 1/2 dozen but you can keep the mixture in the fridge for up to 6 weeks..if you have it around that long!
Here's what you need:

In one large bowl (one big enough to hold all the ingredients but can fit in your refrigerator) If you don't have room in your fridge, you can split it up once you have mixed it up.

Start by pouring boiling water over the All-Bran cereal and let sit while you mix up the other 2 bowls of ingredients

• 2 c. All-Bran cereal
• 2 c. boiling water

Cream the following ingredients together in the bowl you will be storing in the fridge (the big bowl). Then add the water/bran mixture (from above). Mix by hand once the bran is added, don't over mix, you want to keep the texture of the bran.

• 2 1/3 c sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup oil (I usually use canola)
• 1 quart cultured low-fat buttermilk

Mix the following ingredients in another large bowl (I just use my hands to mix the dry ingredients together).

• 5 c. flour
• 4 c. roughly All Bran cereal (I use the rest of the box after I take out the 2 cups from the first step).
• 5 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Slowly stir the dry mixture into the wet a little at a time to avoid over mixing. You may still have some lumps.  This mixture should be made at least a day before to let the ingredients thicken and combine. Just give it a gentle stir when you are ready to bake them.

Bake in greased muffin pan at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean..or if you test my way, push down gently with your finger, if it dents...they aren't ready yet.

~Simply Angie

Breakfast Casserole

This recipe has been around a long time but it is so easy to put together and yummy, it is a favorite! You can even make it the night before, keep it in the refrigerator and bake it in the morning. We modified it using our favorite things! There are many versions so we hope you enjoy ours! This makes about 6 servings.
Ingredients:
3 c hash browns, frozen or fresh
1 c shredded cheese
1 c cooked sausage (you could also use ham, ground beef, vegan crumbles or bacon)
1/2 shallot, diced
5 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c milk
salt and pepper to taste
* You can also add green pepper, mushrooms, red pepper, onion...all your favorite veggies!!

• Heat oven to 350F. Grease your baking dish, I used coconut oil and a 2 quart casserole dish. 
• If you are using sausage or ground beef, cook your meat first, with the shallots, in a medium pan over medium heat on the stove.
• I like to layer my casserole because I like to be in order - haha! (it's true). I put the potatoes on the bottom of the dish, then the cheese and the meat (or meatless crumbles). 
• Whisk the eggs, then add the milk to them and whisk a few more minutes.
• Pour egg and milk mixture over the potatoes, cheese and meat mixture.
• Bake uncovered for 55 minutes to an hour. If it starts to get too brown around the edges, turn the oven down to 340F.
• Remove from oven and let it stand for about 5-8 minutes before serving. Slice and serve.

I usually serve this with fresh fruit or juice and a muffin or toast. This makes a great evening meal too! Enjoy!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Monkey Bread

 

Monkey bread is always a favorite weekend treat! It doesn't take very long to put it all together and my family can hardly wait for me to take it out of the oven!

Ingredients:

3 cans buttermilk biscuits, quartered (we usually all just take a biscuit and tear it into a few pieces)

1 1/2 c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

1/4 c evaporated or regular milk

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1/4 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar (I use the leftover sugar from above and add a little more if needed to make 1 cup, it's ok that the cinnamon is already mixed in)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Remove the biscuits from the packages and cut into quarters. Pour the sugar and cinnamon into a large baggie. Add the biscuit quarters to the baggie, seal the top and shake until the biscuit pieces are covered with sugar and cinnamon. 
• Place the biscuit pieces in an ungreased bundt pan.
• Mix the topping ingredients together and cook in a small pan over low heat on the stove until they are well blended. (You could also heat them in the microwave).
• Pour topping over biscuits and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let sit in pan for about 5 minutes.
• Place a large plate over the top of the pan and tip upside down. 
• Remove the pan and get ready to eat! 

~ Simply Angie