Good Old Fashioned Banana Bread

Banana Bread (Preheat oven to 375)

1 C. crisco shortening (not oil)
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
2 C. (ripe) mashed Banana
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
4 C. sifted Flour
6 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 C. nuts (chopped) Walnuts or Pecans are best.

Cream shortening and sugar together, Beat eggs until light and add to sugar mixture, mash Bananas until almost all lumps are gone but not completely. Smallish lumps are fine. Add lemon to Bananas stir gently. Set aside.
Now the dry.
Sift Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt and add to sugar and egg mixture. Mix quickly, and add bananas now. Next stir in chopped nuts.
Now you have the choice of small little loaf pans or regular 1lb bread pans...your choice.

I don't usually time mine, But for your benefit I estimate it to be 45 mins for small mini loaves at 360 degrees and at least an hour to 1-1/4 hrs for large at 375. I use a wooden toothpick or wooden skewer to test for doneness at the time when the loaves are nicely browned and starting to split on top. The toothpick should not be gooey when you test in the middle and it's withdrawn.

Enjoy warm with butter or cold all by itself.

Special hint*
I like to freeze mine and I wrap it still warm in Glad press and seal wrap and freeze then wrap in foil to prevent freezer burn.
Thawing*
Allow to thaw in the wrap, the crust softens and makes it yummier! I make my breads well in advance of holidays and it has always been the BEST!

Chocolate Fondue

Chocolate Fondue

1/4 lb good bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 cup crème fraiche

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, espresso, brandy, orange oil, fruit syrup, or liqueur

In a small fondue pot, combine the chocolate, crème fraiche, butter, and flavoring. Place over the fondue burner, using the tea light, and allow the chocolate to melt. Stir until fondue is smooth.

Your chocolate fondue keeps up to a week in the refrigerator. Reheat over very low heat before serving.

Makes 2 cups, serves 8 to 12.
To serve, keep warm while guests dip any of the items below.
good dipping ideas
Strawberries (may be seasonal)

Pineapples (may be seasonal)

Bananas

Apple slices

Marshmallows

Maraschino Cherries

Pretzels

Potato chips

Cream Puffs

Assorted Cookies (especially butter cookies)

Rice Krispy Treats

pound cake

or drizzle over homemade ice cream scooped balls that have been refrozen after scooping and brought out just before its time to serve in a well chilled fancy bowl.

Todays dessert Mmmmm Lemon Bars

INGREDIENTS:
crust
1 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling
4 eggs, beaten until fluffy
2 cups sugar
5 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
Confectioners sugar for topping

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300.
In a large bowl, cream together
butter and confectioners sugar; then blend in flour
and salt.
Press mixture down in a flat buttered cookie
pan. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes.

While crust is baking,
in a medium bowl blend together eggs, sugar, lemon
juice and rind. Pour over crust.
Raise temperature to 350
and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes at 350.
Remove from oven and let cool. When cooled, sprinkle
generously with additional powdered sugar.