Banana Bread

I got this recipe from one of my mom's best friends, Paula Martin.

1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 mashed bananas

Cream together shortening, sugar and eggs.  Add flour, baking soda and bananas.  Bake for 1 hour at 325F.

Pumpkin-Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

6 eggs
4 cups sugar
11/2 cups oil
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1 lg. can pumpkin
3 ripe mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla
51/2 cups flour
3 tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
2 tsp heaping, cinnamon
1 tsp heaping, nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Spray baking pans with flour spray.  Mix eggs, sugar and the rest of the wet ingredients.  Add dry ingredients.  Bake at 350.  Regular-sized muffins: 25 minutes.  Mini-muffins:  15-18 minutes.  Bread:  1 hour.

Easy Breadsticks

1 T yeast
2 T sugar
11/2 cups warm water
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1 cube butter
garlic powder and parmesan cheese or cinnamon and sugar

Mix first four ingredients in a bowl.  Add 3 cups flour, mix and knead for 3 minutes; let dough rest 10 minutes.  While dough is resting, melt butter and pour on jelly roll pan.  Roll out dough and cut with pizza cutter.  Cut dough into 1/2" wide strips.  Roll in butter on the cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with seasonings.  This can set in the fridge covered.  Let rise until doubled and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Blueberry Banana Bread

From the kitchen of:  Stella Stoddard

There were a few things that Robert could count on when he visited his Grandma and Grandpa Stoddard;  Fat Boys, Creamies and a strongest handshake competition with his Grandpa.  There was usually Blueberry Banana Bread too.  It was delicious and perfectly dense like good banana bread should be.  One day when we visited I asked Grandma for her recipe.  I'm so glad I did!

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

4 cups flour, divided

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

5 medium, ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp vanilla

1 T ground allspice

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 325.  Grease and flour two 9x5 loaf pans.  Toss blueberries with 2 T flour, set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, bananas and vanilla; mix on low speed, scraping sides of bowl.  Add remaining flour, allspice and next 3 ingredients; beat on low speed until well blended.  Fold in berries.  Pour batter into pans.  Bake 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes on rack, then remove from pans and cool completely.  Serve with loving thoughts of Grandma Stoddard and gratitude for having known her! :)