Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread

Dorcas Annette Walker

Yesterday my computer died despite my repeated attempts to revive it along with frantic prayers. After years of coaxing it to perform it finally bit the dust. Last night my husband set up my new computer. Not only does the keyboard have the main letter keys and a number pad at the side, which I’ve gotten used to over the years, but this latest model also, has an extra row of buttons down each side. I’m being very careful to keep my fingers in the middle so I don’t hit something and make strange boxes pop up unexpectedly or horror of horrors completely delete my cooking column once I have typed it in. This ultra modern contraption is quite a departure from the machine I first learned to type on- now only found in antique stores or residing in some dusty attic. That typing machine rattled and made lots of noise as you vigorously pushed the keys downward with a sharp thumping movement in order for the key to strike the narrow strip of ink, hit the roller, and produce a letter. You quickly learned to type with accuracy; skinned knuckles were your reward for missing any key. In those days copies were made by carefully inserting two or more sheets of paper in the roller with a carbon paper in between. Any mistakes were taken care of by lifting up each copy and erasing by hand. I know that the latest technology is always advertised to save you time, but sometimes I wonder if the hours invested in learning how to operate the latest gadget is really all that time saving. Instead of gaining time to visit one’s neighbors, go for a drive, or sit out on the porch in the evenings, I find myself collapsing into bed each night hoping for an extra hour the next day in order to catch up.

When life becomes hectic I find myself sitting out on my front porch in my rocking chair nibbling on a home-baked goodie like a slice of Banana Nut Bread fresh from the oven. Then fortified by the simpler yet soul-filling things of life I can once again tackle the world of technology. Hopefully by next week I will have discovered the use for the row of buttons down each side of my keyboard- that I have lived for numerous years without and didn’t even miss. I can always escape to my kitchen if I get too befuddled.

My Banana Nut Bread is the old fashion version with a modern twist. The velvet-like moist texture makes a perfect snack with a cup of tea or coffee. You can add one cup of yogurt or a cup of shredded zucchini in place of the cream cheese. A cup of chocolate chips folded into the batter will turn your Banana Nut Bread into a special treat. Preparation time for my Banana Nut Bread takes only ten minutes and this recipe makes two loaves.

Banana Nut Bread

Mix together in a large bowl:
3 to 4 bananas (mashed with a little bit of milk)
½ c sugar
½ c cooking oil
2 eggs
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
2 c self-rising flour
½ c chopped nuts (your choice)
Pour batter into two greased loaf pans and bake at 350º for 45 minutes or until an inserted knife in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn the loaves out of the pans and let cool on a rack for five to ten minutes before slicing. Serve hot or cold!

Weekly tip: A quick way to separate the yolk of an egg from the white is to break the egg into a funnel over a glass. The white will pass through while the yolk will remain in the funnel!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, columnist, speaker, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcaswalker@twlakes.net. For more recipes check out her Creative Mountain Cookin page at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com

Homemade Zesty Salsa

Homemade Zesty Salsa

Dorcas Annette Walker

As the summer months wind down to a close I love gathering the remaining garden produce savoring the freshness for the winter months ahead. One way of using those last tomatoes is to make up a batch of salsa. Growing up we had pickled and hot relishes that used cucumbers as a base. Today salsa is a big hit with the younger generation. I was amazed to see my son that refuses to eat fresh tomatoes, consume jars of salsa. So I began making homemade salsa thrilled to see groups of teens at our house gobble up bowls of healthy vegetables disguised by the name of salsa.

The word salsa is a Spanish word for sauce that goes back to the Aztec culture where tomatoes, chilies, squash seeds, and even beans were used. In 1868, Edmund McIhenny began packaging aged pepper sauce in cologne bottles, which immediately became an overwhelming demand. David and Margaret Pace introduced the first commercial taco sauce in the United States in 1955. In the 1970’s the “whole food movement” trend swept the country adding to the popularity of salsa. Dan Jardine began producing salsa in Austin, Texas in 1975 giving Austin the reputation as the hot sauce capital of America. By the year 2000 more households bought salsa than ketchup. Today chunky salsa is currently the most popular form.

Salsa ranges from mild to sweet to spicy and is used as a dip for chips or to accompany any kind of food. Salsa generally has a tomato or corn base. There are over 500 recipes for salsa ranging from pineapple and blueberry to mango. Salsa is healthy as it is low in calories and contains little or no fat. Tomatoes and chilies contain vitamins A and C with tomatoes also having potassium. No matter what style of taste you prefer there is bound to be a salsa to meet your liking.

My Homemade Zesty Salsa is what I consider to be medium salsa. I’ve perfected this recipe under the advice and suggestions of different teens with my son being the chief advisor. My latest experiment this summer has resulted in a chunky salsa that my son declares is as good as or better than what you buy in the store. My Homemade Zesty Salsa is a combination of fresh vegetables and spices cooked for two hours over medium heat (just at a slow boil) and then sealed to preserve freshness. Preparation time for the Homemade Zesty Salsa will take a good half of a day or more. This recipe makes 30 pints.

Homemade Zesty Salsa

½ bushel of tomatoes
5 sweet green peppers
10 onions
5 (6 oz) cans of tomato paste
5 (15 oz) cans of tomato sauce
1 c sugar
1 c vinegar (white)
¼ c salt
4 tb crushed red pepper
2 tb garlic salt
1 tb parsley flakes
Blanch and peel skins off of the tomatoes and chop up into small chunks. Chop up the green peppers and onions in a food processor. Pour into a large canner. Mix in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, and salt. Stir in the crushed red pepper, garlic salt, and parsley. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil the ingredients for at least one hour at a slow boil. Pour the salsa into pint jars. Process pint jars in a hot water bath for fifteen minutes to completely seal.

Weekly tip: For a sure seal on your canned jars: always make sure that the jar edge has no nicks or cracks, moisten your finger and rub along the top edge to ensure that it is clean, tighten the lids as tight as possible, then process the jars under water!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, syndicated columnist, speaker, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcaswalker@twlakes.net For more recipes check out her Creative Mountain Cookin page at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com

Grape Salad Ambrosia

Grape Salad Ambrosia

Dorcas Annette Walker

We just received some much needed showers as the month of August ends. My birch tree leaves have already turned yellow and are falling to the ground signaling that autumn is right around the corner. The chilly nights makes it feel like fall is already here. I’ve finished harvesting the grapes from my vines. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised to discover that my two new grape vines turned out quite differently that I had planned.

My daughter has also inherited my jinxed gene. Like me, Dawn can’t resist checking out any plants for sale, especially during the springtime. She fell in love with a picture of a pink climbing Elizabeth Rose and bought a small plant that already had green leaves showing. Dawn selected a sunny spot near her other pink flowers, faithfully watered and nurtured it, anxiously waiting for the first pale pink rose. Everyday she would go outside to check on her rose. The rosebuds seem rather dark for pale pink but she figured that when they matured they would turn lighter. Finally the day came when the rosebuds opened up into full boom only to be a brilliant orange! Talk about a shock; an orange rose among pink flowers! The next year, still determined to have a climbing pink Elizabeth Rose, Dawn bought a larger plant. This time she planted the rose by itself as her faith was a bit shaken. The vigorous vine grew and her excitement grew as buds appeared and began opening. Unfortunately, her pink Elizabeth Rose turned out to be a dark red rose. If she had wanted a red climbing rose it would have been the perfect plant. The third spring Dawn was more determined than ever to get a pink Elizabeth Rose. This time she hunted until she found a pink Elizabeth Rose already blooming. When they sold their house, Dawn carefully transplanted her pink Elizabeth Rose. Today she enjoys the fragrant blooms each time she enters and exits her house.

In my front yard I have a climbing red rose that was supposed to have been a Peace Rose. A couple of years ago I bought two grape vines as I wanted to have white and red grapes to eat. I already have a large Concord grape vine that produces masses of dark purple Concord grapes that I make up into juice and jelly. Each year my vines have grown bigger waiting anxiously for my first harvest of white and red grapes. This year I was quite excited to see several clusters of grapes forming. I kept a close eye on my grapes impatient for my first taste of white and red grapes. At last the day came and I picked a fat green grape to taste. I quickly spit it out as it was quite sour. Not deterred I tried a reddish one, but it was just as sour. I figured that maybe the grapes needed more time to sweeten up. The next week when I checked all my grapes had turned dark purple! My husband laughed uproariously when I told him that my white and red grapevines were actually Concord. I still haven’t come to the conclusion whether it is the workers hired that misplace labels or if the nurseries themselves mislabel plants knowing that folks like us will continue to buy plants until we get what we want.

My Grape Salad Ambrosia is a scrumptious summer salad. This elegant grape salad has a smooth creamy base that surrounds the grapes with a nutty topping. The Grape Salad Ambrosia takes only fifteen minutes to prepare and this recipe serves ten to twelve.

Grape Salad Ambrosia

2 lb red grapes
2 lb white grapes
Wash, drain, and slice the grapes in half into a large bowl.

Beat together on high until smooth:
1 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 (16 oz) sour cream
½ c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Fold into the grapes until well blended. Garnish with one cup brown sugar and one cup of chopped pecans. Chill and serve!

Weekly tip: To make sugared grapes or leaves wash a small cluster of grapes or leaves, pat dry with a paper towel, and then dip into egg whites. Roll and press in regular sugar. Let dry for 12 hours. Store in an airtight container!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, syndicated columnist, speaker, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcaswalker@twlakes.net For more recipes check out her Creative Mountain Cookin page at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com