Banana Bread

The banana tree is actually an herb. My sister in-law, the fab lady who seems to be able to recite the botanical names of all the plants she comes in contact with refused to believe this. I had to go  and get my loved copy of Alan Davidson's, The Oxford Companion to Food, and show her. Bananas are a marvelous fruit. They travel well in their own carrying case, freeze well and whip up into delicious smoothies with a full, flavorful mouth feel and they make an amazing quick bread. I have made banana bread for my boys since they were young. For a treat I will throw a handful of chocolate chips on the top of the batter before I bake it. This banana bread comes form Cook--You Can Cook Fast Healthy Meals For Your Family, Whitecap Books.
This afternoon tea and a slice of banana bread!

Great Auntie Irene's Cookies

My Great Auntie Irene was a mod gal.  She was born in 1907 and passed away in her 99th year in 2006. She never had children  but embraced my aunts and uncles and all their broods as her own. She met and married my Uncle Charlie, an American, in 1953.

She was young in the roaring 20's and filled my head with fantastic stories. I loved hearing about the parties, hats, shoes and outfits best and bless her soul she remembered every one of them. I too love a great hat and a sparkling new shoe.

When my kids were little and new shoes were far and few between I was overwhelmed as the holidays approached. I wanted to bake cookies but could barley furrow up the energy for one batch let alone the  2-3 I wanted.  Aunt Irene came to my rescue and passed along one of her cookie recipes she had been making since she was a girl. They are simple and everyone loves them. She would make 3 different looking cookies from the same recipe. It looks like you have been baking all day. I included Aunt Irene's recipe in my book Cook--You Can Cook Fast, Healthy Meals For Your Family published by Whitecap Books.

Jam Thumbprints – Aunt Irene’s  Cookies

Oven Temperature: 350˚F

Baking Time: 10-12 minutes

Equipment: Cookie sheets

Servings: 40 cookies

Ingredients

2½ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup non-hydrogenated lard

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 Ingredient Options

Raspberry jam

Beaten egg and toasted pecans, chopped

Order of Events

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar and baking soda.

3. In a large bowl, cream butter and lard with sugars.

4. Add egg and vanilla and blend well. Blend in dry ingredients.

5. Roll into small balls and press with thumb and put jam in center. Or press flat, dip in beaten egg, and press into chopped toasted pecans. Or press flat and leave plain.

6. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 10-12 minutes until evenly brown, rotate pans half way through baking.

7. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet, remove to wire rack to cool.

Kitchen Gossip

For the timed-starved, you can make 3 different-looking cookies with this one recipe.

TELL ME AGAIN WHY YOU NEED TO BUY BOXED COOKIES

Deb Anzinger P.H.Ec.

Shadow Parents

Sometimes parents need to be in the shadows.
Standing back and letting my children make their own decisions is what I have to do. Its not easy. My nature is to organize, delegate and get everyone moving. My goal is to have independent, happy children who put their own partners first just as my partner and I do for each other. I need to give them space to organize and think for themselves. I will be there if they need me. Watching them take chances, reach for goals and grow their self confidence is a priceless gift.

My Sous Chef Has Flown the Coop

Big Burly Boys love to eat.

It is a joy to watch them re energize with healthy, colorful, good for you food.

I call my boys my Sous Chefs. I am the Big Kahuna, the Organizer, usually the Shopper and certainly the Head Chef! I relish my role and love to delegate.

One of my Sous Chefs has flown the coop. Not for good, thank god, for the summer.

Will I survive without my sous chef? Will he survive without a Head Chef?

Part of me wants to think he will be lost at sea without his mother to delegate jobs to him. One of his comments before leaving was" Mom what are you going to do when you can't think for me any more" That hurt but the comment had truth. Please do not tell him I said so!

When I asked him if he would be eating a lot of Burritos from the Burrito Grill, they are fabulous, he looked at me and smiled, " Mom as long as I have your book Cook with me I will be fine, I am hoping to invite the guys in for dinner."

Guys welcome to your new roles as Sous Chefs.

Deb Anzinger, Professional Home Economist, author of Cook--You Can Cook Fast, Healthy Meals For Your Family

Work Your Sous Chefs

My alter ego, Bunny Cleaver, is always throwing her arms up in the air and extolling the virtues of working your own personal Sous Chefs. Sous Chefs being any family or friends you can enlist in the kitchen to help.

They do not always come willingly, plus sometimes I just want to be on my own, but undoubtedly they do rise to the occasion, take an interest and enjoy the time they spend creating or cleaning. I often have to lure them in with promises of something good to eat. Look at the size of these 2, eating is always on their minds.

The interesting thing is we learn from each other when working in the kitchen together and they develop their own personal specialties. I have among the specialties in the house a mashed potato specialist, a chili specialist, 2 waffle specialists and new specialties are developing every day.

 The most marvelous part, these are things I no longer have to do.

Hurah! Yells Bunny

Sweet Green Salad

Green is a fabulous color. Green grass, green leaves, green honeydew melon, green kiwi. I have been thinking of color a lot. The summer is sensational for color. Last week I made a fruit salad with 3 colors. It was beautiful and very appealing. Plus the more color the more varied the nutrients.

When I was 19 I traveled around Australia. I remember a young Australian making a Green Salad at the Youth Hostel one night. I was intrigued. One color, it was very opposite of the way I think. I liked that. I liked the look of the salad and the taste. I know he had kiwi and melon and green grapes. We were in grape growing local and the grapes he used were local. I did not have any green grapes tonight but I had a honeydew melon and kiwi. The kiwi are a bit tart but the honeydew is at its peak and sweet beyond description. Together they are perfect.

Put a green salad together with your Sous Chefs. If your thinking of a variety of nutrients, Just add other colors into your meal!

Best, Deb aka Bunny Cleaver

1 Savory & 2 Sweet Strawberry Recipes

 Hello all,

I promised you recipes for strawberries and here they are.

Best. Deb aka Bunny Cleaver

Healthy High Energy Ice Pops

Recipe from Cook—You Can Cook Fast, Healthy Meals For Your Family

Author Deborah Anzinger P.H.Ec.

Whitecap Books Inc. Publishing

Freezing Time: 4-6 hours

Equipment: Blender or Food Processor, Ice Pop Forms

Makes: 6 or more Ice Pops depending on size of form

Ingredients

1 cup yogurt (flavoured or plain)

2 handfuls of favorite fruit (bananas, berries, stone fruit, favorite)

1 cup fruit juice (orange, apple, favorite)

Order of Events

1.    Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well blended.

2.    Pour into Ice Pop Forms

3.    Freeze until solid, and then remove ice pops by running forms under hot water.

4.    Enjoy!

Table Talk

Ice Pops are the perfect warm weather treat. Have your sous chefs put them together before you head out and a fun, healthy, cool snack will be waiting on your return. Ice Pops are different each time you make them depending on the mix of yogurt, fruit and juice.

Minted Fruit Salad

Deborah Anzinger P.H.Ec.

Equipment: medium saucepan, large bowl

Makes: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

I bunch mint, cleaned and chopped, reserve 4-6 whole leaves for garnish

½ cup water

2-4 Tbsp sugar or honey, depends on how sweet you like things &tartness of fruit

2 cups strawberries, cleaned, hulled, quartered

2 cups green grapes, cleaned, sliced

2 cups cantaloupe, cleaned, peeled, cut into bite size pieces

(Roughly 1 pound each of fruit)

Order of Events

1.    Combine water and sugar or honey in saucepan, bring to a simmer. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add chopped mint, simmer 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool completely; strain and discard mint.

2.    In a large bowl combine cooled syrup with strawberries, kiwis or grapes and cantaloupe. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

3.    Before serving garnish with reserved mint leaves.

Table Talk

The three colours in this Minted Fruit Salad make it beautiful; red, green and orange. If you want to switch out a fruit, no problem just try for the three colours. Strawberries could be switched up with other berries or watermelon. The green grapes could be switched up with kiwis or honeydew melon. The cantaloupe could be switched up with pineapple. Use your favorites.

Savory Strawberry Sauce – Perfect with Chops

Deborah Anzinger P.H.Ec.

Equipment: Medium Saucepan or Frypan

Makes: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

1 tsp butter

½ cup onion, chopped fine

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

¼ tsp salt

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

3 Tbsp water

1 pound strawberries, sliced

1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

Order of Events

1.    Heat pan on medium, reduce heat to low and add butter, onion, thyme and salt. Cook on medium 5-8 minutes, stirring often.

2.    Add vinegar and water. Cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Stir in sliced strawberries and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

3.    Serve with grilled meat.

Table Talk

This savory strawberry sauce is fresh and chunky with whole slices of berry. Serve it with any grilled meal especially chops.