This Wife Cooks

Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 large, ripe bananas 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or half-and-half or milk, if you prefer) 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon Directions: Puree bananas in food processor, add butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and whipping cream. Sift dry ingredients together; stir into banana mixture. Pour into a greased (I use a spray) 9x5x3-inch loaf pan (I use my mini-loaf pan). Cinnamon Topping: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon flour 1 tablespoon cinnamon Mix all ingredients, should make somewhat of a "dough". Put in an icing piping bag, squeezing into bread batter making a zig-zag pattern, with approximately 1 tablespoon of mix in each section (see the following image). Bake at 350 for 1 hour, or until golden brown and bubbly. (When using mini-loaf pan, bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until...

This really does make the best sugar cookies ever! Ingredients 1 1/2 cups butter, softened 2 cups white sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt Directions 1 .  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight). 2 .  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. 3 .  Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely. *Makes 5 dozen cookies

Thanks to Gia ! INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup Light Karo Syrup (not dark-doesn't set right) 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup SWEETENED CONDENSED milk 1 t. vanilla 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) Buttered 8x8 baking dish DIRECTIONS Melt butter in large microwave bowl. Stir in Karo syrup, both sugars and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until dissolved. Microwave on high 3-1/2 minutes. Stir down and scrape sides of bowl. Microwave on high 3-1/2 minutes. (this will be soft-ball stage). Stir in vanilla and nuts (if you add them at all). Pour into buttered dish and refrigerate until set. Cut into square and wrap each in wax paper. Enjoy!

In a bowl, mix together: • 1 lb. ground beef • 1/4 garlic salt • 1 teaspoon onion powder • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper • 1 egg • 1 cup bread crumbs • 1/4 cup water • 1/2 cup uncooked rice Place a head of cabbage in boiling water, and steam until pliable. Use 8 - 12 of them. Place a little bit of the meat/rice mixture into each cabbage leaf, and roll up, tucking the ends and side as you finish. Place in casserole dish, seam/open side down. Sprinkle on top of the cabbage rolls: • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder Then pour over top 1 (15-ounce) can of tomato sauce mixed with 1/4 cup water. Cover with foil and bake in 375 degree oven for 1 hour, 15 minutes.

Ingredients 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 3 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F), divided 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons salt Cornmeal Directions In a 4-qt. non-metallic bowl, dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of flour until smooth. Cover loosely with a clean towel. Let stand in a warm place (80 degrees F-90 degrees F) to ferment for 48 hours; stir several times daily. (The mixture will become bubbly and rise, have a "yeasty" sour aroma and a transparent yellow liquid will form on the top.) Stir in milk powder, butter, sugar, salt, remaining water and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. (Do not knead.) Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Turn onto a floured surface; punch dough down. (Do not knead). Divide in half. Shape each into a round loaf. Heavi...

***Serve these with yummy Pumpkin Pie Dip .*** Gingerbread Cookies 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 3/4 tsp salt 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp (freshly) ground nutmeg pinch ground black pepper (optional) 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1/4 cup coffee or water 1 tsp vanilla extract In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses, water and vanilla, then gradually add in flour mixture until a smooth dough forms. Divide dough into two or three pieces (dough will be quite soft), cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm. Preheat oven to 375F. For softer cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just under 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie c...

Photo Courtesy of Erin @ The Sweet Life 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened 2c. confectioners' sugar 1c. canned  pumpkin 1tsp. ground cinnamon 1tsp.  pumpkin  pie spice 1/2tsp. ground ginger In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth.  Gradually add the  pumpkin , cinnamon,  pumpkin  pie spice, and ginger; beat until smooth. Yield: 4 cups.

Hamburger (1/2 pound of 93% ground beef is what I used) 15 Ritz crackers, finely crushed 1 egg 2 pieces of bread, that have been soaked in either half-and-half or milk, so they're saturated a teaspoon of salt (I use Lawry's Garlic Salt) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder OR freshly minced garlic (eliminate this if you use Garlic Salt) about 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon parsley 1 teaspoon onion powder not quite a tablespoon of Italian seasoning (you can use a whole tablespoon if you prefer, I just don't) a tablespoon or so of olive oil 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese Combine all ingredients, using a fork or pastry blender to mix (or your hands, for best results) Using a tablespoon or mini-ice cream scoop for measuring, roll into balls and set aside while a drizzle of olive oil is heating in a non-stick skillet. Cook on medium-high for 4 - 7 minutes, until brown. Bake in 375 oven for 10 - 12 minutes.