Moist Banana Nut Bread

I really adore bananas and use them in many dishes, try to eat 4 to 5 of them a week and even make my own homemade Banana Cream Pie.

There are many banana nut bread recipes out there and many are pretty good. But of all the Banana Nut Bread recipes I have tried, (and there have been many), this one is my absolute favorite.  It turns out moist and delicious every time with lots of banana flavor. 

I also like that it makes enough to eat now and enough to save a loaf for later.  This recipe makes perfect mini loaves for gift giving around the Holidays.

This recipe came from my husband’s cousin’s wife Casey Elder.  She posted on Facebook in 2010 about how wonderful this bread was and something like her whole house smelled divine from baking banana nut bread.  (Maybe that part I envisioned in my own head, lol)

Broccoli Salad

Retro Recipe: Broccoli Salad

This is an oldie but still a favorite with my family and great to serve at parties, potlucks, holidays and barbecues.

I actually do not remember where I first tasted this salad but think it was either in the late 1970's or sometime in the 1980's.  Yea, that long ago!  
Years pasted and one summer after having a nice crop of home grown broccoli I decided to once again look up the recipe.
Broccoli Salad is simple to make, has ingredients you may already have on hand and is delicious. 
And a great way to get kids to eat broccoli!

Pumpkin Martini

Hosting a frightfully fun Fall or Halloween party this year?  Since pumpkin has long been a favorite for fall, why not serve a pumpkin adult beverage?

I served this at our annual Fall Party and it was a hit. This could also be served to guests before Thanksgiving dinner.

This Pumpkin Martini is ideal for autumn, but is delicious any time. It blends the flavors of vanilla with pumpkin and spices, and has a maple and graham cracker rim to push this drink into taste perfection.

Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin beer...... the recipes are endless.  And now that it's finally pumpkin season here's a pumpkin drink recipe, yea!
Another reason to celebrate Autumn!

Sleepy Hollow, New York

Autumn weekend in Sleepy Hollow, New York

From the listless repose of the place, and the peculiar character of its inhabitants, who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers, this sequestered glen has long been known by name of Sleepy Hollow ... A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere.

—Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

It's nearly autumn and time to start planning a few weekend trips for Fall Festivals, haunted houses, pumpkin picking and peak leaf-color drives.  I am a fall fanatic, I just love everything autumn.  So of course Washington Irving’s book The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorites.

Canning Hot Peppers

Most years we go through our garden fresh peppers pretty quick and never seem to have enough peppers. We use them on sandwiches, to make appetizers, on pizza and subs and as the main ingredient for Stuffed Hot Peppers.

So this spring I planted extra pepper plants.  Now, near the end of summer, I have such an over abundance of hot peppers I decided to can them so we have a supply this winter.

Peppers are also great as added heat or flavor booster in many dishes, soups, stew, in breakfast eggs, on a relish tray and in salads.  Their great on hot dogs too, along with this Homemade Pickle Relish!