Hazel's Cranberry Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg -- beaten
1 large orange
2 tablespoons butter -- melted
1 cup pecans
1 cup cranberries -- sliced

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease loaf pan and set aside. Grate Orange rind and juice the orange. Combine this mixture in a 3/4 cup measurer. Add boiling water to make 3/4 cup liquid. Sift flour and mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add beaten egg, melted butter and orange juice mixture. Combine and stir in nuts and cranberries. Put in pan and bake for 1 hour, or until test done.

Note: This is a wonderful bread, I love the texture and flavor.

Poppy Seed Almond Bread

3 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk

Glaze:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

rMix the first 5 ingredients togethe. Combine flour, baking powder and salt together. Mix alternately with milk. Pour into pan and bake at 350° for 1 hour. While warm, mix glaze ingredients together and frost the bread. Cool completely before slicing.

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs -- lightly beaten
1/2 pound unsalted butter -- (2 sticks) melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar -- grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions -- white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 egg
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to the banana mixture and mix just until combined. Fold in nuts if desired. Transfer to a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Note: Whenever I make a quick bread like this, I always spray the pan with Pam and cut a strip of waxed paper to run along the bottom and up the ends. I then spray again and I never have a problem with getting the bread out of the pan.

Blueberry Lemonade

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 cups water
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about
10 big lemons -- including pulp but not seeds)


First make a simple syrup by combining 1 cup sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat stirring until the mixture boils. Lower the heat and allow the syrup to simmer for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool. In a blender or food processor, puree the blueberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar. In a pitcher combine the cooled syrup, lemon juice and blueberry puree. To serve, pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of base into a glass and fill with water. Makes base for 12 servings.


NOTES: This is a good base recipe - you can use raspberries or strawberries also.

Fruit Smoothie

1 10.5 ounce Soy Milk -- or Regular Milk
1 medium banana
2 cups unsweetened orange-pineapple juice -- chilled
1 8 ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple -- chilled

Combine all ingredients in electric blender; cover and process until smooth. Serve immediately.
Makes 5 cups

Trash

2 cups cheese-flavored "fish"
2 cups small pretzels
2 cups corn chex®
2 cups Frito's
1 cup peanuts
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Lawry's seasoning salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder

Melt margarine in large roasting pan in the oven. Stir in all seasonings and mi well. add rest of ingredients and stir to coat evenly. Bake at 250 degrees for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until mixture appears dry. Spread out on a large bath towel to cool. Store in a tightly covered container.


NOTES : My family use to make the classic chex mix until I found this recipe. It has a "bite" to it. I make it in the microwave. It is so much faster and you follow the same directions, but it takes a total of about 15 minutes.