1 c sugar
2/3 c butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp. baking soda
4 ripe bananas
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)
Mix in the usual fashion for a cake*. Bake in an 8- or 9-inch square pan at 350F for 35-40 min.
The rest of the story
This recipe originally came from my mother's "Mammy" (grandmother), who would have been cooking for children in the early 20th century in, approximately, Arkansas. Mom would have eaten this in the 1930s-1940s. I'm not sure which grandmother "Mammy" was -- 50% chance it was the one on whose farm my mother grew up during the Depression as part of a multi-generational extended family -- but I do remember my mother's delight at getting her hands on this recipe. We made it together within the week.
Then I misplaced it. I'd been looking for it for awhile now, because I was pretty sure I'd had it at some point. I particularly wanted it because the food bank almost always has bananas, but they're often very ripe and/or badly bruised (bananas bruise incredibly easily) -- perfect for banana bread (meh) or Mammy's banana cake! So now I'm almost as delighted as Mom was to have it again. Even if it did mean going through an entire file box of old printouts and photocopies.
As a side note, my family seems to have a tradition of losing and rediscovering grandmothers' recipes, and I am extremely grateful for the rediscovery part of that. And... let's see, my soapbox has to be around here somewhere... Labor Day weekend is coming up, a nice three-day with few socially-mandated activities connected to it; why not take this time to gather your favorite recipes from any remaining parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents? And if you're a parent/grandparent/great-grandparent, why not gather up your descendants' favorite recipes into a notebook or (well backed-up) computer file as a first-apartment-warming gift? Your descendant is only six? Well, put it somewhere safe until it's wanted, but write 'em out now; your survival is not guaranteed. Your descendants are already on their second mortgage? Well then, it's about time they had their culinary birthright!
*There are about three different ways to mix cake batter, depending on the age of the recipe. When I make this cake, I just go with the given order of ingredients: cream the butter, sugar, and eggs, add the flour and baking soda, then the bananas and nuts. I need to do more research on this topic; I vaguely remember reading about a "new" method of mixing cake batter that appeared in the mid-20th century and made the process much easier, but recall none of the details (how frustrating).
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
Showing posts with label bananas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bananas. Show all posts
01 September, 2018
11 January, 2017
Newsletters: 13 July, 2011
Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 13 July, 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the garden
The WSU Master Gardeners say July is a good time to start planning for fall and winter crops. Start broccoli, cabbage, and kale for transplanting; plant carrots, peas, and rutabagas directly. Normally beans, cucumbers, and summer squash come on in July but they may be a little late this year. Keep an eye on the zucchini, though, so they don't sneak up on you and get too big for anything but zucchini bread before you pick them. There's always Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch night (8 Aug.) but the more you catch at the 6-inch stage, the quicker you'll be able to get rid of the ones you missed.
This also a good time to stop watering your lawn and let it go dormant. It'll get rather brown but I promise it'll spring right back when the fall rains begin (whether you want it to or not), and you won't have to mow it for most of August. That'll give you more time for wandering the night with overgrown zucchini.
In the kitchen
I'm told July is Nectarine and Garlic Month -- I hope that doesn't mean we should eat them together! As tempted as I am to go hunting for recipes that use both (come to think of it, I may have one), I think it's time for some more exotic (or at least unusual) summer drinks.
Bee sting
1 Tbsp honey, warmed if possible
1 Tbsp balsamic or raspberry vinegar
1.5 cup seltzer or sparkling water, chilled
ice cubes
Combine honey and vinegar; add water and stir once. Serve over ice.
Source unknown
Salty puppy
coarse salt
crushed ice
1 cup grapefruit juice
club soda, chilled
fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
Moisten rims of 2 glasses and dip in salt. Fill with ice and divide juice between them. Fill with club soda.
Source unknown
Lotus blossom
1 ripe banana, peeled and chunked
1 ripe peach, peeled, pitted, and chunked
1 ripe nectarine, "
dash almond extract
24 oz. chilled ginger ale
Puree all ingredients except ginger ale until smooth. Pour ca. 1 c each into 5 tall glasses and fill with ginger ale. Stir gently.
Source unknown
In the garden
The WSU Master Gardeners say July is a good time to start planning for fall and winter crops. Start broccoli, cabbage, and kale for transplanting; plant carrots, peas, and rutabagas directly. Normally beans, cucumbers, and summer squash come on in July but they may be a little late this year. Keep an eye on the zucchini, though, so they don't sneak up on you and get too big for anything but zucchini bread before you pick them. There's always Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch night (8 Aug.) but the more you catch at the 6-inch stage, the quicker you'll be able to get rid of the ones you missed.
This also a good time to stop watering your lawn and let it go dormant. It'll get rather brown but I promise it'll spring right back when the fall rains begin (whether you want it to or not), and you won't have to mow it for most of August. That'll give you more time for wandering the night with overgrown zucchini.
In the kitchen
I'm told July is Nectarine and Garlic Month -- I hope that doesn't mean we should eat them together! As tempted as I am to go hunting for recipes that use both (come to think of it, I may have one), I think it's time for some more exotic (or at least unusual) summer drinks.
Bee sting
1 Tbsp honey, warmed if possible
1 Tbsp balsamic or raspberry vinegar
1.5 cup seltzer or sparkling water, chilled
ice cubes
Combine honey and vinegar; add water and stir once. Serve over ice.
Source unknown
Salty puppy
coarse salt
crushed ice
1 cup grapefruit juice
club soda, chilled
fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
Moisten rims of 2 glasses and dip in salt. Fill with ice and divide juice between them. Fill with club soda.
Source unknown
Lotus blossom
1 ripe banana, peeled and chunked
1 ripe peach, peeled, pitted, and chunked
1 ripe nectarine, "
dash almond extract
24 oz. chilled ginger ale
Puree all ingredients except ginger ale until smooth. Pour ca. 1 c each into 5 tall glasses and fill with ginger ale. Stir gently.
Source unknown
06 July, 2016
White Peach Raspberry Smoothie
2 cups chopped white peaches
1/2 cup chopped banana
1/4 cup raspberries
1/2 cup sweetened vanilla almond milk, or your preferred substitute
3-4 ice cubes
honey to taste
Place all ingredients except honey in a blender and process until smooth. Add honey to sweeten if necessary.
Adapted from The Clever Carrot
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
1/2 cup chopped banana
1/4 cup raspberries
1/2 cup sweetened vanilla almond milk, or your preferred substitute
3-4 ice cubes
honey to taste
Place all ingredients except honey in a blender and process until smooth. Add honey to sweeten if necessary.
Adapted from The Clever Carrot
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
10 February, 2016
Bananas
native to: the Indo-Malaysian region
in season: all year
Bananas are members of the Musacaea family; although the plants can grow as tall as 26 ft., they're not trees, they're a tree-like herb arising from rhizomes, and the banana is actually a berry. Once a plant flowers it dies back and new plants develop from the rhizome. A bunch of bananas is called a hand, and, yes, that makes a single banana a finger. The plant needs 10-15 months without frost to produce a flower stalk, and all but the most hardy stop growing if the temperature drops below 53F or rises above 100F. Bananas grow best in full sun but bright sunlight can scorch both leaves and fruit. Although there are 50 recognized species of banana, mostly what you'll get in the US is the Canevdish variety. Bananas probably originated in Malaysia, spreading throughout the Philippines and into India before being brought to Africa by Arabian traders. Portuguese explorers took them to the Americas in 1482, but they didn't arrive in the US until the late 19th century. Even then, they were only available in port towns; if you've ever had your bananas thrown about by a careless checker you'll understand why.
Bananas are picked green and should be stored at room temperature. Refrigerating bananas will keep them from ripening, even if you let them warm up again later. Frozen bananas will keep for about 2 months either pureed or peeled and wrapped in plastic. Banana peels, when carefully washed, are edible, most often boiled or fried although they can be eaten raw or included in a smoothie. Peels contain vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium, potassium, and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and carotenoids.
Bananas themselves are starchy when green, sugary when ripe, and are high in potassium, which is important for preventing high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease, as well as being good for muscles, bones, and joints. They have a moderate glycemic index and are a good source of fiber, so are good for the digestion. They even have fructose-containing carbohydrates that are good for your gut bacteria. Those low glycemic carbs are great for athletes, providing energy and minerals like a sports drink without all that sugar water. Bananas are particularly good for children, being linked to lower risks of childhood leukemia and asthma. They also provide vitamins A, B6 and C, biotin, manganese, potassium, and copper. Bananas also contain tryptophan, although they've managed to escape turkey's reputation for causing drowsiness. Tryptophan may play a role in preserving memory and preventing depression. Bananas' B6 can reduce swelling, strengthen the nervous and immune systems, and help with weight loss.
Plantain bananas, usually eaten cooked, are starchier and treated more like a vegetable; they're higher in beta-carotene than sweet bananas.
Eaten in huge quantities, bananas can raise blood sugar, cause headaches and sleepiness, and create unhealthily high levels of magnesium (which relaxes the muscles) and potassium (which causes hyperkalemia, the symptoms of which are muscle weakness, temporary paralysis, and irregular heartbeat). To avoid these problems, limit yourself to fewer than a dozen bananas per day. Beta-blockers can raise potassium levels, so if you're taking those, you might even want to stay a little lower than that. If you ask me, though, if someone's eating a dozen bananas a day they probabaly need professional help of some kind anyway.
Read more:
label-style nutrition information for raw bananas
the plant and its cultivation from California Rare Fruit Growers
livescience.com
Banana Boat Song on YouTube
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
in season: all year
Bananas are members of the Musacaea family; although the plants can grow as tall as 26 ft., they're not trees, they're a tree-like herb arising from rhizomes, and the banana is actually a berry. Once a plant flowers it dies back and new plants develop from the rhizome. A bunch of bananas is called a hand, and, yes, that makes a single banana a finger. The plant needs 10-15 months without frost to produce a flower stalk, and all but the most hardy stop growing if the temperature drops below 53F or rises above 100F. Bananas grow best in full sun but bright sunlight can scorch both leaves and fruit. Although there are 50 recognized species of banana, mostly what you'll get in the US is the Canevdish variety. Bananas probably originated in Malaysia, spreading throughout the Philippines and into India before being brought to Africa by Arabian traders. Portuguese explorers took them to the Americas in 1482, but they didn't arrive in the US until the late 19th century. Even then, they were only available in port towns; if you've ever had your bananas thrown about by a careless checker you'll understand why.
Bananas are picked green and should be stored at room temperature. Refrigerating bananas will keep them from ripening, even if you let them warm up again later. Frozen bananas will keep for about 2 months either pureed or peeled and wrapped in plastic. Banana peels, when carefully washed, are edible, most often boiled or fried although they can be eaten raw or included in a smoothie. Peels contain vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium, potassium, and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and carotenoids.
Bananas themselves are starchy when green, sugary when ripe, and are high in potassium, which is important for preventing high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease, as well as being good for muscles, bones, and joints. They have a moderate glycemic index and are a good source of fiber, so are good for the digestion. They even have fructose-containing carbohydrates that are good for your gut bacteria. Those low glycemic carbs are great for athletes, providing energy and minerals like a sports drink without all that sugar water. Bananas are particularly good for children, being linked to lower risks of childhood leukemia and asthma. They also provide vitamins A, B6 and C, biotin, manganese, potassium, and copper. Bananas also contain tryptophan, although they've managed to escape turkey's reputation for causing drowsiness. Tryptophan may play a role in preserving memory and preventing depression. Bananas' B6 can reduce swelling, strengthen the nervous and immune systems, and help with weight loss.
Plantain bananas, usually eaten cooked, are starchier and treated more like a vegetable; they're higher in beta-carotene than sweet bananas.
Eaten in huge quantities, bananas can raise blood sugar, cause headaches and sleepiness, and create unhealthily high levels of magnesium (which relaxes the muscles) and potassium (which causes hyperkalemia, the symptoms of which are muscle weakness, temporary paralysis, and irregular heartbeat). To avoid these problems, limit yourself to fewer than a dozen bananas per day. Beta-blockers can raise potassium levels, so if you're taking those, you might even want to stay a little lower than that. If you ask me, though, if someone's eating a dozen bananas a day they probabaly need professional help of some kind anyway.
Read more:
label-style nutrition information for raw bananas
the plant and its cultivation from California Rare Fruit Growers
livescience.com
Banana Boat Song on YouTube
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
27 January, 2016
Fish and bananas
This became a great favorite of mine in Bermuda, and is still my first choice for a festive solo dinner. It's quite easy to make for one or two, but gets more complicated if you try to make a lot. Also, the bananas tend to stick and make a mess, so if possible choose a skillet that you can leave to soak overnight.
for each serving:
1/3-1/2 lb. mild white fish fillet*
butter or oil for cooking
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds (optional)
1-2 bananas, cut into 1/4 inch slices
Saute the fish in just enough butter or oil to prevent sticking over medium or medium-low heat, about 2 minutes per side or until lightly browned on the outside and opaque and cooked through inside. Remove to a plate and keep warm (i.e. drop a lid over it if the kitchen's cold or the cat seems too interested).
Add more butter or oil to the skillet and cook the almonds (if using), stirring, for 2-3 minutes to brown lightly. Add the banana slices; cook, turning frequently and gently, until the bananas are softened and lightly browned, about 1 min. The bananas tend to stick as they cook, so use plenty of butter or oil. They will take on a golden color when done. Top the fish with the bananas. Garnish with snipped parsley or a sprig of cilantro if desired.
---------
*Wahoo, snapper, or dolphinfish (mahi mahi) are common in Bermuda, but I've had good results with cod or halibut. It's best to get a nice thick fillet; thinner fillets such as sole tend to break up when cooked, making a sort of hash (which is still good but not as pretty).
Adapted from: The 15-minute single gourmet / Paulette Mitchell. 1994. 0028609972.
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
for each serving:
1/3-1/2 lb. mild white fish fillet*
butter or oil for cooking
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds (optional)
1-2 bananas, cut into 1/4 inch slices
Saute the fish in just enough butter or oil to prevent sticking over medium or medium-low heat, about 2 minutes per side or until lightly browned on the outside and opaque and cooked through inside. Remove to a plate and keep warm (i.e. drop a lid over it if the kitchen's cold or the cat seems too interested).
Add more butter or oil to the skillet and cook the almonds (if using), stirring, for 2-3 minutes to brown lightly. Add the banana slices; cook, turning frequently and gently, until the bananas are softened and lightly browned, about 1 min. The bananas tend to stick as they cook, so use plenty of butter or oil. They will take on a golden color when done. Top the fish with the bananas. Garnish with snipped parsley or a sprig of cilantro if desired.
---------
*Wahoo, snapper, or dolphinfish (mahi mahi) are common in Bermuda, but I've had good results with cod or halibut. It's best to get a nice thick fillet; thinner fillets such as sole tend to break up when cooked, making a sort of hash (which is still good but not as pretty).
Adapted from: The 15-minute single gourmet / Paulette Mitchell. 1994. 0028609972.
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
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