Banana Carrot Bread

by Unknown

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
1 c. brown sugar
2 c. sifted flour
3/4 c. canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. finely grated carrots

Combine bananas, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs and stir with mixer. Sift flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in large bowl. Stir in banan mixture. Fold in carrots. Spoon into greased and floured large loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Taken verbatim from a very old can of Libby's pumpkin

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. fresh, frozen, or sweetened dried cranberries

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Combine eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil in small mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9 X5-in. loaf pans.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Beer Pizza Crust

Adapted from Jeanne Lemlin ("Carmelized Onion, Walnut, and Goat Cheeze Pizza with a Beer Crust, www.food.com)

This recipe is for those of us who are far from affording a food processor, but who can still afford a beer. AND those of us who happen to be over 21 years of age. I think that within our family, I am the only Harrington that meets these qualifications (until August 14, 2008).

Makes 2 pizza crusts (or one exceptionally large pizza crust). If you just need one crust right now, make two and stick the extra in a ziplock bag in your freezer for next time. Thaw the night before by placing frozen dough in the fridge and it will be thawed by dinner.

Ingredients:

3 c. unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 12 ounce can or bottle of your favorite beer 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour in the beer and mix well. The dough will be sticky. Spread a handful of flour on your work surface and dump the dough onto it. Toss the dough around to coat it with the flour and prevent it from sticking. Knead it 2 or 3 times to make it pliable. Shape the dough into a ball and then divide it into two.

Grease 2 baking sheets. Use your hands to stretch the dough out to the edges of your baking sheets.  I often add just a bit more flour to help with spreading out the dough, so do so if it will help!  Par bake crust (i.e. bake without any toppings) for about 8 minutes. Then, spread sauce, cheese, and all toppings on the pizza. Add desired toppings and bake until golden brown on top or underneath (approximately 8 more minutes).

Note: The picture of the pizza above (as taken by Ben) is one of my favorite topping combinations ever. After par baking the crust, spread pasta sauce all over. Add slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves, sliced tomato, sliced kalamata olives, and browned, sliced sausage. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

La Leche League Pizza Dough

from "The Tightwad Gazette" June 1992, Issue #25

(as made by Mom for over a decade)

Makes 1 pizza crust

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 c. warm water (105 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit)

115 degrees Fahrenheit

1 package dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

2 cups flour

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. salt

Note: Food processor needed for this recipe.

Combine 1/4 c. of the water with yeast and sugar so that the yeast have something to munch on. Stir to dissolve the yeast and let stand until bubbly (about 5 minutes).

Combine flour, oil, and salt into the food processor and process about five seconds with the steel blade attachment. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and process about 10 seconds or until blended.

Turn on processor and drizzle just enough of the rest of the water through the feed tube so the dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl. Process so that the ball turns around about 25 times.

Put dough ball onto a 14-inch greased pizza pan or large cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap or a bowl and let stand 10 minutes.

Pat the dough out so that it covers the pan, leaving a ridge on the edges.

Par bake the crust for 8 minutes at 425 degrees before putting on the toppings (this will make it nice and crispy).

Spread with pizza sauce, add cheese and desired toppings.

Bake at 425 degrees for 7 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.

Buelah Jones' Banana Bread

by Buelah Jones

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter (i.e. 1 stick)

1 c. sugar

3 crushed bananas (the browner, the better)

2 eggs

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 c. nuts

pinch of salt

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, flour, soda, nuts, salt, bananas.  Pour into bread pan.  Bake in moderate (i.e. 350 degree) oven for 1 hour or until a fork or toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the bread loaf.