Basic Quick Breads

Banana Bread --- originally from Aunt Mary Ellen modified by Mama

Step One: Save bananas that are too brown but not slimy in the freezer until you have at least 3 medium sized ones. Too save time make double, triple & quadruple batches & estimate 3 more bananas for each size up.

Step two: On the day when you have at least 1 1/2 hours, start thawing those bananas.

Step three: Assemble the following ingredients in a bowl for a regular one-loaf sized batch. Double, triple or quadruple as you need or want: It all takes about the same amount of time.


1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup shortening
Dash of salt

Mix these until creamy

Add:
1 Cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium )
A Dash or few of cinnamon
1 dash of nutmeg
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon soda

When this is pretty mixed up start adding:
2 Cups flour (to be healthier you can replace 1/2 Cup with whole wheat flour)

Optional fun things to add that can blow the budget, so limit to 1/2 Cup per loaf.
walnuts chocolate chips peanut butter chips toffee chips

Place in greased, buttered, or sprayed regular sized loaf pans. After you put the batter in the pan run the spoon or spatula lenghtwise down the center of the pan & push the batter to the edges. This keep the edges from burning and a puffed up middle from staying gooey.

Bake 375 degrees for an hour ( add 10 minutes if needed)


Waterford Banana Bread --- from a calendar a long time ago

Mix the following in a bowl:
2 & 1/2 Cups flour
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
3 & 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
3 Tablespoons of applesauce
1/3 Cup milk
1 egg
3 medium mashed bananas (1 Cup)

Grease bottom only of a 9x5x3 loaf pan. Mix all ingredients; beat 30 seconds.
Bake 350 degrees for 65 minutes.


Baking Powder Biscuits (aka real cheap pizza crust)

probably from a Clabber Girl can, but in the family for over 4 decades... For a family of 4 to eat w/ gravy, I double it.

In a bowl mix with a wooden spoon:

2 Cups flour (can substitute 1/2 Cup whole wheat)
3 teaspoons (or 1 Tablespoon) Baking POWDER
3/4 Cup milk (can be sell by date milk)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup shortening

On a lightly floured formica/stone cabinet top pat out dough until it's about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Just make it consistent in thickness. Take a biscuit/cookie cutter or a drinking cup & cut out the biscuits as close together as possible. Smash the left over dough together & repeat.

Place on baking sheet.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes (The bigger the thickness or diameter they are, the longer they need to bake.)

If the biscuits turn out tough, 1 of 4 things may have happened: Biscuits are too thin; you over worked the dough, over baked the biscuits, or your shortening is too cheap & you need to use Crisco (one of only 3 name brands I'll probably ever suggest.) Just dump gravy on them & try again another day.

Scones

2 Cups Bisquick (or similar mix)
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoon melted margarine/butter

Stir Bisquick, sugar and eggs together to a soft dough. Smooth dough on board. Knead 5 times. Roll dough 1/4' thick. Cut into 2" squares. Brush with margarine/butter. Fold each square into triangle. Lightly seal edges. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 400 for 6-8 minutes. Serves 18.



Butter Dips aka Bread Sticks

1/2 Cup butter/margarine 3 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 and 1/4 Cups sifted flour 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon sugar 1 Cup Milk

(OPTIONAL ingredients... onion powder, garlic powder, salt, parmesan, italian herbs)

Heat oven to 450. Melt butter in oven in 13x9x2 pan. Remove pan when butter is melted. Meanwhile, Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk. You can add onion or garlic powder now, if you want. Stir slowly with fork until dough clings together. Turn onto well floured board. Roll over to coat w/ flour. Knead lightly ~10 times. Roll out 1/2" tink into 12x8. Put dough in pan. Slosh butter all over dough. Sprinkle optional herbs/spices as desired. Cut or score dough into sticks. Bake 450 for 15-20 minutes or golden brown. Serve hot.