Banana Cupcakes

This recipe came from my mom, I don't really remember her making them, but I know the recipe came from her!  To me, they taste more like muffins than cupcakes.

Banana Cupcakes
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp cinnamon or apple pie seasoning
3 ripe bananas
Mix shortening, sugar, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth.  Add flour and spices, add bananas. Mix for 2 minutes. Butter cupcake tin and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Makes 12 large cupcakes.

Irish Soda Bread

I love Irish Soda Bread. I never had it before I meet your Dad, but now consider it a must have food! Its easy and quick to put together, we've made up to 8 batches a day before for St. Patrick's Day church suppers, and no telling how many batches for kids to take into to school. Have plenty of butter on hand for serving. This recipe comes from Pat O'L., whose husband Joe was one of Grandma's cousins.

Irish Soda Bread

5 cups self-rising flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups buttermilk

Mix flour, baking soda, and sugar. Add raisins and stir, Add buttermilk and mix well. Knead on a floured surface, adding flour until dough is not sticky. Cut dough inn half. Shape each half into a round loaf. Put on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cut an x into the top of each loaf, about half way into the loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Stick a knife into the loaf, if it comes out clean, the bread is done. Pass the butter!

Molly's Cheese Muffins

This recipe is from the paper. These are really good muffins, but they are best when they are hot!

2 sticks very soft butter
1 cup sour cream
2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups grated sharp cheese

Add ingredients to a big bowl in order, hand stirring after each one. Spoon into muffin cups lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until tops are browned. Serve immediately. These are really terrific baked in smaller muffin tins 'cause you can just pop them into your mouth!

Cornbread

Colleen came for supper last night. I hadn't realized that she loves cornbread! When Conni was here, he really liked it too. Show your family and friends some love, and make cornbread for them!

Cornbread

Turn the oven on to 375 degrees. If you are going to bake this in a cast iron frying pan, put 1 tablespoon butter in the pan, put the pan in the oven for the butter to melt and for the pan to get hot.

1 cup cornmeal (don't use a cornmeal mix, Dad and A could have an allergic reaction!)
1 and 1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (not too much, cornbread is not supposed to be sweet!)

Stir these together in a bowl, then add the wet ingredients...
2 eggs
1/4 cup veggie oil (if you have corn oil, use that)
1 cup buttermilk

Mix well, but do not over stir. If you are using the cast iron skillet, carefully remove it from the oven, swirl the butter around the pan to coat the bottom and sides, then add the batter. If you do not have a cast iron skillet, get one. But until then, use a greased cake pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until top is a nice golden color. Serve with butter. If you baked it in a cake pan, you can flip it out onto a plate for serving. If you used a cast iron skillet, put a hot pad on the table and serve it straight out of the pan.

Zucchini/Squash Bread

My DD#1 found this recipe in an old cookbook that belonged to my mother, but we are not sure of the name of the book. We have made this many times this summer using fresh squash/zucchini, or frozen squash/zuchinni. Give it a try, it is really tasty.

Zucchini/Squash Bread
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
½ cups nuts (optional)

Beat eggs. Add sugars, oil, cinnamon, mixing well. Stir in sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add vanilla. Stir in zucchini and nuts. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour or until done
If you use frozen squash, thaw it, and drain it before adding to recipe. I consider this to be one of DD#3's specialties because she has made many loaves and muffins of this!