Banana Bread

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Hummus and pita bread

Ingredients: 1 clove of garlic

1 cup ( 19 ounces) garbanzo beans 

4 table spoons of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of sesame paste

1 tsp salt

black paper to taste

2 tb spoons olive oil 

In a blender, chop the garlic. Pour garbanzo beans into blender, reserving about a tablespoon for garnish. Place lemon juice,  chopped garlic and salt in blender. Blend until creamy and well mixed. Transfer the mixture to a medium serving bowl. Sprinkle with pepper and pour olive oil over the top. Garnish with reserved garbanzo beans.

Carrot Cake

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 
  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake

Broccoli and Pasta Bianco

• 
  
  
  
  
  1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
• 4 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup 
• 1 1/2 cups milk

• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add the broccoli for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain the pasta and broccoli well in a colander.
2. Stir the soup, milk and black pepper in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Stir in the pasta mixture, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until the pasta mixture is hot and the cheese is melted.