Made my family banana cake yesterday, only I added chocolate chips to it just for fun.
My son likes it.
I think next time I will add peanut butter chips if I can find them. You know peanut butter and banana!! yummy like a PBJ&B sandwichs we had as children three deckers on toasted whole wheat roman meal bread, only missing the jelly. ummmmmm maybe I will come up with a jelly glaze....oh GEEZ maybe I'm going to far with this

I can not believe I have gone this long without posting a message that I think is very important to all........ purchasing sustainable foods!!!!!!
Using your local resources ie. farmers in your area (being sure that they have farming methods that are good for the earth and environment) for all your produce needs, and any other food products you have available to you.
Now this my be a challenge for some that have not always practiced this way of shopping, because you will have to use what is in season in your area.
But believe me you will find that you are much more excited about a peach, for instance, when they finally show up in your area, and they will taste 100 times better than whatever you bought that was shipped here from another Country (which is a waste of precious oil)
We must all learn the importance of our earth and that if we continue to abuse it it will not sustain us and we will cease to exist.
Large manufactors are only concerned with profit without any thought or concern to the damage they do to the earth with their cemicals, so if you refuse to use their products they will have to make changes in order to stay in business.
Not to mention using local farms for the majority of your food needs sustains the State you live in.

I finally did it....I made candy for the Holiday's.....Caramel Chocolate Fleur de Sel Truffles, French Bark w/72% Dark Chocolate, great quality White Chocolate (cocao butter only) topped with dried cranberries, dried peaches, (chopped) and candied Pecans, and of course the only other candy I have ever made my All Nut Brittle which is more like a toffee than a brittle and contains no peanuts.....only pecans, cashews, macadamias, and almonds almost any nut but no legumes. I have to say I impressed myself and my family...can't wait to make the truffles again only this time I will have the proper tools for dipping the caramels in the chocolate....after seventy pieces, I wondered whatever possesed me to want to do this...alas I am glad I did.

So I had this crazy catering order that just went straight out to left field, anyway they wanted Mediterranean appetizers. Well being me I had to do something diff.
We all know the 7 layer dip with refried beans guac, sour cream etc. Well this one starts with Hummus (homemade is best, and easy) than I proceeded to add the layers which are red onion (rinse it) diced tomatoes, feta cheese, diced cucumbers, kalamata olives, and shredded iceberg lettuce. I added another layer of hummus on the top before the lettuce, I also added minced fresh parsley and oregano just for a kick. With baked spicy pita chips it was great!!!

On Saturday I had all the kids over for dinner.....Pizza, a way I had never tried before. First the toppings.....caramelized onions, chicken Italian sausage, fresh mozzarella, and parmesan.....the difference was that I cooked the dough in my cast iron pan with evoo first after flipping I added the toppings and than finished in the oven. Actually I made quite a few pizza's and put them on a sheet pan added the toppings and finished in the oven on 500 degrees...this not only worked out very well as quality goes...it was great to have everyone eating at the same time.

Can you feel it? No, can you? Fall is in the air, just when I start feeling bad that the summer fruits and veggies are coming to an end, my senses are delighted with the smell of Winter on it's way...which conjors up comfort foods "SOUPS" (my fav) some great bread, a glass of wine, and my Honey to curl up with....Heaven

I am always looking for easy pastry crust, of course it must be delicious as well as easy.

Well I am here to say I found a tart crust that is not only easy, it is great and with a little tweeking on my part it complimented my blueberry meyers lemon curd tart very well!

1 stick butter (room temp.)
1 1/4 cup sifted AP flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream

Pulse all in food processor until dough comes together in a ball, about 1 to 2 minutes is all it takes. Press dough into tart pan and bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 min if adding cold filling. If filling needs to be baked than bake dough for about 5 to 7 minutes just to set than add filling and bake as directed from recipe.