Banana Nut Bread Day - Yum!!

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By Chef Diane

I love banana bread; it’s more like a cake than bread.  It’s easy to make, and easy to mail to all my relatives for special occasions.  My husband's aunt has a birthday coming up, and I will be fixing her a loaf to help celebrate.  Once I make it...I freeze it so when it gets there, it’s thawed and fresh, and delicious.

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Banana bread is full of potassium and protein (if you use nuts).  My grandmother would make it for me often, and she gave me her recipe before she died.  Here is a copy of it.

Today is Banana Nut Bread Day.  If you don't have a favorite recipe, try this one, and celebrate this fun day!

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Banana Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup corn oil

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 ripe bananas

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I normally use a loaf pan, but you can also use a Bundt pan too. Spray with cooking oil.

Cream oil and sugar; add eggs, 1 at a time.

Sift dry ingredients mix with creamed butter.

Add mashed bananas and nuts.

Bake for 1 hour or until done.

National Potato Day

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By Chef Diane

I love potatoes! When I was growing up we ate mostly rice, my parent's parents ate mostly potatoes.  Now I am a potato generation.  My son was lucky enough to share his time with my parents and myself, so he had a little of both.

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I love potatoes cooked anyway, baked, boiled, mashed, fried, hash browned scalloped, you name it, I love them.  My mother used to tell a tale that when she was growing up, she would keep hot sweet potatoes in her pockets to keep her hands warm on her way to school, and then she would eat them for lunch. Recently I found out that never happened, but it was still a good story.

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Potatoes are very good for you, full of vitamins such as vitamin C, potassium, and iron.  They give you quick energy and fill you up.  My cousin, who is very calorie conscious, has one weakness, and that is French fries.  She particularly loves the ones from McDonalds.  My father has recently started making fries and potato chips from sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving, when he cooks the turkey.

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In the US, 45 billion tons of potatoes are harvested each year for the nation's consumption. So today, on Potato Day, why not gobble a few potatoes yourself, and help keep the farmers happy.  If you need a recipe for something to fix with potatoes, a favorite southern dish is potato salad.  Below is a great recipe from southernfood.com to try.

Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds potatoes, cooked until just tender, cubed, cooled
• 5 or 6 hard cooked eggs, cooled, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped celery, optional
• Thinly sliced tomatoes and cucumber, for garnish, optional

Dressing:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (a little more or less, as desired)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine potatoes, egg, onions, and celery. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. (Stir the mayonnaise and mustard in a little at a time, until you have the flavor and consistency you like.)

Top with thinly sliced tomatoes and cucumber, if desired.

Serves 6 to 8.

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National Strawberries and Cream Day

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By Akindman

Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring and have high levels of Vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, and potassium. Research has shown that strawberries are America’s favorite fruit, topping grapes, bananas, watermelon, and apples. Another fun fact: did you know that strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside? Some estimate that each one contains approximately 200 seeds.

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The recipe for strawberries and cream is quite straightforward and can be as simple as topping fresh fruit with whipped cream. There are, however, many variations that you can use to spice up your fruit. Try flavoring your whipped cream with amaretto liqueur or substituting a combination of fat-free sour cream and brown sugar instead. For a more elaborate dessert, put together a trifle with alternating layers of fruit, cream, and a sweet pastry such as ladyfinger cookies. Strawberries and cream are also the perfect topping for pancakes, waffles, cheesecake, or shortcake. For even more ideas, check out these recipes for stuffed strawberries.

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To start off your celebration, head to a local farm and pick your own fresh strawberries as a fun spring activity for the family. Then head home to enjoy the fruits of your labor with a delicious snack of strawberries and cream! (from our friends at Punchbowl)