Ingredients

• 5-6 very ripe bananas
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 T baking powder
• 2 cups butter milk, light cream or plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Puree the bananas.
3. Add sugar and eggs.
4. Combine the flour and baking powder.
5. Fold in the flour alternately with the buttermilk until it becomes a thick smooth batter.
6. Stir in walnuts.
7. Pour dough into 2 small greased loaf pans, filling half full.
8. Bake 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Ingredients

• 4 T beef drippings
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Steps

1. Pour 3 T of beef dripping into a shallow 9″ x 13″ pan. Place pan in a warm oven or over a stove set to low to keep drippings hot.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine eggs and milk. Beat thoroughly.
3. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition.
4. Add salt and pepper if desired. Beat hard for 5 minutes until bubbly.
5. Blend in 1 T beef dripping.
6. Pour into sizzling pan.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for 10 more minutes.
8. Turn off heat and leave in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
9. Serve hot.

Scones are easy to make and are best warmed with butter and jam or fruit and whipped cream. They travel well and are a different bread for making cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg, separated

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Combine the dry ingredients.
3. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
4. Add raisins.
5. Beat together the milk, whole egg and egg yolk.  Stir lightly into the dry ingredients. Don’t over-mix.
6. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead gently 20 times.
7. Roll out to 3/4 inch thick.
8. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
9. Cut into wedges.
10. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
11. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.

Scones are a great afternoon snack with butter and jam. They are traditional at high tea. They also travel and freeze well and are a good option on the trail or in lunches.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup 10% cream
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup currants or raisins (optional)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Beat the eggs and cream in a bowl and set aside
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
4. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the dough resembles crumbs.
5. Create a well in the centre of the batter and pour in the egg-cream mixture.
6. Use a fork to stir the liquid into the dry ingredients. Don’t overmix.
7. Add currants.
8. Turn the dough onto a floured baking sheet and form it into a large circle.
9. Cut the circle into pie shaped wedges and separate slightly.
10. Brush tops with egg white or milk and sprinkle with sugar.
11. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups strawberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 3 T ginger
• 2 T maple syrup
• 2 T fresh mint, chopped
• 3 cups flour
• 3 T baking powder
• 3 T sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup butter, cold, chopped into pieces
• 1-1/4 cup light sour cream
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 2 T milk

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Gently stir together the fruit, ginger, mint and 2 T maple syrup. Let stand
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
4. Use a pastry blender, fork (or your fingers) to cut in the butter, working until the mix resembles crumbs
5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg. Add the sour cream and maple syrup. Mix well.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the flour and stir with a fork until all the flour is absorbed into a soft ball of dough.
7. Divide in half. Knead each half a few times on a floured board until smooth, then roll into a thick cylinder, 3 inches thick.
8. Use a sharp knife to cut the cylinders into 1/2 inch thick scones.
9. Place scones on a lightly floured baking sheet.
10. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
11. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown on top.
12. Serve with a scoop of berry mix and a dob of whipped cream.

Makes about 16 scones.

Ingredients

• 1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup whole barley flour
• 2 T brown or golden sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/4 cup 2% milk
• 2 T butter, melted

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease one 8″ square baking pan.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Blend well. Create a well in the centre.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the 2 eggs. Add the  milk and butter and blend well.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to fold the dry ingredients into the eggs.  Do not overmix.
5. Spread dough into pan and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

This orange flavoured quick bread contains a surprise: almond streusel filling!

You will need 3 bowls, a small saucepan, beaters or a wooden spoon, greased bundt style cake pan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup crushed slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 T butter, melted
• 1 tsp grated orange zest

Cake

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup orange juice

Glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 2-1/2 tsp orange juice

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients for the streusel.
3. Add the zest and melted butter and toss until crumbly.
4. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for the cake, until fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well.
6. Add the vanilla and zest.
7. Sprinkle in the baking powder and soda. Mix well.
8. Add the flour slowly, alternating with the orange juice.
9. Spoon half of the batter into the greased pan.
10. Top with half the streusel.
11. Add the rest of the batter and sprinkle with the remaining streusel.
12. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
13. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool in the pan.
14. Prepare the glaze by mixing the icing sugar and orange juice until smooth.
15. Turn the cake out of the pan onto a serving plate. Place it right side up and drizzle with glaze.

Serves about 16.

Variations

• Try different flavour combinations such as lemon juice and almonds.
• Substitute maple syrup for the brown sugar and add 1/4 cup extra flour. Use walnuts or pecans instead of almonds.
  

You will need a large bowl, beaters or wooden spoon, a large greased loaf pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh cooked or canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 2-1/2 cups flour

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, oil and spices until smooth.
3. Stir in the flour.
4. Fold in the nuts if desired.
5. Pour into a greased loaf pan
6. Bake 1-1/2 hours.