A Life, Lived

Banana Bread

Here we go - another post about banana bread. Apparently in my delirious state I kept buying bananas whether we needed them or not. Paul pointed out to me that I had a number which were well on their way to being good for nothing but banana bread. I was sick of the usual recipes and decided to try this one from Bon Appetit.

This recipe is one used by a woman named Julia in her Kahakuloa, HI market stand. It is one of her best sellers. I can see why.

Not only does it taste great but it is easy to make -always a bonus in my books!

You'll notice very quickly that there is nothing healthy about this. . . but what great flavour!

Banana Bread

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1½ cups sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)&
¾ cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9x5x3” loaf pan with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, bananas, and oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir just until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.

Bake until a tester inserted into the center of bread comes out clean, 60–70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan to release the bread. Turn out onto rack and let cool completely.

Beef Barley Soup

This sinus infection has been weird -normally when I am sick I crave comfort food yet with this infection I haven't much wanted food at all. I suspect going two days with only an apple to eat did more to cause continued discomfort than anything else. Hindsight is a wonderful thing . . .

On one of those days where I felt somewhat human I was craving soup. I was cleaning out the freezer and found some chunks of beef that weren't good for much BUT soup. The first thing which came to mind was Beef Barley - one of my all time favourities.

This recipe was from Taste of Home. The reviews promised that it would become a family favourite. I have to say it was pretty yummy! I made a few changes as I went along -no sodium beef broth and cut the salt back considerably - just a dash to taste. The only thing I'd do differently next time is to add more barley.

Beef Barley Soup

1 pound beef top round steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) beef broth
2 cups water
1/3 cup medium pearl barley
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 cup frozen peas

In a Dutch oven, brown beef in oil; drain. Stir in the broth, water, barley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.                                                 

Add the carrots, celery, onion and parsley; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Stir in peas; heat through.                                                       

Photo Hunt - Pets

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'pets'.

Here are some shots of Italian pets . . .

 

Perspectiveon Black Friday

I confess that I do enjoy the spectacle of Black Friday. This year I spent it in bed recovering  . . .

Out of Commission . . .

Apparently 4 months of working too hard, not getting enough rest, and generally not taking care of yourself will catch up with you. SIGH

I do not get sick often but when I do - look out.

Paul finally convinced me to go to the doctor who confirmed my diagnosis of acute sinusitis.

She also gave me a lecture for not coming in to deal with it sooner to which I replied that I was too damn busy to go to the doctor.

This led to a second lecture.

Really, it was as if my mom were in the room. SIGH

Now I am resting in bed, popping the maximum dosage of amoxicillin and squirting steroid nasal drops up my nose twice a day.

Paul was a fine (if somewhat bossy) nurse.

Today he has gone to work and the cats are keeping me company.

Fingers crossed that I feel more human soon.

Indeed . . .

 

Travel Tuesday - Athens

I came across my pics from Greece when I was searching for a photo hunt picture. It whetted my appetite so I am heading back for Travel Tuesday.

Apple-Stuffed Pork Loin with Cider Sauce

We tend to eat a lot of pork in the fall. I'm not sure why but for some reason it just fits with the traditional fall flavours. This impressive looking roast from Williams Sonoma is a perfect example - pork stuffed with apple sand served with a simple cider sauce. Lots of yummy fall flavours here!

This was a bit complicated to make  . . . a good weekend meal when you actually have time to fuss and bother.

Don't let the added steps sway you - the end results are amazing!

Apple-Stuffed Pork Loin with Cider Sauce

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped Golden Delicious or other baking apple
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apples or 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup apple cider
1 boneless pork loin, 2 1/2 lb
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup apple cider, plus more as needed
2 tsp. cornstarch

To make the stuffing, in a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the apple and onion. Sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the dried apples and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cider and boil, stirring occasionally, until the cider is absorbed by the stuffing. Remove from hear and let cool.

Position a rack in the centre of the oven. heat over to 400.

Cut 4 pieces of kitchen string into 18 inch lengths.

Butterfly the pock loin by making a slit down its length, cutting just deep enough so that the loin opens up like a book. Do not cut all the way through.

Spoon the stuffing evenly onto the meat. Close the loin back up. Using the string tie at even intervals. Push in any of the stuffing which escapes from the ends.

Sprinkle the surface of the loin with thyme, season with salt and pepper.

Place the loin in a roasting pan and add 1/2 cup cider to the pan.

Roast the loin for 30 minutes. Baste with the pan juices and add the remaining 1/2 cup cider to the pan.

Continue to roast, basting at least twice more, until an instant read thermometer reads 150 degrees, about 45minutes more.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and loosely cover with foil.

Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove and remaining bits. Pour the pan juices into a measuring cup -add additional cider so that you have 1 1/2 cup of liquid. In a small sauce pan combine 1/4 cup of the juices and the cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the remaining pan juices. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Cut the loin into slices and serve the warm sauce on the side.

Squash Stuffed with Sausage and Fontina

I'm one of those folks who hated squash as a child but has come to appreciate it as an adult. I still don't love it by any stretch of the imagination but I no longer gag at the sight of it.

We had received a few acorn squashes in our CSA delivery over the past few weeks so I went on a hunt to find a good recipe for them. I have seen plenty of posts online about stuffed acorn squashed so that was the focus of my search. This recipe for squashed stuffed with sausage, bread crumbs, and nutty fontina cheese looked pretty yummy - particularly with the added hit from fresh sage.

I pulled this together last weekend while Paul was at work and I must say it was a huge hit at dinner. The pic doesn't do it justice. . . .

Dinner came together quickly - less than 45 minutes. The stuffed squash and a crisp salad was all that was needed.

Squash Stuffed with Sausage and Fontina

3 small (or 2 medium) Delicata (I used acorn) squash, halved lengthwise
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
Black pepper
3/4 c. ground sweet Italian sausage
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh sage
1 c. panko bread crumbs
3 oz. fontina, cubed (1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush cut-side of Delicata squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast until softened, 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add shallot, garlic, and 2 tablespoons sage and cook until sausage is cooked through, 3 minutes more.

In a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add panko and remaining 2 tablespoons sage. Cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Remove squash from oven and heat broiler. In a large bowl, combine sausage mixture, half the fontina, and half the bread crumbs. Stuff each squash half with sausage mixture and top each with remaining fontina and breadcrumbs. Broil until cheese is melty and bread crumbs golden, 2 minutes. Let cool slightly, then serve with a simple green salad.

Photo Hunt - Speedy

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'speedy'.

Lots of speedy delivery  vehicles outside of Dominos in Athens, Greece.