Banana Bread, Biscuits and dinner

So I decided to clean out the fridge yesterday as I needed to stop the calling of that last little bit of potato salad hanging out in my fridge and quite frankly, the fridge was a tad messy.  In the process of cleaning out I found some buttermilk that was going to expire this week and also some bananas going dark on the counter....BANANA BREAD!   I think I remember a Janie recipe that I should try and so the baking begins...Don't get me wrong, baking is my happy place.

Cast of Characters:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

2 well beaten eggs

3 smashed up ripe banans

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 cups sifted AP flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

(I added 1/2 tsp vanilla to this...it wasn't in Janie's recipe but I always add the vanilla)

The best way to beat the eggs and mash the bananas is together in the mixer like so:

See, two beaten and smashed items all at the same time.

Then add then sugar and shortening to this mix

Sift your flour and baking soda in a separate bowl and then mix in the flour and the milk alternately to above mixture.  Then mercy me.... I realized that I forgot the special ingredient

My friend the Walnut...oh I'm so sorry.   Janie didn't have nuts listed in her recipe but I think she probably added some nuts to the mix too!  Now take those heart healthy walnuts and break 'em up and plop in that batter then grease those loaf pans and pour in the delectable batter. Yes, it's delectable and I know this because I tasted it... alot.

Now into the 375 degree oven they go for about 50 minutes, longer if you are using one big loaf pan.

Now that you have slobbered on yourself for the last hour because your house smells utterly divine, get those beautiful babies out of the oven and on a rack to cool.

Sometimes I just plop then on top of the stovetop because it's built in cooling racks!

Now it's crunch time. Time to get those babies out of the pan so cross your fingers and toes and everything else and PLOP

I kid you not I squealed...two absolutely perfect loaves of bread out of the pan.  It's really the little things in life isn't it??

Now is the most important part..... you MUST cut a slice immediately while it's warm and savor the warmth and yummy goodness in your soul

Quite possibly the best banana bread I've ever made. I even threw out my other recipe because this was so much better and to prove it....

Last bite!

Now if you can break away from the bread for a moment we need to get the bread batter for dinner started. I made these before but the pics turned out too dark for the family cookbook we are working on so I thought I would remake them plus they are super easy and super yummy.

Mayo Biscuits

Cast of Characters:

2 Cups Self Rising Flour

4 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 cup milk

On a side note and a slight weird thought... What the heck is in mayo anyway?? Geez look at this expiration date!!!

Sorry....back on course now.

Also the last time I made the biscuits it wasn't until I had popped them in the oven that I noticed the comment that the batter should be made several hours ahead of time, so I did that correctly this time.

Mix up those 3 ingredients like so:

Then find a nice little safe spot in your kitchen for them to relax and chill for the afternoon.

In my house that would be called a nice safe spot out of reach of the 80 lb dog.

On another side note, if you know my husband please tell him we SERIOUSLY need a new toaster. I'm pretty sure this thing is from the 80's.

Now, when you are ready for dinner crank that oven up to 450 degrees and get the dough into muffin tins

now put them in the oven for about 10 mins until nice and golden brown.

They are so easy and so yummy. You have to try them and the best part...they still taste good the next day!

To round out the meal we had salads....yeah again. What can I say we like the salads for dinner so here you go!

This is my salad and then this is hubby's!

Peace, Love, and Yummies folks and clean out your fridge, it probably needs it too!