Best Banana Cake

2 ½ C flour
1 ¾ C sugar
2 ¼ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
¾ c (1 ½ sticks) butter (room temperature)
1 ¼ C mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
2/3 C buttermilk
2 eggs
2/3 c finely chopped walnuts

Frosting:
1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese (room temperature)
¼ C butter (room temperature)
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line two 9 inch, round cake pans with wax paper. Mix dry ingredients. Add butter, bananas and 1/3 C buttermilk; beat 2 minutes. Add remaining buttermilk and eggs; beat 2 minutes. Fold in walnuts. Pout into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out dry. Cool on racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely before frosting Can be baked in 13x9x2 in buttered and floured pan at 350 for 40 minutes.

Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Blend in milk, vanilla and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Pumpkin Blueberry Muffins

1 c canned pumpkin
¼ c evaporated milk
1/3 c butter or margarine
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 2/3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
1 T flour
1 c blueberries

Streusel Topping
2 T flour
2 T sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 T butter

Mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, butter, sugar, and egg. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Fold in blueberries and flour.
Mix together ingredients for streusel topping. Sprinkle on top. Bake at 350° for 40min in 9x13 pan (or 20-25min in muffin tins).


Tip: Cream together the butter, sugar, and egg before adding the pumpkin and evaporated milk. Also, I typically substitute whole wheat flour for white flour, and you can barely tell. Store these muffins in an airtight container, and they will get moister by the day!

Banana Sour Cream Bars

1½ c sugar
1 c sour cream
½ c margarine, softened (I use butter.)
2 eggs
1½ c mashed bananas(about 3 large)
2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ c chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 375. Mix sugar, sour cream, margarine, and eggs in large bowl on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 1 minute. Beat in bananas and vanilla on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat in flour, salt, and soda on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in nuts. Spread in greased and floured cookie sheet (15½ x 10½ x 1). Bake until light brown, 20 to 25 minutes; cool. Frost with Vanilla Glaze.

Vanilla Glaze
2 c powdered sugar
¼ c margarine, softened
1½ tsp vanilla
2 T hot water

Mix together. Stir in 1 to 2 tsp additional hot water until smooth and of desired consistency.
Yield: 6 dozen bars
Note: The mixing times are for a hand held mixer. Adjust if using a Kitchen-Aid, or similar type mixer.

This is one of the Roberts family's favorite recipes and a great way to use ripe bananas. I made it for my husband's birthday, and it was a hit! The glaze is supposed to be adjusted "to taste." I just followed the recipe though. I wanted more than just a glaze, so I doubled the frosting. Enjoy!

Cheesecake Factory Recipe

This is the cheesecake factory recipe, their famous mouth watering cheesecake. In the world of cheesecake, this is the caviar of cheesecakes. If you haven't had it at the Cheesecake Factory, you owe it to yourself to experience this Cheesecake Factory recipe at home. It's worth it!

Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:

***if you prefer a crust without nuts, the recipe for the no-nuts crust is at the end of this recipe***

Crust:

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
3/4 cup finely chopped vanilla wafers
2 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:

1 1/2 lbs cream cheese
1 1/3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
16 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Crust Directions:

1. Mix all nuts and vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter and press into a 9 inch buttered springform pan, trying to line the sides as much as possible about 1 1/2" up the sides of the pan, set aside.

Cheesecake Directions:

1. All the filling ingredients should be at room temperature.

2. Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy with an electric mixer set on low (keep the setting at low during the entire mixing process).

3. Add the sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy.

4. Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg.

5. Add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, mix well.

6. Add the sour cream and beat well.

7. Pour cream cheese mixture into the springform pan.

8. Place on the top rack in the middle of a 325 degrees preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.

9. When time is up turn oven off, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour.

10. Remove from oven and let cool then refrigerate for 24 hours.

11. Remember this important tip : A cheesecake should season. The wait is worth it. The flavor ripens and becomes enriched.

***The crust recipe below is for those who prefer a crust without nuts***

No-Nuts Crust

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup melted margarine

Directions:

1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix in melted margarine.

2. Press the crumb into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper.

3. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side.

4. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.

I

Easy Chicken Bake

• 1 pkg (6 oz) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
• 1-1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/3 cup Breakstone’s or Knudsen Sour Cream
• 1 bag (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
2. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with the stuffing.
3. Bake 30 min or until chicken is cooked through.

I make this with the turkey stuffing and I don't use the frozen vegetables I do a can of corn and a can of green beans and it turns out really good.

Orange Julius Recipe

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8-9 ice cubes

1. Combine all ingredients except ice cubes in blender.
2. Blend for about 1-2 minutes, adding ice cubes one at a time.

You can also do 1/4 cup powder sugar and 1/2 cup of regular sugar. Also I ended up adding 3 more ice cubes. All the sugar in this makes it so good. Not that having a lot of sugar is good for you.