by Satoye Kita
Happy Springtime everyone. Yes, this is the nicest time of the year—my favorite season!
BEST BANANA MUFFINS
This recipe was kindly sent in by Margie Hardy (Programme coordinator for older adults at Steveston Community Centre. She’s responding to my request for family favorite and have been baking this since 1981 and her son still requests it all the time. I tried it and it is Good! Thanks Margie.
Preheat oven to 375 degree.
Make topping first:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granola or crunchy cereal
1/4 cup melted butter
Stir in small bowl and mash it up till crumbly.
Mash 2 ripe bananas and stir in !/2 cup brown sugar and 1 egg.
Add: 1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
4 Tbsp. melted butter
Fold dry ingredients into the banana and then fold in the melted butter.
This makes the muffin very tender.
Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, if you like nuts.
Put mixture in 12 muffin cups, sprinkle on the crumbly topping .
Bake for 15-20 minutes until brown and firm on top.
Trouble shooting cooking tips:
Apples. When using apple slices in a tossed salad or as garnish, dip in lemon juice or any other high-acid fruit juice to prevent them from darkening.
Bacon. To separate thin slices of bacon, simply roll the entire package crosswise before you open. The slices will separate in an instant.
Baking Powder. If baking powder picks up moisture from the air, it loses its leavening power.
To test the powder before using, mix a teaspoon in 1/2 cup water.If it bubbles furiously, the powder is still usable.
Bread: To slice homemade bread without squashing, pop the loaf in the freezer for a short while, until the bread is slightly firm but not solid. It will slice as thin as you like.
Cheese. The best way to keep hard cheeses that you’ve purchased in bulk for an extended period of time is to cut into smaller pieces and dip into hot paraffin wax. Rewrap and store.
Cutting thin slices from soft cheeses can be difficult unless you dip you knife in hot water before each slice.
Coffee: Make your instant coffee taste like perked. Boil for about 30 seconds , then turn off heat and let stand for a minute before serving.
Eggs: To find out how fresh your eggs are, place an egg in cold water. If it sinks, it’s fresh, If it bobs up at one end it’s fairly fresh. Stale eggs float.
Flour: Store a bay leaf in your flour to keep it insect free, or keep large quantities in the freezer.
Gravy: The trick to no lump gravy is “browned” flour. Place a little on a cookie sheet and brown in the oven. Store in a jar in your refrigerator until ready to use. It also gives a rich color to your gravy.
Honey: If your liquid honey crystallizes, remove the lid and place jar in a saucepan filled with several inches of hot water. Leave until melted.
Meat: To keep meat juices in your next roast or hamburger patty, do not salt before cooking.
Meat loaf: When you’re in a hurry, form meat loaf mixture into several small loaves. Bake in miniature foil pans or muffin tins. In about 15 minutes the meat will be cooked through.
Molasses: Measuring molasses needn’t be a slow affair. Begin by rinsing your measuring cup in cold water or brush the inside with vegetable oil. The molasses will be easier to pour.
Mushroom: Add a dash of lemon juice to the butter in which you’re sauteing mushroom to keep them white.
Onions: For tearless chopping, refrigerate or place onions in freezer for a little while before chopping.
Remove onion odors from hands by scrubbing with salt before washing.
If odor persists, rub hands with parsley or celery leaves.
Oranges: The white pith beneath the peel is bitter. If you drop the orange in a boiling water before peeling the pith will pull away with the rind much easier.
Pasta: Make pasta perfect by cooking in a very large pot of boiling water with a tablespoon of salt and vegetable oil added. Cook uncovered and stir often. Pasta is ready when medium firm.
Drain but do not rinse. If not serving immediately, return to pot .
Lightly coat with oil or butter to keep strands separated.
Puddings: To prevent skin from forming. press a piece of plastic wrap into the surface before refrigerating, but do not seal tightly.
Tea: Enhance the flavor of iced tea by adding ice cubes made from fruit juice.
Tomatoes: Drop into a bowl of boiling water to loosen skins, then immediately transfer to cold water before peeling.
I hope some of these suggestions will be of some value to you.
