Bananas

Cooking Without Photos – Banana Cake

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Cooking Without Photos – Banana Cake

This week we arrive right back home to Arkansas. When I found, “The Best Of Times Ouachita Council: 70 Years of Girl Scouting 1927-1997 Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow”, I knew it was going to be great! I wasn’t wrong.

In the first few pages, it covers the history of the Ouachita Council which began in 1927 with two troops in the Little Rock area. In 1936, the first Girl Scout Cookie sale occurred. The cookies were made by the Little Rock Bakery and sold for .20 cents a box.

In 1937, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Hot Springs and attended the dedication of Perry County’s very own, Camp Ouachita Girl Scout Camp. The camp was built by the CCC while the WPA worked tirelessly to create Lake Sylvia Recreation Area.

1937 was also the very first year that Camp Ouachita opened. It ran for 5 weeks that year and served 100 girls from 16 towns. Over the years, it has changed hands a few times and was almost lost all together from disrepair and neglect.

Luckily, in the 1990’s, efforts began to save Camp Ouachita. Today, guests can stay in the renovated cabins and attend events at Ogden Hall. There is still a lot of work to be done at the camp to preserve it for future use, but with care and keeping, Camp Ouachita will be around many more generations, as it remains the only standing Girl Scout camp build by the CCC that is still in use today.

Onto the recipe! There are tons of great recipes in this cookbook! It was hard picking one, but I knew I had some bananas that needed to be used to I chose Banana Cake.

Couple of things:

  1. It took longer in my oven to cook the cakes. May just keep a watch on them. Everybody’s oven is different.
  2. For the frosting it says to melt the butter. That went against all things I’ve ever learned about frosting. I didn’t do that.
  3. This brings me to my next point. Maybe it was because I didn’t melt the butter, but this was a little too thick. When I make it again, I’ll either melt the butter, like it says, or use less powdered sugar.

Great flavor! It was a win at my house!

Cooking Without Photos – Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread

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Strawberry, Arkansas! Population 268❤️

Strawberry is one of the oldest settlements in Arkansas. Untouched by the railroad and unaffected by the Civil War, Strawberry began as a small community in the early 1840s and remains a quaint community today.

John Cathey settled in the area along with his son and they called it Cathey Town for a short time. Then, in 1854 John applied for a post office and renamed it Strawberry Point. Later it was shortened to Strawberry.

Time passed and blacksmith shops have turned into fishing businesses. Their population has remained low and that’s the way they like it.

On to the recipe!

While combing thru, “Cooking With Friends: Strawberry Volunteer Fire Department”, I stopped on a recipe for Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread and boy am I glad I did!!

Couple things:

  1. It’s hard to find an 8oz can of pineapple anymore. You’re just gonna have to either double this recipe or eat the rest of a 20 Oz can.
  2. When Willene Massey tells you to put 1 1/2 cups of oil in a bread recipe, do it. She knows what she’s talking about.
  3. The batter is super thick. It’s going to be okay.
  4. It says to cook it for 1 hour and 5 minutes. I didn’t believe Willene so I put mine on for 50 minutes. Turns out that you need to cook it for 1 hour and 5 minutes. If you’re like me, you won’t believe her either so just keep a watch on it.

That’s it. It’s fabulous!!

Cooking Without Photos – Banana Cake

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Cooking Without Photos – Week 35

I know right where this week’s cookbook came from! My pal Debbie gave this one to me when she found out that I would be sharing recipes this way.

Ohhhhh Memphis! I’ve been to Memphis only once. I went there as a teen to tour the Titanic exhibit. It was spectacular! I remember coming out of there in tears.

Memphis, Tennessee founded in 1819 and named after Egypt’s Capitol of Memphis. Makes sense that they have a pyramid🤔. Cotton was a huge part their economic growth and in surrounding areas, it still is today.

Many notable musicians grew up in Memphis and upper Mississippi. Big names included in this roster are: B.B. King, Isaac Hayes and Elvis Presley.

Memphis is just as famous for their bbq as they are their Blues musicians. They are home to the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Mmmmmm! Tasty!

On to the recipe!!

While flipping thru, “The Memphis Cookbook: Junior League Of Memphis” I came across a recipe for Banana Cake with “Never Fail Creamy Caramel Icing”. Yes please!

Couple things:

  1. I didn’t have an 8 x 12 1/2 inch pan. I’ve never even heard of a pan that size. I just used two round layer pans. Boom! Done!
  2. I didn’t put nuts in mine and I didn’t sift the flour. Sue me🤷🏻‍♀️
  3. Sour Milk = Buttermilk. I had to look it up.
  4. Ya know how they say, “Never say never”? Welp, I failed the ”never fail” icing. I mean FAILED!! I threw it all out and thankfully had a can of frosting. Maybe someone could look at the recipe and tell me what I did wrong. The first part of the recipe ended up being a huge ball of hard candy and it went downhill from there.

Other than the icing being a disaster, the cake turned out perfect and it is super moist and tasty!!! Enjoy❤️❤️❤️

Cooking Without Photos – Camp Nachos and Walking Banana Pudding

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This weekend we were on a camping trip and the weather was perfect! We won’t talk about how it rained all night the first night and I was the only one concerned🤔

We stayed at Lake Nimrod and it was fabulous! I learned today that this was a favorite place of my Great Grandfather’s. No wonder I feel at home there. ❤️

Lake Nimrod is the oldest Army Corp of Engineers project in Arkansas. It was created to help control flooding along the Fourche La Fave River and was completed in 1942.

Situated alongside the Nimrod Wildlife Management area, Lake Nimrod is a great place not only for fishing but also water fowl hunting or observation. With 5 campsites available, it’s a great place to take your family for a weekend of fun any time of year.

Today I chose to share a few recipes you could take with you while camping. Since I didn’t find these in a cookbook, don’t be upset. Next week we are back to normal😆

The first I’d like to share is one that I’ve been trying to figure out for a bit. You may look at this one and decide you want something different too. I won’t be sad if you change it to suit you. in fact, the next time I make it I’m putting in a can of chili beans🤔. Here it goes:

Camp Nachos
1 lb hamburger meat – browned
1 Onion – diced
1 Package Taco Seasoning
16 Oz Melting Cheese (Velveeta) – cubed
16 Oz Pepper Jack – cubed
2 Can Rotel
1 Can Cream of Mushroom
1/2 Cup Milk

  1. Get a fire going in your fire pit or start up your charcoal on your grill.
  2. Brown and crumble hamburger in a Dutch oven with onion. Drain and add taco seasoning. Set aside.
  3. In a foil pan, add remaining ingredients. Place on grill or fire pit grate.
  4. Stir every so often to avoid scorching until cheese is melted.
  5. Remove from heat. Add back in the hamburger.
    Superb!!

Walking Banana Pudding
(Per Person)
1 Package Mini Nilla Wafers
1/3 Banana-Sliced
1 Banana Crème Pie Flavored Snack Cup

Combine all ingredients with a good stir and enjoy!

Lake Nimrod Sunset

Cooking Without Photos – Banana Blueberry Pie

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This week we mosey on down to Abilene, Texas. I‘ve never been to Texas. I do believe I bought this week’s cookbook at an estate sale in Conway🤔🤔

Anywho, here are some facts about Abilene that you may not have known.

  1. A cattle rancher by the name of Clairborne W. Merchant named Abilene, TX after Abilene, Kansas which was once a huge cattle town.
  2. Abilene won the county seat in 1883 because the Texas and Pacific railroad had just laid track down the middle of their town.
  3. Taco Bueno was started in Abilene in 1967 and I do believe the whole south thanks you😘😘😘

This week I chose the very tiny cookbook put out by The Vintage Tea Room that was once located in Abilene. I could not find any information about the business. I can only assume it is no longer in service.

Out of their cookbook called, “Favorite Recipes From The Vintage Tea Room”, I chose Blueberry Banana Pie to make.

Couple of things:
The ingredient list for this is kinda confusing. you’ll need the following for two pies:

2 crusts
2 cups sugar
2 8oz package cream cheese
2 bananas
1 can blueberry pie filling
1 small tub cool whip

Also, it says “sugar” and I used “sugar”. I could see though that it would be better with powdered sugar. I got no complaints though. Very much a Spring or Summer pie. Enjoy!!!