Recipes from the Slacker...Ham and Potato Soup, Banana Cake

I should have been working the last few days but instead I decided to make cake and garden. Why not? Lydia was on spring break from school so me too! What a slacker :)

Actually I've been working on the new shed/studio...the outside that is. I've finally got a plan for a cottage garden and have been removing sod. ALSO finally put in the sweet pea seeds and those poor daffodil bulbs that never got planted in the fall. It was done very professional like ~ shoving at least 7 bulbs at a time in giant holes all over the place. The inside studio is starting to come together. Dino's helped me with the inside putting up insulation and adding electricity....I've got 5 plugs! He does bathrooms also.

Last week my mom gave me an old banana cake recipe my sister had from my Grandma. My sister said she's had it for a while. I think it must have been in with some old photos she got when grandma passed away. As I was making this cake I imagined my grandma making it for different family gatherings. Christmas Eve was always the best. We would go to my Aunt Ruthie's house for Christmas Eve. She had two boys that didn't want to play with "girl" cousins. We always thought they were rich because they had cool games like Operation and Mouse Trap. That game kept us busy for hours. We had no idea how to play but setting it up was the best.

All this just to tell you that this vintagy cake stands the test of time, it's delightful. Dino's already had 2 pieces in the last five minutes...although to be fair he did give up sweets for lent and still has that sugar deficiency.

Grandma's Banana Cake

1/2 Cup Butter or Shortening (shortening would make it a lighter cake)

2 Cups Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Cups Mashed Bananas (4-5 bananas)

2 1/2 Cups Flour ~ sifted

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9" x 13" pan.

Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs one at a time until creamy. Add mashed bananas.

Sift together baking soda, salt, baking powder and flour. Gradually add dry ingredients into banana mixture, until well combined.

Pour in prepared pan. Bake approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly and spread on frosting.

Creamy Frosting

3/4 stick Butter ~ melted

1 1/3 TBSP Flour

1/8 tsp Salt

1/3 Cup Milk

2 1/2 Cups Confectioners Sugar.

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla

1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Mix butter, flour and salt together. Bring to boiling point. Add milk and cook until thick. Remove from heat and beat in confectioners sugar. When cool enough to spread, add vanilla. I think I did this next part wrong but I poured the icing over cake and spread it out then added the chopped walnuts on top before icing completely cooled. I think what your suppose to do is add the nuts to the icing then spread it on cake. Either way I think you'll get the same taste.

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That was my blog from last night that I never finished. It's raining outside this morning and I think I will actually do a little work today. I've also added this recipe for your ham leftovers.....easy! easy! easy! And not fattening at all (wink wink wink).

Have a happy one.

Simple Ham and Potato Soup

1 Ham Bone*

2 TBSP Butter

2 Stalks Celery ~ chopped

1/2 Large Onion ~ chopped

2 Carrots ~ grated

6 Cups Water

2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Stock

Pinch of Thyme

4 Cups Cooked Ham ~ cubed

5 Cups Potatoes ~ peeled and cubed

Salt and Pepper to taste

Rue

5 TBSP Butter

5 TBSP Flour

2 Cups Whole Milk or Cream

In a large stock pot melt butter. Add onion, celery and carrots, cook until almost tender. Add ham bone, water, stock, and thyme. Bring to a boil then simmer for 2 hours.

Remove ham bone and let cool. Take off any left over ham on bone and add back to soup. Add cubed ham and potatoes and cook for another 1/2 hour or until potatoes are soft.

Meanwhile in another smaller pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue stirring until thickened...about 5 minutes.

Add rue to soup and stir until combined well and heated through. Serve with a little grated sharp cheddar on top and crusty bread.

*In the deli or meat section sometimes you can find ham bones with lots of meat still on it for about .99 cents a pound.