Apple (Walnut) Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325°F
2. Grease two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans; set aside.
3. In medium bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside.
4. In mixing bowl beat the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla together, mixing well. Stir in flour mixture until just mixed. Fold in apples and walnuts and spoon into prepared loaf pans.
5. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tested done when wooden pick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans before removing to cool on wire racks. Wrap tightly to store.

Tip: For a delicious spread, combine 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar and mix well.

Banana Bread...no yeast

Requires two 9 by 5 greased bread pans or one round bunt pan

Ingredients:

5 ripe bananas
4 eggs
1 cup of butter (or shortening)
1 /14 cups of brown sugar
1 1/4 cups of white sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt2 tsp. Baking soda

optional: pour 1/2 stick of melted butter over each pan before you place them in the oven

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a medium bowl mash bananas and stir in eggs until well blended. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat shortening and gradually add sugar. Stir in vanilla and banana mixture.

Separately mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Blend the dry mixture into the batter.
*Add walnuts if desired.

Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, cool for 20 min then turn out onto a bread board

Chicken Soup -home made

My Chicken soup is not a thin soup, when I make soup I tend towards a heartier stew style!

Ingredients

3-4 large pieces of chicken or more (your choice of dark or white, I like a mix of both)

*chicken can be bone in and strained for bone removal to retain a nice broth. I actually like this best but de-boned and cut up chicken can also be used with canned broth. If the chicken is pre-cooked...place in stew towards the end of cooking time so as not to overcook.

3 large carrots sliced
2 pieces of celery sliced
3 medium potatoes quartered
1 medium onion cut in quarters
2 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
pepper to taste
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
6 cups water
1 pkg. of powdered chicken gravy
2 can chicken broth
1/2 lb. noodles or 1 lb. gnocchi

Directions

• Add water, broth and powdered chicken gravy.
  ( If using bone in...add chicken to the above and cook until most of the meat is cooked off of the bone, remove the chicken bones and cut off any remaining meat. *Large pieces of meat should be cut into small cubes.
• Add salt, pepper and seasonings.
• Add all of the vegetables- cook on medium heat 30-40 min. or until vegetables are tender.
• Bring to a full boil and add your pasta noodles and cook according package directions