Paying it Forward continues... a recipe blog.

As requested (since there is the serious likelihood of baked goods being confiscated -- and incinerated, or eaten ?? -- at the border), I am posting the recipes for the baked goods I would otherwise have sent to my "pay it forward" prize winner, Soccer Milf.

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Banana Bread

preheat oven to 350 F

Mix together:
½ cup soft butter or margarine
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup orange juice (CRITICAL)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (approximately 2 bananas, if they're of average size)

Then add:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Although delicious as is... I usually also add about a cup of one or any combination of the following:
semi-sweet chocolate chips, walnuts, chopped dried apricots, golden raisins

Mix until combined, but don't over mix or you'll wind up with small heavy loaves or muffins. Pour into greased loaf or muffin tins -- makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins

Bake at 350 F until a toothpick comes out clean (muffins - approx. 25-35 mins, loaf - approx. 1 hour)

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Best Ever Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies

Mix together:
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup margarine
½ cup lard (or full cup of marg if you don't do lard)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups shredded coconut
½ cup sesame seeds

optional - 1 cup of any of the following: raisins, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, walnuts, etc

Roll into balls of whatever size you like, place on a cookie sheet and press flat with a fork... these cookies don't really spread much when baking so factor that in when you're deciding how big or small you want them

Note: these cookies will be soft and chewy only until they cool. After that, they will be crunchy and perfect for dipping into tea, coffee or glasses of milk.

Bake at 350 F til golden (12-15 mins)

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Carrot Loaf
(not to be mistaken for a carrot cake, this is denser and more amenable to spreading with butter or peanut butter than with cream cheese frosting, for example... though I leave that to your discretion)

preheat oven to 350 F

Beat together:
1 ½ cups melted butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
zest of one lemon

Sift in:
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
½ tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp cinnamon

Add:
2 ½ cups grated carrot
juice of one lemon
½ cup each of walnuts and raisins

Note: the mix will look dry and impossible until you add the carrot. Don't be tempted to add any liquids until the carrot is mixed in. Then, if it still seems too dry, add a little water. It should be a heavy and rather stiff mixture.

Turn into 2 loaf pans, buttered and sprinkled very generously with poppy seeds.

Bake for approximately 45 mins @ 350 F, until a toothpick comes out clean.

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Nut Bars

preheat oven to 350 F

Combine until a crumbly dough forms:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup soft margarine or butter

Press dough onto a cookie sheet to form the base for your nut bars.
Bake for 10 -12 minutes, until pale gold

In a sauce pan, combine and bring to a boil:
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp water
1 cup butterscotch chips

Let boil for two minutes, then remove from heat.

Meanwhile, sprinkle 2 cups of mixed nuts (any kind you like... we're fond of cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, etc ) over the baked cookie base.


Pour the butterscotch syrup over the top of the nuts (on the cookie base), trying to make sure they're fairly evenly coated.

Bake for another 10 - 12 minutes at 350 F
Cool and cut into bars.

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So, there you have it, Soccer Milf... the instructions for making your own baked goods care package. Hope you enjoy them!