Hello Dollies

1 stick butter or margarine        

2 ½ c graham cracker crumbs        

1 ½ c chopped nuts 

1 1/2 c coconut

1 1/2 c chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter in 9x13; remove from oven.  Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter.  Stir well; press onto bottom of pan.  Sprinkle with nuts, coconut, and morsels.  Pour condensed milk evenly over the top.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown.  Cool completely.

Caleb's Lemon Bars

Caleb has always loved lemon.  This is a favorite of his that he would make from time to time.

1 c butter               

 2 c flour

½ c powdered sugar       

 dash of salt

Mix together with pastry cutter.  Press dough into 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes.

4 beaten eggs            

 ¼ c flour

2 c sugar                

 6 Tb lemon juice

Mix together.  Pour on cooled crust.  Bake 25 minutes at 350.   

Sift powdered sugar on top and cut into bars.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup
from mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

1 can chicken broth (about 1 3/4 cups of broth)
1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)

2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
steamed chopped broccoli (the amount of broccoli really boils down to preference - I wanted a lot of broccoli in my soup, so I chopped and steamed approximately 2 1/2 to 3 cups of broccoli florets)

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Makes approximately 4 servings

(These were the cooking instructions from the blog, but I would cut it to one pot and just saute the onions first instead of boiling them for 20 minutes in chicken broth.  Up to you,)

Favorite Banana Bread

This is the banana bread I make all the time - I think it is my mom's recipe.

Anytime I have a banana going bad, I pop it into the freezer to save for a loaf.

Thaw frozen bananas before using.  They will be slimy and yucky looking when you peel them, but they make fantastic bread!

Friends and family always request this unique banana bread.

1 cup sugar                                  

2 T soft shortening                        

1 egg                                             

¾ c milk                                         

1 cup crushed bananas

3 cups flour

3 1/2 t baking powder

1 t salt

3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix thoroughly sugar, shortening & egg, then stir in milk and crushed bananas.  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to liquid mixture and blend in nuts.  Pour mixture into well-greased loaf pan and let stand 2o minutes before baking.  Bake at 350 for about 70 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Crack in top of loaf is characteristic.