An easy way to use those ripe bananas.

3 c. flour

3 eggs

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice

1 tsp. salt

2 c. diced bananas (4 ripe)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

Preheat oven to 350*.

Measure and sift together the fry ingredients. Dice bananas and measure. Add to dry ingredients. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well blended, do not beat. Pour into a 9 inch greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 350* for 1 hour 20 min. Cool in pan. Serve plain or dust with powdered sugar.

When I was a child, every year just after Thanksgiving, we started baking cookies. My mom was a great cook and these were a couple of her favorites.

Orange Slice Cookies

Preheat oven to 350*. In a large bowl mix together:

3/4 c. brown sugar 1 1/4 c. flour

3/8 c. butter 1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. cold water 1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. baking soda in 2 3/4 Tbsp. milk 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 egg, beaten

Mix in:

1/2 c. nuts,chopped 1/2 c. dates, chopped

1/2 c. coconut 1/2 lb. orange slice candy, cut into small pieces

Drop by teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for approx. 10 min.

Walnut Balls

Cream together:

1 c. softened butter

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 1/2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

2 c. powdered sugar, for rolling cookies in

Preheat oven to 325*. Roll into balls, place 12 on a cookies sheet at a time, and bake for 8 min.. Roll in powdered sugar while warm. Allow to cool, then put them in a container and forget about them for as long as possible. These taste better the longer they age.

O.K. I admit it, I don’t make the big Christmas dinner. I found that everybody ate appetizers and when dinner whas ready, nobody was hungry. So, I just started making an assortment of appetizers.

Pizza “egg rolls”

1/2 lb. hamburger, cooked and cooled

1/2 lb. sausage (regular or Italian), cooked and cooled

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 can mushrooms, chopped

1 c. pizza sauce (your favorite brand)

1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 pkg. egg roll wrappers

Combine everything except the egg roll wrappers. Open egg roll wrappers and cover with a damp towel. Working with 1 wrapper at a time, place wrapper with point toward you. Place approximately 1/4 c. of meat mixture off center on egg roll wrapper, moisten edges with water. Bring bottom point over the meat mixture, bring each side point toward center, and continue to roll up. Place on a cookie sheet and continue with remaining wrappers until ll are used. Freeze on cookie sheet. Move to a freezer bag after the rolls are completely frozen. When you are ready to cook them, heat 1/2-1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet to 350*. Fry rolls until well browned on all sides, approx. 8 min. Keep warm in a 300* oven. Add or remove any of the meats as desired according to your taste.

Brie in croissants

Preheat oven to 350*. Remove rind from a wheel of brie, slice approx. 1/4 inch thick. Slice croissants, but not all the way through. Put cheese slices on croissant, place on baking sheet. Bake at 350* until cheese is melted, approx. 6-10 min. Add slices of ham, turkey, or cooked brats when assembling if desired.

Last week I had the opportunity to go to the Taste of Home cooking school in Marshalltown. How to make breakfast pizza with a crescent roll crust to Hot Fudge Cake made in a crockpot were just a couple of the demonstrations. My favorite was Individual Beef Wellington. Perfect for a small dinner with friends or for a special celebration.

6 beef tenderloin steaks 1/4 c. chopped shallots

(1-1 1/2 in. thick-8 oz. each) 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

4 Tbsp. butter, divided 1 can condensed beef consomme ( 10 1/2 oz.)

3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed undiluted

1 egg, lightly beaten 3 Tbsp. port wine, optional

1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme

In a large skillet, brown steaks in 2 Tbsp. butter for 2-3 min. on each side. Remove and keep warm.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a 14 in. X 91/2 in. rectangle. Cut into two 7 in. squares (discard scraps). Place a steak in the center of each square. Lightly brush pastry edges with water. Bring opposite corners of pastry over steak, pinch seams to seal tightly. Cut 4 small slits in top of pastry. Place on a greased 15 in. X 10 in. X 1 in. baking sheet. Brush with egg. Bake at 400* for 25-35 min. or until pastry is golden brown and meat reaches desired doneness (145* for med rare, 160* for med. 170* for well done).

Meanwhile, in the same skillet, saute mushrooms and shallots in the remaining butter for 3-5 min. or until tender. Add flour and cook for 2-3 min. Add consomme and stir until smooth.Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 min, or until thickened. Stir in wine (if using) and thyme. Cook another 2 min. Serve with beef.

Since this week is Thanksgiving, how about an easy supper while you are trying to do all those things for the perfect dinner? Hot wing pizza.

Bake 8-14 boneless hot wing chicken tenders according to the package directions. Cool enough to handle, then cut into bite size peices. Next, bake your favorite cheese pizza (I like thick crust) according to directions. About 5 minutes before the pizza is done , remove it from the oven, scatter the hot wing chicken on it, add some blue cheese crumbles and return to the oven. If you don’t have blue cheese, drizzle with blue cheese salad dressing or ranch salad dressing. Serve with a green salad.