New Potato Salad
by: Barefoot Contessa
3 lbs small red potatoes
kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk, milk, or white wine
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
Place the potatoes and 2 Tbsps of salt in a large pot of water. Bring water to boil, then lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are barely tender when pierced with knife. Drain potatoes in colander, then place colander with potatoes over empty pot and cover with clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow potatoes to steam for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, dill, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Set aside when potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on size. Place cut potatoes in large bowl. While potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten (or all if you wish but as salad sits, you may need to add more dressing). Add celery, red onion, 2 tsps of salt and 1 tsp pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Banana Bread
by: Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 beaten eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed bananas (5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine
Grease bottom and 1/2" up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 2-inch loaf pans; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside. In medium bowl combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, sprinkle streusel topping over batter.* Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan, or 40-45 minutes for 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 2-inch pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserterd near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Makes 16 servings. *Streusel topping: In small bowl combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour. Using pastry blender (or fork), cut in 2 Tbsp butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.
Crockpot Apple Butter
by: Milli Laughlin @ Hostess House Bed & Breakfast
5 1/2 lbs cooking apples (Braeburn, Granny Smith, Jonagold or Golden Delicious work best but any kind of apple should be okay to use)
1 cup water
4 cups granulated sugar
2-3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
Peel (I used a vegetable peeler and it worked great), core and quarter apples. Combine with the water in a large stockpot and cook until tender (generally 5-10 minutes). Place cooked apples in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Combine the pureed apples, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a slow-cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (depending on thickness and depth of color desired). Stir occassionally. Spoon into freezer containers (or small canning jars), cover and cool. Refrigerate or freeze. Makes 9 cups.
Note: For a thicker butter, remove the cover the last couple of hours and simmer until thick while still stirring occassionally.
{This is how I found Jocelyn at the table for dinner: ripping off her socks and cleaning between her toes. While I found this disgusting, I had to run for the camera! It's interesting...her sister used to do the same thing when she was little. Maybe it's a kid thing? Still gross at the table. :p}
