Park Round Up

Well it was a semi successful Eat at Home month here at the Parks. Last time we did this I didn't eat out once, but this time it seemed like closer to once a week. A big part of that was how much I was working and sometimes I just didn't bring myself enough food for the whole day. I know excuses, excuses. There was also some friend "stuff" that got in the way of eating at home. But I didn't eat out for the convenience of it this month.... which is something for me.

We had a lot of our typical meals over the last couple of weeks. Although one March tradition that we only do once a year was boiled dinner. I find it a challenge to find corned beef at other times of the year but it's always around during St. Patrick's Day. So we boil carrots, potatoes, cabbage and corn beef together for the day (although dont' add the cabbage until the last 20ish minutes). It is a very tasty although sounds a little boring. That night we also had a really delicious dessert, banana bread with rum sauce and caramel. Here are the directions to the rum sauce. It was very very good.

Here is the rum sauce recipie:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons white or dark rum (I used dark and spiced)
  

Directions

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix together the sugar and cornstarch, and stir into the butter. Pour in milk, and cook stirring frequently until the mixture begins to boil. Continue cooking until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in rum. Serve warm.

And here is the banana bread recipe

Ingredients

Makes 1 loaf

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Most of my recipes I get from allrecipies.com or the kraftfoods.com website.

Jenn