A well-worn cookbook from the early 1970s offers a wide range of cookies, cakes, loaves and fruit salads that may also be served as dessert.
Ingredients are familiar and likely readily available in most homes. The banana loaf recipe may be doubled with the extras stored in the freezer for future use.
Some of the recipes in the book are designated as seasonal treats but both of this week’s recipes could be enjoyed at any time of the year.
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Deluxe Banana Loaf
3 cups chopped, mixed candied fruit
2 cups chopped, pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped, candied pineapple
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
3/4 cup soft butter
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. orange extract
2 cups mashed ripe bananas
Prepare two 9x5 inch loaf tins by greasing with butter then lining with buttered brown paper. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the fruit, dates, pineapple and nuts. Dredge with 1/4 cup of the flour.
Sift the remaining flour with baking power, baking soda and seasonings. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in orange rind, juice and extract.
Mash the bananas with a potato masher. Alternate stirring the bananas and flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Stir in floured fruit and nuts.
Turn batter into prepared pans and bake for two hours and 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 20 minutes then turn out onto racks. Carefully remove the paper and allow cakes to cool completely. Wrap in foil. May be frozen.
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Fruit Salad Dessert
1 lemon
5 oranges
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup orange liqueur
1 pink grapefruit
3 firm Anjou pears
3 apples
2 bananas
2 cups halved, seedless red grapes
1-10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries or raspberries
Into a saucepan squeeze the juice from the lemon and two of the oranges. Add the sugar and water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Add the liqueur.
Peel and remove the white membrane from the three remaining oranges and the grapefruit. Cut them into 2 inch pieces.
Cut and core the pears and apples, leaving the skin on, and chop them into 2 inch pieces.
Place prepared fruit and grapes in a large serving bowl. Pour in the fruit and sugar syrup and mix gently. Chill.
Thaw the strawberries or raspberries only until they separate nicely. Add them to the rest of the chilled fruit 30 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream or over ice cream. Makes about 12 servings.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
