Baking Time, Amish Banana Bread

Guests for dinner tonight, special guests. Melanie, Casi and Mei-Ling will be here for our evening meal. A favorite casserole, Zippy Beef and home made coleslaw and for dessert warm from the oven banana bread with a nice glass of cold milk.

What joy for us to have Mei-Ling out of the hospital !

Here is the recipe for

Zippy Beef Casserole....

1 pound Ground beef
4 ounce Uncooked elbow macaroni ( we like egg noddles better)
1 can Cream of mushroom soup,

3/4 cup Milk
⅓ cup Ketchup

½ cup Shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup Chopped green pepper
1/4 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Crushed potato chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook and stir meat until brown; drain off fat.

Cook macaroni as directed on package;drain.

In un-greased 2 qt. casserole, mix all ingredients, except potato chips.

Cover, bake 40 minutes.

Uncover; sprinkle with crushed potato chips and bake 5 minutes longer. Serves 4-6, I always double the recipe ! It freezes well too, just leave off the potato chips.

Here is the recipe I use for banana bread. I found a huge bag of over ripe banana's at the store yesterday marked to 99 cents for the entire bag. Perfect for banana bread !

Amish Banana Bread

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

5 very ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs, beaten

2-1/4 cups flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chopped nuts (optional) I leave them out.
Directions:
Mix together cream cheese, sugar and butter.

Blend in bananas and eggs.

Add the dry ingredients, mix well . Add in the nuts.

Pour into a greased and floured 9x13-inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let it cool some before you cut it into slices, its awfully hard to wait though, it smells so good