Banana Nut Bars

1 cup sugar
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 pan. Mix sugar, bananas, oil, and eggs with a wooden spoon. Stir in flour, cinnamon, and nuts.
Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting (for Banana Nut Bars)

1 pkg. (3 ounces) softened cream cheese
1/3 cup softened butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract with electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar.

Store frosted bars in the refrigerator.

* I usually double the frosting recipe.

After-School Apple Cake

6 apples (Cortland, Braeburn, & Empire work well)
2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel, core, and slice apples. Set them in a large bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.
In a mixing bowl, blend oil, eggs, and sugar. Add flour.
Pour the batter over the apples and gently stir.
Bake in a 13 x 9 inch greased baking dish for 35-45 minutes.

Pico De Gallo

1 medium white onion, finely chopped
4 large tomatoes, finely diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (or you can use a green bell pepper)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Coarse salt
Ground black pepper

Combine. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Serve, or store covered in plastic wrap up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 quart.

Easy Bread-and-Butter Pickles

4 pounds cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarse salt
3 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp. mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. ground celery seed

Place cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Add salt and toss. Add enough cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Let stand, covered, for 2 hours.

Drain. Rinse with cold water, and drain again. Set aside.

Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add cucumbers and onions and return to boil. Cook 1 minute. Transfer to jars or airtight containers and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 3 quarts.

Fresh Vegetable Salsa

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tbls. diced purple onion
1 tbls. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. garlic salt

Mix and chill. Serve with tortilla chips.

(This makes 1 3/4 cups. I usually double the recipe, and sometimes triple it. I also do not peel or seed. Who has time for that? I just dice everything.)

Hamburger Baked Beans

(This is a recipe that my mother used to make and take to picnics and summer gatherings.)

Brown 1 pound ground beef and 1 chopped onion. Drain.

Make a sauce of:

1 quart tomatoes
1 small chopped onion
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Cook in a sauce pan over medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

Then combine the sauce and browned beef with:
1 large can Pork and Beans
2 tsp. mustard
Bake in a baking dish at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Kim's Spiced Zucchini Bread

This makes 2 loaves. *Tell your kids it's "Cake" and they will love it! (Don't mention the word "zucchini", that tends to freak them out.)

3 cups self-rising flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

Combine dry ingredients and nuts. Set aside. Beat eggs; add sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Add dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans.

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.