The secret to PERFECT Banana and Pumpkin Bread

So, if you are anything like me you have been plagued over the years with the inevitable gooey spot in the center of your bread loaves, no matter how closely you watch them, or how anal you are about making them EXACTLY according to directions.

It's been the bane of my bread making existence. But alas!!  HARK!  I discovered the secret to *completely* cooked bread, that isn't under or over done *any*where!!

I will share it with you now.

 Because I like you.

And because you came to visit my Blog, and that makes me very happy.

#1.  When using a 9 X 5 pan, [a] I use a glass baking dish, and [b] I turned the oven to 335 degrees.
Yes, 335.
Almost every recipe I have calls for 350--Don't do it!! Don't yield to their demands any longer!!
#2.  Cook that sucker for 60 minutes. Don't even kid yourself that it will be done sooner, though *they* will suggest it might be. No. It won't.
#3.  30 minutes into cook time lay a roughly 12" X 12" sheet of aluminum foil over the top and *NOW* turn the oven up to 350 degrees for the remainder of the cook time. Don't fold the foil down or anything, maybe even tent it up just slightly. Slightly, I say. Meaning a teeny, tiny, bit [ we're talking maybe 1/2 an inch] so it won't think about sticking to the batter. This keeps the top from getting over done while the center actually gets done.

 This is how I made my most recent loaf of Pumpkin bread jut this past week and it was PERFECT!. Try it with one of the banana or Pumpkin bread recipes I have here and let me know how it works for you too.

Chicken Fajita Seasoning

Once again, I had my taste buds all set for something and come cook time realized I was missing some key ingredient. In this case it was chicken fajitas and I'd forgotten to buy the seasoning packet.

Here I was, mouth all adrool, and no seasoning. So I went to the always trusty in a pinch www.allrecipes.com, and found a couple of recipes that had ingredients that sounded right. I mixed and matched my own combination and the resulting seasoning mix was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!

Thought I would share it with you.

~Ingredients~ 

2 tsp Cumin

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion Powder

1 Tb cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp chicken boullion granuals

2/3 cup water

1 Tb veg or canola oil

1/4 cup lime juice

I marinated my chicken in the lime juice and then added it into the pan when I cooked it as well.

This recipe is equal to one regular packet of seasoning from the store

Make It Yourself Taco Seasoning

If you are like me, sometimes you get ready to start making dinner and just as you are accumulating all of the ingredients you need, you realize you're, of course, missing the most important one. Like tonight. I was making tacos and realized I'd forgotten to pick up a seasoning packet at the store. Well, www.allrecipes.com to the rescue!!
I found a recipe for taco seasonings and tweaked it a bit. It was QUITE tasty!
So, of course, I had to share it with you in case you ever find yourself in the same boat.

• 1 TB Chili Powder
• 1.5 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• black pepper to taste [abt 1/8 tsp works for us] 
• 1-2 TB cornstarch

This is equivalent to a packet of seasonings and works for 1 lb of beef or chicken with 2/3 cup of water.