Aunt Thelma's Banana Bread

Aunt Thelma’s Banana Bread
By: Thelma Albaugh, John Orr’s Aunt

Serves 12
Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

1 stick of margarine
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
4 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup bananas – coarsely mashed, but not mushy
½ cup ground pecans

Cream margarine, sugar, and eggs together in a large mixing bowl – add buttermilk and vanilla and set aside. In another bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with bananas and nuts. Hand stir until well-blended, but be sure not to over-beat the mix.

Bake in a greased 5” x 9” loaf pan at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. It will split slightly at the top. Test with a toothpick for doneness. When done, let stand in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and immediately seal in plastic wrap. Then wrap again with aluminum foil and place in the freezer while it’s still hot. Leave the bread in the freezer for several days or longer. This is what makes the bread so moist!

Tomato Basil Soup

This Tomato Basil Soup is a great summertime soup recipe. When we can we substitute fresh tomatoes from our garden and we always use basil grown here on the property.


Tomato Basil Soup
Serves 6

32 oz can San Marzano Tomatoes, pureed
1 can tomato paste
1 cup onion, diced
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup carrot, diced
¾ cup fresh basil, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
1 T. garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Preheat heavy bottom sauce pan. Add olive oil.  Sweat onion, celery & carrot in oil until soft.  Add garlic, sauté for a few more minutes.

2. Add tomato paste and pureed tomatoes.

3. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add heavy cream and ½ cup of basil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish soup with remaining basil.

Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek

Almond Cake

We do a version of this almond cake with a cherry topping but it's great plain as well. We pulled the recipe from italian-dessert-recipes.com which has all sorts of yummy italian desserts.

Ingredients:

3/4 cups of butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups of flour

Topping:

1 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup of SLICED almonds


ProcedurePreheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter.
Pour melted butter in a bowl and stir in sugar. Stir it.
Add eggs (see it really is one bowl).
Stir till creamy.
Add all other ingredients (but not the topping ingredients!).
Grease bottom and sides of pan. I use a springform - but you can use a 9 inch also.
Spread the batter in the pan.
Sprinkle the almonds over the top and add sprinkle the sugar.
Bake for 40 mins.


Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek

Pancake Batter

This cooks.com pancake batter recipe results in a light fluffy pancake. It's a great base for variations such the blueberry pancakes shown above.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. butter, melted
2 c. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 egg
2 c. milk
4 tbsp. oil or Pam


Directions:
Melt butter, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat together: melted butter, egg, and milk. Stir wet ingredients until just combined. It's O.K. to see a few lumps in the batter. Cook in 350 degree skillet using oil or cooking spray.

Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek

Texas Sweet Spicy Coleslaw

• 
  
• The versatility of cole slaw is wonderful, it works great as a condiment or as a side dish. We serve it along side our pulled pork sandwiches at many of our corporate retreat luncheons or as a bed for our grilled shrimp skewers. The tangy crunch can compliment many dishes and is especially tasty when it's warm outside like it is now in the Texas Hill Country. Currently we're using cabbage out of our garden but you can easily pick up a bag of cole slaw mix and use the following recipe to whip up a delicious side dish for your next cookout. 

Yield: 6 to 8 side dish servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 large bag of prepared cole slaw mix
• or 
• 1 head green cabbage (shredded)
• 1/2 head red cabbage (shredded)
• 2 or 3 large carrots (shredded)

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
• 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:


If making the cole slaw mix from scratch the use of a food processor with a grating disk will make quick work of the shredding. For the dressing combine all ingredients and mix throughly. Add 3/4 of dressing to cabbage and carrot mixture and mix until well incorporated. Check wetness and incorporate remaining dressing to desired consistency. 




Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek

Zucchini Fritters

Squash season is here at the Inn Above Onion Creek which means Zucchini Fritters are frequenting the menu as a first course appetizer. We often use fresh zucchini out of the Inn's garden or Brian's garden at the Michaelis Ranch.

Zucchini Fritters:

Serves: 5

Ingredients:

3 to 4 medium sized zucchini

2 eggs

2 tbsp bread crumbs

3.5 oz (100 g) grated kashkaval cheese (you can use crumbled feta cheese also)

1 grated onion

2 tbsp dill, chopped

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

2 tbsp coriander, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Grate the zucchini coarsely and put into a colander. Sprinkle lightly with salt and toss, then leave for 20 minutes to drain. Rinse the zucchini briefly, then squeeze it to extract as much liquid as you can and pat dry with kitchen paper. 

In a bowl, combine all ingredients.

Form zucchini patties with your hands.

Heat some oil in a large skillet, and brown them on both sides.

Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek

Caramelized Onion Tart with Balsamic Reduction

Caramelized Onion Tart w/ Balsamic Reduction.
Serves 8

Ingredients:

Your favorite pie crust recipe or frozen pie crust – pre-cooked.
6 large yellow onions – julienned
1 Tbsp Butter
1 tsp  fresh thyme, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. Fresh Chevre
1 ½ cups Balsamic Vinegar reduced to 1/3 cup

Directions:

Pre heat a large skillet. Add butter. When butter melts, add onions. Caramelize onions over medium-low heat while stirring often. If bottom of skillet begins to accumulate “fond” add water and scrape. When onions are a dark golden brown add the thyme, salt and pepper. Let onion mixture cool to room temperature. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Fill the tart with onion mixture and smooth with spatula. Crumble the Chevre over the tart. Bake until the onions are bubbling and the chevre is slightly melted and golden in color. Slice tart, plate and drizzle with balsamic reduction.

Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek

Sun-dried Tomato Aioli

One of the great things about our bed and breakfast is your stay includes dinner and breakfast. However, many of our guests do not realize that we do offer lunch service by request and that lunch is also included with many of spa packages. One of lunch specialities is our chicken club sandwich with sun-dried tomato aioli. The aioli can give any sandwich or wrap a great zing to what could be an otherwise plain sandwich. It's easy to prepare if you have a food processor or blender on hand. We thought we'd share the aioli recipe with ya'll so you could try it on your favorite sandwich or wrap.

Yield: About 3 Cups

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup of Sun-dried Tomatoes.
2 Cup Canola Oil
4 Egg Yolks
1 Bulbs of Roasted Garlic
1 Tbsp of Lemon Juice
2 tsp of salt

Directions:
Trim off top of Garlic bulb and drizzle with olive oil.  Roast Garlic in 400 Degree oven for 30 minutes or until cloves are soft.

Add sun-dried tomatoes, eggs, and roasted garlic to food processor until coarsely blended.

With motor running slowly add oil to mixture to properly emulsify the eggs and oil together. Blend until thick and creamy. Once oil is fully incorporated add lemon juice and blend. Finally season with salt.

Spread on your favorite sandwich or wrap and enjoy!

Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek

Phyllo Wrapped Salmon

This is a nice twist on a traditional baked or grilled salmon recipe. The phyllo keeps the fish extra moist. Our recipe is a take on the Bon Appetite recipe from 1997.

Ingredients: 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
4 cups matchstick-size strips yellow bell peppers (about 2 large)
2 cups matchstick-size strips leek (white and pale green parts only; about 1 large)
salt and pepper to taste
12 sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed
6 5-ounce skinless salmon fillets

Directions:

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and leek and sauté until leek is tender. Cool vegetable mixture.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in small saucepan or microwave. Place 1 pastry sheet on work surface (keep remaining phyllo sheets covered). Brush with some of melted butter. Top with second pastry sheet; brush with melted butter. Place 1 salmon fillet crosswise on pastry sheet, 5 inches in from 1 short end. Top salmon fillet with 1/4 cup of vegetable mixture.

Fold 5-inch section of pastry over salmon. Fold in sides. Roll up, forming rectangular packet. Transfer to heavy large baking sheet, vegetable side up. Brush packet all over with melted butter.

Repeat with remaining pastry sheets, melted butter, salmon fillets and vegetables. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.) Bake salmon until pastry is pale golden and salmon is cooked through, about 35 minutes


Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek

Pecan Encrusted Tilapia

This technique works great on many different types of fish and is a great way to jazz up tilapia.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Flour
1 Egg
1/2 Cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 Cup panko bread crumbs
Fresh Herbs such as oregano, thyme or parsley. Dried are fine as well.
Salt and Pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
4 fillets of Tilapia

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Setup up a dredging station which consists of flour, egg wash, and the crust ingredients (panko, pecans, lemon zest and herbs). Salt and pepper tilapia.  Dredge only one side of fish in flour, egg wash and finally crust mixture. Place tilapia on greased sheet pan and chill in fridge for 30 minutes to help crust bind to the fish. Cook in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until fish is flaky.


Innkeepers Inn Above Onion Creek