Banana Bread is a longtime favorite in any farm kitchen. This recipe is the winner in the Epicurious.com kitchens. (I added a handful of chocolate chips for the enjoyment of those who delight in small surprises.)
My farm kitchen was alive with the sounds of clamoring pots, clanging utensils and hearty laughter. Three generations of my family and a number of friends added to the camaraderie. This always makes for great fun and incredible outcomes. I had decided on an old-time menu for Saturday night, one that those who farmed this land might have made years ago for their families: Banana Bread, Chicken Pot Pie, Light Whole Wheat Bread, and Baked Apples.
Baked Apples ready for the oven. I started with the simple recipe from a 50-year-old cook book and added nuts, granola, raisins and orange zest.
Chicken Pot Pie lightened up with a phyllo dough topping rather than a heavier pastry covering.
A light whole wheat loaf made in my Breadman machine.
My Grandson in the Kitchen
On Sunday, I turned the kitchen over to Austin, my oldest grandson, and his girl friend, Summer. They’re adventuresome cooks that I can confidently—and gladly—turn to for the preparation of a fine meal. Austin has been cooking his way through Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty More, that I gave him for Christmas.
For breakfast, he prepared the famed chef’s Spicy Scrambled Eggs. If your eggs are getting boring, this is the dish for you: bright and zesty. The recipe is in Plenty More or you can use this adapted, on line recipe). Austin served the scramble with hash browns and bacon. I think Ottolenghi would’ve been pleased with his rendition.
Austin and Summer preparing Chef Ottolenghi’s scrambled eggs.
Spicy Scrambled Eggs highlighted the farm breakfast.
A hearty breakfast plate of fruit, hash browns, bacon and Ottolenghi’s Spicy Scrambled Eggs.
For a lunch treat, Austin served a few of the sausages that he, along with Summer’s family, had made from pheasant meat during the Christmas holidays. (See earlier post “Sausage Making for Fun and Food.”)
Austin topped the sausage rounds with a lemon-yogurt sauce. Dee-lish!!
A Rare Winter Weekend
On Sunday, the weather was pleasant enough for me to throw open the kitchen windows and enjoy the fresh, country air.
I was expecting to sit by the fireplace and read this weekend. Instead, I climbed into the farm truck and paid a visit to the herd. They’re indifferent to my visits unless it involves a bale of hay.
