Banana Bread

From the kitchen of: Tina Dunn

Ingredients

2 eggs

3 very ripe bananas

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cups chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan

2. In a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy

3 Add the bananas and eggs and beat until smooth

4 Add the vegetable oil until combined

5. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nuts (optional).

6 Add the dry ingredients to banana mixture and beat until all combined

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. It should be no more than two-thirds full. Bake the loaf until dark golden brown (45-50 minutes).

8 After taking the bread out from the oven waiting 10 minutes until cutting

Lemon Bars

From the kitchen of: John Kanell

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

12 tbsp unsalted butter

3 tbsp lemon zest

3 cups sugar

8 eggs

1 cup lemon juice (fresh)

Dash of vanilla (optional)

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper

2. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups of flour with the powdered sugar and salt, then pour in the melted butter and mix until combined You can either do this by hand or with a stand mixer A dash of vanilla can be added in with the butter at this step

3. Sprinkle the dough into your lined pan and press down into a flat layer. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes or until a light golden color

4 While the crust is baking add sugar to a food processor and add the zest of three lemons Pulse until the zest is fully incorporated and sugar is a light yellow color If you don’t have a food processor just mince the zest and mix with the sugar in a bag or bowl

5. Add the sugar and remaining half cup of flour to a large bowl and mix well. You can sift the mixture together however the zesty sugar bits will need to get dumped out of the sifter as they might clog things up

6 Pour in lemon juice and add eggs, then mix very well until completely combined

7. Pour filling onto the warm crust, then transfer to oven and bake for about 25 minutes, turning halfway through the bake Remove from oven and allow to cool for an hour before chilling in the refrigerator for two hours

8 Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars using a clean, sharp, damp knife Clean and re-wet the knife after each cut.