Banana Bread (Mom)

5 Tbsp butter (room temperature)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. mashed, very ripe bananas (3 bananas)
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray bottom of loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer set a medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar and brown sugar;  beat well. Add egg, egg whites and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add mashed banana, and beat on high speed 30 seconds.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with cream, ending with flour mixture. Add walnuts to batter; mix well.

Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake until browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Cool bread in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.

Mushroom and Fontina Quicche

1 refrigerated pie crust
2 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup chopped shallots
5 cups of assorted mushrooms chopped (12-14oz)
4 large eggs
2/3 cup half and half
1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (7oz) grated Fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 450F. Bake pie shell about 14 minutes. Reduce oven to 325F. Meanwhile, melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, saute about 2 min. Add mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown, about 8 min. Tranfer to plate; spread out to cool slightly.

Whisk eggs, half and half, milk, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup Fontina cheese and sauteed mushrooms. Pour filling into crust Sprinkle remailing 1/2 cup cheese over quiche.

Bake quiche until puffed, golden brown, and just set in center, about 50 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with salad.

Rabbit with Red Wine (Mom)

1 rabbit cut up in pieces (ask the butcher to cut it) 100ml of olive oil 1 chopped onion 2 garlic cloves minced 1 bay leaf 50g chopped bacon 50g chopped chorico 2 ripe tomatoes cubed 1 10oz button mushrooms Chopped parsley red wine salt & pepper Season rabbit with salt and pepper. In a wide pot heat up the olive oil, onion, garlic, bay leaf, bacon and chorico. Saute everything until they brown. Add the rabbit and brown it on all sides. Add the tomatoes mushrooms and pour enough wine to cover the rabbit. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes. When rabbit is tender, stir in the parsley and serve over mashed potatoes.

Chicken Giblets Appetizer (Mom)

1 Kilo of chicken giblets 2 big onions 2 garlic cloves 2 bay leaves 2 Tbs of olive oil 1 Tbs paprika 1 dl of white wine sal & pepper & piripir vinegar Wash giblets in water and vinegar. Chop or slice the onions and mince garlic and saute with the giblets in olive oil. Brown everything. Combine the paprika with the white wine and add the salt, pepper, bay leaves and piripir. Cover and simmer. If necessary add water or chicken broth to add enough gravy. Some add chourico to this dish, serve as an appetizer with crusty bread or a scoop of rice.