Make sure to read all the way to the end for a special recipe sent to us by a SpaceCoast Living Magazine reader!
CONFESSION:
I love food. Like, really love it.
When I first moved away from home to attend college, I couldn’t wait to be in my own place. I dreamed about cooking every evening in my white and yellow decorated kitchen. I put all of my utensils in a teapot by my stove and bought more “decorative” dish towels then useful one’s. I purchased my first frying pan—and it was pink. But like every hopeful freshmen, those dreams would quickly plummet. Reality slapped me across the face (hard) as the secrets of living with three other girls came to light (and left my dainty kitchen covered in dirty dishes) and tuition costs drained all my hopes of becoming an amateur culinary chef. My evening meals consisted mostly of rotating between spaghetti, stir fry vegetables and, well… spaghetti again.
But like every loyal and devoted daughter, I came home every holiday break with open arms to my parents. And by open-armed, I mean— with a fork and knife in hand, ready to devour all and every home-cooked meal I could get my mouth open to.
My mom and I last christmas on holiday break. Love this woman!
As much as I love food, I really love all the memories that are centered around the glorious, homemade goodness. Food is one thing, sure, but those memories…Well, nothing can satisfy the appetite of the heart beside the love passed around those meals. For christmas last year, my mom gave me a recipe book with all of my favorite meals she cooks. Here’s to hoping my post-undergraduate culinary attempts will be more successful.
Reader Recipe
One of our very special readers, Jamie Schmalenberger, of Melbourne, shared with me one of her favorite recipes passed on to her from her mom! See more recipes from Jamie here!
Mom’s Banana Bread:
Prep-to-Eat Time: Approx. 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup bananas (ie: 2 bananas) *Secret Tip: Wait until the banana peel starts to turn brown, then it’s ready for the recipe!
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use a hand-mixer to mix together all ingredients until well-combined.
Bake in a greased loaf pan for 50-60 minutes, or until you can stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.
Yum! Do you have a favorite family recipe? Comment and tell us what it is!
-Allysar Hassan
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