Delicious Buttermilk Banana Bread

This banana bread is so moist and delicious.  My one trick to preventing the bottom and sides of the bread to get too dark?  I place a cookie sheet on the rack just below.  It works every time.

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
4 Tbs buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda

In one bowl, mix your flour, baking powder, salt and soda.

In your mixing bowl, cream softened butter and sugar enough so that it is light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and once incorporated, at the bananas, buttermilk and vanilla.  Gently mix in the dry ingredients...do not mix for too long.

Prepare your loaf pan by greasing and flouring it.  Pour the batter in and liberally sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes.

"Street Corn" Pasta Salad

This pasta salad was unbelievably delicious and one I will be making over and over again! It was very easy to put together, and I was able to find alternative ingredients when there were things I did not have. I added more citrus, hot sauce, and chili powder than was called for, and I used more cilantro...you can never have enough!

Here you go:

8 ozs ditalini pasta (or a pasta of your choice)

4 ears of corn (slice off the kernels - about 4 cups)

1/4 cup red onion finely chopped

1/4 cup Cotija cheese crumbled

2 tbs fresh chopped cilantro

Dressing:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1-3 tbs Cholula hot sauce (adjust to taste)

2-3 tbs fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)

1 tsp sugar

1/2-1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground chili powder

The things I had to replace/add:

lemon juice for lime juice
Feta cheese for Cotija cheese
Shallot for purple onion
Regular hot sauce for Cholula hot sauce

shredded pepper jack cheese

(1) roasted Poblano pepper

Cook and cool the pasta. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, adjusting the seasoning to taste. Mix in the corn, onion, pepper jack cheese, poblano pepper, and pasta. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and Cotija cheese and serve.

It's that simple!