At my house, Wednesday is the day my husband gets up early to go to a meeting with other pastors to pray for the needs of their friends and congregations, missionaries, our state and our nation. They have been meeting for many years now and although that doesn't seem like a big thing, in reality, it is. These pastors are not all from one denomination. They are Baptist, Congregational, Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Catholic and Lutheran among others. It is rare to see something like this as many times pastors prefer to stay within their own denomination, or perhaps be part of an ecumenical group that meets once a month to plan larger events. This is simply a group of men, coming together in prayer. In the Northeast, where I live, churches are generally pretty small - nothing like you see in the mid-west of southern states. Our average congregations run about 40-80 people with only 3 churches in this county that have over 150 regular attendees. I remember going to a church in Nashville several years ago when we brought our daughter down there for college and being blown away by the sheer numbers of people. They were looking for 200 Sunday School teachers and we laughed because we didn't even have 200 people!
At any rate, the pastors here rotate their meetings monthly so no one church (or wife!!) has to be responsible for coffee or a meeting place. This month, it is here at our house, so it was the perfect excuse for me to try a new recipe. I found this in Better Homes and Gardens December issue. It was the Grand Prize Winner in their contest and was made by Brenda Orbell. I want to give credit where credit is due, but I also like to bake something first before posting it! I made this with the low fat milk instead of the bourbon because it is not something i either like or keep in the house. The pastors just left and they all raved about it! Enjoy!
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 medium bananas
1/4 cup bourbon OR low fat milk
1 TBSP vanilla
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Powdered Sugar
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour and 10 inch fluted tube pan; set aside
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, ; set aside
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined
Gradually add sugar, beating about 7 minutes or until light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each egg; scraping bowl continually.
4. In a small bowl, combine bananas, vanilla and bourbon (or milk), mash until mixed thoroughly. Alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture; beat on low to medium speed until just combined. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly in pan.
5. Bake for 80 minutes (mine took closer to 95) until toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and continue cooling on rack. Sprinkle with Powdered Sugar when cool. Serve with berries or ice cream, if desired.
This is delicious right out of the oven and freezes like a dream. I can also see adding a cup chocolate chips to this!
At any rate, the pastors here rotate their meetings monthly so no one church (or wife!!) has to be responsible for coffee or a meeting place. This month, it is here at our house, so it was the perfect excuse for me to try a new recipe. I found this in Better Homes and Gardens December issue. It was the Grand Prize Winner in their contest and was made by Brenda Orbell. I want to give credit where credit is due, but I also like to bake something first before posting it! I made this with the low fat milk instead of the bourbon because it is not something i either like or keep in the house. The pastors just left and they all raved about it! Enjoy!
Ingredients
Serves 12
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 medium bananas
1/4 cup bourbon OR low fat milk
1 TBSP vanilla
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Powdered Sugar
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour and 10 inch fluted tube pan; set aside
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, ; set aside
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined
Gradually add sugar, beating about 7 minutes or until light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each egg; scraping bowl continually.
4. In a small bowl, combine bananas, vanilla and bourbon (or milk), mash until mixed thoroughly. Alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture; beat on low to medium speed until just combined. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly in pan.
5. Bake for 80 minutes (mine took closer to 95) until toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and continue cooling on rack. Sprinkle with Powdered Sugar when cool. Serve with berries or ice cream, if desired.
This is delicious right out of the oven and freezes like a dream. I can also see adding a cup chocolate chips to this!
No comments:
Post a Comment