Cranberry/Banana Bread

This is pure and simple banana bread, heavy, moist, and dark.
1 loaf pan - greased

3 ripe bananas, well mashed
1 tsp. Salt
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
½ cup coarsely chopped cranberries
3/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Mix the bananas and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add the cranberries and blend. Put the batter in the pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the pan and place on a rack. Serve still warm with butter or cooled, as you like it.

Ingredients
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapeño
• 1/4 pound Monterey jack cheese, with jalapeños, grated
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Emeril's hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the crabmeat, garlic, jalapeños, Monterey Jack cheese, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and mayonnaise in a medium-size mixing bowl. Toss gently to mix. Spoon the mixture into a medium-size shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly on the top of the crabmeat mixture.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving with chips, crackers, crudite or croutons.

• 2 strips bacon, chopped
• 2 tsp tarragon
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 large celery ribs (thinly sliced)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 10 oz bag frozen corn (thawed)
• 2 14oz cans chicken stock or broth
• 4 cups red potatoes (diced with skin on)
• 3 cups half & half or whole milk
• 8 to 12 oz smoked salmon (cut into small bite-sized pieces with all the bone and skin removed)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Use a thick-bottomed stock pot over medium-low heat to sauté bacon until approximately half done. Add herbs and vegetables (except potatoes) and continue to cook until vegetables are tender. Stir often. Do not brown

Add chicken broth and potatoes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until potatoes are tender. Reduce heat to medium. Add half & half and bring to simmer while stirring. Add smoked salmon and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Stir and season to taste.

Serve with hot corn bread and lots of butter. Enjoy with a small, crisp green salad.

Salmon with Jack Daniels

Ingredients:
2 lbs. fresh salmon
3 tbsp. fresh garlic-minced
3 tbsp. fresh ginger-shredded
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. Jack Daniels
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tomato, halved, seeded and chopped
salt and ground black pepper

Directions: Lightly salt and pepper the salmon. Combine the above ingredients and pour the marinade over the fish. Refrigerate the salmon in the marinade (flesh side down) for 30 minutes, no longer. Wrap in aluminum foil and grill to your liking. Serves 6-8.

1 cup dry white wine
2 tsp. salt
1 ½ lbs. Alaska Halibut steaks, thawed if necessary
¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs
½ cup each sour cream & mayonnaise
¼ cup minced green onions
paprika

Combine wine and salt; pour over halibut. Marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour. Drain halibut on paper towels; dip both sides in breadcrumbs. Place halibut in shallow buttered baking dish. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise and green onions; spread over halibut. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at the thickest part, or until halibut flakes when tested with a fork.

• 1 package of uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2 lbs of bulk Italian sausage
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2-8 ounce cans of tomato sauce
• 2-6 ounce cans of tomato paste
• ½ cup of hot water
• 1 Tbsp of basil
• 1 tsp of oregano
• 1 tsp of marjoram
• 1-15 ounce container of ricotta cheese
• 1-10 ounce package of chopped spinach – thawed
• ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs
• ½ tsp of salt
• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups of muenster cheese

In a skillet, combine sausage, onions, garlic and cook till sausage is no longer pink.

Reserve 2/3 cup of tomato sauce. Stir in the remaining tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, basil, oregano and marjoram into the meat mixture and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, parmesan and ricotta cheeses, eggs and salt. Mix well.

Reserve 2/3 cup of tomato sauce and pour it into the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch pan or dish. Start layering the pan or dish with the lasagna noodles first, the spinach mixture second, the meat mixture third and top it off with the muenster and mozzarella cheeses.

Bake the lasagna at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes.

Serve with some garlic bread and a salad of your choice.

NOTHING beats the flavor of an Alaskan blueberry -- it has a distinct tangy sweetness to it that no other blueberry can beat. But... you can try this with regular blueberries if you must!

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar  (firmly packed)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square pan; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, blend together 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, oil, milk, egg and 1 cup blueberries. Beat thoroughly for 30 seconds and spread into prepared pan.

Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle mixture evenly over batter and top with the remaining berries.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tested done when wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool slightly. Serve warm.

From Alaska's governor, Frank Murkowski (Thanks, Nancy!)

4 cups of blueberries
One 9-inch baked pie crust
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 Tablespoon Grand Mariner (optional)
1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Spread 2 cups blueberries in the pie crust. Refrigerate until well chilled. In saucepan, simmer 2 more cups of blueberries, sugar, water, cornstarch and salt until thickened, stirring frequently (takes about 7 minutes). Take off heat; mix in Grand Mariner and butter. Let cool. Pour sauce over berries in pie crust; refrigerate until well chilled. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.