I have a special fondness for banana nut bread.  Not only is it a delicious comfort food, but I have several memories associated with the bread that spans a period of time in my life from my high school days to the present day with my family.

I first baked (and tasted) banana nut bread in my high school Home Economics class.  I remember cooking and baking different dishes in class, but out of all of them, my favorite was baking banana nut bread loaves.  I can still remember tasting the distinct flavor of the sweet bananas and the crunchiness of the walnuts and surprised by how easy is was to make the recipe, using a few basic ingredients that are common in any household kitchen and of course the buttermilk.  I believe that the buttermilk is the secret ingredient to this recipe, as it is what makes the muffins so moist.  I kept the recipe long after graduating from high school and would bake the bread frequently until for some unknown reason I stopped.

It was not until we moved to our current home many, many years later (I was now married with children) that I found the recipe again and began baking the bread again. However, this time, for practicality reasons, I would bake them in a muffin tin and made muffins instead of loaves. I also opted to use cupcake liners, although not necessary.  Additionally, I began to roast the walnuts in the oven for five minutes and chopped them once cooled.  I read somewhere that by doing so it would enhance the nuttiness flavor of the nuts and bring out a buttery flavor of them.  This I found to be true and highly recommend this extra step.

One day my youngest son, then six years old, now twenty-three, asked me to add chocolate chips to the muffins.  I obliged and ever since then, I always make two batches of muffins- one batch of the original banana nut and the other batch of banana nut chocolate chip.  The new version of the banana nut recipe was a hit.

I often bake these muffins and take them to work for meetings or just as a “pick me up” at work for my staff to enjoy with coffee.  To this date, I still have family members who give me their over ripened bananas and ask me to make muffins for them.

Through the years, I’ve always enjoyed baking, and making these banana nut chocolate chips muffins are probably the item I bake the most. I especially love to bake in the fall and winter and during cold nights as the oven warms up the house.  Additionally, nothing beats the smell of bread baking in the oven.  The smell is so welcoming and to me evokes the memories I have associated with family.

My children are all grown and still ask me, “Mom, why do your muffins taste so good?” and I always reply, “Because I make them with love.”  The banana nut bread recipe has evolved from the original one I made long ago in high school to the one I call my own.  I will be posting the recipe for the cookbook. So, if you have any overripe bananas in your house and are thinking about what to do with them… get some buttermilk and bake some muffins.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

For my presentation I choose my Mom’s meatloaf because it’s a favorite of mine and my siblings.  It holds a deep and emotional connection for us because we grew up in a single parent home eating my mom delicious meatballs that evolved into her delicious meatloaf.  My mom had been out of the workforce for years, however after my parents divorced, she had to re-enter the workforce to take care of four young kids. She found that domestic worked as she only had a second-grade education,  she found that cleaning homes allowed her to be home before we arrived home from school to prepare a hot home cooked meal for us.

Photo by C. Gonzalez

Our favorite food was and still is her pasta with meatballs.  However, homemade meatballs are a time-consuming process that combines mixing all the ingredients, rolling them into evenly size meatballs, frying the meat balls.  Then you make the spaghetti sauce to finish the cooking process of the meatballs.  Now that my mom was now working, she needed to streamline her life.  She knew there would be no way for us not to have our meatballs with our pasta and for those days that we would arrive before her she needed something quick and easy for us to fix.  One day our neighbor brought over half of her meatloaf to share with us because it was too much for her and her husband to eat.   The meatloaf gave my mom a crazy idea; that’s when she came up with this idea of “meatball meatloaf”.  She was so excited about this meatloaf because it would be two meals in one.  Not only was it very tasty, but also very economical.  It allowed her to stretch the budget by making two meals from one dish.  My mom would make two loaves; one for sandwiches, and with the other, she would slice up into big cubes like meatballs, and cook them in her awesome sauce.  We all knew when she was baking her meatloaf because we could smell it while we all played outside.  Her meatloaf was so good that all the neighborhood kids would hang out at our house when she cooked it.  The smell of meatball still takes me back to the great days of when we would all run it and fight for a seat about the table to eat her meatball meatloaf. Thanks for the best food EVER!  Tutti al tavolo!

The nutritional benefits of meatballs:

Beef is a good source of iron and protein. You can enjoy its benefits without overdoing it, if you eat a modest portion. Meatballs are not bad for us because they contain essential amino acids which are good for our body.

Interesting facts:

• It is believed that the Chinese were the first to create the meatball.
• Meatballs found in almost every county all over the world. Meatballs are found throughout Europe, Middle East, South Asia, Canada, Mexico, United States, Central and South Americas just to name a few.
• Spaghetti and meatballs are an American invention. Only American Italians eat spaghetti and meatballs.  If you ever get the opportunity to visit Italy, NEVER ask for spaghetti and meat balls.  A typical Italian meal consists of a first course (il primo) some type of pasta, rice or similar, a second-course (il secondo) of some type of meat or fish served together with a side dish (il contorno) some type of vegetable or salad, and typically ends with fruit and/or cheese, something sweet, and espresso.

References:

Arnarson, A. (2019, April 4). Beef 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Effects. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/beef

Meatball facts for kids. (2019, November 21). Retrieved from  https://kids.kiddle.co/Meatball#History

Toscana, Cucina ToscanaCucina. “Guide to the Traditional Italian Meal Structure.” Cucina Toscana, 22 Sept. 2015, toscanaslc.com/blog/guide-to-the-traditional-italian-meal-structure/.

Caramel Apples

Caramel Apples are a delectable treat. They bring joy into one’s face on the very first bite. It’s that sense that brings back memories or simply because the flavor is just that good.

Brief nutritional analysis:

Green Apples are not as popular as all the other common, red apples. Green apples at the grocery store are usually fully stacked as individuals hardly take them while there are only a few red apples. The only difference is the flavor. Green Apples have more of a sour taste while the reds are sweeter. That is why Green Apples are perfect to incorporate caramel with as the flavors are balanced out and not overly sweet. In addition, most people simply don’t realize that green apples are just as healthy as the others. They are packed with nutrients, are an excellent source of vitamin C, and have low-fat content. Also, they have high fiber content and are good for overall health. The saying goes: “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. I have to mention though that eating an apple with caramel will only contradict that phrase as the caramel is essentially made of sugar. While the occasional drizzle or coating of caramel can have a place in your otherwise healthy diet, eating the sweet treat on a daily basis isn’t going to be quite beneficial to you. Too much sugar in one’s diet can really take a toll on their overall health.

Throwing it back to when these apples where first stumbled upon, a woman named Maria Ann (Granny) Smith from Australia tossed out some apple remains in a compost pile near a creek flowing behind her farmhouse. She soon discovered a small tree pushing its way through the pile. She noticed the apples growing were quite different. She then propagated the trees herself and eventually gained recognition for the uniqueness of the apples. Green Apples are known as Granny Smith apples because of her and in the 1890s they were awarded for Best Cooking Apple and to this day are one of the best to bake and cook with.

“The very first caramel apple was created when a Kraft Foods employee named Dan Walker melted down some of the company’s large stock of soft caramels left over after Halloween and dipped apples into the mixture as a healthier and crunchier counterpart to the soft candy. For years after their invention, caramel apples were dipped by hand—until 1960 when the first caramel apple dipping machine was invented by Chicago candy shop worker Vito Raimondi, whose uncle’s confectionery company is still the number one machine-dipped caramel apple company in business today.” Now to this day people have gotten very creative and have used a variety of toppings on their apples. Just a quick fun fact: October 31 is more than just Halloween because it’s also National Caramel Apple Day. That is a day I can say I’m truly grateful for as Caramel Apples are my favorite!
The apples that are used in the Dippin’ Stix Sliced Apples & Caramel are not organic. There is no type of label indication. In the ingredients list, they show that they have preservatives; Calcium Ascorbate and Citric Acid being two of them. I would say that it is a personal preference for one to choose organic. Organic foods are safer as chemicals are avoided in production and processing of farm produce but are costly whereas conventional apples are not. However, organic apples and conventional apples are both safe for consumption.

Telkamp, Mick. “Granny Smith Apples.” HGTV, www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/fruit/granny-smith-apples.
Houston, Gillie. “The History of Caramel Apples, and How to Make Them at Home.” MyRecipes, 10 Oct. 2018, www.myrecipes.com/course/dessert-recipes/history-of-caramel-apples.
“Walmart Grocery.” Walmart.com, grocery.walmart.com/ip/Dippin-Stix-Sliced-Apples-Caramel-2-75-oz/10324600?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=3101&adid=22222222420331748883&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=305074695115&wl4=pla-546274454576&wl5=9031027&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=120643079&wl11=local&wl12=10324600&veh=sem_LIA&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7NGatezh5wIVSx-tBh21bAePEAQYBSABEgIkC_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds.

Fruta picada is a basic fruit salad that is eaten as a snack or dessert. However, what makes fruta picada special to me and gives it a little kick is adding lemon and chile powder. In Los Angeles, it is very common to see it sold by street vendors all over town.

Fruta picada originates from Mexico where it is served with a chile powder called “Chile de Arbol” that is much more spicier than what is used here in L.A. which is Tajin and has a hint of lemon flavor. I learned this the hard way as a child during a summer trip to Mexico. Although, burning my mouth didn’t stop me from continuing to enjoy this treat since then. Growing up I would often take family trips to cities in Mexico like Tijuana, Rosarito, Mexico City and Guadalajara, to visit family that still lives there, and this is where my love for fruta picada started. Fruta picada to me is always delicious but when you get it in Mexico it tastes so much better because of the fruit, there are so many to choose from. Typically, fruta picada consists of sliced watermelon, cucumber, mango, jicama, pineapple, orange, a good squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of chile powder to taste but in Mexico they offer other fruits that are distinctive from the region like papaya, mamey, tuna, pitaya, guanabana, and cherimoya. I could go into what each one of these unique fruits are but for the sake of time I’d ask you just to google them if you are really interested.

I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s and my mom would take us almost every weekend to the swapmeet or “Callejones,” fruta picada was a treat that was a must to have no matter what especially since going to Mexico was something we would do only during school vacations. We’d get there really early in the morning but by midday I knew that a sweet, sour, and spicy treat was going to be a reward for waking up that morning.

We always made this in our house too, I can remember walking around the fruit stands in the market with my mom as she guided me to picking the best of the best out of the pile. Making sure to pick each fruit up and look at it for any bruises, squeeze it for firmness, paying attention to the color, and smelling it to guess the sweetness. This technique that I have now shared with my 16 year old daughter and 6 year old son. Even though lemon is added to the fruit once its all cut it is still very important to get the tastiest juiciest sweetest fruit so that you can get a burst of flavor in your mouth.

I remember sitting around the dinner table with my mom, aunts, and sisters everyone grabbing whatever fruit was around and a knife and preparing fruta picada while telling stories of the past or giving someone relationship advice, cracking jokes, sometimes crying but nevertheless sharing our time together as women.

It wasn’t until this assignment that I realized how special fruta picada means to me. It was hard for me to decide what dish to share and present on because I’m not a cook, I cook for my family, but they eat what I make only because they don’t really have a choice. But recently like a regular duty of mine, I was cutting fruit up with my daughter and mother-in-law, and it hit me the smell of fresh cut fruit and lemons really takes me somewhere and puts me in a great mood. Not to mention all the nutritional benefits that come along with this treat and the fact that it’s not a problem if you have a picky eater on your hands because you can use any fruit to make it. But the really great part is if you able to share your time with those you care about and allow it to be an experience that will give you meaningful memories that will stay with you forever.

Macaroni and Cheese have been in my family ever since I was born. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas my mom’s job was to bring her famous Macaroni and Cheese and box cake.  My grandmother cooked the rest without asking for help. It was impossible to get my grandmother to stop cooking so we could help, yet she always woke up in the wee hours of the morning and cooked everything without waking us up. In preparing for my food presentation, I asked my mother about her recipe and why it is so good.

Originally, my mother got her recipe from her mother who got it from her mother and so on. The original recipe included fewer ingredients and over the years my mother constantly improved it. She told me that there never a standard way of making mac and cheese.  All of the ingredients listed were approximated when combining them. There is no perfect way to make this macaroni and cheese because there are no definite measurements. Most of the measurements are mostly just seeing how much is enough or too little. Her recipe included:

• Large Elbows noodles (about half of bag)
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese (about 1-3 cups)
• Cream Cheese (about 1 stick)
• Chicken Broth (about half a cup)
• Whole Milk (about 1/3)
• Seasoning Salt
• Pepper
• Onion power
• Garlic Powder
• Flour (about less than 1 tablespoon)
• Butter (about 1 stick)

The recipe fluctuates on how moist or dry you personally want your mac and cheese to be.

1. Boil water and add salt. After the water is boiling, add noddles and cook for about 8 minutes. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Strain noodles, add cream cheese and butter. Add chicken broth, seasoning, flour, and milk, (Don’t add too much liquid) then stir until thoroughly mixed.

3. Add cheese and stir. Add to baking pan and put in the oven for about 15-20 minutes and stir occasionally. Then add cheese on top and bake for another 10- 15 minutes.

Bringing mac and cheese for my food presentation brought back a bunch of memories of my family during the holiday season. For the last couple of years, my mom has been battling Leukemia. Although she is in remission it still took its toll on her body. This past holiday season my mother physically could not make her mac and cheese and cakes. It saddened me that my sisters and I had to step up to take over her role. It made me realize how much limited time we have on this earth and how food is a memory connecting us to love. My connection to this food goes back to my roots. In my family, we consider Mac and cheese soul food. Soul food is traditional dishes prepared and eaten by African Americans all around the United States. It was primarily eaten in the Southern United States from enslaved Africans. Soul food becomes a staple in African-American culture because of the migration of former slaves all throughout the united states and beyond. Soul food has many different influences and recipes, yet culturally it has been the main source of food for African-American families then and now.

INTRODUCTION

Feels like it was just yesterday when my cousins and I would gather around waiting for dad to come home with that brown box.  In the box, we would find little green baskets filled with the red, freckled, sometimes sweet, others sour but always yummy “diamonds” as we would call them because of their shape.  

It was  here! The Season for the delicious fresas (strawberries) was here!  We knew we would soon be getting strawberry milkshakes, strawberry jam, or simply strawberry slices as our  pancake topping. However, the best treat to have was mom’s delicious “Fresas Con Crema!” which literally translates to “Strawberries With Cream!”

Price for the Treat

However, I never seemed to understand why it was that dad never seemed to share the joy my sister, cousins, and I felt when strawberry season was here.  I mean, was he not happy to see his daughters, nephews, and nieces excited to have those yummy “diamonds” in our bellies? What father would not rejoice to have his daughter welcome him with hugs and kisses?  Come to find out strawberry picking and packing can only be done manually. That’s right, due to the delicacy of these beautiful delicious diamonds these can only come to us (as of 2020) by dad and many other Mexican immigrants who pick these strawberries.  

Strawberry farm fruit pickers work long 8-10 hours a day crouched over in the inclemencies of weather which may bring very cold mornings with scorching hot afternoons and very low pay. Mom explained, that dad would sometimes come home with fever due to the pain and exhaustion he felt.  

Pain and All

One thing was for sure after some hours of sleep, and the pain was bearable dad too looked forward to those  yummy “diamonds” covered in mom’s special crema!

RECIPE

Ingredients

• 16-32 ounces  of fresh strawberries 
• ⅓ cup evaporated milk (Carnation)
• 16 ounces of sour cream (Knudsen)
• 8 ounces of sweetened condensed milk (La Lechera)
• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
• 2-3 tablespoon of vanilla extract (Molina Mexican Vanilla Blend)

Preparation

1. Slice the strawberries 
2. Add the sour cream, sweetened condensed milk,, evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream and vanilla to a bowl.  Vigorously begin whisking the mix with your whisk for 1-2 minutes until it has reached the consistency you are happy with. You can also use an electric mixer 
3. Place the strawberries in a pan and pour the mix over them 
4. Refrigerate for 30 mins- 1hour
5. Serve and Enjoy

Tips

You can alter the measurements to meet your desired sweetness or consistency  however, mom says, one must never alter the brands indicated above.

Close your eyes, take a bite,

and allow the flavors, textures, and memories come pouring in one by one.  But I also ask that from this day forward, you take a moment to think about those parents who like my dad came/come home unable to play with their kids or even show them a glimpse of happiness due to their own exhaustion.  Let us not forget that these yummy “diamonds” and many other fruits and vegetables come to us thanks to the arduous, painful, long hours of  work that farm fruit pickers put in.