BEHOLD: THE WORLD'S GREATEST COOKBOOK

The World's Greatest Cookbook might just be "A Texas Hill Country Cookbook". I purchased it in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at a used bookstore for $3. It was first printed in September 1976. As you can imagine, the combination of Texas flavours and mid-seventies culinary trends produces an awesome mash-up of SOLID FOOD and hip-thickening, artery-bustin, taste-bud watering meals. All the recipes, I suspect, were submitted by old bitties. Even Ladybird Johnson gets a credit. The recipe I'd like to share with you today is from Mrs. John A. (Nancy) Greenway. Isn't it quaint how women used to only be identified by their husband's name? Quaint and mind-boggling. Makes me want to smash a dog through a window. Anyways, here is a recipe that I urge all the bakers out there to try. Its a little something called "Banana-Walnut Bread" and its a dance number: //1/2 cup butter or margarine //1 cup sugar //2 eggs beaten //1 cup mashed bananas //1 cup all purpose flour** //1 cup whole wheat flour** //1/3 teaspoon salt //1 teaspoon baking soda //1/3 cup hot water //1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or chocolate chips) **or use two cups of all purpose flour, like I do. //Part one: "The Wetsies" -- Preheat oven to 325. Melt butter and blend in sugar. Add beaten eggs and mashed bananas, blending until smooth. //Part two: "The Drysies" -- Sift flour, salt and baking soda. Last time I made this, I added an extra teaspoon of baking powder. //Part three: "The Combinesies" -- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, alternating with hot water. Stir in nuts. Grease pans and pour in a 9x5 inch pan, or two small ones. Bake for 1 hour until knife or straw comes out clean. I actually use a square cake-pan and bake for half the time. This comes out almost cake-like. Grab a lump for breakfast, it will last a few days due to its nice moist consistency. When you find a gem of a cookbook like this, it may not be pretty, all the authors may be right-wing old ladies who died of heart attacks from their own cooking, and there might not be pictures... but dang y'all, its good eatin'. I'm tempted to share the chili recipe that got people DOWN THE BLOCK from my house in Canada knocking on my door (cuz it smelled so darn good - for serious) and the jalepeno rice recipe... in time my prettys, in time....