Hot Spinach Dip

Yummy yummy yummy...

3 packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp garlic powder
Cayenne pepper, a little or a lot!
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped red pepper (optional)
2 to 4 green onions, finely chopped
1 package frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

• Beat cream cheese with a mixer (before adding sour cream to prevent lumps).
• Add sour cream, garlic powder and cayenne pepper and continue beating until smooth.
• Add Parmesan cheese, red pepper, green onions, spinach and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese.
• Spread into a greased oven-proof dish and sprinkle 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese over top.
• Bake at 350 F (180°C) for 20 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly, turning a little brown around the edges.

Notes: 
You can use fresh spinach if you throw the bag in the freezer. Squeeze the frozen spinach before opening the bag and you've just created frozen chopped spinach!

You can freeze this before baking. Just remember if you use plastic wrap underneath aluminum foil, remove it before baking. True story...

Lemon Squares

2 cups flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 cup margarine
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

• Mix together flour and icing sugar. Cut in margarine.
• Press into a 9"x16" pan lined with parchment paper. Don't skip this. I promise you will have regrets.
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
• Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over crust. Continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is starting to turn a light golden brown.
• Cool before slicing to prevent the filling from running everywhere you don't want it to go.
• Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving. If you do this too far in advance, the icing sugar may just melt and disappear altogether.

Banana Bread

The most important ingredient in banana bread is bananas. If they're not turning black, don't use 'em!

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 very large or 4 medium sized bananas, mashed
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts, pecans or chocolate chips (optional)

• Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs.
• Stir in mashed bananas.
• Add dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed. Don't over-mix! Expect the batter to be lumpy. If you over-mix any batter that uses baking powder, i.e. pancakes, muffins, loaves you end up with a finished product that is tough, dry and not worth the calories.
• Spread into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 325° for about 1 hour, 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.