Brass Nut Cracker Bowl – from Israel

Brass Nut Cracker Bowl @ Time’s Tin Cup !

Our ancestors gathered nuts as a means of survival, and nuts have remained a staple in our diets ever since.

You’ll find them on appetizer trays, in nut cracker bowls, at sporting events, tossed in salads, stir-fried with vegetables and topped on sundaes. They’re ground up and used as spreads. They’re baked in our favorite cookies, pies and pastries.  Nuts are an important part of our diet. And they make a very pretty table setting.

Banana Nut Bread, a Favorite !

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease bottoms of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches.

Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended.

Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.

Bake about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing.