Stop the presses!

| THIS COMMUNITY COOKS

Brittany Newman is the great-granddaughter of the late Norma Crawford who was in the Hood County newspaper business from 1937 until 1970.

Brittany, who grew up in Granbury, shares Norma’s banana nut bread recipe below.

Norma and her husband, A.B., bought the Hood County News Tablet in 1937. In 1945 they purchased the Granbury News and combined the two newspapers into the Hood County News-Tablet.

A.B. died in 1956, but Norma continued as publisher until 1970 and was an active member of the community until she died in 1991 at 88 years old.

Norma’s newspaper philosophy was to “tell the facts and not stir up trouble. Let the people make up their own minds,” according to Hood County Publisher Jerry Tidwell.

However, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with stirring up some banana nut bread. Brittany is glad about that.

Brittany’s stepmom, Debra Hill, passed away in March, but she created many good memories for her family in the kitchen over the years.

She was especially famous for her cookies that she always made with her grandchildren.

“I make her cookies at least once a week,” Brittany said. “My son always has them in his lunch box.”

Brittany’s last recipe, Chicken Tortilla Soup, is her own creation. The sour cream and rice give it a hearty and creamy texture.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

(MY RECIPE)

3-4 cooked chicken breasts shredded

1 cup cooked rice

8 cups water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup sour cream

1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn

1 can Rotel (lime and cilantro)

Taco seasoning

Garlic salt

Onion powder

Add all ingredients to pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Add water if needed. Season to taste with taco seasoning, garlic salt and onion powder. Top with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, jalapeños.

NANA’S (MY GREAT-GRANDMA) BANANA NUT BREAD

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large bananas, mashed into pulp

1 cup pecans

Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs, then add dry ingredients sifted together alternately with banana pulp. Add pecans and mix thoroughly. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

NANA’S (MY STEPMOM)

COOKIES

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts

2 (6-ounce) packages of chocolate chips/M&M’s/cranberries/etc.

Mix all ingredients together, scoop into balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes at 350.

npricer@hcnews.com | 817-573-7066, ext. 226