This past week, and the foreseeable future, both appear to be keeping us in the deep freeze. This is some of the coldest weather I have experienced in my 71 years. Sure, we had snow and cold when we were kids, but this seems different.

Maybe it’s because the cold affects us differently as we get older.

My orthopedic doctor assures me that aching bones are truly a side effect of the dropping temperatures.

Making the best of these trying weather forecasts is much like when we were stuck inside during the pandemic. Hopefully, it won’t be as long as the COVID days.

Like many of you, we have turned to fortifying ourselves with some simple but hearty food dishes.

Among our baking and cooking adventures are some interesting soups, banana bread and some homemade pepperoni rolls.

I will share my basic, never-fail banana bread recipe with you today. You can add to it any way you see fit.

Here is the recipe I use:

Banana (Nut) Bread

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

2 beaten eggs

3-4 ripe, crushed bananas

2 cups sifted all purpose flour

1 teas. baking powder

1 teas. baking soda

1/2 teas. salt

1 teas. vanilla

optional: 1 cup walnuts and 1 cup mini chocolate chips.

Cream butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla; stir in bananas, then add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder.

Mix well. Stir in nuts and chips if desired.

Pour into a loaf pan (I use mini pans or sometimes a bundt pan for faster baking). Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes depending on the size of your pan. Each oven is different so check accordingly. Enjoy.

Now I would love to hear some suggestions for a really good vegetable soup, with or without meat. We have been trying to duplicate my mother-in-law’s soup recipe but have never been quite able to get it right. Unfortunately it is the one recipe we never found among her handwritten cookbooks and notes.

We are sure there is a secret spice or spices she added to the soup that made the difference. If you have any suggestions, pop me an email or send a note to the newspaper office 1500 Main St., Wheeling, WV 26003. Until then, stay warm and safe.

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.