Like “everything” there is a beginning & an end. And so it will be with my blog. This is the very beginning. I feel excitement & trepidation all at the same time. Who might end up reading my ramblings, be offended by them, inspired by them, or will this just be an exercise in writing to stimulate my own limited intelligence. If it is nothing more that the latter, I will consider this effort in blogging to have been a grand success!
Today was a day like any other except that at 2:00 p.m. my husband’s freelance marketing associate came by & I was granted an hour or so of her time to set up this blog. I had plenty of time to ponder the fine details of this blogging journey as we have been trying to arrange this appointment for quite a while. But, when asked, what I would like to call it, the name came as kind of a knee jerk reaction. However, I think “everything” would safely leave me spare room for all my ponderings & interests. I did not want to be pigeon-holed into food blogging, book & movie reviews, travel posts, family or decorating – I wanted to be able to just mishmash on any number of these topics. I think my blog will be a lot about “everything” that I’m about. And I am a Wannabe in many forms: writer, food & wine enthusiast, decorator, book/tv/movie buff…
Specific to today, I would fit into the foodie category. I do love to cook & if too much time passes where I cannot spend simple creative time in the confines of my own kitchen, I start to lose a little bit of my person. Well, I must say, she was beginning to be lost but today I found her again. She emerged in the form of Morning Glory Muffins, Banana Bread, Hummus, Banana Fudgesicles, Frozen Yogurt Drops, & the crust for the Banana Split Dessert that I will make for company tomorrow.
I will include the Banana Bread recipe as follows only because I was pleasantly surprised with the lovely little loaves that emerged today. For whatever reason, my banana bread often wants to sink a little into itself even though it is well cooked. But today, no way…viola!!
Banana Bread
Preheat oven to 350
Ingredients:
1 individ serving size container of applesauce = 1/2 C (I keep these on hand - they are so handy for baking)
1/2 C butter
2 tsp vanilla
Whip together until creamy looking & then add:
1/2 - 3/4 C white sugar
6 over ripe bananas mashed together (or the ones from your freezer that you threw in there skins & all, quite some time ago - no need to bash those bananas together & dirty another dish either - just thaw out a bit & squeeze out of skins right into mixer bowl)
4 eggs (any recipe will tell you to beat them well before adding, but here's a little secret - I never do, I just pop them in with the sugar & bananas)
Whip again till all ingredients come together & are a light colour
Add in:
1 C white flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C spelt flour (Or - sub something healthy like wheat germ, ground flax seed, all bran or the like - I have used all of the above at different times) *but maybe today's combo of flours was the reason my loaves did not sink!!*
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Method:
Mix on low speed until combined & then at a little higher speed, until well mixed. (some recipes will say to sift, combine ingredients alternating wet & dry, etc., etc. - but this is real life - I'm making banana bread! I'm not in a cooking show challenge or splitting the atom :))
Add in: (last but definitely not least!)
1/2 C peanut butter chips
1/2 C butterscotch chips (I know this sounds weird but is delicious & a bit of a wink & nod to my dear brother, who I miss so terribly much every day - he loved my baking but had a real aversion to chocolate chips, so I often subbed butterscotch & found we preferred the taste)
*and again, if I'm being honest, without the chocolate, I can sneak my dog the odd little nibble too :)*
Now, just give it all one last whir in the mixer, divide evenly between two loaf pans, sprayed with Pam, & pop in the oven for appx 50 mins (give or take) I find, tho very simple, Banana Bread can have attitude! You may have to bake another 5 or even 10 mins. Make sure the top springs back when you touch it or a cake tester/toothpick comes out clean...
Cool in pans, on a rack, for a few mins. before trying to remove. Run a knife around edges & pop out of pans to cool further. Then, when completely cooled, slice into generous pieces & put into ziploc bags or containers & freeze. Then, everybody can easily take an individual serving & enjoy! Of course, all the end pieces are for sampling & are calorie free 🙂
*I have a stand mixer & that is what I have based this method on - I think a hand held mixer would serve you equally as well. Or beaten by hand would not be out of the question, but not for the faint of heart!* I think this blogging is as good a thing to do for menopause sleep therapy as anything else I have tried…but now my lids are getting a little heavy, so I’ll call it quits for this late-night effort…this is “Reg on Everything” winding down…here’s hopin’!! zzzzzzzzzz…
