Banana Bread Recipe etc...

I am more than excited for the first time in my life I have found a perfect banana bread recipe! I mean it cooks up perfectly and everyone loved it! Andrew took it over to school for the retired couples, who volunteer during the summer, and it disappeared. I got this recipe from www.whatmegansmaking.com and she got it from http://www.food.com/

Isn't it pretty? I mean it pretty? I am bragging here I know. But is more about the recipe than my baking skills. You can have this beauty at your home too.

Ok here it is: CREAM CHEESE BANANA BREAD

3/4 cup butter- soft- I used Coconut Oil which is great!

8 ounces cream cheese - soft

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

3 cups flour- I used whole wheat/buck wheat

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups mashed banana- about 4 medium bananas

1 cup chopped nuts- almonds, pecans or walnuts

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Slowly add sugar- beat until fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time- beat after each. Add in the bananas and vanilla, mix until combined.

In another medium size bowl: combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat at a slow speed until just combined. Stir in the nuts if desired. Spoon batter into 8x4 inch loaf pans. I used three pans.

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with moist crumbs. The sides will pull away from the pan. I did cover the bread with aluminum foil the last 25 minutes or so. Cool bread in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely before slicing.

I've been a baking fool. I bake food when I know that I can't eat it. Andrew says I get it all mixed up. I can't have any gluten etc and so I say the next best thing to eating it is making it. The house smells great, I'm losing weight and we've got tons of food to share. I'll share some more great recipes in the following days.

A while back we got flowers from a neighbor to celebrate our adoption profile being approved. That was really sweet and we enjoyed the reminder of the months of hard work. Our neighbors have adopted two children and so they understand the process. It is exciting to think that families may be looking at our profile and considering us.

Audi is our wired dog. Always on the go but this picture makes her look mellow. She sleeps in the craziest positions. She usually sleeps on her back. She is a real cutie and that keeps me from killing her most days. She is very hyper unlike her mom. We had the compliant dog first and now we have our strong willed pup.

When the girls aren't in the car Abby claims the padded car seat!

Get ready, set, go riding!

YAY! The girls love to ride!

On our way to pick our new horse we stayed in a camping cabin. Epic Fail! The girls got all stuffed up and had major reactions to the cabin. It had some water damage and by the morning Dakota's entire face swelled up and her eye was swelled shut. We didn't get any sleep and then a storm passed through during the night with really high winds. The girls were in turmoil! There was no sleep! Did I mention I'm not much of a camper? The girls' must have gotten my genes. Abby and Audi loved it though!

I've been busy making/sewing toiletry bags for the graduating seniors. I really liked the look of the bags and was proud of my accomplishment. I still have several orders to finish up though.

The weekend Andrew was home and took a walk all by myself. "All by Myself!" That rarely happens and I really enjoyed myself. The dogs ran ahead of me and I enjoyed the wind and crisp air. While walking I noticed these two dark specks. They were so small that the dogs ignored them. I heard their soft little peeps and got down to take a closer look. I believe they were little Kill Dear. They are so soft and light as can be. That was the frosting to my walk. (See when I'm on a diet- I think in food terms.) I was thrilled!

We've been seeing the most fascinating birds around here. They are all kinds of colors and sizes. We don't know the names of many of them and some of their calls are very unique. This bright orange bird showed up in the tree next to our home. His head looked more blue than black. This photo is pathetic to what he actually looked like -it was taken through the double pane window. Anybody know what kind of bird this is? We do not.

Andrew is making fun of me right now since I'm writing about the birds. But I will have you know that he was just as excited as me. I will forgo talking about the bees: "birds and the bees."

 I hope to have a few more etc... posts in the following days. Nothing exciting but a little bit of this and that. Come on back!