'Aunt' Billie's Banana Bread Recipe

    alternative title for this posting could be: "Cooking with Gaa_ _ ma" :-D !!!

   We had a whole slew of bananas in varying stages of what most people would dub as *'decay', so I decided to make Banana Bread. Analyse loves bananas, so I hoped she would also like banana bread. Oh my goodness did she!!! :-> To the point that one time when she had again asked for some after it was all gone, she walked over, held out her hand and said "take my hand Gaa_ _ ma. We cook more nanna bread!"  ;-p

   About the * by the word 'decay' above. When baking, the blacker the skins on your bananas have turned, the moister and more banana flavor filled, your end product will be. Honest!!! Yes, the inner part of the banana turns all mushy. And "yuckie" looking, as Analyse vividly pointed out (;-p!!). The yuckier the fruit is, the better your baked product will taste! (<-- Bonus Tip there ;->)

    I got this recipe for Banana Bread from my 'Aunt' Billie. I like it so much, that I refuse to try any other recipes for banana bread! I like it so much, that when I'm someplace else and I eat someone else's banana bread which doesn't measure up to hers, I'm tempted to offer them her recipe o;->.

   First step - add your sugar to your mixing bowl. (remember to use toothpicks to aid you in keeping track).

   Second - add your butter. Personally, I lay the sticks of butter on top of the sugar and microwave the bowl till the butter is melted.

    Third - add the eggs.

     "Just one more" - From adding eggs to a recipe, to watching episodes of one of her shows, Analyse's favorite/constant  line/request is,  "just one more".  o;-p

    Fourth - Smash the bananas. (Pastry blenders work great for this!)

   (No Cheerios(R) were allowed to stay in the batter o;-p)

    Fifth - mix the vinegar and milk together and let it stand for a bit.

    Sixth - Add the vanilla.

    Seventh - Add the flour, baking soda and salt. (No, I do not take the step to combine them first in a different bowl. Add half the flour. Dump the other two on top of it, mix them lightly together before mixing all of it in to the rest of the batter.)

    Eighth - Add the mashed bananas to the bowl.

   Ninth - Add the milk/vinegar mixture.

   Tenth - All ready to be put into the baking pans. :-D

   For the record, this size batch made nine (9) loafs.

   The bread is 'suppose' to bake at 350o for one (1) hour.
   
   IF your nose starts telling you that the bread smells done much earlier than that, do not argue with yourself over the matter. Go check!! Tis possible, that "somebody" turned the ovens temperature knob up "a bit" (100o) and your bread really is done ahead of schedule!

   Thankfully, the burned parts did not ruin the flavor of the whole loafs!!! (Thank-you Lord!!!). Removed the loafs from the pans, with-in three minutes of pulling them from the oven. Immediately cut off the burned parts, and then let cool.

    This process only took us three (3) hours. Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle. We were making the bread only a couple of days after both kids started living here... It took this grandma awhile to get use to again handling both an infant and a two year old. Mercy!!! Get this far, then Elliot wanted fed. Good, he's down for a nap. Back to the kitchen. Brain reminder - 'you MUST keep track of what Analyse is doing EVERY minute!'  Hear Elliot - "what's up with only taking a twenty minute nap little guy?"  Bring his bouncie seat into the kitchen and return to the task at hand. "Oh, you woke up so you could fill your britches, huh?" . . . I do believe that the process of taking three hours did help me enjoy the bread that much more! o;-p

    Here's a picture of (ADORABLE!) Mr. Elliot, being held by his tired daddy ;->

   BONUS TIP here --> Ms. Analyse thourally enjoyed thick sliced banana bread with peanut butter sandwiches, for lunch a couple of different days.

  And now for the actual recipe -
     Banana Bread
        the recipe comes from "Aunt" Billie D.

  (makes 2 loafs)

   1 cup Sugar
   1/2 cup Margarine
   2 Eggs
   1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
   3 Smashed Bananas
   2 cups Flour
   1 teaspoon Baking Soda
   1 teaspoon Salt
   1 Tablespoon Vinegar added to enough Milk to equal 1/2 cup
   1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

    Cream together sugar, margarine and eggs. Add vanilla then smashed bananas. Add flour, baking soda, salt and soured milk. Mix thourally.
    Bake in greased loaf pans at 350o for 1 hour.
    [ 10 to 12 minutes for muffins]
  

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I 'plan' on linking this particular posting up to:

  ~ "Homemaker Mondays ... Yours, Mine & Ours", are hosted by Jen, at '11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven'  (http://rtheyallyours.blogspot.com/).
  ~ "Making Your Home Sing Monday('s)", are hosted by Nan, at 'Mom's the Word (I love to hear)'  (http://momstheword--livingforhim.blogspot.com/).
  ~  "Kitchen Tip Tuesday('s)", hosted by Tammy, at 'Tammy's Recipes'  (http://www.tammysrecipes.com/).
 ~ "Tuesday's Tasty Tidbits", hosted by Susan, at 'Permanent Posies / Creative Chaos' (http://permanentposies.com/)
 ~ "Totally Tasty Tuesdays", are hosted by Mandy, at 'Mandy's Recipe Box' (http://www.mandysrecipebox.blogspot.com/).
  ~ "Tempt My Tummy Tuesday('s)", are hosted by Lisa, at 'Blessed with Grace'  (http://www.blessedwithgrace.net/).
   ~ "Foodie Wednesday('s)", are hosted by Bibi, at 'Daily Organized Chaos' (http://www.dailyorganizedchaos.com/). 
   ~ "These Chicks Cooked Link Party", hosted by Katie L, at 'This Chick Cooks' (http://thischickcooks.blogspot.com)
 ~ "Full Plate Thursday('s)", are hosted by Miz Helen, at 'Miz Helen's Country Cottage' (http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/).  
~ "Foodie Friday('s)" (shall we say # 1?), are hosted by "Gollum" (aka: Michael), at 'Designs by Gollum'  (http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/)  

I got chuckles and love from a friend ;-D

   Recently, my friend 'Jewels' stopped by, returning our cooler and pans.  Her mom had died within days of when Brian's mom had. We knew their pain, and had expressed our care.
   Surprisingly, when she'd gotten here, BOTH of the grand kids were asleep taking naps. That didn't always happen the way this grandma hoped. In-fact, after we had talked for maybe twenty minutes, Jewels left and I turned from the door to return to my lunch. But alas, I heard Mr. Elliot making noise. Guess he didn't want me to be lonely. ;-p
   A couple of hours later, I got around to opening the cooler, so that I could put away the pans and racks I knew would be inside. What I found on top of them made me laugh so-o hard!!!

             (Reminder - you can click on the picture to see it larger. When done, click the 'go back button' at the left hand top of your screen)

   Later, when I showed it to family members, some would chuckle, but others would just raise their eyebrows, questioningly like. Maybe it's not a 'guy thing'. Or maybe, they just don't relate to things the way that Jewels and I do. Because for me, her note and gift not only made me laugh, it gave me wonderful warm "fuzzes"!!!
    I had set both the note and the gift on the end of the dining room table. That way, every single time I passed by (which I have to to get from the living room to the kitchen and or bathroom), I saw them and smiled. And felt her love for me. Bliss!
    Part way through the next day, Ms. Analyse spotted them. She was as thrilled as I had been! She liked playing with Ga_ _ ma's bunny and it's "bed". She was enjoying it so much and being so-o darn cute about it, I let her play away. For several days. Smiling most the while. (Me, that is, smiling at her antics. Then again, she was smiling too, while playing with them. Double win! ;->)

    "The boys" still aren't so sure about my pink kitchen linens, and I'm o-Kay with that!!! o:-]

    THANKS Jewels!!!!!  You rock!

For "the season" ;->

   My dad sent me an email titled "First Christmas Carol of the year". He had sent it on November 9th. I didn't open it until today for two reasons. First off, my computer time has been very limited lately. Secondly, it was for Christmas - and while I do nab up gifts all year long when I stumble upon them, I prefer to not actually start "the season" till after Thanksgiving. Preferably, not even till the first of December. But at least not till after Thanksgiving.
    Well, it's after Thanksgiving. And I have time to be on the computer. So I opened it. And enjoyed the simplistic fun of it. And figured I'd share it with all of you too. ;->
   Hope you enjoy it!! 

    http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=LyviyF-N23A

What's your take on his actions?

   On one of our local 11:00 news shows last night, they did a segment about all of the people who were already in lines at various stores around town, waiting for the stores doors to open to the 'Black Friday' bargains. Some people had already been in the lines for h-o-u-r-s. A few even had small sized tents set up.
   One of the guys they interviewed, really struck a nerve with me. Were his actions contradicting themselves to his kids?  Was the one possible lesson being taught, getting voided out by the actions he was using?  You could go round and round with all of it. And my mind did. And then Brian and I did, discussing it.  I am very curious what your take on it will be. PLEASE leave me in-put letting me know it!
      [ Reminder about posting comments on our blog, for those of you whom don't have blogs or google accounts of your own - after you type in your comment, you need to click on the bar underneath it, which reads "comment as" and then click on "anonymous". Then click on the "Post comment" button.]

     The man in line had already been in line for over twelve (12) hours. He said that he was a father of six (6), and couldn't usually afford the items his kids wanted and was hoping to be able to get them via the 'Black Friday' specials.  So yes, he had missed having Thanksgiving dinner with his family. Oh, and it was also his birthday.

    - - One perspective. By not having Thanksgiving dinner (which is all about getting together with those you love and expressing your thankfulness for so many blessings, etc.) with his family, he was demonstrating that the 'things' he was hoping to buy them, were more important than spending time with them.

     - -  Another angle. He was showing them that sometimes you have to make sacrifices to get the things you want in life.

     - - And another slant. Their desires in life were more important to him, than having others celebrate his birthday with him.

     - - And yet another angle. Was he giving credit to society's view, that the 'things' you can acquire in life, is what's important?

    My take on the whole thing? He lost my vote for the 'Father of the year' award. Doing things WITH your kids (and grand kids), is by far the best thing a parent (or grand parent) can give to a child (no matter how old your child becomes!).
     You can not put a price tag on love exchanged through laughter, or looks, or hugs. Those type of moments, build far better relationships. And those type of relationships, are worth far more than any store bought gift could ever hope to increase to. True, the relationship will never wow the experts on Antiques Road Show by being their biggest find ever. But the warm fuzzes and inner security, etc. that those type of relationships contain, will make your life far more enjoyable and bearable than that type of a '"treasure" ever could.

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I 'plan' on linking this particular posting up to:

  ~ "Homemaker Mondays ... Yours, Mine & Ours", are hosted by Jen, at '11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven'  (http://rtheyallyours.blogspot.com/).
  ~ "Making Your Home Sing Monday('s)", are hosted by Nan, at 'Mom's the Word (I love to hear)'  (http://momstheword--livingforhim.blogspot.com/).

My man's birthday ;->

    Tomorrow is this man's birthday -->

   He is my handsome husband -

   (no idea what it was we were watching on the TV, when this shot was snapped - honest. I am SURE however that I am making a face over what it was on the TV, not at Brian!!! o;->)
   My wish for his birthday, is that I could grant him numerous hours of this -->

   He has so-o-o earned them!!!

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN !!!  I Love you!!!!

~ : - > ~ ~ ; - > ~ ~ : - > ~ ~ ; - > ~ ~
THIS is what I wrote about him last year on his birthday ;->

Currently in our house -

   As I had mentioned HERE, Byron

   and Elliot

were now living with us.
    Ms. Analyse

has been too, since late Tuesday night, November 1st. 
   I have become a full time grandma. Oh the stories and chuckles I have stored up to share with all of you. Hopefully I'll be able to really return to blogging starting next week. Currently it's been ever so challenging, due to the mixture of 2 and 1/2 year old Ms. Analyse and her  'Go Go Gadget' Arms, which she never fails to use every time she ventures into this room when I'm in here, and the fact that currently this is also her bedroom (thus I can't go on line during her nap).
    But HOPEfully, all of the bedrooms will get switched around this weekend, and I will once again be able to enjoy our internet service on a regular basis.
    In the mean time, I'm enjoying my blessings called grand children, and working on adjusting this house hold of adults and younguns, to living harmoniously together. Nap and bedtime schedules and routines mean adjustments, for all 7 of us!
   Well, it only took me a half hour and six interruptions to get this typed up... ;-p   let's see if I can actually get it posted WITH pictures....

another 'Lucy' experience ;-p

    Brian and I went out on a date recently, with little Elliot in tow. Aw the memories that brought forth! ;->   Especially since Brian brought along the cordory Snugli Sack(TM) which we had purchased with gifted money, after his daddy was born.
    When we left, I knew it was about time for Elliot to eat and nap again and was hoping timing would work out good. It did. :-> While he had gotten a bit fussy at red lights in the van, he was good while we were waiting to be seated  (couldn't believe how busy the place was!), so immediately after placing our order, I mixed up his bottle and started feeding him.
    We had been seated in a booth. Brian scooted the table as far his direction as he could, so I was holding Elliot half on the edge of the table, half up against my chest. Elliot snuggled right in and it worked fine. I fed him, burped him, fed him some more, during which he fell asleep. ("Love it when a plan comes together" ;-p) I then laid him on top of my jacket on the bench next to me, and ate while usually having one hand laying on top of him.
    I was pretty much done eating, when I asked Brian if he'd come sit on my side of the table while I went to the bathroom. As I stood up to leave, Brian snickered. Not a good sign. There was a spot on my chest, which looked as though I had 'leaked'. 8-/!  It seems Mr. Elliot had drooled, while up against me, when he was drifting off, or something.
   So with my arms folded up in a peculiar way, I headed off to the bathroom. I knew I was holding them in a peculiar way, due to the looks I kept getting from the long table of about 20 retired ladies I had to pass. Goodness.
    I didn't even look in the mirror upon entering the bathroom, just quickly took care of business. But once I left the stall and stopped in front of the mirror. Oh  my  word!  It definitely looked like I had forgotten to wear a nursing pad that day! Bother!
    While praying that nobody would come through the bathroom door, I got the dried on formula wet and started wiping at it with a paper hand towel. A white one. Which decided to cling to the knit of my shirt, in teeny tiny little white blobs. Lots of them. Which of course wouldn't brush off.  "Really?!?!!"
    The Lord did grant my prayer request and not let anybody come into the bathroom while I was doing all of this. The thing is (isn't there always a catch? 8-/), I hadn't thought to look under the stall doors, or include any other possible bathroom inhabitors in my prayer request.
    Suddenly, a stall door kiddy corner behind me opens, an elderly lady starts to exit, turns back to flush her toilet, then walks out of her stall. "Help!" (I silently screamed)
    As she walked the two feet towards me, using the mirror to her full advantage, her eyes kept moving from my chest, to my face, to my gray hair, to my chest and over again. She looked totally confused. And not too sure about me!
    In an extremely condensed version, which you guys would have been ever so proud of me over, I quickly told her what had happened. She got the hugest warmest smile. And then shared a story with me.
     She said that growing up, she had always wondered why her mom (a mother of nine), had always insisted on wearing these print dresses, in certain colored fabric. She had tried to convince her mom to wear solid color dresses, in pretty colors like some of the other women of the time wore, but her mom had insisted she liked her kind of dresses best. My bathroom friend had then chuckled as she went on... She said that one day as she was in the midst of raising her own children, it had suddenly dawned on her just how wise her mom had been, in her choice of dresses. While they weren't made from what we now call camouflage material, they worked just as effectively!!!
    She had patted me on the arm as we walked out of the bathroom. Me, with my arm again held in a peculiar way. She had patted me, congratulating me on being a grandma, and saying she knew I was a wonderful one, because I could laugh about my grandchild ruining my outfit, even while out in public. "Lord, thanks for having her hiding in that bathroom stall!"
    When we left the restaurant, we headed for the close by Goodwill store. Tried on four shirts, bought one. While wearing it. The sales clerk chuckled when we went to check out and I held out my arm with the price tag dangling at the end of the sleeve. ;-p

   In case your curious, yes, I'm still 'wondering' about myself. o;-p

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I 'plan' on linking this particular posting up to:
~ "Soli Deo Gloria" (Latin = "For the Glory of God Alone"), is hosted by Jen, at 'Finding Heaven One Step At A Time' (http://findingheaventoday.blogspot.com/).
   ~ "walk with Him Wednesdays", are hosted by Ann, at 'A Holy Experience' (http://www.aholyexperience.com/).