Russian Stacking Doll Project

My friend Patricia noticed my interest in the little babushkas and gave me a blank wooden set she found at Hobby Lobby to paint and draw on! I can't wait. I have had fun this week sketching some little buddies for practice.

Banana Nut Bread

I love banana nut bread. It is so hearty, moist and yummy! I have tried a couple of recipes out over the years, but this one is a keeper! I took a recipe I found and kind of changed it up a bit. I like to do that anyway as a rule, making it more mine. Adding the sour cream and honey keeps the bread nice and moist. Just make sure to eat it up fast, gift it, or freeze it so it doesn't go bad. I like to eat mine straight out of the oven or toasted with butter, but it is yummy enough to just pinch peaces off and munch on too. Om nom nom nom!

Banana Nut Bread Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1/2 bag walnuts, chopped (about 3/4 cup)

Directions:

1. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Fluff butter and sugar together in mixer. Split vanilla bean down the center and use knife to collect vanilla beans from pod. Add to butter/sugar mixture and continue to fluff.
3. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and sift or stir together (flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder).
4. Mash bananas in a small bowl and microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften.
5. Add eggs one at a time to butter/sugar mixture and mix together.
6. Add sour cream, bananas, and honey and mix.
7. Add dry ingredients slowly and mix to combine with wet ingredients in mixer
8. Use spatula to carefully add nuts.
9. Pour into pre-greased/floured pan and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes depending on your oven (knife should come out without gooey mixture).
10. Remove from pan and cool on cooling rack.
11. Eat it up!

Yard Sale Time!

Here are a few pics from our yard sale party we had recently. Much fun! There were about 6 people selling stuff and we donated the rest to charity (which was great, because it kept our homes from collecting unwanted clutter junk stuffs). The best part of course was having an excuse to hang out with good friends and eat good food! We grilled burgers and hotdogs in the backyard and I made a yummy potato salad to go with it. Fun times!