Banana Bread

Sitting on my counter were six overly ripe bananas. Banana Bread sounded so yummy and I knew of some boys in my house that would appreciate it! The problem is, I have never found a recipe that I loved! Over the years, I have tried many recipes....some were too dry, some didn't rise, some were heavy etc. Recently, I had found a vintage church cookbook at a thrift store. There were several different recipes for banana bread. I scanned the recipes and ingredients and thought I would give this one a try.  Jamaican Hilton Banana Bread.

This is the result!

The absolute best banana bread I have ever made. So moist, just the right amount of sweetness, dense yet light and fluffy at the same time. I didn't know about the extract flavorings but I used all of them and it just flavored the bread just perfectly. This is the perfect bread with a cup of hot black tea or coffee. My son has been eating this for breakfast!

Don't you love vintage loaf pans? I found this beautiful photo on Pinterest. They don't make them like this anymore. They remind me of vintage feed grain sacks.

If you try this banana bread recipe let me know if you love it! I hope you do! It will now be the only banana bread recipe that I use!

Maple Granola Recipe

I have always loved homemade granola. When I found this recipe in my Country Living magazine, I thought I would give it a try. I used chopped pecans in place of the other nuts and seeds because it was more readily available to me. I also did not use the corn syrup. The maple syrup alone is sweet enough. I bought my maple syrup in a large bottle from Sam's Club as well as my pecans. I bought the rolled oats from Wal Mart. You can add whatever fruit or nuts you like and serve with milk or yogurt. I like golden raisins. The maple syrup gives this such a buttery rich flavor.

 

U.S.

Metric

• 4 cup(s) rolled oats
• 2 1/2 ounce(s) (about 1/2 cup) dried apricots, chopped
• 2 1/2 ounce(s) (1/2 cup) dried cranberries
• 3 ounce(s) (3/4 cup) almonds, chopped
• 3 ounce(s) (3/4 cup) walnuts, chopped
• 1 1/2 ounce(s) (6 tablespoons) raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 ounce(s) (3 tablespoons) raw unhulled sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil, plus more for pans
• 3/4 cup(s) pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup(s) light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• Yogurt, for serving

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl, add first 7 ingredients and toss until combined.
2. In a small bowl, whisk remaining ingredients, except yogurt. Pour over dry ingredients and mix. Spread granola in 2 oiled baking pans. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes, turning granola every 10 minutes. Cool in pans. Break up granola. (Granola can be stored, in an airtight container, for up to 3 weeks.) Serve with yogurt and syrup.

Read more: Maple Granola with Fruit and Nuts Recipe - Country Living

Celebrate!

Tomorrow is a very special day! It is when we celebrate our Savior rising from the grave! There is so much to celebrate. I love that we observe this holy day when spring is just bursting with newness and beauty! It's so easy to praise Him when our hearts are so full of thankfulness to see spring return again in all of it's splendor.

I love this statement by author Max Lucado!

"Why do we do it?  Endure the airports, cram the trunks of our cars and SUV’s?  You know the answer.  We love to be with the ones we love!
It’s the four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of grandpa.  The cup of coffee with mom before the rest of the house awakes.  That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie!
We love to be with the ones we love.
May I remind you?  So does God.  He loves to be with the ones He loves.  How else do you explain what He did?  Between him and us there was a distance—a great span.  And he couldn’t bear it.  So he did something about it.

He gave up his place—and made himself—nothing!  He did it for you and me."

Speaking of children. Here is a book from 1939 that I love and that I loved sharing with my children.

 It is the sweet story of a mother bunny who has 21 well-behaved children. They each have a special job to do in their family. Mother bunny gets chosen to be an official Easter Bunny who has to deliver baskets to children everywhere. Not only is she fast, she is also wise. 

This charming and sweet story is beautifully illustrated and tells a tale of hard work and determination and self-sacrifice. 

Mother Bunny has a very special job and a difficult job to do. She has to deliver a very beautiful egg to a sick baby. If you have never read this story, please do.

I hope you have a lovely day with your family. My family will be a bit scattered this year but in our hearts we will be together. Whenever I see sweet little baby animals, I think of my dear Grandmother, who always loved me to send her Easter cards with adorable baby bunnies on them. 

I hope you have a sweet day and that your heart reaches up to thank Jesus for what He did JUST FOR YOU!

Sweet Little Nest

Every spring I have little birds who race to see who can build a nest in my silk flowers that hang on the outside doors of my home. Little sparrows were last year's tenants. The other day, I was alerted to the fact that birds were acting like kamikaze fighters at my front door. People were being dived at while ringing the door bell. I went out to see what all the commotion was. I didn't think that the birds would be busy already...it was so early. I peered in among the flowers and this is what I found!

Lilacs and Lace

Lilacs
By Amy Lowell

Lilacs,

False blue,

White,

Purple,

Color of lilac,

Your great puffs of flowers

Are everywhere in this my New England.   

Among your heart-shaped leaves

Orange orioles hop like music-box birds and sing   

Their little weak soft songs;

In the crooks of your branches

The bright eyes of song sparrows sitting on spotted eggs   

Peer restlessly through the light and shadow   

Of all Springs.

Lilacs in dooryards

Holding quiet conversations with an early moon;   

Lilacs watching a deserted house

Settling sideways into the grass of an old road;

Lilacs, wind-beaten, staggering under a lopsided shock of bloom

Above a cellar dug into a hill.

You are everywhere.

You were everywhere.

You tapped the window when the preacher preached his sermon,

And ran along the road beside the boy going to school.

You stood by the pasture-bars to give the cows good milking,   

You persuaded the housewife that her dishpan was of silver.   

And her husband an image of pure gold.   

Years ago, when I was a young mother, my family and I lived in a parsonage owned by the church my husband worked at. We were very limited in our finances and I was expecting our third child. I lived far away from the home I grew up in, that boasted some lovely lilac bushes. I would walk around town in spring and see yards with glorious lilacs blooming. I remember wishing I had a lilac bush of my own. I wished that someone would bring me a bouquet of the fragrant beauties. Blame it on the hormones, but I remember almost crying over the lilacs I did not have. So, years later, I thoroughly enjoy the lilac bush that my children gave to me a few Mother's Days ago. This is the first bloom from the bush this year. It isn't even quite open yet. I had to take a photo with a few of my favorite things! Enjoy!

Wednesday Thoughts

I ran into my Hallmark store to pick out a birthday card for my sister. Beautiful cards are my thing. They are expensive but a thoughtfully selected card conveys just the right sentiment for the moment. I noticed the slogan on the bag when I got home. "Life is a special occasion." It stopped me in my tracks for a moment. Even though I know it's a Hallmark promotional phrase, I love it! I hope to have this philosophy when I am old and gray ( oh wait, I already am graying)...let me re-phrase this. Throughout my life, no matter how long it lasts, I hope that I have this attitude. Some days are tough to get through and some days are like a beautiful summer breeze.

I was styling some photos for my etsy shop the other day, when I decided to take a few shots just for the beauty of it.

I hope you take the time to make today a special occasion and simply view the beauty around you and love those in your path.

She Said YES!

My oldest child, my only girl, got engaged this week. Her father and I knew that is was going to happen, because her boyfriend had called us ahead of time! She was so surprised! It was a very sweet proposal with lots of fun and romantic details, complete with roses and balloons and a family heirloom diamond. Her groom-to-be, will be the perfect husband to cherish our special girl. We are so happy for them.

Let the festive planning begin! I cannot wait to fly to visit my daughter and go wedding dress shopping!

We both have lots of ideas already and thankfully we like many of the same things so the planning will be so fun! I definitely will not be one of the infamous mothers on "Say Yes to the Dress.".

Let the fun begin on the journey to forever!