Guarding the laundry bag.

I made myself a new bag. After the last one was lost in an unfortunate pregnancy induced barfing episode I felt I needed something new. It’s 6″ deep so it should hold an awful lot, has a curved bottom and two pocketss (one on the outside and one inside). I used some wide wale cactus colored cordoroy with some leftover blue and white floral cotton print.

I made banana bread last week. It was incredibly moist and tasty. Below is the recipe. Please note that this recipe makes 1 loaf.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

3/4cup ripe banana, mashed (about 2 medium banana’s)

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups flour

pinch of salt

handful of walnuts, chopped (optional)

handful of chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line bread loaf pan with tin foil. Make sure you use enough foil so that there is extra hanging over the two sides. You use these sides to lift the loaf out of the pan after baked.

In a bowl mix together mashed banana, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in baking soda, salt and flour. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Pour batter into lined bread pan. Bake for 50 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes then lift out bread with tin foil sides and place on wire rack to cool further. Can eat warm or cold. Delicious!

Wow. I’ve really neglected this blog for the past few months. I came down with pregnancy a few months ago. It struck me with the desire to do nothing other than sit on the couch and sleep for a long long time. I’m now getting some of my energy back and actually went out and swam today.  New posts to come!

Luther has really been coming out of his shell. He’s super playful and all seems to be going well between him and Dusty.  I can’t imagine it will be too many months before they are cuddeling. His temperment really seems to suite her and she doesn’t seem to mind him much at all. I even think she was showing off for him the other day.

Happy New Year everyone! I decided I’d post my favorite cookie recipie in hopes of happy cookie making everywhere in the new year.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 375F. In large bowl beat sugars and butter until light. Mix in vanilla and egg. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until light brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool completely.

Yesterday dh and I went to Bideawee in Manhattan and adoped a new friend. We have named him Luther. He’s about 5 – 6 months old and very timid and docile. We hope because of this he will fit into our family well with Dusty – who herself is very much a scardy cat. They met yesterday evening. Dusty let out a few hisses then retreated as he sat frozen in the blanket I put him in on the bed (like in the pics below). He lets me hold him almost indefinitley but likes to be somewhere snug like a blaket or under the couch for safety if not being held. Pics are below.

Here is a pic from the shelter when he first arrived with his brother (the black kitty) last week.

I love this recipie. It’s perfectly alligned to my taste buds. It’s warm, cozy and filling.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients: 

6 apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

few shakes salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F

Peel and slice the apples. Mix apples with 1/8 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Pour apple mixture into an 8″x8″ square pan.

In bowl mix oats, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon and salt. Mash the softened butter until it’s in small pieces and evenly incorporated with the dry ingredients. Spread mixture over apples in pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.

I put together two more wallets similar to the two earlier in this blog. One has a giraffe and the other has a partridge-ish bird.