#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

September 14, 2005 · Narrative

Sitting down? Nicholas has homework!! Isn’t that the cutest thing? At three-years-old, the kid already has homework. He came home intent to work on it, even though it’s not due until Friday. His class is learning alphabet identification, and the homework is focusing on the letter “A.” I asked him to do something after dinner, and the response was, “No, Mama, I have to do my homework. I’m sorry.” I love it! With any luck, we can carry this same resolve through the rest of his school career, but I’ll take this for now.

Went to a few stores after work to start collecting Halloween stuff. We’re one of “those” houses that go all out and decorate the yard for Halloween, and the fun has just begun. Every year, we add a bit more to the yard, and I look forward to seeing it all come together. I found some great masks at the dollar store, and they’re going to make some ultra-scary life-size monsters.

Since we got home a bit late, we took the opportunity to clean out the fridge for dinner, having a mish-mosh of stuff. Of course, you know I can’t not cook SOMETHING new, and set to make use of some overly ripe bananas. It seems I always have a lot of those. Nicholas and The Husband love bananas, but go through phases eating them. Tonight I had 8 to use up. I made Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins and a double batch of Banana Bread. The Husband‘s car is in the shop, so with him using my car, The Neighbor took Nicholas and I to school and work, respectively, today and will again tomorrow. So, she’s getting one of the banana breads and 12 of the muffins. Tomorrow she’s bringing me HER overly ripe bananas, so we’re going to have to get creative.

The Banana Bread recipe is a new one and while good, I still think the Nigella one I made awhile back is still the frontrunner. I liked the muffins, particularly warm from the oven with a bit of butter, but may tweak them just a bit more.

Tomorrow is The Husband Cooks Wednesday, so tune in to find out what he’s up to. And then Thursday, it’s all good old-fashioned hoedown fun, so you’ll have to check in and see what that’s all about. Until then…

Sweetnicks’ Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon banana extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F. Place muffin cups in muffin tin, or grease with a little butter. Mix sugar, oil, and egg until creamy and light yellow. Add bananas, pecans, chocolate chips, vanilla, banana extract, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until completely smooth. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until toothpick poked in center muffin comes out clean. Yield: about 18 muffins

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Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. Joe says

    September 14, 2005 at 3:08 am

    Isn’t decorating for the holidays such fun? We try to go all out as we can but are a little more stricted here than in MN due to HOA stuffs. I can’t wait though! Hope to see pictures of what you end up with!

    Reply
  2. joey says

    September 14, 2005 at 12:17 pm

    Yes! Please do post pictures of your yard all done up! :)

    Those muffins sound delicious! I have been making banana bread with a recipe from the Mrs. Field’s Cookie Book, and kitschy though it may sound, it has always come out great :) I have been meaning to try Nigella’s banana bread though…good to hear it’s the “frontrunner” :)

    Reply
  3. jtoepfert100 says

    September 14, 2005 at 4:35 pm

    Those muffins look great! I’m wondering if subbing some brown sugar for some of the white sugar might be a “tweak” worth considering. Hmmm…

    Reply
  4. Cate says

    September 15, 2005 at 12:07 pm

    Jen – that would defnitely be worth considering. Going to try?

    Joey – I promise to post pictures. I have a few Mrs. Fields cookbooks – maybe it’s time to dust them off. Do try the Nigella recipe — my favorite so far. There’s SO many banana bread recipes out there!

    Joe – HOA can definitely be a PITA. Hopefully you can still do a little bit … otherwise you can live vicariously through us! :)

    Reply

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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