Grandmother Ruth’s Banana Bread

A staple in our house, it is simple to make and smells amazing as it bakes.

The only change to the original is a little hint of cinnamon.

Grandmother Ruth’s Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 C Sugar

1/2 C butter

2 Eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp Sour milk (buttermilk or regular milk with a few drops of vinegar)

3 bananas- crushed

2 C flour

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Cream together sugar and butter. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake 1 hour.

If desired sprinkle with sugar about 30 minutes into baking (Luke’s addition)

Beach baby

August came ‘round fast this year. It marked an end to my maternity leave, and to wrap up that season we decided a trip to the beach was just the thing. So we loaded up and road tripped to the Emerald Coast. We spent our mornings on the beach reading, playing in the warm ocean, our little one napping and nursing. We filled our bellies with the tastiest, freshest seafood (my favorite) and tangy key lime pie (also, my favorite). Then evening strolls on the long stretch of beach in front of our condo. 

It was a trip of firsts for our Eloise: her first trip to the beach, first vacation, and end to her first summer. We basked in the sun and soaked up the time with one another.

Weekend

A weekend together, such a special, treasured time and just what we needed. Saturday was one of the first chilly days of fall so we all put on our warm clothes and knits and went to a harvest festival. We meandered through the corn maze and explored the pumpkin patch, Eloise quietly, curiously observed from our arms. Later, it was a walk around the neighborhood to see all the spooky, Halloween ready porches.  

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

As the weather cools down it is the perfect time to make big pots of comforting, warm soup. This is one of my absolute favorite recipes. It is fairly quick and simple, but still is able to develop a hearty, full flavor. It’s like a hug in a bowl. 

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup 

Makes 4 Servings, Works Well To Double

Ingredients 

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup carrots, diced

1/3 cup celery, diced

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 tablespoons flour

1 package long grain and wild rice with flavor packet

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

3 cups water

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup milk

1 cup cooked and shredded chicken

salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Melt olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened. Add dried marjoram, flour, and seasoning packet from the rice; stir to combine.
2. Add rice, chicken broth, and water; bring to a boil. Cover, lower to a simmer, and let cook for 15 minutes.
3. Heat heavy cream and milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir into the soup. Stir in the shredded chicken.
4. Cook about 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

September songbird

Reminiscing on this time last September, we had just found out we were expecting our little bird. It was as such a sweet time, filled with excitement and dreaming of our dove. She was so loved and wanted even in those earliest of days.

Now she is here with us, doing all the things we always dreamed of doing together. We visited the apple orchard twice, with each set of grandparents carrying her so lovingly as we searched for the best apples for baking. We brought our full bags home to make apple goodie and apple sauce while Eloise watched and learned and smelled it all. 

I’m already thinking ahead to next year, will she be blazing ahead of us to see the next, next, next tree? Or trailing behind to study each apple? Or maybe we’ll be going the same speed as she points to apples she wants her daddy to get from the high branches? There is so much fun ahead and so many traditions to share with our girl. 

But now we are enjoying the sweet chirps of our songbird, and trying to cherish each moment of this season.  

Apple Goodie

Ingredients:
3 cups apples – peeled & slice
1 C white sugar 1 T (heaping) flour


2 tsp cinnamon 
¾ C. oatmeal¾ C. Flour¾ C. Brown sugar½ tsp baking soda½ tsp salt½ tsp baking powder
1/3 C. Butter, soften

Directions:
Mix white sugar and 1 heaping Tbsp flour together. Pour apples into the sugar mixture and toss together.  Then place in the bottom of a greased and floured baking dish.
Mix together cinnamon, oatmeal, 3/4 c flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Work 1/3 C. soft butter into flour mixture and spread in a layer on top of apples.  
Bake in 325 degree oven until apples are done, about 1 hour.

Grandpa cookies

An instant favorite, once known as "Daddy Cookies", they are now designated as "Grandpa Cookies" because this was the first thing that Eloise and I baked together for a special Birthday surprise for my dad. They are perfectly chewy and full of toffee and oatmeal. Careful not to over bake, when they start to brown around the edges pull them out of the oven and let them finish cooking on the sheet.

Grandpa Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
 2 cups packed light brown sugar
 2 eggs
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS 'O BRICKLE Toffee Bits

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Beat butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat until blended. 

 Stir in oats, toffee bits and coconut, if desired, with spoon. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet. 

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to wire rack. About 4 dozen cookies

Cheeks

Eloise Judith: A study of cheeks

A trip to the mountains

We flew west for a long weekend (baby’s first flight).
We breathed in the fresh, crisp mountain air. We drove up and down the winding roads of Rocky Mountain National Park, to enjoy the views. We snuggled in our rented house, the heat going in the mornings and night, the doors open in the afternoon. We had a beautiful view of Lake Estes and enjoyed it from the deck. We saw old friends, and Eloise made a new friend. It was a peaceful and restful trip.
It gives me such joy to show Eloise the world. Seeing things through her eyes as she takes it all in. She may not remember these early trips, but I will show her pictures and reminisce with her about so many “firsts”. She is so content going everywhere on mama’s hip or being pushed in her stroller.
And what a charmer, smiling at everyone who looks her way.
I have to say, one of the highlights of the trip was when we arrived at our home airport, tired and ready to be in bed, but we had to wait for our luggage. As we waited, Eloise just started to burst out laughing. What could she find so funny? The luggage dropping onto the carousel of course! The three of us laughed so hard together and it was the perfect ending to her first trip west.