banana nut muffins

I've posted a link to a banana muffin recipe here, but yesterday I decided to wing it and follow my own muffin intuition. This is the part where I brag.

These muffins were amazing. Next time I'm going to sprinkle dry oats on top and replace some of the sugar with honey. yuuum.

I add more cinnamon than most muffin recipes because HELLO cinnamon is delicious.

Laura's Banana Nut Muffins (the word chocolate should be in there somewhere but then it's a ridiculously long title)

preheat oven to 375

in one bowl mix:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (add more if you want lots of crunch in your muffins. I prefer an occasional crunch)

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cinnamon

in another bowl beat together until slightly lumpy:

3 ripe bananas

1 stick butter, melted

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine wet and dry ingredients. Allow mixture to stay lumpy- these banana chunks are super delish.

Once you've poured batter into muffin tin, sprinkle a pinch of sugar over each muffin. Add dry oats if desired.

Makes 12 large muffins or 24 small muffins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for as long as you can manage, then eat!!!

a room with a view

Our front bay window looks out on to...more townhouses. Yuck.

Thank goodness for an incredible piece of art given to me by the owners of The Corner in Dayton. The painting is mostly a grayish blue and is quite large- about 24x48 inches. It's of a river in Italy with a low bridge, gondolas, people, trees and tall buildings, and it resides on a wall in our living room. It is the best view in the house.

As Liz Lemon would say, I want to go to there.

goodbye 2358

Today Andy locked our keys and our last check in our first home, pictured here. I don't know why, but for some reason the fact that we lived in that house for two years amazes me more than the fact that we've been married the same amount of time. I remember watching the rooms evolve as furniture, art and knick knacks accumulated and were re-arranged. Now the same evolution is occurring in our new home. I'm nesting.

Here is my advice on budget friendly nesting: look at Ross and TJ Maxx and similar stores before hitting up wherever it is you like to shop. In my case I'd ideally own all of Crate and Barrel's merchandise, but then I'd be in debt. So, thank you discount stores. I have done quite a bit of comparison shopping as well, and here's the thing about that: it's completely worth it if your desire is to save money. Returns are worth it when you realize how much you're getting back.

I have picked up quite a lot of new things for the new place, but my favorite updates would be to our living room. I found a gorgeous blue 5x8 rug which provides me aesthetic pleasure and gives my poor dog a rest from the hardwood floors. I finally bought a slipcover for one of our sofas (previously a dated navy w/ white dots) and bought 5 throw pillows, 4 of which reside on the newly covered couch and one of which I impulse bought because it's snuggly and I'm not sure where I'm going to put it. I may just strap it to my head for life.

Life is good down the street. I sense that I don't move as easily from room to room (we're in a similar model home as before, but everything is flipped) and I wake up not knowing exactly where I am. Still, we're happy here and I'm in love with my new things and the new changes I've made. Come visit!

enduring the wait

Andy has been in Richmond since last Sunday, so it's been just me and the pup all week. Thank goodness for work, sweet friends, Hulu and The Poisonwood Bible! I miss everything (well, almost everything) about my husband, but this time apart has provided time for my mouth to be shut and for my thoughts to air out. I'm a talker, but I appreciate quiet and think it is extremely necessary for everyone to take a moment or a few hours to just BE.

I like myself. I like my daydreams and inner revelations. I like having the time and the solitude to re-discover all that is me.

Tomorrow I will get the house ready and the table set and wait patiently to attack Andy the second he walks through the door. I will allow my thoughts to fill up on him and know that I'm recharged and oh, SO ready to do so.

I can't wait :)

you should know

it's mint chocolate chip at the downtown Klines.

the toilet paper rolls over, not under.

never EVER place your feet anywhere near my pillow.

not having a microwave is incredibly frustrating for someone who likes everything piping hot and has spontaneous popcorn cravings.

Andy did tell me Casey could sleep on the bed while he's in Richmond, even if he doesn't remember saying it.

holding twin newborn girls takes my breath away.

the best jelly beans are starburst jelly beans.

product placement

I couldn't find our horrid can opener last night and borrowed Lisa's. Opening those cans of corn and black beans was a pleasure. It was amazing. I didn't want to give it back.

This morning I found ours and threw it out.

Now I am going to shower, dry my hair and take myself shopping for an Oxo Good Grips can opener.

You might recall I raved about my Oxo Good Grips mixing bowl in a previous post...

I should get paid for this.

a day of rest

Andy and I have slept 2 nights in our new place and are beginning to settle in. Most of my books are unpacked, but my entire master closet is still down the street. Priorities, people. It's been an overwhelming and exhausting experience and I am looking forward to the day when art is not leaning against the wall and the dining room table is cleared so I can eat on it. Almost everything has been moved, just not necessarily put in its place. Andy unpacked our pantry items and didn't exactly attempt to organize items or make them accessible. Need rice? Try looking behind the jello.

We still have a good amount of work to do, but after Andy spent all of yesterday wrestling with our new washing machine today was declared a day of rest. We stayed in bed until 10, ate cereal with measuring spoons (forgot to bring the silverware over) and watched "The Soup Nazi," which is on a Seinfeld disc that we thought we had lost but found during the move. Today Andy is golfing with his boss and I am putting my feet up after an afternoon at the grocery store getting meals for the next couple of days. Tonight we'll have almond crusted flounder, sauteed squash and zucchini topped with parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon and maybe some mashed potatoes. Mmmm. I think I need to go clear off the table.

PS. this is day 4 of not having cable. I'm disgusted at myself for having symptoms of withdrawal. Please send any craft ideas, book suggestions or gardening tips my way.

Cranky much?

I painted from 9:30 am to 6 pm today, with a 30 minute break for lunch and a 15 minute break for a snack.

I have cuts on my fingers from my cheap rollers. Everything hurts. Even my toes hurt.

My eyes can't stay open.

If you don't hear from me in a while it's because we are moving and I'm overwhelmed and I don't really feel like blogging.

K bye.