Happy Monday!

via

I Made Brown Sugar!

Normally when I'm cooking or baking I'll pull out all of my ingredients to make sure I have everything I need.  Since I bake so often and I am constantly replenishing my goods I take for granted that I always have what I need.

So imagine my utter surprise while in the middle of baking a cake and not only was my brown sugar jar empty but I didn't even have a bag of brown sugar in my overflow stash!

Luckily I had what I needed to make homemade brown sugar.  It is so easy to make when you are in a pinch and being lazy about going to the store! 

What you need:

• Two cups of granulated sugar
• 2-3 Tbs of molasses

What to do:

• Place the sugar and molasses in a medium bowl
• Thoroughly mix with a fork. You will definitely need to use a little elbow grease while mixing
• Brown sugar can be used immediately
• Store in an airtight container 

The Forty Series #2: Intimacy in My Relationships

This year is a milestone birthday for me.  I thought it would be cool to create a list of things that I know for sure about myself.  Read the first entry here.

via

I love love. Falling in love, being in love, maintaining love, watching other people fall in love, hearing and seeing love in action.  I love all of that.

TO ME, love is an action word.  Love actions are often intimate, thoughtful things.  Those things that nobody catches but you. I crave that.  Being held, being kissed, being thought of, being taken care of…I need that.

Typically E is gone to work before we get up. He always kisses me and whispers that he loves me before he leaves.  He will also brew coffee for me and places my ‘Good Morning Gorgeous’ mug next to the pot.  He will often leave a note for B encouraging her to have a good day and to remind her that she is loved. TO ME that is intimate and thoughtful and makes me smile all day! 

via

I also need intimacy in my friendships.  The friends (not associates or acquaintances) that I have I feel absolutely confident that there is nothing I can share with them that would make them not be my friend.  My dreams and disappointments, my fears and failures, they all know them and love me and encourage me anyway.  I can cry to them and not be ashamed or embarrassed or laughed at or left to felt ‘any kind of way’.

I also give as good as I get.  My stance is you will have plenty of people being ugly to you, discouraging you, making you feel like sh!t; I’m just not going to be one of those people. If you want to climb Mt Everest nobody is going to cheer for you as loud as me or encourage you as often as me.  I need to be able to listen to people and encourage them on their journey. I realize that sometimes that is all people need is someone to listen to!

What I know for sure about me is that I need intimacy in my relationships.

#The40Series

Happy Monday!

via

The Fashioneata Files: Pink and Khaki

Happy Monday!

via

The Fashioneata Files: Butterfly Shoes

These shoes are her favorite.

Easy Banana Cake w/Browned Butter Frosting

Another one bowl cake that was a quick addition to our Sunday dinner table! All of these over ripened bananas don't stand a chance!  The browned butter frosting complimented the toasted pecans beautifully!

Easy Banana Cake w/Browned Butter Frosting

What you need for the cake:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large bananas, mashed

What you need for the frosting:

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped and toasted pecans {optional}

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray an 8" or 9" round cake pan or an 8×8 square dish with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
• Stir in oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas
• Mix just until combined.
• Pour into prepared dish and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 
• Cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting

• Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Just after the butter melts, start swirling the pan in small circles.
• After a few minutes, the butter should start foaming then it will turn an amber color and start to smell nutty and delicious.
• Remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl. Cool to room temperature.
• Once butter has cooled, whip together with vanilla, powdered sugar and cream until smooth and creamy.
• Spread over cooled cake and top with chopped, toasted pecans if using.

Happy Monday!

via

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

In the never ending quest to not waste the over ripened bananas my family doesn't eat, I make quick breads.  Quick breads aren't really "breads" per se but one bowl loaf cakes.  This quick bread is a little upgrade from your basic banana bread with the addition of cinnamon sugar.  It smelled so good while it was baking and tastes even better!

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread Adapted from: http://lovintheoven.com/2010/03/cinnamon-swirl-banana-bread.html
What you need:

• 3 over-ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs cinnamon

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Spray non-stick spray in a 9 x 5 loaf pan
• In a medium bowl, mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together
• Add baking soda and salt, then gently stir in flour. Gently mix until just combined
• In a small dish, mix together the 1/3 cup sugar and 1 Tbs cinnamon
• Add 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and then sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the batter in the pan
• Add the remaining batter, and then sprinkle the leftover cinnamon-sugar on top
• Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

The Fashioneata Files: Gold Sparkle!

The shoes are my favorite!

Happy Monday!

via