Thanks, Mom and Dad

There's really nothing interesting about the photo of a Christmas tree, and the photo never does justice to the subject. However, the fact that this decorated tree is in my living room, in November, no less, is momentous.

Mom and Dad did 99% of the setup and decorating. If I manage to take it down in January, maybe they'll consent to return next November for a repeat performance.

Facebook Free, Day One

After much ambivalence about Facebook, I've deactivated my account. I can reactivate it any time by logging in again, but in the meantime, my account is basically in deep freeze.

I thought about logging in several times today, and I already feel a bit out of the loop, but I'm hoping the break will be a good thing. I usually don't spend long stretches of time on FB, but I am there multiple times a day. It was one distraction I felt I could give up while I concentrate on my emotional and spiritual health, and I knew the only way to curb my use was to cut my access for now.

Recipe of the Week

I branched out from the tried and true white flour recipe and made King Arthur Flour's recipe for Whole Wheat Banana Bread. This one is a keeper!

Batter
2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed; about 4 or 5 medium bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup King Arthur Premium Whole Wheat Flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Topping
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.

2) In a large bowl, mash the bananas, then add the oil, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla, stirring to combine.

3) Mix in the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chopped walnuts. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

4) Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter.

5) Bake the bread for about 60 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6) Remove the bread from the oven. Cool it in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.

Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices.

Even Aunties Get the Blues

I'm feeling utterly defeated by Epidemiology 5400 and by life circumstances beyond my control. Do my two readers have any helpful suggestions?

Socks for a blue day

Soup's On

Tonight I made this recipe that came in a Kroger grocery store mailer last month:

Spiced Apple & Butternut Squash Soup
serves 6-8

1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 large onions, diced
2 large Granny Smith apples
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 each butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into one-inch cubes
3 quarts chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste.

Halve and peel butternut squash, remove seeds and dice into one-inch cubes. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and apples, cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spices, cook for 1 minute and then add the squash and chicken stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the squash is tender, about 20-30 minutes. Puree and serve. Add additional stock to desired thickness. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

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I omitted the nutmeg because I didn't have any. I ate the soup with grated sharp cheddar, and it was quite tasty. The leftover soup, added to penne pasta, will make a nice lunch tomorrow. I'll also note that the squash is naturally sweet, and makes me think that soup recipes calling for added sugar would be overly sweet. I can't comment on the addition of brandy some recipes include.