WEEKLY HAPPENINGS FROM MONDAY, 11/18/24 to SUNDAY, 11/25/24

Hello dear family, dear friends, and dear blogging friends.  I hope you have all had a great time since my last post. As you have told me how you enjoy them, I am keeping these daily journals going, for the time being at least, even though they seem very dreary to me in parts. There are times I think reading this must feel something like watching paint dry, but I am an extremely detailed person and it all goes in here, so once again feel free to skip. 

Several of you have also heard about this knee problem I have and have asked for details, so I add  progress reports along the way. Not a lot of getting out and about lately because of it, and with the even more colder months heading our way, not a chance I will be going outside to dance on the ice. 

Thank you for the encouragement, and for all the lovely emails, advice and other comments you have offered. And it certainly is fun catching up with you.  

Monday - 11/18/24:

I stopped my pain medication three days ago, because of being warned by my doctor not to take them longer than two weeks. They are too strong. I have an extremely sore knee today. Very disappointed!  I had a bad headache all day, withdrawal maybe?  Knee pain is not as severe as before I got that injection so counting my blessings. Maybe a few more days before I get to Green Spring Gardens. I will continue with the strengthening exercises. 

Gregg went to CostCo. It wasn't a big shopping trip and I can only remember that he bought Popcorn. See note below.

One more delay on making our soup. We had an email from our local supermarket telling us of a serious issue with their carrots. There was a Listeria contamination. The number they gave was on our bag. This sounded very serious so they were tossed immediately. If we had returned them they would have refunded us, but they had already been thrown away when we found that out.  

Breakfast was at noon. I fixed myself a poached egg on top of mashed sweet potato on top of a Trader Joe’s scallion pancake, and 6 fl. ozs. of orange juice. (Gregg was gone for a couple of hours out and about.) My breakfast will end up in one of my Monday Morning Recipes sometime. Not much of a recipe, but I want to remember to put it in rotation. 

Dinner: Gregg fixed a chicken sandwich with lettuce, lacy Swiss cheese and a thin slice of a beefsteak tomato. It was very tasty.

Snacks: a bowl of organic popcorn from CostCo made with olive oil. Gregg read about it. Excellent snack and above all, healthier than the regular popcorn we have gotten in the past. I was never too fond of it before but I like this better than any we have ever tried. Being CostCo, the bag is huge. You could stick a pole in there and make a tent out of it.  But, we have a small dish if we feel peckish, and it is good to have around. It makes a nice change of pace from celery sticks, raw cauliflower or broccoli. We know someone who was able to lose a substantial amount of weight replacing regular snacks in part with this, so we are sold and will have them every now and again in between enjoying the veggies. Variety is the key for me.

Tuesday - 11/19/24: we go to McDonalds for lunch one day a week. Afterwards we stopped at the supermarket to pick up another bag of carrots. I stayed in the car and watched the world go by. People-watching can be fun. Not as much fun as watching squirrels. Yes, I am joking but no one was jumping over mounds of leaves in the parking lot because they would feel icky and sticky to the bottom of their shoes/paws/feet. Customers weren't chasing each other away from the food inside their shopping carts, or performing acrobatic jumps in the trees. So boring and triple smiles. The parking lot wasn't that busy and Gregg said the supermarket was quiet also. He wasn't gone for long. 

We spent part of the afternoon making a very comforting tortellini soup, which hopefully I shared yesterday if I was able to post it in time. A lot of prep work, more than the normal amount of ingredients to prepare. If I was doing this on my own in the old days, before Gregg retired, I would start early in the morning. These days we share the work and it went quickly. I sat at the kitchen table and chopped garlic, sliced carrots and diced zucchini. I didn’t have to cry dicing the onions or use a mallet to punch down on the knife I use for cutting through the cabbage, and he did all the standing at the stove, cooking and stirring the soup. Everything was ready by dinnertime. At six we were sitting down. I knew it was going to be a good soup, but this was above what we expected, very flavorful.

Christmas decorations have gone up at all the shopping areas. It seems to me they are earlier this year. I saw Christmas Wreaths outside the store as we drove by, plus other kinds of holiday decorations, and even saw Christmas trees for sale on our way home. 

In our neighborhood, inflated Tom Turkey was spotted in a few gardens. You can always tell where the kiddos live.

I also saw inflatable Santa Clauses and Christmas trees in other gardens and more. Even decorations in the neighborhood feel earlier this year.  

Wednesday - 11/20/24: Not much to write about today. I mentioned my sore knee previously but today it is okay. I have had two medications to take and I took the wrong one, the painkiller I was supposed to stop taking, except that it was still next to my other meds that I have been keeping close by and I got them confused. The pills I shouldn't be taking have been moved into the spare bathroom medicine cabinet. 

Breakfast: Weetabix with almond milk, a tablespoon each of dried chopped dates and pumpkin seeds, plus six almonds.

Lunch: Gregg fixed chicken sandwiches from our already cooked rotisserie chicken from the store. He is a great sandwich fixer.

Dinner: He is out with our son this evening and I heated up a bowl of the tortellini veggie soup we made yesterday. It is now my new favorite soup, rainy outside and comfort food inside, perfect.

I made a batch of cranberry sauce for a head start on Thanksgiving. The recipe has instructions on how to freeze.  A wonderfully simple recipe with no bells or whistles.  

Thursday - 11/21/24: I am hoping we are going for a walk around Green Spring Gardens today. I will take my cane so, fingers crossed.

8.29 p.m: I am happy to say we did get over to Green Spring earlier. I was so happy I was doing jumping jacks followed by cartwheels and yes, all in my head.  Everything is starting to go to sleep but there were still some flowers to take photos of and I made it as far as just beyond the moon gate. There will be photos soon.

It wasn't a long walk but it was wonderful to get out. Cold but not bitterly so. Enough to keep most people away though. There were two ladies getting their exercise as they fast walked around the green. There was also a lady my age walking with her daughter. At least I thought it was her daughter, but she could have been her nurse. The lady was like me, walking with a cane. She was much better at it than I was, moving along quite fast but more with a shuffling gait. My cane still feels awkward in my hand and not a shuffling gait but a heavy limp. Maybe there is a YouTube out there giving lessons. Of course, the best person to ask would be the physiotherapist when I go for my first appointment. Why am I so awkward with this thing? That would be my first question. As a child I was often teased, not in a mean way. My family nickname was Neesy, and still is with my family over the pond. My other two nicknames were "Born” and “Awkward" used together, relating in part to me being a bit stubborn, but also to my tripping over everything. Even as a child I was a wee bit klutzy. This lady at the garden was making use of all the benches as I did. Because of the chill in the air, those seats felt as though they were akin to ice cubes, especially the metal ones. I didn’t sit on them for long. Born Awkward decided she had had enough and off we went back to the car. The important thing is we got a little exercise, and it was a start.

Near the university we passed an electric scooter that had been left at the crosswalk. We see them everywhere now and you have probably got them in your area. They all have GPS and you can pick them up at their original station, and drop them anywhere, as in this case at the traffic light, next to the crosswalk. A business employee comes around in a van and picks them up. You use a credit card and slip that into the scooter slot to start, you are tracked and your card is charged. I wondered what their statistics are on theft? The wheels would automatically lock I imagine. No one can drive them anywhere until the process is started all over again. I suppose someone could pick this one up and go further with another credit card, unless its battery is too low. 

I find it extraordinary.  I still have one foot in the old world and perhaps a few toes in the new.  It’s this just being able to drop them anywhere that I find a bit mind boggling. Very convenient for those who need them for relatively short trips. Walking is great but if you are running late? I wonder what their range is before the battery runs out? A lot of people own electric bicycles nowadays and you can also rent them at stands like the scooters. I wouldn't mind one of those. Gregg looks at me and says no, I don't think so. Born Awkward asked why not? Of course, no way says I. He did mention that there are electric bicycles that look like tricycles, and that makes me smile, but with everything else going on I think Born Awkward may be having a daydream. 

I heard the forecast say that bad weather was moving into Virginia, with maybe snow! Not sure if we are on the edge but we have bags of snow melter for our driveway and path up to the front door, just in case. (Added note: Apart from rain we missed most this bad weather. I hope those of you who had it are okay, safe and warm.)

Friday, 11/22/24: I treated myself to two Christmas ornaments, and one of them arrived yesterday. The second one should arrive tomorrow. They will go on my wings themed tree, the same as last year. This will include angels, birds and woodland animals, the last not necessarily with birds or wings, but they are honorary wingers and are always welcome. I started this theme last year. I have a collection of different birds. I accumulated many over the years and thought I could put them all on one tree. Many were given, all have sentimental value, all loved and treasured. This one had a red heart, and it spoke to me as its description reminds us of loved ones.

I would like to get the tree decorated in our family room in time for Thanksgiving, only the one this year. It is smaller, narrower and fits against the window in the space between the kitchen and family room. With a lot of people it is tradition to get these trees up in time for Thanksgiving. I thought that is a lovely idea. It allows more time to enjoy. I will not decorate the front room tree this year. I am trying to manage expectations, energy, ability levels, and a flea in the ear by my dear other half. He nodded sagely when I agreed with him.

Breakfast: as yesterday, Weetabix with pumpkin seeds and chopped dates, warmed milk as I ran out of almond milk.  

Lunch?: I can't remember. I may have eaten breakfast late and didn’t feel like it.

Dinner: Gregg bought home rye bread earlier and he made a chicken sandwich with lettuce and lacy Swiss Cheese, and a small bowl of our tortellini soup. There is enough left for one more bowl. We have been told to cut down on anything white. He doesn’t enjoy wheat bread, and he looked up on Google what would be a good one for him. He was told sourdough or rye. We haven’t had rye in a very long time, but sourdough occasionally. He brought two half loaves home and put them in the freezer, leaving enough to make the sandwiches. He is also the Freezer King. 

So, do you eat bread and if so what do you like!  I am being a bit nosy I know, but always curious and looking for new ideas.

Saturday, 11/23/24: I was hoping to get out today but was feeling a bit off.  It certainly couldn’t have been the coffee and donut my dear other half brought home from the supermarket. Tomorrow it will be oatmeal but oh that donut was a delicious treat. Not complaining at all. (Tomorrow wasn't oatmeal as you will read in a little bit.)

So, breakfast taken care of then and eaten late.

Lunch was skipped.

Dinner: steak, rice and peas courtesy of Freezer King 🤴

We made stock today for gravy (Thanksgiving again). Trying to get a good head start. 

Early night needed and I am off upstairs at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, 11/24/24: our son arrived early which is the highlight of our week, as you may know if you have been reading my around and about posts for a while. He carried the tree up from the basement storage room and he and his dad put it up. I am now decorating it in bits and dabs. Hopefully I will have it completed by next Thursday, when son and daughter-in-law come over. I promised other half I would go at a snail-pace, a few at a time. When I think back to when I was very young, my family didn't put anything up until Christmas Eve and always took it down on 12th Night. That hasn’t changed, I still put everything away on 12th night.

I have quite a few on there now, including the two new ones, an angel with a cardinal on her shoulder above, and the one holding a heart below the old one of the bear also with a cardinal. I have had a passion for collecting Christmas Ornaments the whole time I have been married, as did my mother before me, with me adding one or two a year. Then there are those precious gifts family and friends have given me. I love getting the older ones out of the box...

and I am happy with the two I added.

Breakfast: Coffee and Lemon-Poppyseed Muffin which son brought from our local coffee shop. It was delicious, thank you son!

Lunch: Chicken salad sandwich on Rye Bread, toasted. 

Dinner: We finished off the tortellini soup. It was excellent, but I am ready for a change now. I was going to freeze some, but the dear man said we wouldn't need to do that. He was right.

I put the stock made yesterday in 2 cup and 1 cup portions in the freezer. I only need 4 cups for the gravy on Thursday, and will keep the rest until we make something else that requires it.

It is 9.21 p.m. and I am going to finish off here as I am off to bed. 

See you next Tuesday with another Around and About, and…

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - SOFT APPLE COOKIES

I was very happy with these cookies, different to any cookie we have tried before.  Not too sweet and more like a miniature cake than a cookie. I found the recipe on a YouTuber’s video called Cooking Lyrics, and you can watch if you click here.

Soft Apple Cookies:

2 eggs at room temperature 

100g or 1/2 cup (or 3.5 ozs. sugar)

Pinch of salt

100g (or 3.5 ozs.) butter, softened 

320 to 340g plain flour (or 2-1/4 cup to 2-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, or 11 ozs.)

14g (or 3 teaspoons) baking powder

2 apples (I used Granny Smith)

Icing/confectioner sugar for dusting cookies after baking

Preheat oven to 180 deg C (Or 350 to 365 deg F (my oven is on the cool side so I used 365 deg F - I will leave it to you to be the judge on the heat you use - temperatures are a guide-line).

Add 2 eggs to a mixing bowl, also a pinch of salt and all the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat until sugar is dissolved and mixture looks light.

Add the softened butter until thoroughly mixed.

In a separate bowl thoroughly mix the baking powder into the flour.

Add half the flour mixture and mix into the eggs until combined. Add the remaining flour, this time folding in with a spatula until combined.

Peel and core the 2 apples. Cut into small dice and fold into the batter. 

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

Using a spoon, scoop up your apple mixture and put onto the baking tray in mounds, leaving a 2-inch space between them.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.  It’s always hit and miss for that first batch. They looked light on the top but were brown on the bottom. I took them out of the oven and they were done. The second batch I left them in a couple of extra minutes, and they browned more. Here again I will let you be the judge. The timing is only a guide.

Carefully transfer to a cooling rack until you can try one.

Using a small strainer, sprinkle icing sugar on top of all the cookies before serving. 

It goes great with a cup of coffee or tea.  

I recommend watching the video first, just to get a clearer idea of the steps in the recipe, or if I wasn’t clear enough when writing out these instructions.

Changes made: I didn’t have any plain/all-purpose flour. I used self-rising and left out the baking powder.

I also had no icing/confectioner’s sugar, so before baking I sprinkled on regular sugar and they were great. I made two batches. The second batch I left the sugar off and they still tasted very yummy. (Added note: see Donna’s comment about making confectioner’s sugar. Such a great idea, thank you Donna!)

The batter seemed a bit stiff so I used a few drops of milk until I got the consistency I wanted. 

A commenter at the video site said they used half regular sugar and half brown sugar, and that they tasted like a caramel apple. I might give it a try next time.

Everyone’s taste is different but we gave these cookies a 10 out of 10. Different to any cookie we have had before, and tasted like miniature cakes with delicious bits of cooked apple inside. As mentioned before, not too overly sweet so you can add a little more sugar for your own taste.

One of these makes a lovely snack. I also ate one for breakfast along with a container of lemon-flavored Greek Yogurt. It was a delicious combination.

It looks like this is good to freeze. I didn't want to leave a whole batch out. I froze them after baking the day before, took one out and microwaved it for 30 seconds. It was as delicious as if it were fresh out of the oven.  That’s when I had it for breakfast with the lemon yogurt. 

If you are not keen using the microwave, it thaws out pretty quickly, but you can always leave one to thaw the night before in the fridge and take it out to come to room temperature. Or pop it in a toaster oven to heat up a little.

This is the full address to the YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/dOR_i8waGU4?si=zCYsgaSBYvwVkGJd

  

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BAKED ZUCCHINI FRIES

As I haven’t made any new recipes this week, I found this on my now closed older blog. I am transferring favorite ones ever so slowly, and the link still works. I found it here at Healthy Recipes. I always recommend visiting the original for reading their tips, looking at their photos and finding other delicious recipes. 

Baked Zucchini Fries - makes 2 servings

Approximate calories per serving: 153

Olive oil cooking spray (about 1 teaspoon oil)

2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 large and firm zucchinis, unpeeled (about 12 ozs. total weight)


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with olive oil cooking spray. 

In a medium bowl whisk the egg whites until frothy.

In a large bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

Cut zucchinis in half crosswise, then halve each half lengthwise and into 1/4-inch thick fries. Pat dry using paper towels. Place the fries in the bowl with the beaten egg whites to coat. Transfer them to the bowl with the breadcrumb mixture and toss to coat.

Arrange zucchini fries in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, spacing them a little. Lightly spray with olive oil spray.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from the oven. Carefully turn fries. Spray again and bake 15 more minutes.

Serve immediately.

These fries came out nice and crispy and make a wonderful side dish. I can even see them being used as a snack with some of your favorite dressings. 

Thanks for visiting and have a great week.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - OATMEAL COOKIES

I have tried several oatmeal cookies over time, and enjoy trying different versions.  This one has molasses added and that intrigued me. My Dear Other Half enjoys it, as did my Mother-in-Law.  I never got the hang of her bread doughnuts, which were exceptional.  It has been years since I tried making those, and I should make another effort. A tablespoon of molasses was always added on the side for dipping, right next to those doughnuts, which were swoon-worthy! 

Anyhow, getting back to these cookies, a tablespoon of molasses is one of the ingredients and the reason I decided on using this recipe.  I found it at Sally’s Baking Recipes here.  I always recommend looking at the original for many reasons, all her tips were very useful and a great guideline.  She describes them as having “a chewy texture, soft centers, plump raisins, and cinnamon flavor”.  

Gregg was out of the house for a few hours, and I decided to make this version of his favorite cookie, with a nod to his Mom, whose bread doughnuts were always an incredible treat on our visits back in the day.  Her use of Molasses and my use of it today  were the connecting dots between memories.

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 

Makes 26 to 30 cookies

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/soft-chewy-oatmeal-raisin-cookies/

1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs*

1 tablespoon  pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon molasses

1-1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups (240g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats*

1 cup (140g) raisins

optional: 1/2 cup (64g) chopped toasted walnuts

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Beat in the oats, raisins, and walnuts (if using) on low speed. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator (do the full hour if you’re afraid of the cookies spreading too much). If chilling for longer (up to 2 days), allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Roll balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. I recommend using a cookie scoop since the dough can be sticky. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and under-baked. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to “set” on the baking sheet during this time.

Sally’s Notes:

“Make Ahead and Freezing 

Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well – up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well – up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. 

Oats: For these oatmeal raisin cookies, I use old-fashioned whole oats. They provide the ultimate hearty, chewy, thick texture we love!

Eggs: Room temperature eggs preferred. Good rule of thumb: always use room temperature eggs when using room temperature butter.

Raisins: Soak your raisins in warm water for 10 minutes before using (blot very well to dry them) – this makes them nice and plump for your cookies.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough is Sticky

This oatmeal raisin cookie dough is sticky, so don’t be alarmed. The cookie dough needs to chill for about 30 minutes before baking. I don’t recommend keeping this cookie dough in the refrigerator for much longer because your cookies won’t spread. The oats will begin to absorb all of the wonderful moisture from the eggs, butter, and sugar and won’t expand as they bake. Sticky dough is good dough!”

What did we think?  

They were a big hit and snapped up when offered, with more requested.  We definitely liked the texture and the taste of this oatmeal cookie.   I had a thought that if in a rush to go out in the morning, a couple of these would suffice in a pinch, to replace breakfast.   

My brown sugar was rock hard!  I had to put it into the blender to break it up.  Anyone have any better ideas for that?  

I included the walnuts and left them in quite big pieces.  Next time I will add more, a handful or so. 

The molasses was a big hit, not overpowering by any means.  I'll definitely keep that in the recipe.

One of the commenters I read said they added dried cranberries instead of raisins.  I also thought dried chopped dates might be nice for a change.  However, Sweet Other Half enjoyed these cookies so much, he doesn't want me to change a thing and that's great.  I'm glad he enjoyed them.  

I always raise the temperature in our oven, because it seems to run on the cooler side.  I end up cooking longer than a recipe requires.  Instead of 350 I put it up to 375, and they came out great.   That's just for our oven mind you, yours might be spot on.

I think that's about it.  If there is anything else that comes to mind, I will add later.

Thanks for looking and have a great week.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - PINEAPPLE, ORANGE AND BANANA POPSICLE

When I made these it was very hot.  It had been in the high 90s for several days, and my mind kept going to popsicles.  I was happy to find this week's recipe here at "...Shortcuts...", hosted by Amanda. As it only had three ingredients, four if you included the optional choice, I was ready to make them.  

They turned out great, thanks to Amanda's recipe, and these 'big kids' liked them too (Amanda has young ones, and has recipes catered to them, and also a craft section for your own kids or grandkids.  A fun blog to take a peak when you have the time.

Pineapple Orange Banana Popsicles

1 banana, mashed

1 cup chopped pineapple, fresh, frozen or canned

½ cup orange juice

1 to 2 tablespoons Coconut Milk (optional)

  

Puree all of the ingredients in a blender. Pour into popsicle mold and allow to freeze thoroughly over night. Remove from mold and serve.

We enjoyed ours very much, though my batch only filled 5 of my molds.  I will double the ingredients next time, now that I know they are very yummy.

Amanda bought her mold from Amazon at this link.

I have individual ones that fit in a tray and truth be told my fingers seem to be a little too big to fit between.  I knocked a couple out and contents from one splashed my blouse. I couldn't get two lids to fit properly and pressed down too hard.  Ah well, a wee bit klutzy and I may have been a wee bit tired.  I should have had my morning coffee and eased more into the day.  The lids seemed to be getting more difficult to fit over each mold.  I will try with another batch one more time with the molds I have.  If there is another spillage, grumbles and eye rolls to the ceiling, on top of a change of clothes before 8.00 a.m., I might go ahead and buy the new ones.  

I decided to add in Amanda's option of the coconut milk idea, though I didn't want to open a whole can for just 2 tablespoons.  I had what was left of a small container of full fat cream in the fridge from a previous baking session, and used that.  I am not sure this made any difference, so next time with leave this option out.

They work out to approximately 77 calories a popsicle, a nice sweet treat without over indulging.

I am happy to say they were delicious and we both enjoyed them.  Keeping this in my 'when the weather hits the 90s' folder to make again.  

Thanks for looking and I hope your day is a great one.

Bon Appetit!

 

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BLUEBERRY-BANANA BREAD

I found today's recipe here and the blog host is Karly.  You can see other recipes at this link.  I have made other banana bread recipes, but enjoy trying a different ones.  

Blueberry-Banana Bread - makes 1 loaf

8 servings at approximately 384 calories a slice, without any additions.

Our host likes to serve her bread in thick slices with a big pat of salted butter.

This recipe takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes from preparation to out of the oven.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 medium ripe bananas mashed

1 cup blueberries

1-2 tablespoons of flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl add the 1-2 tablespoons of flour.  Gently stir in the blueberries so that they are thoroughly coated with the flour.  This process prevents the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of your pan when bread is baking.

Put the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into another small bowl and whisk to combine.

In a larger bowl add the butter and sugar.  Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.

Add the mashed bananas to the mixture, mixing in by hand until combined, scraping down the bowl as you stir.

Add the dry ingredients again by hand and stir, being sure not to overmix the batter.

Shake the excess flour off the blueberries and gently fold in.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. 

Towards the end of its cooking time and if you see it getting too brown, cover the bread with a piece of aluminum foil.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

I have included Carly's tips below:

"TIPS & NOTE:

I've only tested this recipe with fresh blueberries, but frozen would likely work. 

To toss the berries in flour, just rinse the berries and pat dry. Sprinkle on a tablespoon or two of flour and gently stir to coat the berries in the flour.

Sprinkle extra berries on top of the batter before baking, if desired."

I am adding the full website addresses, just in case the links above don't work.  I will try to do this below a recipe, whenever I can remember to do so.

Karly's blog: 

https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/

Actual recipe: 

https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/blueberry-banana-bread/

This was a delicious bread. The batter came out darker than the others I have made.  I think it was because I added the cinnamon and vanilla.  It is the first time I have used cinnamon in my banana breads, and it wasn't overpowering, a pleasant hint for your taste buds.

At the end of the cooking time suggested here, when I tested the bread by inserting a sharp knife in the top of the bread, it was still uncooked.  I put it back for another ten minutes and the next testing was perfect.  Our oven tends to run cooler as I always seem to be adding more time to most recipes.

I put the tented aluminum foil over the top of the bread, as suggested.

A pat of butter is a perfect and more traditional way to eat a slice of this bread.  We also tried a spoonful of Cool Whip, and another time on its own.  All were good, though the butter was our favorite.  

Bon Appetit!

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BAKED TOFU

We have started eating more meatless meals lately, and one of the items that always seems to be on our list is tofu.  I saw a recipe for Baked Tofu at Gimme Some Oven hosted by Ali.  

Thank you Ali, we enjoyed this version very much.  I recommend reading Ali's recipe and she tells you all about tofu.  Also I enjoyed looking at all the other recipes she has on her food blog.  

Baked Tofu

Ingredients

1 block of tofu, firm or extra firm
Olive Oil, or another oil you may prefer
Cornstarch
Suggested seasonings: garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper.  You can also use your favorite combination.

Our first step is to drain the tofu and press as much liquid out as possible.  The more dry the crispier it will be.  

Slice the block of tofu into two or three slabs (depending on your block of tofu each slab should be about 3/4 to 1-inch thick).  Then lay some paper towels or a clean tea towel on a flat surface (I used a cutting board).  Wrap the tofu in the paper towels/clean tea towel.  Place another cutting board on top, and stack a heavy-ish pot (or cans of food) that you can safely balance on the cutting board without them toppling.  The more weight you put on the tofu, the more liquid you will get out.  Leave this for at least 15 to 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.

When your tofu is drained, time to remove all the layers of paper towels/kitchen towel and what you have used to weight down the tofu.  Cut tofu into cubes, about 3/4 inch to an inch.  You can also cut them into more decorative shapes if preferred.  Ali says the shape will make a difference in the crispy-outside to soft-inside texture.  If you want even crispier bites of tofu, make these shapes a bit thinner.

Put tofu into a large mixing bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil (or your preferred oil).  Sprinkle evenly with cornstarch and seasonings.  Toss gently until the tofu is evenly coated.

Put tofu in a single layer (no overlapping) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put in the preheated 400 degree oven, and bake for 15 minutes.  At the end of the 15 minutes carefully remove baking sheet (don't forget those oven mitts), put on a safe surface and turn each piece over to the other side. Put sheet back into the oven and cook for another 15 minutes.

When done to your liking (see my notes below) carefully take tofu out of the oven.

Serve warm and enjoy.

My notes: I have been adding tofu to our regular shopping list for quite a while, trying several different variations of cooking style.  

Gregg said this way was by far his favorite, baked and cooked until really crispy.  I liked it but I think I would have taken it out of the oven at the time suggested.  The original recipe calls for 15 minutes on one side, turn over and cook for another 15 minutes.  I ended up cooking it for ten minutes longer than that, as I know Gregg likes things a little crispier than I do.  

He actually said this was the best tofu recipe he had ever had to his taste, and gave it a ten out of ten, and to please cook it this way from now on. 

Next time, however, I will take my portion out of the oven after the 30 minutes total time, and leave his in the ten minutes longer.  I am only adding this in case you and your other half have different likes about tofu as we do.  

We weren't very hungry that night, and just wanted a snack.  This made a very nice appetizer served with two dipping sauces, a small dish each of sweet chili sauce and blue cheese dressing, having our own choices.  

I am looking forward to trying this again with my adjustments.

Thank you for stopping by.  Stay safe, stay healthy have a great week.

Added note: I found another interesting blog here that shares more information about tofu.