juno is so helpful, as usual...

not funny, facebook

i have ten days

...to teach myself PSYC 101

...to fill out my planner

...to find my lesson plans

...to rewrite the lesson plans that suck

...to become mentally prepared to teach high school students

...to get organized

...to be able to go to bed before eleven and wake up before the sun

{ten days}

quite possibly the best batter i have ever tasted in my life

Banana Nut Bread

ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2ish bananas)*

1-1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

powdered sugar (to sprinkle)

*as most of you probably know, ripe is basically black. bananas are not truly ripe until browned. the riper and mushier the banana the better--the ripeness affects the sweetness and the moisture of the bread. i was concerned about my bananas because they were COMPLETELY black and disgusting looking, so I did some research. apparently, unless they smell rotten, they are good to go. and oh my goodness. the batter tasted a-effing-mazing. i let them get to a dark brown and then put them in the freezer until i was ready to make the bread. two left--just enough for another loaf soon yummmmm :)

directions

1. Combine butter and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla, mixing well.

3. Combine dry ingredients (not the sugar/powdered sugar, though).

fantastic new jars cd, a truly communal project. great music for baking. based on the irish proverb: "It is in the shelter of each other that the people live."

4. Alternate adding dry mixture and mashed bananas, mixing well after each addition.

5. Stir in pecans.

6. Pour batter into greased 9x5x2 loaf pan. This batter is quite possibly the best thing i have ever tasted in my entire life.

7. Bake @ 350 for 60 minutes-ish or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

here's juno waiting for the bread to come out of the oven. heh. she's precious.

8. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

9. NOM NOM NOM

look at what i can do

these are pictures i made using the "merge" function on my phone, i.e. merging two pictures together.

white hot chocolate

this is soooooooooooooooooooooo good. it's especially fantastic if you fill your cup halfway with this and halfway with coffee. it's like the perfect white hot mocha. yummmmm.

white hot chocolate

by paula deen
ingredients
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla whipped topping, for garnish
Mint leaf, for garnish

Directions
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Stir continuously until white chocolate chips have completely melted. Stir in the half-and-half, and vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until heated through. Pour into mugs and top with a dollop of vanilla whipped topping and garnish with mint leaf.

corn dogs! yum!

i got this recipe from allrecipes.com!

corn dogs

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 2 (16 ounce) packages beef frankfurters
• 16 wooden skewers

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, sugar and baking powder. Stir in eggs and milk.
2. Preheat oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Insert wooden skewers into frankfurters. Roll frankfurters in batter until well coated.
3. Fry 2 or 3 corn dogs at a time until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

we didn't have skewers

this is what happens when the oil is not hot enough

yummy!

oreo balls! yum!

ingredients

1 pack Oreos

8oz whipped cream cheese (at room temperature)

3 boxes Baker's white chocolate

directions

1) Food process oreos into fine powder

2) Mix with cream cheese. Roll into balls.

3) Place onto wax paper on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 30 min (to set).

4) Melt chocolate. (Follow directions on the Baker's box.)

5) Cover balls with chocolate.

6) Let chocolate set.

cheescake! what a delight!

Chocolate Chip Tiramisu Cheesecake 

INGREDIENTS:

One 7-ounce package crisp Italian-style ladyfingers, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup marscapone cheese, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips

Boiling water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with foil and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Using a food processor, grind the ladyfingers into fine crumbs. Add the butter and espresso and pulse until incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press to form a crust halfway up the side of the pan. Bake until set, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 325°.

3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar at high speed until smooth. Beat in the mascarpone, vanilla and salt. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

4. Set the springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour the mascarpone-chocolate chip mixture into the baked crust, then place the roasting pan in the oven. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

5. Bake until the top is golden and the center is set but still jiggly, about 1 hour. Let cool in the water bath for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

6. Refrigerate for 6 hours or up to 2 days.

7. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. In a small, heatproof bowl, melt the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave at low power, stirring until smooth. Transfer the chocolate to a resealable plastic bag. Snip a hole in the corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.

dancing in the minefields

god is not a white man

christmas!

lell's

oreo balls recipe

i will be making these asap. my lovely cousin made them for thanksgiving. i will be putting up pictures of the process as soon as i make them myself :)

ingredients

1 pack Oreos

8oz whipped cream cheese (at room temperature)

3 boxes Baker's white chocolate

directions

1) Food process oreos into fine powder

2) Mix with cream cheese. Roll into balls.

3) Place onto wax paper on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 30 min (to set).

4) Melt chocolate. (Follow directions on the Baker's box.)

5) Cover balls with chocolate.

6) Let chocolate set.

beginning of christmas

bruce and i bought a gps on black friday as our christmas gift for one another. i feel so grown up. 

discontent

lord, teach my heart to be content.

thanksgiving dinner #2