A Super Quick And Easy Banana Bread

I found a recipe for banana bread on Simply Recipes which is a great website for all sorts of baking and cooking recipes.  I've made this banana bread twice, and it is so pathetically simple to make--only one bowl is needed!  I've added chocolate chips to my bread, which makes it just over the top, yummy good.  If it's a homemade pumpkin, banana, or zucchini bread, I will add chocolate chips anytime.  I usually cut down on the sugar required; if it's one cup, I put in 3/4 of a cup.  The sweetness of the fruit and the chips makes up for it, and quite frankly, you can't tell the difference!  So whip up a loaf or two of banana bread.  It takes less than 15 minutes from start to placing it in the oven.

I didn't have time to take a photo of my delicious loaf cooling on the counter, but it looks amazingly similar to this:

I used defrosted bananas that I kept in my freezer from my failed attempts to eat healthier this summer.  I can never eat the bananas fast enough before they start to ripen too much,  so I  just peel them, stick them in a freezer bag, and  defrost them before using for the bread.  Also, they get pretty liquidy after defrosting, so I just pour the nanner liquid out of the bag before I use the bananas.

Go forth and bake!

One Last Quasi-Peaceful Week Before A Packed November!

I think I may have jumped into the crazy wagon and taken over the steering wheel.  Since I am a person who cannot accomplish much without having so much to do that I panic, I have decided November will be the kind of month that will either make me stronger, or break me into teeny tiny pieces of gibberish, rocking in the corner, stuffing my face with old Halloween candy.  


Here's what I have decided to do.  I am, for the second year in a row, taking part in NaNoWriMo, which is a challenge to anyone who writes, or wants to write.  You have the month of November to write a 50,000 word novel.  It doesn't matter what it's about, or even if it's good at all.  What matters is, basically, throwing up words on paper to reach that magical goal of 50,000 words by midnight, November 30th.  Your reward?  A slap on the back, and the knowledge that you just wrote a novel in 30 days.  Then, you go back and rewrite, edit, and basically re-do all the stuff you typed in feverishly late at night, or for me, very early in the morning.  

Official NaNoWriMo mug you can get for yourself!

I tried this last year, and failed miserably.  I think I got to 5000 words before I fell hopelessly behind.  Either you have a marathon writing session every few days, or each day you write approximately 1700 words.  It's not easy, but it can be a lot of fun.  Check out their website, and sign up!  I realized yesterday I had to get cracking and figure out a basic story, so I've been jotting down ideas on pieces of paper that I must now gather and get in some order, to be prepared for the start next Monday.  


So, I've got a novel to write, and Pom-Poms to make, and work, and lavender to finish harvesting, and lots of frozen bananas and canned pumpkin to make into bread.  And, Christmas gifts to think about.  Oh, and a Christmas cake to make with C-Joy and then remember to feed with booze on a regular basis, so Bud and I can eat it on Christmas Eve.  Or, maybe just me eating it.  He may not touch it.  Thank God I don't have to mow anymore!  Geez, that just might break me.  Oh yes-- and work will be crazy, setting up for Christmas, and doing my level best customer service to put the perfect books in customer's hands.  Reading every day, too, to keep my sanity and have some Calgon moments.  Now where is that Mad Housewife wine I blogged about yesterday?


So this weekend, before the craziness begins, I have some fun time with my friends.  I'm going to my first ever tailgating experience with K & J before the Iowa game, and then on Sunday C-Joy and I will be concocting our Christmas cakes.  And, of course, putting on my witchy hat for the trick or treaters Sunday night.  Oh, how I love to hand out treats to the kiddies!  Maybe I will be able to stay up past midnight to begin "The SuperSue Novel of Brilliant Writing That Must Be Read".   Yep, that's what I've decided to call it--or, for short, "The Nutcase Novel".    So my birthday in November may very well be my last, if the novel, Pom Poms, banana and pumpkin breads, and assorted craziness overtakes me!  Don't even get me thinking about Thanksgiving....