What My Baby Wants, My Baby Gets

Well, I'm back... finally! Did you miss me? :) While I was continuing to cook after my computer died, my cooking slowly died with it. With a new computer and with the new fall season upon me, I'm eager to get back in the kitchen.

This week is dedicated to my amazing husband. 
He is such a wonderful man and to show my appreciation, 
I will be putting together meals and treats specially designed for him. 

Yesterday I spent my morning baking Banana & Chocolate Chip Bread and Fabulous Cookies as a thank you gift for a friend. {Bread is a risky thing to give as a gift, because you can't really taste test it, so fingers crossed it turned out okay}

Josh looked a little disappointed as I walked out the door with the goodies. Do you honestly think I didn't buy extra ingredients to make some for my honey? Of course I did! Whenever I make cookie dough, I never cook all of it at once. I either keep it in the fridge or freezer (depending on how soon I think I will be cooking it). This way, we can have warm cookies right out of the oven for dessert. {also, it keeps you from eating two dozen cookies in one sitting} So, I already have a delicious, chocolatey dessert ready for Josh for tonight... and the next.

I made Banana & Walnut Bread one weekend for the family at the Birches and Josh loved it and asked why I didn't make it more often. Then Vince started talking about putting chocolate chips in it and Josh's eyebrows raised and his eyes got big with delight! I have been meaning to make it for him, but never did. So, this afternoon, I whipped up a loaf of Banana & Chocolate Chip Bread.

I like getting everything ready before assembling. What if you start mixing everything together and realize you are out of an ingredient, don't have enough, or can't seem to locate it. I'm sure it has happened to you... cupboard doors slamming, walking frantically from one end of the kitchen to the next, "asking" whoever is in the line of fire "Where's the vanilla extract?" pause "WHERE'S the vanilla extract" um.. "Where The F* Is The F*ing Vanilla Extract?!!?" Yikes. You don't want to be that person and no one wants you to be either. Same goes for measuring things - make sure you have all the measuring tools you need before you start. Baking should be an enjoyable experience, not a time when everyone clears out of the house...

I preheated the oven, measured the butter and sugar together, cracked the eggs into a small bowl {while it doesn't happen often,  you don't want to run the risk of cracking a bad egg into your mixture}, cut up the bananas, measured and mixed the remaining dry ingredients together and prepped the bread pan. It is so nice to have each ingredient ready to go. With the bowl of dry ingredients, each teaspoon and 1/4 of teaspoon has been mixed together with the flour. I like to do this when I'm baking so that everything can be mixed evenly. Now, all I have to do is add the dry mixture a scoopful at a time.

Everything is ready... set. bake at 350 for 70 minutes. When it is done cooking I let it cool completely on a cooling rack {in the pan}. When it is cool, I pop it out of the pan, wrap it up and place it in the refrigerator. We'll see how it tastes tomorrow. That is... if Josh can wait that long.

Just out of the oven... smells delicious!