Banana Bread Recipe

I got this from a fellow mom in my mom group.  What I love, is that she tried several banana bread recipes over the years and has narrowed it down to this one.  And honestly, it's basically amaze-balls! 
Meghan's Banana Bread1 C room temp unsalted butter2 C sugar1 C vanilla yogurt2 C mashed bananas - 3 bananas4 lg eggs, room temp and well beaten2 1/2 C flour2 tsp baking soda1 tsp salt1 tsp nutmegOptional - 1/2 C nuts or chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add yogurt, bananas, and eggs.  Beat until well mixed.  Mix dry ingredients and blend, do not overmix!  Pour into 2 greased loaf pans or 1 bundt pan.  Bake for 55 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.

Here's my notes: - I use salted butter for everything, still tastes good! - Have made this twice, first time did 1 lg loaf and 2 mini loafs, the mini loafs were done between 25-30 minutes.  Second time I did it in a bundt pan and I had a horrible time getting it fully done and was afraid it'd burn.  So definitely think I'll stick to the loaf pans. - I put in chocolate chips and definitely don't measure it out, just throw in some handfuls.  I like my chocolate. 
If you make this, let me know what you think! 

What a Week - This & THAT

:: This past week has flown by.  The Hubs' had his vasectomy on Monday, so he has been off work all week.  So, that definitely threw a wrench into my normal weekly routine.  He's doing well and recovering well.  - Hubby was a champ and drove himself to the appt - I was surprised when he refused to let me take him. - We went through a jumbo bag of frozen peas. - I'll be glad when the next two months is over and he can send back in his test sample.  - YAY for it being my last month on the pill.  - And I'll leave the discussion of the vasectomy with this one liner I saw:         "I like my men like I like my watermelon - hard and seedless"  <~ Cracks me up! 

:: Also had A's 2 yr check-up and B's 4 month check-up.  Both had perfect check-ups and are healthy and on target for what they are doing.  B is all out of whack from her shots, Friday night she fought me to be laid down in her bed until after 2am, that little stinker would be out and wake up as soon as I'd lay her down.  Saturday night the battle ended around 11pm.  Am shooting for 9-10pm tonight.  
:: Valentine's was a hit around here with some homemade pink pancakes, turkey bacon and pink milk for breakfast.  Older two girls got some Lalaloopsy dolls, B got a book.  E had a great party at school and after going through the cards and separating the tattoos and candy.  We had to keep her crush's card to her, she gets all googly eyes and blushes when we start questioning her about him.  SO not ready for those days.  
:: Hubs took me out to dinner for Vday Friday night.  It was yummy and fun.  While at the restaurant we ran into an old friend of mine from youth group and they have a 1 yr old.  She was saying how she saw the other baby in the waiting area and was thinking how much she missed her little guy.  I just started laughing and was like NOT ME.  It got me to thinking how when it was just E, missed her like crazy when we'd go out just us.  But now with 3, I look forward to dropping them off and just having some adult time.  How funny it changes as they get older and you have more kids. 
:: We didn't get that snow storm they were predicting and today was actually a nice day.  We decided to test out A & B's new double stroller.  Am so in love with it!  We got this one here.  A threw a fit in the store, when we tried to take her out of the one they had out to test.  She just kept saying over and over "MINE!".  It was so cute and funny.  A & B zonked out.  
:: I've been enjoying some fluff reading lately.  And had to share this author, Anna Mara, I got her first book off of the free kindle list back in the fall and have been keeping my eye open for anymore books by her coming out.  This one came out end of 2011, Why Rome Hates Juliet, had me laughing out loud through the majority of it.  If you have a Kindle and want to read it, I believe I can "share/lend" it out.  
:: I made the most AMAZING banana bread this week - recipe to come next week.  
:: Also happening this week, we, aka the Hubs is FINALLY going to finish ripping the carpet off of our stairs ( this has only been on hold for 7 months! ) 

Insta - Friday

This is an assortment of the past two weeks. 

1.  Used a birthday gift card and picked up these super soft and ruffle-y teal blue pillows.  I'm so in love with them!!! 

2.  Miss A's Birthday cake. 

3.  This was on a Sunday, heading to the grocery store around 7am and the sunrise was just so pretty, so drove down to the boat launch, this is looking across the river towards our capital. 

4.  Gorgeous weather, everyone outside to play, this is the Hubs and A. 

5.  Baby B hanging out in the swing for the first time. 

6.  Passed out after some floor time. 

7.  Opened up a bottle of wine that I got for my birthday from the Bestie, it was from Cupcake Vineyards, SO yummy! 

8.  A and me playing around in Photo Booth on the new laptop, this is the chipmunk effect, cracks me up! 

9.  B hanging out. 

10.  Oldest feeding B. 

11.  My gorgeous laptop cover from Gussy Sews came in the mail. 

12.  Hubby mounting our tv on the wall. 

13.  Made a double batch of triple chocolate {used, semi-sweet, milk, & dark chocolate}, one container left with my Uncle. 

14.  Got some snow, about an inch, it was so pretty. 

15.  Hubs taking a nap with B in the afternoon. 

*I'm on Instagram - username Kat7205, let's connect!*

From Pins to Projects

My friend Amber over at Binkertation started this great linky party every Sunday called From Pins to Projects.  I know I have tons of stuff pinned and have done a few of them, but definitely need to take the time and do more of them.  When A's 2nd Birthday was being planned I knew that I wanted to do an owl theme all because of this pin below.

Here's my photo's of the cake I made for A's Birthday Party. Here's after I eyed the photo above and made cuts to copy.  The original post about how to do this, she traced it out on paper and followed it that way.  It was late and I didn't feel like doing that method. 

Next up, I got out my gel food colors to mix up some different colors for the icing.  I pulled the colors from her party plates, purple/pink/orange.  And when I'm putting icing on things, I grab a quart or XL sandwich bag, shove it in a cup with one point at the bottom, scoop in my icing and then snip off the corner for piping.  Here's some pretty purple icing. 

Here's the finished product.  Overall was really pleased with how it turned out and everyone loved it at the party, especially the birthday girl.  

Favorite Things Swap

Mamarazzi is at it again with one of her great swaps.  This swaps theme is Favorite Things, where I get to come up with a package of my favorite things and send it to a new blog friend.  Can't wait to see who I'm paired up with and make a new friend.  Click on the button to see who else is playing along this round.  
*There is a cute button but for some reason I can't get it to work*