Incoherent Scribblings

Saturday morning, when I announced to A. that I was going to make banana bread with the overripe bananas that were on top of the microwave, he gave me a skeptical look.

He still does not understand some of my eating habits that are either very American, very childish, or both. He fails to appreciate the delightful combination of crunchy peanut butter with apples, the exquisite delicacy of a peanut butter and (strawberry) jam sandwich on white American sandwich bread, or that staple of all American kids’ and college students’ diets; macaroni and cheese and hotdogs (not combined mind you, though I have known people to do such a thing.)

Therefore, when I announced that I was going to make banana bread he followed me into the kitchen and told me he wasn’t so sure that a banana on bread sounded very good and what was up with those weird things I eat anyhow?

It was then that I had to explain that, unlike Elvis, I don’t eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and that banana bread was not just another one of my odd American concoctions, but a quick bread that in some respects was not all that different from, but much moister than, some of the so-called cakes that his mother bakes.

Upon closer inspection, I found that I didn’t have everything required for the banana bread and I decided that another day of ripening wouldn’t hurt the bananas, so after a quick trip to the store Saturday afternoon, I decided to wait until yesterday morning to make my grandma’s banana bread.

Though he was reluctant, before I put the bread in the oven I made A. taste the batter. I am a firm believer that if your batter doesn’t taste good, neither will the end product. Instead of wrinkling his nose as I was afraid he might, he replied with, “Hey that’s not bad!”

A little over an hour later, A. tasted his first piece of banana bread fresh from the oven. I conclude he must have liked it, because not only did he eat some more of it for breakfast this morning, it is about gone and I was requested to make another loaf!

* * * * *

And now, for your dining pleasure, I present:

blondelibrarian’s Grandma’s Banana Nut Bread

1/3 cup Shortening
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 3/4 cup Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla (optional)
1 cup mashed, ripe Bananas (about 3)
1/2 cup Walnuts

Cream together shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Beat well. Sift together dry ingredients. Alternating with mashed bananas, add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in walnuts. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees (F) for about an hour.

Enjoy!

Jo has invited me to start a SAL with her and do TW’s “Romeo and Juliet.” I am very tempted and after examining my stash, I would only need to buy a few colors and some fabric. But… I am afraid to say that I don’t think I am quite ready to start it. I am not so concerned about the stitching level of the project. It is detailed and has lots of blends, but I can do that. In all honesty, the size of the project is what has me hesitating.

The problem is that TW’s RJ is what I consider a “large” project and I currently have two large WIPs that are not even close to being finished. I promised myself that I wouldn’t start another large project until one of them was done. So as much as I would love to SAL with Jo, I think I will have to pass. (Sorry Jo!)

However, the idea of starting another big project started me thinking about stitching goals. Up until now I haven’t really made any stitching goals. I still do lots of small projects and since I finish them quickly they don’t need long-term goals. In addition to that I was of the opinion that since I stitch for fun I don’t need any goals. Things will just get done when they get done.

The problem I see though is that when you stitch large projects they are easy to put aside because you don’t seem to see any progress. Add a screaming rotation to that and some things easily don’t get worked on for months. (For example, I am sorry to say I haven’t seriously worked on “Passing Admirers” since January.)

Therefore this morning I decided that I am going to start setting monthly goals. Since we have entered the second half of April already, (Where does the time go?) the goals I make today are for that period of time, but if this works I will make goals for the entire month of May when that comes along.

First and foremost, however, I have made a “running” goal of stitching at least 90 minutes every day. (I know the other day I said just one hour, but I have decided to bump that up a bit.) This means that I should stitch a minimum of 10.5 hours a week. I think that is very doable. Most times I do stitch that much in a week, but the purpose of this is to get me stitching every day, not just for 4 or 5 hours a time a day or two a week.

So, for the second half of April I propose to:

1. Finish “Girl’s Time Out” by April 23.
2. Stitch a second pansy on “Stiefmütterchen.”
3. Do a 5 hour rotation on “Passing Admirers.” (I would like to do more, but I think by then April will be over.)

That should take me into May and we will see where I will go from there.