Mawwiage: that bwessed awwangement, that dweam wiffin a dweam
So, if you are like me and totally fail at following current events, Pakistan is kind of underwater at this point and definitely needs everyone's help. You can text FLOOD to 27722 to donate $10; the Department of State's website has more info.
In much happier news, Elizabeth got married this weekend! Huzzah! Highlights include:
-- seeing Natasha before she flees to Tibet
-- being able to tell people we got kicked out of a club at the bachelorette partay
-- STEAMPUNK ANTLER EARRINGS (thanks, Katherine!)
-- contra dancing with Laura and unexpected Mike!
-- the wedding ceremony quietly being crashed by random Turkish tourists
-- Meera's bf deciding to tell everyone he was an Ultimate Fighter at the reception
Sadly, I was not able to go down to the 'Burg on Sunday and see more people :(
However, I did make it to the last concert of the Folk Fest, which was awesome! Even if I DID miss Vienna Teng on Friday, alas. I particularly liked Malinky, Rockin' Acoustic Circus, and Richard Thompson. I also picked up "Book of Sparrows" by Tracy Grammer, but I don't know if I like it yet -- it's very mellow.
And then I made banana bread yesterday. Mmmm, banana bread.
Banana Bread!
Original recipe from here.
Ingredients:
- 4x8 loaf pan, buttered (or Pammed)
- 3 or 4 (over-)ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- Cinnamon
- Chocolate chips (up to one 12 oz. bag)
Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F
2) Mash bananas in large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix in melted butter.
3) Mix in the sugars, egg, and vanilla.
4) Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.
5) Add the flour, mix.
6) Add cinnamon to taste (I probably added about a tsp, but could have easily done with more).
7) Mix in chocolate chips. (I used a whole bag of dark chocolate, which is delicious but has yielded something more akin to banana-flavored chocolate chip bread than vice versa. 1/2 - 3/4 of a bag would probably work as well.)
8) Pour mixture into a buttered (I used cooking spray) 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour.
9) Cool on a rack (or, if you're me, on the (turned-off) heating elements on the stove). Remove from pan and slice to serve.
10) Eat!
In conclusion: I apparently missed the Back to School Meeting, which may or may not have been mandatory. Whoops? In my defense, I have received absolutely no information about it, aside from that the retirement plan rep would be appearing in the district at some point and other people were supposed to call him. I guess I am not included in the district's Psychic Information Network :(
In much happier news, Elizabeth got married this weekend! Huzzah! Highlights include:
-- seeing Natasha before she flees to Tibet
-- being able to tell people we got kicked out of a club at the bachelorette partay
-- STEAMPUNK ANTLER EARRINGS (thanks, Katherine!)
-- contra dancing with Laura and unexpected Mike!
-- the wedding ceremony quietly being crashed by random Turkish tourists
-- Meera's bf deciding to tell everyone he was an Ultimate Fighter at the reception
Sadly, I was not able to go down to the 'Burg on Sunday and see more people :(
However, I did make it to the last concert of the Folk Fest, which was awesome! Even if I DID miss Vienna Teng on Friday, alas. I particularly liked Malinky, Rockin' Acoustic Circus, and Richard Thompson. I also picked up "Book of Sparrows" by Tracy Grammer, but I don't know if I like it yet -- it's very mellow.
And then I made banana bread yesterday. Mmmm, banana bread.
Banana Bread!
Original recipe from here.
Ingredients:
- 4x8 loaf pan, buttered (or Pammed)
- 3 or 4 (over-)ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- Cinnamon
- Chocolate chips (up to one 12 oz. bag)
Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F
2) Mash bananas in large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix in melted butter.
3) Mix in the sugars, egg, and vanilla.
4) Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.
5) Add the flour, mix.
6) Add cinnamon to taste (I probably added about a tsp, but could have easily done with more).
7) Mix in chocolate chips. (I used a whole bag of dark chocolate, which is delicious but has yielded something more akin to banana-flavored chocolate chip bread than vice versa. 1/2 - 3/4 of a bag would probably work as well.)
8) Pour mixture into a buttered (I used cooking spray) 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour.
9) Cool on a rack (or, if you're me, on the (turned-off) heating elements on the stove). Remove from pan and slice to serve.
10) Eat!
In conclusion: I apparently missed the Back to School Meeting, which may or may not have been mandatory. Whoops? In my defense, I have received absolutely no information about it, aside from that the retirement plan rep would be appearing in the district at some point and other people were supposed to call him. I guess I am not included in the district's Psychic Information Network :(