Whole Wheat Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

As if banana bread needed to be improved upon, I have a new recipe.

Actually, its my standard banana bread recipe, written on an old blue note card in scratchy script. I've actually got it memorized, but I always pull out the card anyway. Very rarely do I change up the ingredients, aside from a handful (or two) of chocolate chips, when the whimsy calls.

However, I've managed to give birth to a girl that somehow did not get the loves-banana-bread gene. Which is really odd, since it's a dominant trait in the line of my people...there isn't a sweet bread alive in which we'd turn up our noses. So, you can imagine how I've tried to turn that sweet girl over to our bread lovin' generation. But, for thirteen years she has politely declined.

Until now...

A couple weeks ago I decided to change up the standard recipe by decreasing the flour by 1/4 cup and replacing it with cocoa powder, and throwing in several handfuls of chocolate chips. Never underestimate the power of chocolate. 

I am proud to tell you that she not only likes this bread, but eats it readily. This isn't just one those things she'll eat when there is "nothing good to eat in the house." Oh, and making them into muffins is helpful too. It doesn't matter how old you are, its hard to resist a muffin; and the baking time is cut in half compared to a loaf.

Here's the recipe:

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Banana Muffins

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2-3 ripe bananas*
1tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour**
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (use more or less to your liking)


Preheat oven to 350 and place cupcake holders in tin. Cream butter and sugar together. Add salt, soda, vanilla, banana and eggs. Mix well. Add cocoa and flour, mix until fluffy. Stir in chips. Scoop batter evenly into prepared tin.

Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

*You can pre-smash the bananas, but I don't... I just throw them in!
** Don't let the idea of whole wheat throw you off. I use this whole wheat white flour, which is white wheat, instead of red... giving you all the benefits of whole wheat with lighter flavor and texture. You really cannot tell the difference in this recipe.


Enjoy!

Five on Friday: All Things Lovely

1. Fresh flowers in my kitchen.

2. English Lavender in the garden.

3. Learning something new.

4. Powerful creatures with gentle dispositions. 

5. Scenic drives along the way.

Happy Friday...

Crocheted T-shirt Basket

The people of the Little Yellow House on the Hill are afraid. 

I've learned how to cut T-shirts into one continuous strip of yarn, and now... no shirt is sacred. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I did start the Russian Rug, but I didn't love how it was hooking up. It's very simple, but I think I need different colored shirts; and I think they need to be cut into wider strips. So I put that project on hold and decided to try my hand at a little basket making. 

I found a great (free) pattern online. The directions are easy and the pictures are helpful. 

I ran out of white yarn, so I had to switch to blue. I was surprised how much yarn this project consumed. The white part alone was three (xtra large) shirts and the blue handle is one (medium) shirt.

It was a quick and easy project, taking only a couple hours start to finish, but was physically demanding. Using a smaller hook (10mm) for the yarn size, made it very difficult to move the hook with ease. After I finished, my hands and some random muscle deep within my upper right arm, were sore for two days. If I hadn't had to fight the hook this basket would have stitched up in less than an hour. Having to work that hard made the project a little less enjoyable. One of the benefits of crochet is that it's relaxing... running the hook through the yarn with repetitive ease is good for what ails you. I didn't love the cardio by crochet method this project required. Although... maybe I should start a new extreme exercise fad.

With that said, until I can get some T-shirts in colors I like for the Russian Rug, I was thinking I might try my hand at this Mandala Floor Rug. It's also made with T-shirt yarn, but a 15mm hook, and a weave that doesn't look quite as tight might not make it so cumbersome. Maybe crocheting with super bulky yarn is like giving birth... your forget about the pain when the hard work is over, and the next beautiful project overrides your fear. Maybe...

Rubber Snakes, Tobasco, and One Handy Man

Last weekend I declared war on the pests in my garden. Not only did some pesky varmint dig a massive hole in my tomato bed, something mowed down 50% of my cucumber seedlings.  Grrr...

Every year, I try to keep the garden organic. It is a challenge. Pests and bugs are not easy to eliminate, especially when there are some bugs you want to keep in the garden.

Several years ago I received this book as a gift and it has become my own garden Google. Many of my favorite organic garden tips come right from the dog-eared and dirt-covered pages.

For instance, let me introduce you to my little garden friend, Mr Tobasco. Mix him up with a bit of soap and water and he will keep aphids from eating the veg. The only problem is that it has to be reapplied every couple of days. And try not to spray downwind on a windy day. Tobasco and soap in the face really does take the hungry right out of you.

Tip #2 - Last year we were inundated with bunnies and squirrels who ate quite a bit of the small garden I had growing. This year, they're not invited to dinner.  It was recommended to take an old garden hose and paint it to look like a snake. But I'm the mother of a boy who used to have an obsession with reptiles. I will admit ten years ago I was not happy when my brother bought these fake snakes for him. Finding them in various places around the house (the shower, the kitchen counter, the garage) has contributed to many a gray hair. Today, I can say I am glad The Boy (aka, The Packrat) had placed all his beloved rubber reptile collection in an attic tote for safe keeping. Let's hope I don't scare myself every time I go to the garden.

Tip #3- Though it is not mentioned in the book, I highly recommend you find a handsome and patient man, who will willingly double re-enforce the gated area with more deer netting (even though he's already done it before and you think just a little more would be better.) That little bit extra might just hinder the critters from jumping in for snacks, and keep snakes from slithering below... and it will provide you with something nice to look at while he quietly does his work.

Five on Friday: Spring Things

1. Iris' in bloom. Honestly, explosion would be a better term. These flowers have outdone themselves this year. There are at least fifty blooms in my front yard. 

 2. Kitten kisses. The Carpool Queen went and got a baby this week. His name is Max, and he is the sweetest little thing.

3. Nursery view. Every spring I head out to my nearest wholesale greenhouse. It's warm and humid and smells of soil, and I love it.

 4. Slow slithering. When you live in the country you have to take the good with the bad. Thankfully this baby Copperhead was still a wee bit slow when my husband accidentally stepped on him.  The snake was fine, and slowly slithered away. I hope he's the last snake we see this year.

5. I really wanted to steal Max from CPQ's house yesterday, but she threatened to check my bags before I left. Plus, Max has eyes for only one girl... it was amazing to see how he would mew for Susan and then do his best to crawl up in her lap to rest. We spent four hours together just sitting and watching this creature sleep and play... best four hours ever.

Happy Friday!

Crochet Crazy...Again

Since Christmas my crafting mojo has been off. There was nothing I could do to conjure inspiration. Then last weekend, as if someone turned the creative switch in my brain, I'm once again buzzing with happy artsy endorphins. It seems to always happen that way, one minute your flipping through the new Crochet Today magazine, uninspired and cool, when suddenly something sparks that burning coal and you're a smoking whirlwind of hooks and yarn. Aahhhh... back home, happily running yarn between my fingers.

Within 48 hours I had hooked up the body of the Wildflower Bag.  I didn't want to take the time to get bamboo handles (I was in The Zone), so I just crocheted a couple of straps.... and then, as I imagined my pencils and gum wrappers falling out of the crocheted body, I decided it needed a liner.

Once I played with the fabric and figured out how to make the lining without seams, I discovered I could use my sewing machine to sew the fabric directly to the yarn. No hand sewing, hooray!

I thought I liked it just the way it was, but remembered flowers make everything better.... so I added a few. Afterall, it is the Wildflower bag.

This project is finished, but I am not!  I've already started this project and can't wait to show you how it is hooking up!

The Song of the Garden

I'm thankful for the garden each year, I love to get my hands in the dirt. This year feels even more like a gift, a new song. A beginning.

It was this time last year when I woke up on a Thursday morning feeling fine, but within two hours panic and anxiety had taken hold of my heart. I really haven't been the same since that day. On the outside you cannot tell, but my heart has been changed for the better... though there were days I wondered. The garden last year all but withered and died, the fruit small and wanting. A picture of the time to come.

In that one crazy week I realized life can change in an instant without much warning, and when it happens there isn't much you can do but cling to Jesus, and trust He will carry you though.

And He will, and the dust settles and life rolls on, and you have to keep trusting. Every. single. day.

The great news is this:  God comes when you call Him. He will not delay. I know that is true.

I'm memorizing Psalm 40, a plea and a praise for God's saving help. I chose blindly, but it was no accident-- God has lifted me out of my own slimy pit, and has given me a firm place to stand.  I need to have this truth pressed deep into my heart, though I haven't yet dared to forget.


Life is tender and fragile, yet hearty and full. Amazingly, those attributes are all intertwined. That is often hard for me, in life and in faith. I want to appear STRONG and COURAGEOUS, yet the weak shall inherit the earth. It is in our weakness we find our Strength.

He lifted me from the pit of anxiety and fear, and set my feet on a Rock. I'm learning to sing a new song. Sometimes the song is mournful, grieving that old self-reliant way--those weeds cannot stay. Other times the hymn is sweet-- God is faithful and loving, I can rejoice in His saving help. I can proclaim The Lord is Great! in ALL times. Both sing equally true.

I don't walk quite as tall in my own ability anymore--false security is always weak, even on its best day. When fear and panic starts to rise, I will trust in the saving help of a faithful God from who fear will flee. With His help I will remember His truth. Last year's garden was sorely neglected because I wasn't well... but this year holds new promises for me. May my song, in joy and affliction, always be one of praise.

~~~

Psalm 40

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

⁴ Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.
⁵ Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
    but my ears you have opened-
    burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
⁷ Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
    it is written about me in the scroll.
⁸ I desire to do your will, my God;
    your law is within my heart.”

⁹ I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
    I do not seal my lips, Lord,
    as you know.
¹⁰ I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
    I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
    from the great assembly.

¹¹ Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
¹² For troubles without number surround me;
    my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
    and my heart fails within me.
¹³ Be pleased to save me, Lord;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.

¹⁴ May all who want to take my life
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.
¹⁵ May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
    be appalled at their own shame.
¹⁶ But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”

¹⁷ But as for me, I am poor and needy;
    may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    you are my God, do not delay.

Light on the Sea

2nd morning

Recently my family headed to Topsail Island for a week of R&R. Nearly every morning The  Mister and the kids slept in, as one is supposed to do on restful beachy vacations, but I just couldn't do it. My heart and mind were set on the sunrise way before the break of day. It was futile to lie in bed and miss it.

3rd Morning

Wrapped in a blanket and clutching a warm mug, I would anticipated the glorious picture soon to be painted across the water. I was like a kid on Christmas morning, bleary eyed, but ready.  Often I was the only one outside, and I wondered: Do people know what they are missing? Why am I the only one out here?

5th morning

Each dusky dawn brought forth a show of wonder and glory... a new gift of mercy, for needy folk like me.

But on April 25, I received two gifts: one in the morning, and one in the night.

That week happened to be the week of the New Moon. I knew the moon on the water would probably be amazing. I was really looking forward to nighttime on the surf. 

When the sun set I was surprised I didn't see the pale moon face in the clear sky. It got very dark with no moon in sight. By 9:00p it was pitch black outside, I could barely see the surf just yards away from our deck. This wasn't what I was anticipating. A quick Google search informed me that the moon would rise at 9:08p. In all the sunrises I've eagerly waited for, I had never seen the moon rise over the sea!  My sweet family often entertains my crazy love and excitement for God's display of beauty through nature. So when I asked them to watch it with me, they happily threw on sweatshirts and blankets and headed out to see what would happen. 

We were not disappointed. 

It was awesome-- at first it was a tiny red sliver clinging to the horizon, but soon the moon was full, the colors of fire. It looked as if you could reach out, with just a little bit of stretch, and hold it.

Within minutes her color changed and she was radiant and bright, reflecting on the water. We watched until we all shivered in the cold air.

I took this picture after 10pm while standing at the kitchen sink. If my son (you can see him texting on the couch below) hadn't laid claim to that spot for his bed, I would have slept there. Can you imagine falling asleep with moonlight on the sea? Wonder full.

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done,

the things you planned for us.

None can compare with you;

Were I to speak and tell of your deeds,

They would be too many to declare.

~Psalm 40:5

Writing Assignment

The kid's writing assignment this week is to write out how they came to be followers of Christ. 

About a year ago I was asked to write out my testimony. I never shared it here on the blog. This is in part to the personal nature of my story. It isn't easy to write. It isn't easy to share. But it is beautiful to me... because Christ has carried me through. 

Today I share with you my greatest Love, my deepest wound, my biggest Victory. Jesus isn't just a sweet story of my life, He is my life. 

He knows you just as well, and desires that you know Him. May His work in my life encourage you to pursue this Man of Sorrows who lifts our head and makes us clean.

With much love,
Kellie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Personal Testimony of How I Became A Christian

I grew up a "good girl" in the Catholic faith. I had a heart for God as a young child and into my teenage years. In high school and college I was very active within our parish and spent many hours volunteering in different capacities within the church.

Although I was known for being "religious" I was private about my faith. I received great comfort in knowing there was a God, and knew that He had the best in mind for me, but the concept of the Trinity was confusing: I preferred not to talk about Jesus because he felt too controversial. The Holy Spirit was frightening to me, so I chose not to dwell on Him. In many ways, that was how I played out my faith in those early years, picking and choosing my belief based on what I could understand or feel -- or worse, how I would be perceived. I felt fairly certain that being a "good girl" had worked for me, that I could continue to do good, be good, and hang out with good people, then God would know I was good.

However, I was shaky about how good would be good enough to be in God's favor. I assumed that this was where "faith" played out. 

I met my husband, (The Mister), during a very difficult time in my life. My family and I were sitting in the fall-out of crises. Through a series of events in my freshman year of college, I had been forced to expose over a decade of sexual abuse under the hand of my paternal grandfather. In this process, the large extended family chose to support my grandfather. I certainly felt alone like I never had before.

Somehow, I never lost sight that God was with me, but suddenly, at nineteen years of age I was no longer the "good girl." I was the whistle blower on issues that didn't begin with me, and had long been swept under the rug.

It was about 18 months after this had come to pass that I met (The Mister). He was already a follower of Jesus and he patiently fed me the Good News of Christ, over and over again. During that first year of friendship, and then dating, he told me that the only way to know God was to know His Son, Jesus. He explained that God could not look upon me because of my sin. I could never be or do enough good, but there was hope. Christ gave up His own life to pay for my sin. I could admit my sin and receive his salvation, and know a true and right relationship with God. He explained that the Holy Spirit wasn't something to ignore out of fear, but that God's work through the Holy Spirit would allow me to grow in life and love and truth.

I knew (The Mister) served a very different God than the one I had been serving, but it took me a long time to understand and make a decision. One evening in December of 1993, while The Mister and I were praying, I realized that God's Word (the Bible) was true, and His sacrifice was personal and real.  I decided to trust Jesus as my Savior - to follow Him alone.

Since this decision, my spiritual life has continued to be a process as I daily set aside pride and my desire to earn salvation, and to focus my trust in Jesus. I've learned (and continue to learn) that I am more than the things I've done or will do, much more than the people I know... I have learned that my significance is based on who Christ says I am.

I no longer desire to keep my spiritual life private because Jesus heals me, everyday. He heals me from the profound effects of my own sin, and the sin of others. His love has carried me through dark times; has lavishly repaid "the years the locusts have eaten-" (Joel 2:25) and has given me joy that can only come from walking through life with Him. 

In a Day

Quiet - She can be found clicking away on the big brown couch at any given time. She chooses games that I would've never chosen: Vocabulary quizzes and strategic art/building games. The Lord has given her talents he never gave to me. I love that about her.

Elbow Grease -  Cleaning out the pantry takes twice as long now that every event is made into a photo shoot. Which is kind of ironic, since a blogger is always taking photos of everything. But when you are trying to learn a new camera its ridiculous. I had to clean the flour and dust off those canisters too. They haven't been that shiny for a long, long, time.

Life Lessons - These sparkly shoes sat under the sofa for days. In my mind I decided to count how many would pass before someone (anyone) else would pick them up and put them away. It didn't work out so well for me. I soon realized that my silver shoe rage wasn't so much about teaching a lesson as it was proving a point: Why do I always have to be the one picking things up, or reminding someone else to do it? I selfishly kept bitterness in the deeps of my heart... until, with the cumbersome sound of my own whining voice, I realized I was a lot like that shoe-- sparkly on the outside... but smelly deep within. I snapped the picture as a reminder: Parenting is about training, not setting up traps to point out someone's failures.

Early Mornings - I get up pretty early...way before the sun or the roosters. There is something about being outside before dawn has broken, when the soft yellow lights of neighboring windows mix with the blues in the sky.

Laughter- Several times a week we crank up the music (kids choice) and spend thirty minutes cleaning up the casa. This means the chores are often mixed with lots of moonwalking and lip syncing. My part is to tell them to hurry up! and work more! play less! and generally act like I'm letting them get away with having fun while working. The truth is, their hard work is of huge help to me. But occasionally, when I'm in another room, and they think I don't know that they're lip syncing to Michael Jackson in the other room, I'm gathering evidence while they are unaware.

Born Dirty

Last weekend I ran in a race with friends old and new. 

When I signed up for the Dirty Girl Mud Run in early January I had envisioned running in warm, late March, temperatures--the perfect start to the spring. Reality wasn't as idyllic, dictating temperatures near freezing, with clouds that threatened rain.

 Born Dirty wasn't deterred; we were ready to face the course rain or shine! Heat or chill!

It was an especially fine day for me. I was "competing" in a race I never imagined I'd run, but I also had two worlds collide. The team this year included dear friends Elisa and Meg. 

Meg and I knew each other back-in-the-day when we both lived in Southern Arizona. We had grown up in the same church, and have been friends for over 20 years. She moved to NC four or five years ago. Every time we get together I can't believe how incredible it is that we live in the same city! I feel so blessed to have this dear friend back in my life. 

Elisa, my running partner (and living proof that God answers prayer), also ran in the race. When I moved to NC eight years ago, I prayed God would send me just one true friend. Within hours of arriving I met Elisa at a park, and we've been amigos ever since. I cannot express what her friendship has meant to me over the years. 

So to have both of these precious gals with me was the sweetest gift. 

AND, as if that wasn't enough... there were five MORE friends that have been sent along the way. Some of the other team mates are gals I've known over the years through homeschooling. The rest are friends I've come to meet at our new church, and hope to get to know better in the coming days. All are fun, amazing women.

Now, for the race itself... it was AWESOME! I did things that I never thought I would do... scaled walls, climbed ropes, ate mud... I would totally do it again! As a matter of fact, I've already got it on the calendar... March 23! Who's in?

Benediction: A Vocal Expression of Goodness

... losing an hour, but gaining much more... I get more accomplished in the darkness of morning than the darkness of night.

... the smell of The Mister's aftershave... long after he's left for work.

... the Little Amaryllis That Could

... wrinkles, I'm not gonna fight 'em.

... tulips : 30 for $10

... matching t-shirts, seven friends, one Mud Run, a really cool team name to monogram.

... robins lunching in the yard.

...a sunny weekend to prepare the garden.

...have i mentioned tulips?

...these, my benediction.

Spring in the Desert

While my friends and family were enjoying 70-80 degree weather back home in Southern Arizona, I created cacti in the snow.

Well, I wasn't actually in the snow, but we had three weekends in a row when the weather got wintery and the city shut down. That's what happens in the south. We see a few snowflakes on the horizon and we batten down the hatches. Truth be told, this doesn't trouble me. There is nothing I like more than being in my office with hot beverages, wool felt, and a wide open schedule on a cold and snowy day.

I had had these little cacti in mind before Christmas for my nieces. But I smashed my finger in early December pulling the ligament away from the bone, rendering my left hand useless for nearly two months. Unfortunately, it wasn't so bad I couldn't do dishes or fold laundry, but fine motor skills were completely out of question. So the sweet succulents were just an idea in my mind.

I always love the creative process, but there are always bits I don't love: tucking tails of left over yarn, cutting fabric, trimming string, etc. Not so with these little guys. They were enjoyable from start to finish.

On a completely unrelated matter, I may have mentioned once or twice that I have been the Cookie Manager for our large Girl Scout Troop. Thankfully I have two other amazing gals who have shared this Herculean task. The numbers are staggering: 68 girls, 11,416 packages, 34 booths, $39,956 worth of cookies. And we still have this weekend for sales, and next week for paperwork and close out. After that it's time to rest...

Or head into the office once again... I may need to sew me some desert.