When It Rains, I Bake

Hidy ho, crafty peeps!

I don't know how it is where you're at, but here in Dallas--it's raining. And, according to the meteorologist, it's gonna be that way all week. Speaking of 'meteorologists'...how is it that they study weather but not meteors? I guess it's akin to how a vulcanologist studies volcanoes and not Mr. Spock. And, on a similar note, what's the deal with "vulcanized rubber"?

What? You say it's spelled 'volcanologist'?

Oh.

Well, I still wanna know what the story is on "vulcanized rubber". I just KNOW it has something to do with Mr. Spock. And tires.

Man, I so could have had a career in advertising...just sayin'

But, I digress.

It's raining.

Rainy days make me feel all cozy and put me in the mood to create something yummy in the kitchen. Today was no exception.

I had several overripe bananas sitting on my counter. They're overabundance of freckles indicated they were way passed the point of eating outright...but they were not yet to the point of becoming shriveled little unidentifiable slimy black things. In other words, they had reached that magical 'Goldilocks' stage just meant for banana bread.

So, off to the kitchen I went.

As I was standing at the counter, mushing said bananas in a bowl, I was infused with a sense of joy at hearing the raindrops pattering on the stove's metal vent up on the roof. It sounded very much like the wonderfully syncopated rhythm of a Dave Brubeck composition-- played solely on hi-hat cymbals.

Shhh, cheh cheh shhh, cheh cheh shhh...(you just made that brush-on-cymbals sound, didn't you?)

So, without any more tangents, here is the fruit of my labor!

And, this recipe for Banana Bread is seriously the best I've found. I tweaked it from the original (which came from food.com). The original recipe calls for almost twice the sugar...it doesn't need that much sugar. I also added nuts to mine...because COME ON...why would you even bother making it without nuts.

Seriously.

The Only Banana Bread Recipe You'll Ever Need

Ingredients: for 3 regular loaves or 2 large loaves

• 5-6 large (like 7+ inches long) overripe bananas (or 9 medium bananas approx 5-6 inches long)
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 2 sticks butter (1 cup) at room temp
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups chopped pecans (technically optional...but I would never dream of leaving them out)

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
• Liberally grease loaf pans with butter...LIBERALLY
• Put pecans on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven. Watch them like a hawk as they will go from not quite ready to burnt offering in less than a minute. You'll be able to smell them when they're about done.
• Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy
• Add eggs to sugar/butter mixture, one at a time, and beat until creamy 
•  In separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine
• Add bananas and vanilla to butter/sugar/egg mixture and beat until bananas are thoroughly incorporated and broken down
• Add dry ingredients, and mix just until it's all incorporated. Do not over mix batter or it will make the bread tough
•  Stir in nuts
•  Divide evenly between pans
• Bake for 40-55 minutes (test for doneness in center at 40 minutes with toothpick) 
• Cool on rack, in pans, for 20 minutes then turn out loaves directly onto rack to complete cooling. If you turn them out fresh out of the oven, they'll probably break apart, so don't do that.
• When cool, wrap in plastic wrap or foil. 

I've made several batches of this lately. It doesn't seem to last long in this house...but I suppose it can be stored, wrapped, in the fridge for several days...or in the freezer for a few months.

I hope y'all enjoy it! I know my family gobbles it up...literally. Thanks for swinging by!

Shiny Magpie Blessings!

 

 

Signature Signatures

Hidy ho, crafty peeps!

I'm still plunking away in Photoshop to create more...stuff...for this new blog.

Today I whipped up some of my "signature Signatures". I use these at the close of each post...and I have several to choose from to coordinate with the type of post I post.

So, here they are! I don't think I forgot any categories. I will eventually make some seasonal ones...for various holidays and whatnot.

 For Photography

For Writing

For Art

For Whatever

For Cooking

Thanks for swinging by!

Sparkling hugs and shiny blessings!

Welcome!

Hidy ho, crafty peeps!!

I bet y'all have a bazillion questions about this place. Ok, maybe you only have like 3 questions.  I'll do my best to predict and answer as many as I can.

You're probably wondering why I created a whole new blog when I have a perfectly good one just sitting there collecting dust over at Left Field Studio. I was planning on re-designing Left Field, but I hit a mental roadblock a couple of years ago and just couldn't seem to "git er done". Besides, I pretty much abandoned it anyway. I got so tired of trying to clean out the dust bunnies that would accumulate in there, that I decided to just give Left Field to those dusty rabbits.  I'm by no means relinquishing Left Field Studio. I'm just sort of... branching out.

I have been so uninspired for so very long. The current Covid situation isn't helping fuel my creative mojo either. So, I decided I need a fresh start...starting from scratch...with a fresh drawing board, and squeaky-clean slate.

I was pondering what to call my new blog. I tried on many different names like someone trying to buy a new pair of shoes... but none of them fit, and some of them were downright awful. I looked for inspiration everywhere...and what finally struck me came from a very unlikely source.

My disaster of a craft room.

That's right, the inspiration for this blog was born from my rat's nest of a studio. The term 'hoarder' keeps murmuring in my subconscious, like the cacaphony of the susurrus at a cocktail party you're attending but would rather not be. I tried very hard not to acquiesce to this whispering.

That's when it hit me.

I'm not a hoarder...because it's not hoarding when it's a 'collection'.

I'M A MAGPIE!!!   

I can embrace being a magpie! I can revel in it, foster it, and pay it the respect it's due.

So, there ya have it.

WELCOME to the Creative Magpie Collection of Shinies!!

I wanted these new "digs" to look different from, while still being reminiscent of, Left Field Studio. So you'll notice some similarities in the feel and color scheme of the header and signatures artwork. But this time....THIS TIME...I animated the header!

Yes. I. Did!!

I'm honestly surprised I still remember how. 

I apologize if it lags out your computer or your phone...or if it causes seizures. Let me know if it does...and I might be able to tweak it a bit. Maybe.

Similar to Left Field, you'll find shiny bits of creativity here in the form of crafting, art, photography, writing, recipes, and who knows what else my magpie muse will inspire me to do.

Thanks for coming to visit me.

Be sure to check back...I'm not done setting this place up yet...more bells, whistles, and sparkly bits coming.

Shiny hugs and blessings!