No Coupons For Ladybugs: Crafts and cooking

So, obviously I've been enjoying creating things lately. I think it's good to create things; it helps me to not feel like I'm stuck in a rut. My only problem is that I don't often feel like I have the time. For example, this wreath:

When I first came across this cute idea, it looked like something I could handle. And it wasn't difficult, but it was time consuming. Twice I ran out of felt and had to wait until I had some reason to be on Woodruff Rd to go buy more. That could have something to do with the fact that when I had about a quarter of it complete, Paul came home and told me it wasn't cute, so I ripped it all off and threw it away. Three weeks later (maybe not quite that long), it's finally hanging on my front door. I think Our Best Bites chose better colors than I did, but I was going more for spring, not Valentine's Day.
Today a couple fun girls came over and I tried a new banana bread recipe for the occasion. I'm really loving Our Best Bites. This recipe also came from there.

I enjoyed it, but it really wasn't SO different from banana bread recipes I've made in the past. I think I would have liked more of the glaze. It's definitely worth making again; maybe you'd like to try a loaf too.

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze
adapted by Our Best Bites from Cooking Light

2 C flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
1/4 C (4 Tbs) real butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)
1/4 C sour cream or plain yogurt
3 Tbs apple juice or milk*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C coconut

Topping: 2 Tbs additional coconut
Glaze: 1/2 C powdered sugar whisked with 1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice

*as in: don’t go buy apple juice just for this recipe. If you don’t already have some, just use milk!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add banana, sour cream or yogurt, apple juice (or milk), and vanilla. Beat until blended.
Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 C coconut.

Pour batter into a 9×5″ loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle additional 2 Tbs coconut on top.

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Check bread after about 40 minutes. If the top has browned and the coconut pieces are looking toasty, cover top of bread lightly with a piece of foil. Continue baking until done.

When done, remove pan from oven. Let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then carefully remove from pan. Whisk powdered sugar and lime juice together for the glaze and then drizzle over top. Cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.

This blog post made possible by Noah.