Decorating, Baking, and Gardening

This weekend, I got my little potted tree out. Last weekend, I dug out the decorations I was willing to deal with this year, so things were ready for it.

I’ve had this for a number of years now. I almost didn’t buy it because I was sure it would die. Then I touched it and realized it was rubber or something…

I hung some garland on a couple windows and some decorative bulbs as well.

It’s nice to have a festive window.

It didn’t take long to decorate the little tree. I greatly enjoy it during Advent and Christmas.

Lots of old ornaments, lots of memories.

I also did some baking. Kerry had asked for the recipe for the banana berry walnut cake and I needed to make it more than once to have the proportions in my head. The one I mentioned in the last blog is still steeping in rum. I have no idea what it will taste like. The breads I made today are quite tasty, not as sweet as one might expect, as I tend to make them for breakfast.

Here it is, all mixed up.

So here is what you will need to make them, liquid ingredients first: two bananas, mashed; 1/2 cup oil (I used walnut); two beaten eggs; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1/2 cup brown sugar (could also use cane syrup or molasses); 1/2 cup dried berries of your choice; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (pecans would make this sweeter); vanilla to taste (I am a bit of a demon about vanilla, so I will leave to your discretion); stir together until well mixed. To the liquid add 1 1/4 cups cake flour and 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour with a tablespoon of baking powder mixed in. Beat until just mixed. Put in greased tins for baking.

I like to use the small tins as I can keep the breads fresher. If you are feeding a bigger group, just put it all on one tin.

Last week I made a large loaf; this week I made three small ones. The large loaf takes about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. The small loaves all in the oven at once take about 35 minutes.

The loaves, cooling on racks. If you want to add rum, it soaks in nicely. For a large loaf start with half a cup, drizzling it over the loaf. Wrap it to store in a cool place to absorb…

I also made it out to my neglected garden, where I found parsley flourishing in the cold frame, along with some lettuces that aren’t quite there yet.

So glad I hadn’t bought parsley this weekend!

I also brought back a considerable quantity of arugula, which looked wildly happy about the cold weather. If you ask me, this is the time of year for an arugula, goat cheese and walnut salad, perhaps with some pumpkin and white bean soup. I baked the pumpkin today too, and brought some sage leaves back from the garden. Soup to come…

I had a few leaves while standing in the garden…

And to make the season a bit more discombobulating, there were roses…

Fabulous.