Flavorful Banana Walnut Muffins

by Cynthe on February 4, 2012

image of bananas, walnuts, and muffins with melting pat of butter from figs_with_bri.com

Hearty walnut studded banana muffins are a quick-to-make, tasty breakfast treat.

Bananas are a staple food in our house. My hubby eats several daily. He likes eating bananas a bit hard and slightly unripe. Takes a couple with him at night to stave off hunger pangs, which often keep him awake.

I don’t eat bananas often, but definitely prefer them ripe with speckled skins indicating the sugars have sweetened the fruit. Speckled or even slightly blackened-skin bananas (way past ripe) are ‘perfect’ for making yummy banana walnut muffins.

The day after Thanksgiving last November, we had several speckled bananas in the fruit bowl. Since we hadn’t [read more…]

{ 4 comments }

Cranberry Ginger Relish ~ Addictively Tasty!

by Cynthe on December 25, 2011

canning jars of cranberry ginger relish

Preserve the tart healthful goodness of cranberries & ginger in this gorgeous tasty relish.

Blythe, my youngest son David’s, sweetheart made this addictively tasty cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. I was hooked on first taste: tart – sweet – gingery – a GORGEOUS ruby hue – and easy-to-make….what more could one desire?!!

Blythe McCurdy and David Brownlow

This simple Cranberry Ginger Relish recipe from Ms. Martha’s collection of Thanksgiving fare uses [read more…]

{ 2 comments }

Creamy Onion Veggie Soup for a Rainy Day

November 6, 2011
Thumbnail image for Creamy Onion Veggie Soup for a Rainy Day

Winter arrived in northern California this week. Two mornings ago the temps dropped to 33F, prompting me to move my tender potted plants to more sheltered areas for the next few months. And then our gloomy Saturday melted into rain this afternoon, making me feel like going into full hibernation mode: snuggling up to our cozy woodstove (which [...]

Read the full article →

Halloween Jack~Apple Faces
Win raves from Kids, Young and Old!

October 30, 2011
Thumbnail image for Halloween Jack~Apple Faces<br /> Win raves from Kids, Young and Old!

Halloween’s tomorrow! And though we can’t give home baked goodies to the cute trick-and-treaters who come to our door, the following recipe for ‘Jack~Apple Faces’ (fruit & nut filled mini pies) is one of my favorite baking projects for this time of year. It’s an old recipe, cut from a newspaper or magazine 45 years ago, [...]

Read the full article →

Three Years and a Day…

October 28, 2011
Thumbnail image for Three Years and a Day…

Briana Brownlow Memorial Slideshow This video captures SO much of what we loved about Bri: her joyousness, love of life, lilting voice, great smile, mischievousness, beauty, and courageous optimism in the face of daunting challenges. Brizy – we miss you!

Read the full article →

How to Decorate Cookies with A Simple Butter Frosting

July 30, 2011
Thumbnail image for How to Decorate Cookies with A Simple Butter Frosting

Many cookie decorators use Royal Icing and for good reason, it’s versatile and has excellent keeping qualities. But one of the ingredients of Royal Icing is egg whites…my hubby and I don’t eat eggs (and haven’t for decades). So, I use an old-fashioned Butter Frosting. Plus Butter Frosting tastes MUCH better! (I’ve been told by [...]

Read the full article →

Diamond Ring Cookies…. What’s the Celebration?

July 30, 2011
Thumbnail image for Diamond Ring Cookies…. What’s the Celebration?

Probably NOT what you think! Certainly not any logical event like an engagement party (though we attended one for our niece Saturday before last). OR a wedding anniversary (though these cookies ARE for an anniversary…so you’re getting close). I’ve entered the 2011 Sonoma County Fair Theme Cookie Decorating Contest. It’s the 75th ‘Diamond’ Anniversary of [...]

Read the full article →

Amaretto Applesauce…Nice!

July 11, 2011
Thumbnail image for Amaretto Applesauce…Nice!

Now almost mid-July, it’s the middle of summer. We’ve been having some hot weather fairly regularly for a month in the San Francisco north bay region, making it “officially” ice cream season…(though we’ve been known to crave ice cream even on cold winter days). We brought home a quart of Baskin-Robbins vanilla ice cream (gasp!) [...]

Read the full article →