dinosaur party

super fun ideas for a dinosaur party // more here.

char's cocoa banana bread

Char’s Black Bottom Banana Bars

PRINT

Everyone always seems to have a few overripe bananas lounging on the kitchen counter, and this recipe I saw many years ago in the Taste of Home magazine quickly became a family favorite and a delicious way to use up those brown bananas.  Years later my son told me that this cake had high “trade-in” value when he was bartering with his friends to trade lunch snacks.  I still haven’t decided whether to be insulted or proud that he was swapping his home baked goods!  You can leave the cake plain, but I always added a layer of sweet icing to satisfy my children’s sweet tooth.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa

Buttercream Frosting

You can adjust the icing sugar and/or cream to suit your preference on consistency.  This also makes a delicious icing to top of sugar cookies.  

• ⅔ cup butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted, add more depending on personal preference
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons whipping cream, add more or less depending on personal preference. You can also use milk instead.

recipe from Lepp Farm Market

Method

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in the bananas. In a separate bowl, with a whisk or using a sifter, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
2. Divide batter in half. Using a sifter to ensure there won’t be any lumps, add cocoa to half; spread chocolate batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Spoon remaining batter on top and swirl with a knife.
3. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until the a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

open shelving

some open shelving inspiration for the kitchen...

mornings / kinfolk

'the early morning has gold in its mouth...'

via Kinfolk Home.