The best banana bread

I love me some fresh, homemade banana bread.
The recipe I grew up with is a mennonite recipe, from Waterloo county, but over the years I have tweaked it and changed it to be more of what my family likes.

It really is one of the ultimate comfort foods and the best thing for almost done bananas.




3 or 4 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup low fat sour cream or low fat greek yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar (I like organic cane sugar, but white sugar works too)
2 eggs
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Cream together shortening and sugar.
Add in eggs and mix well.
Add in mashed bananas, almond and vanilla extract and mix well.
Alternate mixing in the flour mixture and the milk/sour cream until all is incorporated.
Spray a loaf pan (or mini loaf pans)
Bake at 350degrees for 45 minutes to an hour until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
(I bake less time with the mini pans)

**We also will throw a handful of chocolate chips in from time to time, a little semi sweet and a little milk chocolate makes for ever more goodness**

Best little doll house ever...

Okay, best recycled non permanent dollhouse ever maybe?
My kids have toys, the have lots of toys, but they are kids and inevitably want more.
Now, some of these requested toys will never, ever happen (ahem all the transformers ever mummy), some might happen another day and some can be made for about $20.00 and a trip to the dollar store.

The dollhouse. My kids have imaginations and love to play with lego, so instead of buying a dollhouse and a firehouse. I chose to make them.
The firehouse is not pictured, partly because I didn't take pictures and partly because it is a hot mess.
The dollhouse turned out much nicer (to the adult eye at least).

What you need:
A diaper box (or any kind of longer box)
carpet ends or samples
a piece or two of dollar store linoleum
2 or 3 rolls of dollar store contact paper
heavy duty duct tape
extra cardboard for floors


1). Cut the extra cardboard into pieces that fit into the bigger main box like floors and using as much duct tape as you dare, get those things to stay put. I used a lot of tape. both and and down. Don't be shy, you'll be covering the walls with contact paper anyhow and can hide just how much you used from your SO.



2). Using the contact paper, cut pieces to size and stick to the walls to create wallpaper and to cover up all that duct tape.

3). Cut the linoleum to size, remove backing and stick down. This might require extra glue if you really want it to stay. I didn't add extra glue and the piece does move and fall off from time to time.

4). Cut carpet and place inside. If you don't have carpet pieces, a piece of felt works just as well and can make pretty colours for "girl" dolls.




Optional: I found in the scrapbook area fun things like little mirrors and cutouts that would be really fun on the walls as art or decorations. I didn't end up adding them because they would end up being pulled off and probably eaten. Maybe the next one?

**UPDATE: It is now April and the dollhouse/firehall are still being loved and are in semi working order. The cardboard is beginning to sag, but since it is just cardboard and duct tape, I'd say it's doing a pretty good job!**