Suzee's Banana Bread

I had 3 small perfectly over-ripe bananas yesterday, and I made the most delicious banana bread with them :) I think I could have added 1 more banana to the mix, but I only ordered 3 from Fresh Direct and Rick didn't eat any of them, so that's what I had on hand. I like to add a 1/2 cup or more of mini chocolate chips to this recipe too sometimes. Rick prefers it without, but if you are looking for a more dessert like recipe, they are really good. Don't use the regular chocolate chips - they totally overwhelm the banana flavor.

Here is the recipe -

1 3/4 C Flour
2t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
8T melted butter
3/4 cup sugar, plus more for dusting the top
2 large eggs
1 C mashed banana (3 medium)
1 C chopped walnuts
Optional - 1/2 C to 1 C mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease a 9x5 loaf pan (I used a pyrex one which I believe is 8x4 and it was fine).
Stir together flour, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
Beat sugar and butter until combined.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Beat in mashed banana (if bananas are really ripe, no need to mash)
Stir in walnuts, vanilla and if using, chocolate chips
Stir in flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, mixing after each addition.

Bake for an hour and check the bread with a toothpick. If the toothpick is doughy and not clean, bake a little longer.

Rick likes it best sliced and grilled with butter :)

March Flowers

Just before our last visit to what will be our new abode, I noticed around the corner was a tree with flower blossoms. YES! SPRING IS COMING!

It's true that street flower vendors do have some seasonal flowers, they almost always look like this year round (except those extra freezing couple of days in winter...).

New Joint Empty

Here is the 625 feet we will be signing for on March 31. We'll have the distict pleasure of paying a mortgage, maintenance fee, taxes, electric and gas :)

Here if our new everything room, and you can peek to the door way on the left, that is the entrance to the kitchen. Around that corner is the bath and bedroom. And we get 4 windows with a strange window seat too. The window seat would be so much nicer if it went from one side all the way to the other, rather than the 2 little sections. Maybe we'll change that.

Here is the kitchen - about half the size of what we have now, but uses space well. It includes the dishwasher and microwave as well as the other applicances, but I think I'm alittle concerned about using the microwave since it's so old. We can always use the stove and oven until we replace the applicances.

Believe it or not, this bathroom is actually bigger than our current one. Don't you love the silver counter tops? They are hot :)

Here is the bedroom - it will hold our king sized bed, but not much else. That closet looks awfully small, but it is a walk-in. I need to start figuring our how we will store all our stuff :) Thank goodness for space bags.

Once we close, I'm planning to paint. A nice khaki color for the living room (actually Devonshire from Ralph Lauren) and a taupe color for the bedroom (Wisp of Mauve from Benjamin Moore). I think the bedroom will look nice with the new chocolate brown bedspread :)

We are planning to live here for a few months before we make other changes - like updating the kitchen and bathroom. Of course, it will also be after I get back to work so we can pay for it!

I'll post a nice picture of the view of the Crysler Building once we move in - the night view is just gorgeous.

HA!

I scored free moving boxes on Craigslist! WOO!

Closing Date Set!

Wow - the closing date is set for our new co-op! We are visiting this week to help brainstorm how we want to set everything up, and then a last walk through just before closing. I'm searching craigslist for used moving boxes, and I need to call painters and movers. Also cable/internet/phone and we'll have an electric bill for the first time in a year. Insurance is another change needed. And of course changing our address for all the mail.

We should be able to be all moved by Easter ;) Yay!

My Favorite New Accessory

Cocktail rings are very popular now - some thing fun to wear on the right hand - and I'm really enjoying this trend ;) I bought this bauble at one of those inexpensive accessory stores you would see at the mall for $8 and it makes me smile each time I see it ;) Green's my color this spring ;) I did leave it home for the co-op interview we had Thursday. We got great news Friday that we are approved! We'll be setting up a closing date soon.

Rick brought these beautiful roses home Friday. I am a lucky girl ;)

NYC St Patrick's Day Parade

I'd never known there was a big St. Patrick's Day parade in Manhattan. It runs up 5th Ave between 44th Street and 86th. I'm thinking - bonus! I can just walk over!

I think that Saint Patrick's Day may have turned into a religious holiday. Depending on your age, and whether you actually are Irish, your experience will vary. Loads of parade viewers were dressed up with all manner of green - hats, sweaters, t-shirts, beads, garland, boas - you name it. Vendors were even selling green cotton candy. I left the apartment at 11:00 thinking that it would take time for the parade to actually get to 86th street. And it took about an hour for the parade to reach the upper east side.

When the parade started, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Londonderry High School marching band had made the trip to NYC for the celebration.

Unfortunately my camera battery died after this so you don't get to see all the gorgeous costumes and kilts and different kinds of plaid. Who knew there were this many people who play bagpipes on the East coast???

I only stayed a little more than an hour. This parade is the largest in NYC, and does not allow floats or vehicals. It lasted past 4:00. On the way home I ended up behind some college kids (was it really THAT long ago that I was that young?) and I think they may have started early in their celebrations. They had t-shirts they made - one girl was pleased to be known as Mc-O'lobe Ultra and very proud of her obvious Irish heritage.

Maybe next year I'll have some visitors that will come for the celebrations, and definitely next year I'll choose something other than alcohol to give up for lent. I'll remember to get some St Patricks Day beads, ties, hats and maybe even a boa ;)