And the baking begins

When it’s finally cool enough to run the oven without having to open windows lest you’ll find us taking cold showers just to be able to put up with the heat in the house, you can’t pry me from the kitchen on a Sunday.  Last weekend it was pumpkin cupcakes… with cream cheese frosting, no less.  I was feeling like I could go up against Ms. Martha Stewart in a baking throw down.  That was, until I broke out the piping bag.

The truth is, I need to practice the fine art of artfully (or at least attractively) applying icing to cupcakes.

So, in attempt to redeem myself this week, I stuck to the tried and true banana bread.  Sometimes it has walnuts, sometimes pecans, sometimes both and sometimes I’m feeling frisky and throw a handful of chocolate chips in.

If I’m going to spend time baking, whatever it is I’m making better not be healthy.

It’s a rule I have.

It’s a rule you should have, too.  It will make you and those around you much happier.  There is nothing worse than biting into a cookie only to realize it’s one of those healthy, low sugar, no oil/butter/crisco ones.  Don’t trick me into chewing one bite of your dry cookie for 5 minutes only to save a fat gram or two.  I’ll mark you off my list if you do.

Baking not only produces tasty treats, it also makes me feel kind of like I’m Wonder Woman for the day.  Sure, sure, I did the laundry, made breakfast, got crafty, folded clothes, washed the dishes and wrote some blog posts.  I do that every Sunday.  But this past Sunday I made banana bread.

I also made the world’s best lasagna, but I’ll save that post for another day.

What is one of the first things you bake when it’s finally cool enough to turn on the oven?  I’d love to hear your recipe!