Banana bread recipe

I'd like to share a recipe that I've made so many times, that I don't look at my notes anymore. Banana bread is something I make almost every week. It is my son's favorite breakfast and he asks for it regularly. I made a couple of loaves earlier today to donate to a bake sale to raise money for aid to Haiti. I thought I had explained it this to my son, and he accompanied us to deliver the bread, but tonight at the dinner table he kept asking for it. Sometimes it's hard to know what he understands. Anyways, I'll probably be making it again later this week, but this weekend it was for a good cause. I like this recipe because it is so simple to make and it is so delicious. I hope you like it.

Banana bread

3 medium or large bananas or 4 small bananas
1.5 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c sugar (I use turbinado)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c melted butter
dash of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mash up the bananas with a potato masher or a spoon.
3. Add liquid ingredients (egg, butter, vanilla)
4. Add dry ingredients, adding the flour last.
5. In a buttered loaf pan, bake for 1 hour.
   

How I warm tortillas

Anyone who loves Mexican food loves a fresh warm tortilla. And if you aren't fortunate to get homemade tortillas every time, you might suffer from the dilemma of how to warm a tortilla so that it is still warm and pliable. I learned how to warm tortillas from my mother, who to this day probably still warms her tortillas directly on the burner. I did it this way for many years too, but I found that it dries out the tortilla. I personally hate a dry tortilla cracking and spilling its contents. I'm not a definitive source on tortillas, but this is what has worked for me in my experience.

Flour tortillas. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel, and reheat in the microwave.


Corn tortillas. You can do the same trick with the damp paper towels, but I find that sometimes tacos made from these corn tortillas will still break. Lately I have been using a new trick. In a skillet, heat a small amount of vegetable oil. I use extra virgin olive oil. Spread the oil with a spatula. Then place the first tortilla in the skillet. Then flip it over and put a second tortilla on top. Then flip again and place a third tortilla, etc. Continue in this manner so that all sides are evenly coated with the oil and heat through. If there is too much oil after reheating, just dry the tortilla with a paper towel.

Hope that helps with your tortilla eating adventures!

Mickey hat

We have rediscovered this knit Mickey hat and decided to model in the mirror.

San Antonio Turkey Trot 2009

I went into this 4 mile race not really knowing that much about it. Like, for instance, I thought that this was a road race. It was actually a race through a wooded park. So most of the race was on paved trail wide enough for 3 or 4 runners. Some bits were not paved at all. At one point in the first mile, I overheard someone say, I didn't know that this was a single-file race. I had to chuckle because it was true. It was a bit difficult in the first mile as runners sorted out where they belonged with regards to pace. Supposedly, we were to line up by pace, but it was difficult to hear what was going on, so I, like most people just walked up to the starting area without regards to pace at all. But it was a pleasant, if cold, run through the woods in San Antonio. I ran the whole way except for at the two water stations. I'm not a fast runner and my goal is always to finish the race, but I'm happy with my time as well (43:38).

Goodbye, La Princesa

From Little Man Aug 2009

La Princesa, like most of our other cats, strayed into our lives and into our hearts. She was probably already an old girl when we met, but we are not sure. She was a very playful and friendly kitty, and our little man loved her very much.

Yesterday, we said goodbye to La Princesa. She had run away from home about 3.5 weeks ago, but came back to us Friday night, the coldest night this season. We had worried about her and looked for her and were so glad to see her again. We tried to help her this weekend, but she was very sick, and at last we decided it was the best thing to let Princesa go.

She loved to hang out at the little man's bathtime, so here is a photo to remember her.

From Little Man Aug 2009

Haircut by Mama, pajamas by Sesame Street

A few weeks ago, I decided to save $15 at the barber's and cut the little man's hair myself. It was a good thing, because that was 20 minutes of non-stop screaming. I, of course, can see all of the crooked spots, but overall, I think it turned out fine. Here he is post-haircut and bath, and sporting his new Elmo pajamas, which he loves.

Día de los muertos and Requiem

Two weekends ago, though I was pretty beaten down by a cold, I dragged myself out of bed to go Austin's Día de los muertos celebration downtown. It's a parade and street festival with tents and a stage for live music. It's only a block long, and we didn't stay very long, but all three of us really enjoyed it.



Unfortunately that was the highlight of my otherwise lost and bedridden weekend. Here are a few more photos of the little man on the playground.



This last weekend was a little better for me. Last Friday, the little man wore his handmade Superman costume (thanks J!) to school. He didn't want to wear the removable cape, though, even though I tried to convince him he would be just like Superman and Super Grover. And there were two other Supermans in his class. They were all so cute! That afternoon in his class, they had a little party and both Mama D and I went. Here are a few pictures of the little man before school, struggling to not wear the cape.



Saturday, Mama D played spectacularly with the St. Edward's orchestra, performing Danse Macabre, excerpts from Pictures at an Exhibition, The Noonday Witch, and a little bit of Mahler's Symphony No. 1.

And that Halloween evening, even though he refused to put on his costume, the little man had a great time at J's party. Since this post doesn't have enough photos, here is another slideshow from party.



Sunday was Day of the Dead, and I spent my morning run reflecting on the loss of one of the co-founders of my company to brain cancer. As my lungs burned and I coughed up phlegm (residual from the cold), I thought about what a remarkable life he had. Later that morning, D and I went to Central Presbyterian to hear the performance of the Requiem by John Rutter. It was a Requiem that I had not heard before. The arrangement was made specifically for the Wild Basin Woodwind Quintet. I really enjoyed the music and it was perfect to be in that moment contemplating life and death and everyone.