Bethie At Home

Sometimes, the simplest gesture goes a long way in creating friendships, building bridges, and making amends. Especially if it is heartfelt. My favorite way to attempt all of these is by baking Banana Bread. So in effort to give you a cyber-gift, I will pass along my favorite recipe! I always double the recipe below. Then I have one loaf to share with a neighbor, and one loaf to share with my family.

Banana Bread

(simple and wonderful)

Preheat the oven to 325°

Ingredients:

3 large ripe bananas

1 cup sugar

1 egg

4 Tbs. butter

1 cup all purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour (can substitute white flour if there is no wheat flour handy)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Pam spray (or some other cooking spray, or butter, or grease---for the pan)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray 9x5 inch loaf pan with Pam spray; set aside. In a bowl smash bananas well (banana mash should equal 1 cup or a bit more). Beat in sugar, then egg and butter. In another bowl, stir together flours, salt, and baking soda; add banana mixture and stir just until all flour is moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. (It begins to pull away from sides of pan when done, and a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, or the top bounces back when poked with a finger.) Banana bread always tastes better when made at least one day ahead. Wrap tightly in foil after it is cooled and refrigerate. (Although, this doesn’t often make it to the fridge after coming out of the oven!)

P.S. One could add nuts or raisins, but I find most people (myself included) prefer it without!

"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification." Romans 15:2

I speak

to the words that have moved me

that have spoken faith

hope

truth

freedom

love

I speak

to the words that have hindered me

that have spoken hurt

lies

regret

fear

failure

I speak

to the words that have inspired me

that have stirred me to do

go

see

knock

try

I speak

to the words that have bound me

that have kept me in darkness

despair

uncertainty

frustration

self-pity

To the “symphony true”

To the “sigh of the oppressed creature”

To the “as I believe the sun has risen”

To the “I have a dream”

To the “Leap of faith”

You are not enough.

To you all I say, “Be still!”

Be still

Before the greater Word.

For He comes like a reaper

Who has let the grain

Grow up together

With the weeds.

Now he is ready

To harvest and bundle what is His

And burn the rest.