The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

{in the kitchen} Blueberry Banana Bread

Talk about impulse.  While I probably should have been attacking that never-ending laundry pile, I instead made a dash to the kitchen to make Blueberry Banana Bread.  Word to the wise: don’t casually peruse cookbooks unless you’re ready to bake. Right.This.Instant!  I have no control when it comes to delicious quick breads.  The recipe comes from this book, which was actually an anniversary gift to my husband.  Enjoy.

Blueberry Banana Bread
from Ruhlman’s Twenty

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Salt
3 large eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I omitted this because I didn’t have any lemons at home)
1 cup blueberries, tossed with 1 Tablespoon flour

Preheat the oven to 350.  Butter a loaf pan. 
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt.  In a large bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, bananas, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well.  Add the flour mixture and whisk just to combine.  Stir in the blueberries.
Pour batter into pan.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean, about 1 hour.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

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Oh, and Mammas: need some encouragement this winter or know someone who does?  Be sure to check back Monday for an exciting announcement! 

{recording life} Making a Life List: Goods and Greats

I’m back with my Part II of Jenny’s Life List series.  (You can find my post on Part I here.)  This week, the task is brainstorming a few things into two categories: goods and greats.   

Here’s what Jenny says about “goods”: “Simply put, they are my goals. They still hold tremendous worth. They still require me to work hard to achieve them, but no one ever questions me or my ability to succeed. My goals still require planning and execution, and other resources such as money and/or childcare.  But goals are completely attainable and often 100% up to you to achieve.”

I have a lot of things that could easily fall into the “good” category.  Here are a few I came up with:

  • Go horseback riding
  • Run a race with my dad
  • Ride the Amtrak
  • Make homemade ice cream
  • Make every recipe from a single cookbook (a la Julie & Julia)
  • Organize a getaway trip with my cousins
  • Have our family pictures taken by a professional photographer
  • Learn how to make candles
  • Take a photography course

And then there are the “greats”…goals that are a whole different level.  This is Jenny’s take:

“Essentially my greats…are my dreams. Dreams are sort of scary. My dreams can leave me energized and breathless in one moment and then quickly make me feel naked and vulnerable in the same minute.  The scary things about dreams is that they aren’t always planned out and the details aren’t always available. That is hard for a planner and for a type A person such as myself. Why? Because dreams require something other than just your hard work.  Dreams require elbow grease plus a bit of magic.  Dreams still require intention plus God smiling upon you.  Dreams also bring out the skeptics and/or the “realists”. These dreams bring on the statements: “Jenny, that’s ridiculous. That’s impossible. You are setting yourself up for disappointment.” Now that voice can come from others or from within yourself. This is where you have to ask yourself if you and your dreams are worth the fight. Are we deserving of great things? Simply put, YES!”

Jenny’s words are powerful and inspiring. Those dreams deep in my heart…those are the ones to put on this list. I’m going to throw a couple of mine out there – maybe they will inspire you to dream big too!

  • See a game at every NFL stadium with my husband

  • Give in 100 different ways (at least!) 
  • Purchase an old home and completely renovate it

  • Run a successful home decor business

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What are your goods and greats? I’d love to hear an item or two on your life list. Oh and check out Jenny’s blog to see her biggest dream. She’s so cool.

{friendship} Meeting a New Friend through the Blogger Exchange Party

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One of my unwritten goals for 2012 (unwritten because it sounds kind-of lame) is to use my blog to meet new people and create new friendships. Being a stay-at-home mom can sometimes feel so isolating, you know?  So when I heard about the Blogger Exchange Party, I knew it was the perfect way to start off 2012 and I couldn’t sign up fast enough!     
I was paired up with Heather, who blogs here.  She is a momma of two, a big movie buff and bowler, as well as a lover of all things pink and glittery!  From the moment I “met” her, I knew I liked her and was determined to think of a really good gift. 
Now my family will laugh at me, but just like I do with my husband, my relatives or my kids, I was on a mission to find the best gift for Heather (and in the designated price range!). After reading much of her blog, and lots of deliberation and “Mark, what do you think of this?”, this is what I came up with: 
Because she is such a movie lover and saw something like 60 movies last year(!!), I thought she may enjoy the Ticket Stub Diary.  I have given this as a gift before and it was well-received.  A fun way to record all of those movies for 2012! 🙂  And since I couldn’t help myself, I included a little tissue cozy that I found on etsy to represent her love for bowling. 

I packaged everything in the only pink wrapping paper I own (oh perks of living with a ton of boys!) and some vintage lace and rick rack.  Then off to the Midwest it went!

And this is what she sent me! 

Amazingly generous, right?  I was blown away by all of her gifts but this may be my favorite part:

She sent little goodie bags for the boys!  They were so surprised!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Heather! 🙂
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This swap was so much fun and it really got my wheels turning.  I can’t wait to share my big idea with all of you.  Be sure to check back next Monday for the big announcement! 

{giving} Donate Food to the Food Bank

I’m on an organizing roll, people.  Yesterday, I went through my pantry and organized everything in preparation for grocery shopping tomorrow.  There was a lot of “Why did we buy this?” and “Nobody is going to eat this.”  I ended up with a bag full of (relatively healthy) food to donate to the food pantry at our church.   

As luck would have it, I found this neat graphic on Pinterest and just had to share it with you.  This time of year is hard on the food banks.  The need is so great.  It makes my heart so sad to think of mamas who go without so they can feed their kids.  I mean, can you imagine? 

I want to do something.  I want to do more.
I’ve decided to purchase a few extra items when I see them on sale at the store.  Sale on mac and cheese?  Into the cart they go.  Super clearance on peanut butter?  I’ll take it.  I figure it won’t solve world hunger, but every little bit helps, right?

Have a good weekend, friends.

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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