The Home Life Changes!

I’m back!
After 8 months of being away from blogging-I’m back ladies and gentlemen. I didn’t choose to be away, fate chose it for me. It was a rough loss for me back in January when my blog failed via the platform, Iweb.

I wanted to take this sledgehammer and smash Iweb’s face with it. Small problem-not sure where to find Iweb’s face.

I had built the site myself in Iweb and for some reason, after a year of blogging with that platform, Iweb decided it had had enough. The ability to update my site, add posts, change anything, was a distant memory.

I pinched my pennies for several months and hired a web designer to build my site (correctly) for me. Once the framework was in place, I had the duties of importing all of my old posts-a task that required copy and pasting each bit of text, each picture, each title…you get the idea. I lost some of my “pretties”, but sacrifices had to be made.

I have a few exciting things to catch you up on from my eight months of absence. I’ll be expanding on each of these items over the next couple of months. But, I thought you’d like a bit of an overview to wet the ol appetite.

THE BIG CHANGES ‘ROUND HAR (HERE):

I remodeled the Master Bedroom while Bicep’s was away making momma some money.

I also remodeled our Master Bathroom the next time he left for tour.

I got really interested in raising chickens in my backyard-so much so that I wrote an article about Urban Chicken Farming for the online and print paper, This Land Press. It’s the same paper that I have my bi-monthly column, “Together in Tulsa” in.

I planted my first full-fledged garden this year-inciting me to can, freeze, dehydrate and make new and exciting dishes like zucchini boats and squash pizza.

Cowboy, my sweet buddy of a cat, passed away. He died of renal kidney failure, compounded with a heart murmur. He was only eight, and I believe way too young. I wasn’t expecting how much this would affect me, but it certainly did.

I believe Cowboy is sitting on Grandpa’s lap in heaven. Those two had a unique bond.

After much sadness and the realization of how quiet are house was without Cowboy Cat 2000, Biceps coerced me into getting two new kitties from the rescue center. Their names are Maxwell and Bianca. You will be hearing lots from them, I assure you.

There is so much more to catch you up on-like this visit to a blue whale, but we don’t need to shove it all into one post, do we? I am so thankful to be blogging again, to visit with all of you and to catch up on your lives as well. Welcome back to Potholes and Pantyhose!

Top Ten of 2010

I don’t know about you, but I feel overwhelmed when I search through other blogger’s archives. I stare at entry after entry wondering where to begin. One way to make your life easier was to narrow down ten of my favorite posts for you.

Learn how to make your own ‘Stingy Green Cleaners’ using non-toxic and cheap items-with the help of Kermit the Frog.
Now, who doesn’t love cheap and who doesn’t love Kermie?

You may not be ready to tackle re-finishing your Hardwood Floors, but come along with me on my journey. It’s gonna be a weird one.

Check out our crazy house on the Home Tour.

As Grandma moves into town, I capture what may be my last visit to the Family Farm.

Men make such a difference in the lives that surround them. Check out why I am the way that I am-thanks, Dad.

It took several weeks for Biceps and I to build this shed, dubbed-‘The Big Girl Playhouse’. What an adventure and what a marital learning experience…I don’t think we’ll do this again.

With the fall comes my love for Meatloaf. Check out my Tasty Turkey Meatloaf for the complete tutorial.

Before Biceps, I was determined to move out to Colorado and rock climb, white water raft and not shave for as long as my heart desired. Thankfully, I met Biceps and stayed put. Tulsa has a small but sufficient site to at least my rock climbing fix once in awhile.

My Banana Bread Recipe is one of my favorite treats to make for others…and me…

Handmade notes mean the world to me. I highlight a few from both friends and family that I have kept for years.

I hope that your year has been fantastic! Thank you for sharing in my journey through last year. I think this year will be even better.

“Who dun it?”

A Modern Tale of Men, Mayhem and Machine Guns
(alright, they weren’t machine guns. They were Rubber Band Guns, but I was going for the whole alliteration thing…)

Biceps and I made gifts for our family this year. The ladies received girly things. The men received very manly things. Fourteen Rubber Band Guns were crafted for the men. They received their new weaponry and enough ammunition to do some damage to the loved ones surrounding them.

With the guns loaded and the rules explained to young and old alike…

…and with every man suppressing way too much energy for way too stinkin’ long on Christmas day, the stage was ripe for a modern, ‘Who dun it’ scenario.

A fired gun and a naughty motive are all that it takes to convict a man. And there were several men in this predicament.

Father turned against son. Grandson turned against Grandfather. Brother threatened brother.

And then, a shot rang out. A door slammed.

The maid screamed.
And my father had been maliciously targeted by an unknown shooter…

…and hit! Oh, the pain! The agony!
The guilty party still has yet to step forward and admit to what they had done. But justice is swift in this house and you cannot hide from justice. Good luck hiding, guilty one. Good luck.

Beautiful Banana Bread

I love this recipe-it’s taken me years to get it just right and it’s so dang easy. I have inadvertently discovered a secret to making your banana bread super moist-causing demand from neighbor’s and Grandmother’s everywhere.

Yum. Grab your wooden spoon and apron.
It’s time to bake.

Here’s what you’ll need:

5 1/2 Bananas
1/2 Cup Sweet Cream Stick Butter (I use unsalted butter)
2 Beaten Eggs
2 Cups Bread Flour (you can use all purpose, too)
1 Cup + 2 Tbs Organic Sugar (I prefer this, because it browns nicely)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt (or omit if using salted butter)
1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon*
1/8 tsp ground Nutmeg*

*Grinding your own cinnamon and nutmeg really sends this banana bread over the top. But, if you don’t have them on hand-don’t worry your pretty little head about it. Just use the store bought spice and no one will be the wiser.

Preheat your oven to 350 first and foremost.
Next, peel your naners and mash the puddin’ out of them with a potato masher.

Melt the 1/2 Cup of butter in the microwave. Add the two eggs to your melted and beat thoroughly with a fork.

Pour the butter and eggs into your banana bowl. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

In a separate bowl, add the 2 Cups of flour.

And the 1 Cup + 2 Tbs of sugar.

Next, add the 1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder and the 1/2 tsp Baking Soda.

If you are using salted butter, do not add the salt. If you are a purist like me and buy unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp salt.

If you are using fresh nutmeg and cinnamon-it’s time to get your ‘grate on’. Add either the fresh 1/8 tsp of Nutmeg and the 1/4 tsp cinnamon or the store bought kind to the dry ingredients.
Stir the dry ingredients with a fork thoroughly and then make a well in the center.

Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients all at once.

Stir with a wooden spoon just until the batter is moist. There will be lumps-and that’s ok. Sometimes, life gives you lumps…

Grease the sides and bottom of a 9” x 5” loaf pan. If you use another sizes of loaf pan, just decrease the amount of time the bread is in the oven. Fill the pan 2/3 full.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan for ten minutes on a wire rack or trivet. Run a knife along the sides of the pan to release the bread. Flip the pan over onto a wire rack, tapping the bottom of the pan to remove the bread.

Make one for Poppa Bear, Momma Bear and Baby Bear.
Cool on a wire rack for ten more minutes. Now, here comes the secret part. Thoroughly wrap the bread in saran wrap-while it is still warm and let it sit overnight. You can go a step further and place the bread inside of a ziplock bag. This traps the moisture in the bread and makes it sooooo moist.

If you absolutely cannot wait until the next day to eat it-which usually happens around here if Biceps has anything to say about it-at least let it sit for an hour or two inside of the saran wrap.

Trust me, it’s worth the wait.