I Hate Cleaning....

I despise it.  Really.  Not that I like to live in a disgusting slime-hole of a house.  I just hate taking the time to clean.  My house is very very very small.  So it would  take no time at all, except I procrastinate take a lot of breaks.  These breaks take different forms, and usually are in between rooms.  Today, I read a chapter or 5  of a really good book between rooms.  And I cleaned my house in about 3 hours.  It should take 45 minutes or so.  Whoops. 

See, I have a problem.  I can't concentrate or focus unless there is no clutter or mess around me.  So alas, I had to clean before I could blog today. 

I tried to make Sherry's Super Duper Amazing Black Bean Soup the other night.  It was kind of a bust.  Crock pots are pretty fool-proof, right?  WRONG.  Sherry said she simmered her soup overnight.  So I put the Crock pot on warm and let it go all night.  In the morning I woke up and seriously had black bean glop.  I didn't even take a picture; it was too embarrassing.  It was all burned together on the edges (thank God I bought Crock pot bags) and mush in the middle.  Not soup at all.  I added a bit more chicken stock and stirred.  And tasted.  Not bad.  And definitely not soup.  More the consistency of refried beans.  They tasted good.  Just looked gross.  So I put some more salsa on top, along with shredded cheese.  I heated them up for lunch and put sour cream on top.  Turned out pretty tasty.  I have a whole bowl left of black bean gloppy stuff, so I think I'm going to try to make it into patties and fry it.  I'll let you know what happens. 

This morning was quite lovely.  I slept in leisurely until about 9.  **Before a year ago, sleeping in leisurely would be until about 2pm.  But when you have a job where you have to wake up at 4:30 every morning, 9 is LATE.**  So, I got up, had a cup of coffee and decided to make use of the lovely brown bananas in my freezer and make some banana bread.  For me, baking is such a relaxing way to start the day.  So I pulled out the bananas and they were frozen stiff.  Defrosted in the microwave for a few minutes, and they were perfect.  Already halfway mashed for me (weird, I know).  I found this recipe for the best banana bread.ever.  on How Sweet It Is awhile back and put it on my list of things to try.  It just looked great.  And with a title like "the best banana bread.ever." how can you not try it?  **PS- have I told you how much I love this blog?  Seriously, pee before you read it.  If you don't, you will pee your pants from laughing too hard.**

The recipe called for cream cheese (what?!?!? yum!!!!) and sour cream.  I had all the ingredients except the dang cream cheese.  And keep in mind I'm in my pajamas with my hair all gross and my face not washed.  I may go out and walk my dog in this get-up (please avoid my street in the mornings), but I will NOT go to the store looking this way.  So I googled substitutions for cream cheese, and someone said to use sour cream.  Works for me.  It's already in the recipe.  So I substituted sour cream for the 3 oz cream cheese, plus used the sour cream the recipe called for.  Still is probably the best banana bread I've ever had.  The name fits.  I am definitely going to try cream cheese next time, though! 

Here are my mashed bananas.  They look pretty gross, huh?  Fear not.

They turn into this beauty! 

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The Best Banana Bread. Ever.

from How Sweet It Is

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 oz cream cheese

1 cup brown sugar

2 ripe bananas

1 egg

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup of chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a loaf pan.

2.  Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in mashed banana, sour cream, and egg and mix until smooth.

3.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Fold in chocolate chips.

4.  Pour into pan and bake 60-75 minutes.

****Note:  I used an 8x8 pan and only had to bake for 30 minutes.****

Aaaaah!!!!!!  This bread smelled soooo good, I couldn't wait to have a piece.  I cut one ASAP.  I had to use pot holders because the pan was that hot.  This bread is crusty and crispy on the outside and soft and moist (hate that nasty word) not dry on the inside.  And the chocolate chips just melt in your mouth.  Uhhh-MAY-zing.  Since I'm trying to not look like Shamu lose weight, I had one piece.  And then did a workout DVD, which I'm too embarrassed to even name.  It involves the movie Dirty Dancing, me flailing around my living room and looking like an idiot, and making sure the blinds were closed.  Oh yeah, and getting strange looks from my dog (the cats didn't stick around; they hid).  Anyway- I cut the bread into squares and wrapped them individually in foil, then put them all in a big Ziploc bag and froze them.  So I can only eat one piece at a time.  And now they're going to be a pain in the butt to thaw.  Good.  Eat fruit, Jill.  (Oh yeah, and I am taking some to work tomorrow to share).  My co-workers are going to hate me soon. 

The perfect breakfast.  Those little cutie patooties on the coffee mug are my cousins.  Why I have a coffee mug with my cousins on it, I don't know.  Probably stole it from Aunt Peggy or something.  Weirder yet, those cousins are now 22 and 15.  That thang is OLD.  Shut up.  You know you have one too. 



Now I'm going to go try to make something edible out of my black been glop.  I have some tortillas, cheese, and onions.  Maybe a quesadilla? 

Oooh!  And one more thing!!!  Aunt Peggy gave me her sewing machine yesterday!!!!!!  Well, she let me borrow it indefinitely.  She hates to sew, so I think she was secretly glad to get rid of it.  And she gave me 3 trashbags full of fabric.  That are now sitting on my living room floor because I have nowhere else to put them.  Until I clean out the cute fabric bins in my room that have lots and lots and lots of crap to sort through and throw away.  Then they'll be the perfect thing!  Maybe I'll work on that tomorrow.  More likely not. 

Regardless, I'm going to be sewing more for awhile instead of baking.  It's fun and it's better for my waistline.  Stay tuned my friends!