Flour + Sugar + Eggs + Bananas + Chopped Walnuts = ?????

It is almost this easy........What do you get when you combine all these ingredients besides really good eating? I cannot take the credit for this recipe. It is from the Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery,
Vol. 1, page 139. That's the page with all the "love" splotches on it, do you see them? I referred to them in my last post.

I suppose after I wrote about this banana bread, and then woke up to these three really fine speckled bananas, meaning they were too ripe for my liking to eat, sitting on my kitchen counter, I just knew what I had to do.....get out my old cook book and bake myself a treat.

Yes, it is as good as I remembered. I wish you could all just help yourself to a piece. If you are local, I would be happy to share some with you. I like it just as is with my cup of coffee or tea, however many others like to put cream cheese on it.


To make it possible for you to make your own, here is the recipe. Over the years I have shared it with many others, so I only have to cut and paste it here.

BANANA-NUT BREAD

(Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery)

½ CUP COOKING OIL
1 CUP SUGAR
2 EGGS BEATEN
4 RIPE MASHED BANANAS (or 3 large)
2 CUPS FLOUR
1 TSP. BAKING SODA
½ TSP. BAKING POWDER
½ TSP. SALT
3 TBLS. MILK
½ TSP. VANILLA EXTRACT
½ CUP CHOPPED WALNUTS

Beat oil and sugar together. Add eggs and banana pulp and beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients, milk and vanilla. Mix well and stir in nuts. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan

(9 x 5 x 3 inches) at 350 for about 1 hour. Cool well and store overnight before cutting**. Makes one loaf. Good with cream cheese.

**I think this is to drive the family crazy. Or Maybe it is just bad luck to cut it sooner!

The 24 hour delay before slicing is really in the recipe. My family always thought that I just

said it was necessary to wait to torment them. It most definitely is worth the wait.

Try it and let me know what you think.

When two passions collide.......

My journey through books has taken me to some incredible places.

For a long time now I have considered myself to be a Bookaholic! How do I describe what a Bookaholic is. Someone who has a strong passion for and desire to read all the time or someone who has a strange fetish for books. Or possibly someone who keeps buying books to add to a stack of unread books. I probably fall somewhere between the two. I love having books around me, visiting book stores and libraries. I love how books look, feel and even smell.

I have no more room for books on my shelves, but I keep buying new ones. I am a Bookaholic. But in my own defense, it's a fairly inexpensive, fairly harmless obsession.
My most recent book category obsession has been every gardening book I could get my hands on, especially since completeing the Master Gardener classes. I find myself to especially gravitate towards anything that has to do with Florida gardening as well as edible gardening.
Another "hot" book category on my list is the "new" cook books. Now I have shelves and shelves of cook books, going back several decades to the "Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery". This 12 volume set was available in the grocery store one volume at a time as they were released, I think monthly. I still have several favorite recipes within those pages. I have made the Banana nut bread so often, that when you open to that page, it looks as if someone "sloppy" used it as a place mat to eat dinner on. It certainly has its splatters of food stains obviously indicating this to be a favorite recipe.

My latest collection of cook books are geared towards eating "whole" and healthy, completely eliminating all processed foods from the diet. You've heard the drill..... when in the grocery store, shop only around the perimeter, eat healthier and live to be 100 years old!

Finally, the inpiration for this post! As I was walking through Borders today just passing through, you know the drill, from the parking lot to the mall to return an item in one of the stores, I was just casually looking around the gardening section which this time of the year is now center aisle. I was just browsing as I often do, minding my own business, and I find this book. Could it be.....the actual collision of my two passions. This new book that takes you from the seed packets to the canning jars, was written by four women who have only ever met on Twitter. They pooled their knowledge of gardening and cooking and in 60 days pulled together this remarkably complete book - from pest control to preserving.

They used their own social networks - blogs, tweets and Face book pages - to gather the best information from others and now, presumably, they will be able to sell the book to their combined 50,000 tweets, followers and friends!

As I peeked through the pages, I knew I had to add this wonderful book to my stacks......I mean book collection. When I got home I went online and ordered it on amazon. Now I wait for it's arrival. So while I wait, I think and write about my wonderful journey with my books.

I proudly call myself a Bookaholic.

So many books, so little time.......

From the Garden...

And into the pot......

What a reward to reap the benefits from your garden. You know just how really fresh your produce is, no chemicals, no preservatives, you don't have to make a trip to the store, no long lines to wait on and the price it right! After the freeze we experienced in Central Florida several weeks ago, several of my vegtable plants were lost to the cold nights. However the cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and collards as well as several of the herbs are cold weather plants and survived like troopers. Maybe............ I wonder if "George", my Gargoyle garden guard had anything to do with it?
My first cabbage picked. I meant to weigh it but got excited and cooked it without thinking first. When steaming briefly, it turned a really vibrant color of green resembling the green that comes in a box of Crayola Crayons, remember that color? When we purchase veggies like cabbage, there is no way to really know just how long it has been since it was picked!


I know, before you say, cabbage....... ugh and stinky often, let me share with you what I prepared with it. I made my recipe of Stuffed Cabbage, in a tomato based sweet & sour gravy. I made it with a ground beef and rice stuffing, however the ground beef can be substituted by ground Turkey or Chicken or even a "meat substitute crumbles" for those choosing to not eat meat at all, or just attempting to cut back.

I recently became familiar with Bulgur which is a whole grain that can be found in specialty stores selling bulk foods. I believe this would be another good substitute for the meat also. If you are not familiar with Bulgar you are in for a treat if you try it. Bulgur is kernels of steamed, dried and crushed wheat, has a nutty taste and chewy texture. You don't really have to "cook" the grain, just let it soak in boiling water so it softens and expands. It is indeed healthy and hearty in addition to tasty. Stuffed Cabbage with Sweet and Sour gravy.....February 7, 2010.

(Interested in the recipe, just ask.)

An Incredible Journey....

Giant kalanchoe Gastoris Bonnieri, or Donkey Ears....... When I first found this plant in Mount Dora, it was love at first sight. It was the perfect new member for my space in my yard that I refer to as my "funny farm". This plant certainly is unique looking as it was, but I had no idea of what to expect from it until I had the opportunity to research it. I quickly discovered that folks who appreciate succulent plants drool over owning a Donkey Ears of their own, the original Kalanchoe Gastonis bonnieri is said to originate from Madagascar.This succulent seems to be every one's favorite for its unique leaves, the way new baby plants form, for the big and bold flower stems, for the blooms, and for the hummingbirds which love the flowers.

This plant quickly became one of my favorites as it seemed to change almost on a daily basis.

First, lets look at the leaves. They're light green / gray-white when young/new. As Donkey Ears grow, the leaves become more prominent and bold in size. The "ears" can become 12+ inches long and a deeper green with more prominent "mule" spots...thus the common name....Donkey Ears.
Baby plants begin to form at the leaf tips which you can root automatically and make new separate plants, which I have done. Sometimes the baby plants just fall off and you can re-plant elsewhere or into pots. Otherwise, you can remove baby plants at some reasonable size and re-pot or plant.

At about a year old , the mother plant Donkey Ears suddenly sends up a shoot that can easily grow to 2-feet tall. At the tip of the shoot, flower buds begin to form. From the time that I realized that this new growth was not additional leaves it took about three months for the bloom to fully develope and open.

This plant seemed to grow taller and taller each day. I needed to stand on a chair to continue taking photos of it.

In flower, I see this plant as a Major show off plant. The flower opened about 4 weeks before we experienced the "Florida Freeze". I moved my prize under cover on my patio next to the house and also covered it for additional protection. But alas, it is not frost tolerant and it did get too cold on those bitter last few evenings. I did get a chance to start several babies that have been sent off to their new homes to start all over. They do not look their best but I am sure they will recover.

Below is a photo of my Donkey Ears this morning, February 7, 2010. Traces of the bloom are still there. The huge majestic leaves are shriveled and brown and ready to fall off. I am not quickening this process as I can now see new leaves breaking out off the stalk kind of where the old leaves are attached. I will wait to see what happens naturally. Every day is a new surprise!

Poor little thing....this has been a total metamorphosis of this plant. Kind of like raising kids........

It has gone through the good, the bad and the ugly! With more to come.

What is more incredible then the gifts that nature shares with us each day?

Habitat for Humanity.....Orlando

"If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble." -Bob Hope

Who will build it? If you think for one minute that Exit Real Estate Realtors only sell homes, think again......they are also building homes! On January 28, 2010 we participated in the first of several scheduled "construction days" on this Habitat for Humanity project.
"Habitat Orlando's First Multifamily Community Habitat Orlando is in the midst of constructing its most ambitious home building effort to date: Stag Horn Villas, an $8 million, 58-town home community. The community has been blessed with several generous sponsors that are making construction possible. Not only is this Habitat’s first multifamily development, it is also the most green and energy-efficient. Currently, 16 families have moved into the three completed buildings; the fourth building is currently under construction."
Since 2004, EXIT Realty Corp. International has been the proud Corporate Sponsor of ten home builds for Habitat for Humanity. Currently Exit Realty Corp. is involved with the Orlando project and several of Exit's Realtors actually had the wonderful opportunity for "hands on involvement".

How much do you need to know about construction to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity? I'm not a carpenter, plumber or painter. I don't know that I have an occupation or hobby that makes me a good fit for Habitat for Humanity. That's why I was amazed to find myself and my peers from the office using power saws and crawling on scaffolding on our first Habitat project. You don't have to be an expert. You just have to listen when they teach you. They won't ask you to do anything you can't handle. If for some reason they do, just tell them you're not prepared to do it.

Habitat for Humanity can be an amazing hands-on service project, but make sure you know what you're getting into.

To have a satisfying, productive and fun time with this organization, be prepared for manual labor. This seems like a no-brainer, but this can be quite a wake up call for inactive people.

Most people expect that if they volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, they'll be building a house. They're most often imagining the framing process -- hammering the home's wood skeleton together. Sometimes, that's what you're doing. But the home building process is much more than just that, and all under the supervision of an experienced Construction Crew. Some of the tasks
done by volunteers can be: the framing of a house, siding , window framing, cutting boards, moving dirt, painting or whatever else needs to get done, etc.

Once complete, the 3.9-acre neighborhood will provide affordable homes for 58 local families. Located on Stag Horn Drive and Silver Star Road, the community will feature 10 buildings, each of which will include four to eight town homes surrounded by green spaces and play areas. The model home is now open for viewing thanks to the help of Schmidt Design, IKEA and several other generous donors who contributed time, services and products, Stag Horn Villas is slated for completion in spring 2012.

When volunteering, dress for manual labor. Your clothes should be comfortable, layered, and ready to get dirty and stained.

As Realtors, we know, there are few things more meaningful than helping a person get a home. And because the families that are chosen to live in Habitat homes have to contribute their own time in the form of "sweat equity" (which I think is at least 400 hours), you often get to work side-by-side with the family/people who will directly benefit from your labor.

It's also the type of job that when you leave for the day, you can look and say "I did that." And whether "that" is bathroom tile, insulation or seeing a future home owner's smile, it's very satisfying.

( complete photo album available for viewing on my face book page)

"I wanted to select a charity that was close to Real Estate

and where you could see it helping people".
-Steve Morris

Founder & CEO

EXIT Realty Corp. International

Why Edible Landscapes....

Gardeners are turning landscapes over to edible planting for a variety of reasons.....feeding the family and stocking the freezer or pantry are just a few of the dollar-saving reasons for planting an edible landscape. Many gardeners also grow food for the fun of it. There is plenty of wholesome fresh air and exercise in tilling the soil and tending the crops. Planting a garden and managing plants can keep you outdoors just about every day of the year.

A four foot x six foot raised bed is my first attempt at an edible garden! Using the "Square foot gardening " method allows planting many more plants in a small area that is extremely accessible and easy to manage. This photo above was taken just several weeks prior to the 2010 "Florida Freeze".

Knowing the cold weather was on the way, I picked the lettuce that was ready for harvest. I will admit that there is a very personal pride from producing food. That evening I enjoyed a wonderful salad, which I did photograph to share, but cannot locate.

We would all love our produce supply to look like this photo below, wouldn't we? This photo was taken several months ago during my visit to a week-end farmer's market near Port Saint Lucie Florida. Now this is what I call produce, don't you agree! And the breads that they sell there is certainly worthy another story.

Our local news here in Central Florida just this afternoon did a story about how the recent "Florida Freeze" will effect all of us around the country....where it hurts, in our wallets!

Florida farmers produce “nearly all our nation’s domestically produced fresh fruits and vegetables during the winter,” according to a statement released by the state’s agricultural commissioner, Charles H. Bronson. “There is much at stake, both for our state’s farmers and for consumers all across the United States who count on Florida to provide them with fresh domestic produce in the winter.”

The simple truth is since Florida supplies such a large part of the vegetable/produce and citrus fruits during the Winter months, we can all look for a substantial increases in prices very shortly!

If you have ever thought about trying your hand at growing your own produce....this is the time to do it. Perhaps, starting with growing a pot of herbs to dramatically add to the flavor of your family meals. Even the White House has added an edible garden!

Since growing produce has become the "in-thing" to do in our current economy, don't think for one moment that it will not increase desirability of your property if you are considering putting your home on the market. People will see the potential of your property and feel the ease in continuing what you have started.

Perhaps an edible garden in your back yard will become the new "curb appeal", in the Real Estate arena.

Freezing cold weather everywhere....

Warning, It's not going to be pretty......



This morning on Live With Regis & Kelly, Kelly said "maybe it's not getting colder, maybe we are just all getting wimpier"! Eveyone all around the country are talking about the extreme cold. Pretty much the entire country has experienced extreme cold temperatures this last week. Here in my hometown near Orlando, Florida for the 4th straight night we have seen sub-freezing weather. Historically, this has only happened twice before.

Interesting fact, prior to the holiday season as part of the "decorations" one home in my neighborhood actually had the grass spray painted to appear as though it had snowed.

I say, be careful what you wish for!

Around Central Florida, folks have covered up their landscaping with blankets and sheets. Something that is never done up north. But with Central Florida being a "normally" sub-tropical climate, we plant some things, that cannot tolerate these temperatures.

Despite the frigid temperatures, two days ago, my Grand Crinum Lillies still made an imposing presence in my landscape. What a difference a day makes, the bitter cold last evening changed all that.

Sadly, this morning I discovered them to look like wilted spinach when it is in the frying pan getting sauteed. Hopefully they will quickly recover their attractiveness in the Spring.

Additional victims of Frosty Florida.

There really is no way to protect the entire landscape. I hope that most of the landscape plants will recover.

I told you it wasn't going to be pretty. Tonight the temperatures are expected to go down to the mid twenties again, however not quite as cold as last evening. This will make 11 nights in a row under 38 degrees and 4 nights of freezing temperatures. Remember this is Central Florida, home of the famous mouse, where many folks visit for the sunshine and warm weather.

Whatever part of the country you live in, you may be thinking you have it much colder, and that is fact. This Florida frost will however take it's toll on many of us. It is already projected that the cost of Citrus will increase by at least 30% to us all. It is too soon to judge the damage and effect/cost to the end user for additional crops damaged like cabbage being grown in Florida this time of the year.

Time will tell the permanent damage to some of these plants. Obviously this one did not fare well at all.......it is pretty sad.

Some plants protected by larger trees or adjacent to the houses just got burnt on the top leaves so far. They should do fine with some pruning once all danger of additional frost passes. With delayed pruning, if these frigid temperature happen again, the upper dead foliage will protect the lower unaffected foliage.

I am so glad that I did move my African Violets into the house about 1 1/2 weeks ago, knowing how fragile they are. They are temporarily residing in the bath tub.

For anyone who questions why I take the time to journal on line like this.....my photos and thoughts of better days in my garden are permanently here for my own enjoyment.

This sign sits on my counter in the bathroom.

Gardening a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow.

That sums it up, doesn't it?

I think for now with another very cold evening ahead, I will put a fire in my fireplace and pull out some of my Garden & Seed catalogs and plan my gardens for the Spring.