Why Are Bananas Never Lonely?

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Question:  Why are bananas never lonely?

Answer:  Because they hang around in bunches !! 

What to do with those few extra bananas

that are just a little too ripe to eat? 

Make cupcakes!!

This is another great recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

This is an awesome cookbook and worth the investment.

I'm baking my way through the collection and

enjoying the ride along the way.

I think Banana Cupcakes qualify as breakfast food,

and most certainly a delightful afternoon snack with a cup of tea.

Martha Stewart's Banana Cupcakes: 

Note - the recipe posted here is from Marthastewart.com.  It is similar to the recipe in her cookbook but not exact.  The recipe in the cookbook uses sour cream and also whipped egg whites which in turn yields an extremely light and moist cake.  The banana flavor is subtle - just right - not overpowering like in a banana bread.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired. I also added a pecan for an extra touch.


Honey-Cinnamon Frosting:

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.

These babies are headed to my folk's cottage. 

Go wild - delight in a banana cupcake today!

I'm Lovin my Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Cookboookand linking up to

and
 

It's Your Lucky Day

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Bringing the weekend to a close.  It was an unusually rainy weekend

on the Island so I spent most of the time in my studio and kitchen.

The frogs in the wetlands are loving the rain! 

It sounds like a symphony at night.

 

In the studio, I worked on yet another design challenge -

this one from the Shabby Tea Room  with a theme of "Luck of the Irish". 

Here's my entry into the challenge.



The center medallion was cut using Cricut's Lacy Labels and

stamped using Papertrey Ink's Tag-Its Stamp set.

The glittered shamrock was from the dollar bin at JoAnn.



The little tag reads "It's your lucky day".

I made a slew of these cards with the intent

to send them to my new Send Love Today assignment,

the grandchildren, and a few other special

souls (shhhhh....it's a secret).

What should I put in each card for a lucky surprise?

My parents surprised me with these lovely ladies today!

Spring is drawing near!!!

And my husband surprised me with a wedge of handcrafted cheese!

Aren't I a lucky girl?!!!

Papertrey Ink Design Challenge

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For this week's Make It Monday challenge,
our friends over at Papertrey Ink asked its followers

to create a card using at least one Papertrey Ink product

and to incorporate the paper distressing technique.

This little sweetie is my entry into the challenge.

A bird house was created using Papertrey Ink's
Love Grows Here stamp set.

The house and roof were inked on coasters and then cut out. 

A little rick-rack was added for a fun trim. 

The house was then raised on the card stock

using pop-up dots.  The little birds and branch are from Papertrey Ink's

Little Bitty Birds stamp set.  Each were die cut from felt.

I really love this sentiment (also from Love Grows Here stamp set).

Isn't it so true?!  I think love also grows best in small houses!

Aqua-colored card stock was used for the background.

I sanded and scissor-distressed the edges and lightly sanded the foreground.

I think this little sweetie is headed to Operation Write Home

so that someone serving in the armed forces can write

a loved one a treasured note.  I don't think I can ever make enough

cards to honor our brave military.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

SNEAK PEAK of posts coming this week:

Be sure to check back and see what's new at

Footprints from Otter Hill!

Happy Bird-day

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This card was created with inspiration from two different design challenges -

the CR84FN Color Challenge and Papertrey Paper Dolls Weekly Challenge.

Papertrey Paper Dolls challenged artists to create a card using at least three Papertrey Ink items -
one starting with a P, one with a T and one with an I (PTI).



CR84FN Color Challenge is to create a card using only three colors -
Orange, Yellow and Kraft Brown.

P:  Papertrey Ink's Polka Dot Parade Patterned Paper
T:  Papertrey Ink's Tiny Treats Stamp Set and Twill Ribbon in Summer Sunrise
I:  Papertrey Ink's Vintage Touch Ink

The little birds were die cut and glued to the medallion.
The balloon was colored using pencils and sparkly gel pens.
The center medallion and banner were layered and each raised using pop-up dots.



Supplies:  All from Papertrey Ink (except glue, tape, pencil & pen, orange chalk ink)

Paper: Kraft cardstock, Orange Zest cardstock, Polka Dot Parade Patterned Paper
Stamp Sets:  Tiny Treats Birthday , Little Bitty Bird
Die Cuts: Little Bitty Bird
Ribbon: Summer Sunrise Twill
Felt: Berry, Harvest Gold
Ink: Vintage Touch, Lemon Tart


This is my first entry into any design challenge.  What do you think?  

So Long Dear Friends

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The Lenten season is upon us.  This year I decided to give up CANDY for Lent.  This is a BIG sacrifice for me - especially chocolate.  Chocolate is a dear, dear friend.  Always comforting. 

I have two people in my life to thank for my sweet tooth.  First, my dad who says, 'There's always room for dessert!' - and my mother always served dessert with dinner - every night without fail!  Second, my Uncle Joe who lived with us for a time when I was a child.  Seemed like every day he brought home a bag a penny candy for me!




So long, Hershey kisses - you sweet little nibbles.





So long, See's chocolates and Chukar Cherries  



So long, candied apples (wait, do you count as candy?) ...

So long, coconutty - marshmallow gooey Mallo Cups

(Yes, I do have an open box of Mallo Cups in my pantry.)

 

So long, licorice - my strawberry friend

 

 

So long, Fran's Salted Caramels

My scrumptious buttery delights.




So long dear friends ... I'll see you in 40 days!

Hello, Cupcake!

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This cupcake has been described as the best cupcake ever!

Better than any at Cupcake Royale.

Better than any at Trophy Cupcake.

Better than any made from a box mix - oh, please, don't go there.

A plate of cupcakes for my mom & dad. 

A box of cupcakes for two very sweet tweens.
Cupcakes qualify as breakfast food, don't you think?

This is one of the fabulous recipes in

Martha Stewart's Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone's Favorite Treat

 

Every cupcake that I have made from this collection has been FABULOUS!

Martha Stewart's Devil's Food Cupcakes

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving.


Basic Buttercream Frosting
Makes 6 cups (enough to frost one 8-inch layer cake or 32 cupcakes)


6 sticks unsalted butter, softened
9 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Beat butter and 3 cups sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to medium-low, and continue to beat, gradually adding remaining 6 cups sugar, 1 cup at a time. Raise speed to medium-high; add vanilla. Beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes more.



Have you had a cupcake today?

Papertrey Ink Fun

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I received a box of fun from Papertrey Ink this week and
had a ball in my studio
making some cards for the Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge.

 

Enjoy the preview!

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Flower Fusion #1
Flowers die cut using fun foam, hand colored with a pink marker
and then finished with vintage buttons.

This little treasure is destined for my new Send Love Today assignment in Ohio.



Stamp Set:   Papertrey Ink Tag-Its #1



Stamp Set: Papertrey Ink Button Boutique and
Papertrey Ink Signature Series Dress Form
"Buttons" were die cut using fun foam and then hand colored
with a green marker and attached to the die cut card.

3/7/11 Update:  This beauty is entered into the Get Sketchy #77 Weekly Challenge.

 I made two of these cards.  One is available in my etsy shop and

the other is destined for a very special person

treasured in my life

(Shhhhhh ...  it's a surprise)!

Stamp Set: Papertrey Ink Tag-Its #1

This lovely lady is headed for one of our grand-daughters soon!

Hope you had a fun-filled weekend!


3/7/11 Update:  Linking up to   and .


3/7/11 Update:  A Giveaway Contest to put a smile on your face at Tattertots and Jello.