Banana Nutella Muffins

I modified a basic muffin recipe, so feel free to make substitutions based on your own preferences.  Sometimes I substitute the egg for 1 TBSP milled flaxseed combined with 3TBSP water or I use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil.  Depends on how “healthy” I’m feeling.  Obviously since these have Nutella in them, I wasn’t feeling particularly healthy this morning. 

Ingredients:

2 Ripe Bananas, mashed

1 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (if you use regular milk, add 1/2 tsp vanilla)

1 Egg, beaten

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Honey (can use sugar if you want)

1 Cup Bread Flour

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

3 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

12 tsp Nutella

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms of 12 muffin cups or line with paper. Stir together the mashed Bananas, Milk, Egg, Oil and Honey.  Stir in the Flour, Baking Powder and Salt.  Just stir until moistened, do not over-stir.  Divide batter evenly between muffin cups. Place one teaspoon of Nutella in the middle of each muffin tin.  Sort of push the Nutella into the batter.  Bake 20 –25 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool and enjoy!

New Soap-making Videos!

I’m often asked, “So, how DO you make soap?” Well, that isn’t an easy question to answer if you’re unfamiliar with the soap-making process. Finally, I’ve taken the mystery out of how I make my soaps by creating a two-part series of videos.  While the videos aren’t all that exciting, I hope you’ll find them informative and interesting. 

Learn how I make my soap!

Part 2 of Soapmaking

A Campaigning We Will Go!

I did it! Days after our first caucus in St. Charles County was hijacked and railroaded by our GOP Central Committee, I filed to run for Committee Woman in my township of Cottleville, MO.  The current central committee has a very tight grip on local and state Republican politics and I don’t like very much of what I’ve learned.  It seems they have their fingers in pretty much every pot imaginable; from conducting Young Republican meetings to running for State offices.  It’s quite a tangled web they’ve weaved…at least that is my perception.

Do you know what I’m doing a lot of these days?  I’ve been working in my gardens.  If you know me, you know I HAVE to plant things.  It’s quite a spring-time obsession for me.  The soil beckons me to dig, sow and grow.  However before I can plant anything, I MUST remove all of the weeds and turn over the soil.  It’s a rather boring, mundane step but it is VITAL if my new plants are going to survive.  If I skip this step, my plants won’t find the nourishment they need from the soil and the weeds will choke out new growth.

I find this to be a perfect analogy for why I’m running for Committee Woman.  The status quo isn’t working.  The weeds have taken over and the soil has sat fallow for too long.  It’s time to turn it over and allow for the growth of new ideas, enthusiasm and a burst of liberty!

Please like my campaign Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Catherine-Dreher-for-Cottleville-Township-Committee-Woman/295075470566890

Planning Our Heirloom Garden

A few days ago, I had the chance to get out and tend to my weedy, square-foot gardens. Poor things.  They had been sorely neglected during the fall and winter months.  I was pleased to find my rosemary plant was still hanging in there…gotta love those hardy herbs!  I was even surprised to find a couple of stray carrots that I had missed last spring!  I’ll chalk that up to errant sowing on my part.

This weekend has been much cooler, but it’s given me the chance to begin my garden planning. I’m basing my plans on what succeeded last year and what we liked to eat, but I’m also trying something new this year.  We’re going to build a third square foot garden and dedicate it to growing foods that are in danger of extinction.  My daughter has been studying botany in home school this year and wants to begin her own seed collection.  We think collecting seeds from foods that are in danger of extinction would be a great summer project and will help make sure these heirloom foods remain available.  Here’s what we’re planning to grow in our “almost extinct” garden:

• Bolita bean
• Cherokee Trail of Tears bean
• Christmas Lima bean
• Jacob’s Cattle bean
• Amish Deer Tongue lettuce
• Fish pepper
• Jimmy Nardello’s Sweet Italian Frying pepper
• Amish Pie squash (this will require a separate spot in another corner of the yard)
• Amish Paste tomato
• Cherokee Purple tomato

Yep, looks like we have our work cut out for us…again!

We’re buying all of our seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

Book Giveaway by Baker Creek Seeds

Baker Creek is my favorite heirloom seed company.  Most of what I grew in my garden last year was started from Baker Creek Seed. For the first time, EVER, my kids actually liked peas!  Baker Creek is giving away this great book about having an heirloom garden.  Check it out here!

Raspberry Vanilla Soap

Aren’t they gorgeous!!  Purple, pink and creamy white layers of raspberry vanilla goodness!  These smell so good and are here in time for Valentine’s Day!  I’ve got 17 of these beauties for sale and they’re $4/each.  ALL proceeds until February 15, 2012 go to the Loraine family to support them in their adoption.  You can buy them through my etsy shop or send me a private message on my facebook page.  Thanks!

Super Soapy Fundraiser News

I’m so excited to tell you that the Loraine family received a $4000 matching grant through Lifesong!  They have until March 13 to raise $4000.  Below are the details straight from Erin Loraine’s facebook page:

“We need to raise $4000 by March 13! 100% of all donations go towards our grant unless paypal is used in which case 2-3 percent are taken out for fees. Donations are tax deductible and can be made by a check made out to Lifesong for Orphans with a memo that says "preference Loraine #2473 adoption" and sent to
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40 / 202 N. Ford St
Gridley, IL 61744
or donations can be made online through paypal at http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html

with the same memo under "purpose" by the dollar amount. Contact us with any questions. We appreciate your help in any way. This is a much needed grant and a huge blessing to help us bring Anya home!”

I’m donating ALL money received from soap sales to the Loraines until Feb. 15.  After that time, I’ll go back to donating half of my profits.  However, rather than send the money to their Reece’s Rainbow account, I’ll write a check on their behalf to Lifesong.  My goal is to raise $300 between now and Feb. 15 and we’re already up to $35 in just three days!!  Let’s keep the momentum going!  I’ll have two new soaps up for sale next week and all of last year’s soaps are reduced to $3.50!  It’s a great way to help them raise $4000…they get the donation and you get to smell great!  Win-win!