Seeking Simple Weight Loss

If weight loss was simple, I suppose we would all be thin. In actuality, it is simple. Simple Math. It's the willpower to do simple math on a long term basis that gets complicated.

On February 2, I started dieting. I did a little Internet research. It takes approximately 2,000 calories a day to maintain my weight. A pound is made up of 3,500 calories. If I eat 14,000 calories a week, my weight will remain unchanged. If I eat more than 14,000 calories a week, I will gain. And if I eat less than 14,000 calories a week, theoretically I should lose. But bodies are a funny thing...sometimes they are bad at math.

So, if I cut 500 calories a day (down to about 1,500), I should lose one pound a week. And If I were to miraculously cut 1,000 calories a day (down to about a 1,000 a day), I should lose two pounds. What most people never seem to realize is that to lose a significant amount of weight, you have to be in it for the long haul. Day in and day out for months.  Dieting is really about long term motivation. 

To put it in perspective, if I fasted for 7 days straight and ate NOTHING, I could expect about a 4 pound weight loss and almost certain death. Going without food would not likely kill me but there is a high probability some fed-up family member would shoot my crying, complaining, crabby butt. I only mention this because the other night, I was watching the TV show "The Biggest Loser".  At the big weigh in, people lose 8-12 pounds a week!  Of course, these people are being compensated to lose and are likely exercising 6 or more hours a day. I would like to see a normal, working person with a family and a job pull off these kinds of weight loss. 

Most sources seem to indicate a healthy weight loss should be 1-1.5% of your total body weight weekly. For most of us, that falls in the 1-2 pound a week range. 

Personally, I hate dieting and unlike almost every other woman I know, I also hate talking about it. So, why am I writing about it? To stay motivated and share any simple weight loss tips I pick up along the way. I would appreciate the favor returned. 

Last month, I lost 6 pounds. We all have favorite foods and things we do when we are trying to lose weight. Here is one of my favorite low calorie meals. One cup cooked macaroni (210 calories), 1/3 cup canned diced tomatoes (30 calories), about a third of an andouille sausage (63 calories) and about a tablespoon of cheddar cheese (28 calories). Total calories 331. Throw in a cup and a half of watermelon and you are at 400 calories even. It's pretty hard to feel deprived when eating like this. 

This dinner (pork with pineapple, rice and peas, broccoli in cheese sauce) topped out at 689 calories. I usually like to save up my calories so I can eat a big dinner. I am finding some products I can live with.  I tried the Light Ranch dressing which is still not that light at 80 calories for 2 Tablespoons but is better than regular which is around 140 calories for the same amount. 

I am fat because of butter. I L-O-V-E it! I have started using some of this Smart Balance Buttery Burst spray. It is in no way as good as a big 200-300 calorie glob of butter but it's pretty fine for "0" calories. I like to spray on streamed veggies or light popcorn. I also use quite a bit of Teriyaki sauce which is only 15 calories for a big Tablespoon full. 

Same macaroni dish sans cheese with some sliced cucumbers with a Tablespoon of Hendrickson's salad dressing. One Tablespoon of Hendrickson's is only 35 calories. This meal came in at 371 calories. When dieting, I find I will eat the same things over and over once I find some low calorie dish I like. 

There are a million diets out there. How do you know which one will work?  I'm here to tell you that none of them will work long term. Not Jenny Craig, Not Weight Watchers. Not Crazy Celebrity Diets. You must design your own diet. One that works for you, that you can live with long term, that uses foods you like. 

How to Price Match at Wal-Mart

Price matching at Wal-Mart is very simple. I started price matching about a year ago and wish I had started sooner. For some reason I was hesitant anticipating push back from the checkers. In my year of match matching, not one checker has ever complained or given me any grief at all. 

Yesterday, I price matched these items.  I asked the cashier, "Do you have many people price match?" 

"All the time," he replied. "I love it because then I know what items to go buy and price match for myself. Last week, a local store was advertising pizzas for 58 cents. Me and my buddies bought a bunch." 

Yes, last week Apple Market advertised Red Baron Pizza's for 58 cents. I assumed it had to be a mistake and that Wal-Mart would not honor the price match. I purchased one pizza and they price matched with no complaint. These pizzas typically cost  in the $2.75-$3.25 range. I could have bought several but decided I really didn't need a bunch of high calorie, highly processed pizzas sitting in my freezer tempting me. I bought one for some night I am feeling exceptionally lazy and unmotivated to cook. 

OK, so enough of my blabbing. Start by going through your local grocery ads (don't forget Target, Menards, CVS and Walgreens). I like to go through the grocery ads with a black marker and circle any great deals I find. For example, this week Aldis has avocado's and lemons for 19 cents each, 1 1/2 pounds of vine ripe tomatoes for $1.69 and a 3 pound bag of onions for 99 cents. Apple Market was advertising red peppers for 55 cents each and cantaloupe for 99 cents each. 

I picked out the items and took to the checkout stand. I always separate my price match items from the regular items and tell the cashier I have a few items I would like to price match. I say "please". I keep my advertisements in hand and point to the advertised price. The cashier inputs the new price. SUPER SIMPLE! Often, after the first ad or two, they don't even look at the ad. They have a line and are in a hurry. 

So, things to do:

1)  Ad in Hand

2)  Items Circled for Easy Reference 

3)  Make Sure Advertisement is for Current Week

4)  Items Must Match Exactly and I have found that often Wal-Mart does not carry the advertised item in the same sizes or flavors

5)  Go early on the first day of the Ad to make sure Wal-Mart has it in stock (they won't be stocking up on other stores sale items and may sell out quickly)

So, how much did I save? Here's the breakdown:

6 Avocado's at 19 cents each, total $1.14

Wal-Mart price for 6 Avocado's (94 cents each) $5.64

I saved $4.50

3 lemons at 19 cents each, total 57 cents

Wal-Mart price for 3 Lemons (35 cents each) $1.05

I saved 48 cents

1 Cantaloupe for $1.00

Wal-Mart price is $1.98

I saved 98 cents

2 red peppers for 55 cents each, total $1.10

Wal-Mart price for 2 red peppers ($1.68 each) $3.36

I saved $2.26

24 ounces of tomatoes for $1.69

Wal-Mart price for 24 ounces of tomatoes ($2.49 pound) $3.73

I saved $2.04

3 pound bag of onion (forgot to include in picture) 99 cents

Wal-Mart price for three pound bag, $2.68

I saved $1.69

Total amount saved with price matching on this trip was $11.95.

If I saved this much every week, it would add up to $621.40 a year in savings. 

I have found that often stores will have one or two items on sale that I am interested in purchasing. Instead of running all over town, I can simply price match at Wal-Mart and save gas and time. 

And, while I am a big Aldi fan, quite honestly the 19 cent avocado's were small and hard as a rock. Wal-Mart's were larger and riper. 

One final note, I have heard (but never attempted) that if another store is advertising their store brand item at a certain price, Wal-Mart will match their store brand item (in same size) for the same price. 

How to Make Easy, Simple Dog Biscuits

My dog, Wiley the Wonder Dog, loves treats. Who doesn't? Here is a simple recipe to make your own canine cookies. It's a fun, easy project for kids. 



 

 

Measure 3 cups flour into a bowl.  I used a whole wheat flour to give the biscuits a nice color.

 

Dogs have a very underdeveloped sense of taste. While humans have about 9,000 taste buds, dogs only have 1,700 and cats even fewer at around 470. As a result, most dogs like strong flavors.

 

Interestingly, dogs and cats have taste buds at the tips of their tongues that taste water.  While humans can taste things added to water such as chlorine or impurities, dogs and cats can actually taste the flavor of water.  This is probably why my cat prefers to only drink running water directly from the faucet and refuses to drink any lukewarm water.

 

The next ingredient is garlic.  I usually add about 2 crushed cloves. If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use about 2 teaspoons garlic powder.

 

Onions are not good for dogs and garlic is in the onion family.  Some people do not feel comfortable feeding their pets anything with garlic. My research seems to indicate small amounts of garlic are safe for dogs but if you don't feel comfortable using it, then certainly feel free to leave it out.

 

 

Next, add about a cup of cheese and 1-2 eggs. (If your dough mixture is too dry, just add another egg). I had one of those packages of Kraft Fresh Take Cheese & Breadcrumbs that I got a free coupon for and never used so I dumped it in.  As a result, I had to add a second egg because of the additional breadcrumbs. 

 

My point is, dog biscuits are a good way to get rid of stale breadcrumbs, old oatmeal, or that package of Stove Top or Shake n Bake you never got around to using.  Your dog is not nearly as picky as you are. You can kind of wing it with dog biscuits.

 

 

Now, add about a cup of milk. "Milk Bone" dog biscuits were created in 1908 and named such because of their large concentration of Cow's milk.  Milk bone biscuits were the first dog treat manufactured in the shape of a bone. Marketing genius!

 

And though, I forgot to take a picture of it, add about 1/2 cup oil.  Certainly feel free to experiment and add your own ingredients such as sunflower seeds or wheat germ (if your dog is especially health conscious or a hippy), beef bouillon or peanut butter. I wouldn't add them all, just try different combinations until you find the mixture your dog loves the best.

 

 

Mix all the ingredients together.  The dough is usually rather stiff and hard to stir. Feel free to skip the gym today if you make dog biscuits. Rolling out dough is a great upper body workout.  If too dry, just add a little more milk or an egg.  If too wet, add a little more lour.

 

 

Roll out the dough. Throw a little flour on top to keep the rolling pin from sticking to the dough. Roll out to about 3/8 inch thick and use cookie cutter. I purchased a bone shaped cookie cutter years ago.  They are easy to find online or at most local pet store. If you don't have a bone cookie cutter, you can just roll into small balls about the size of marbles.

 

I think those plastic rolling pastry mats are a very good investment. I think I got mine at Wal-Mart for around $10. It makes clean up much easier.

 

Grease a cookie sheet before placing the biscuits on it to take. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

 

 

This batch made 80 biscuits. Cool on a rack, then transfer to a storage container. I think dog biscuits make a really cute gift for your dog-loving friends.

 

Though dogs have less taste buds than us, they are overly blessed with receptive smell cells. Dogs can smell 10,000-100,000 more than a human. About 40% of a dog's brain is devoted to smelling.  To a dog, smelling is like reading a book. He can tell where you have been, what you have recently eaten, what other animals you have recently encountered, what mood you are in and probably a lot more.

 

When we walk into a house and smell something cooking, a dog walks into a house and discerns what individual ingredients are in the dish. Humans have about 5 million smell receptors and dogs can have up to 300 million. Dogs probably get more pleasure from smelling their food than from actually eating it.

 

 

 

 My dog, Wiley the Wonder Dog, approves of this recipe. For more pictures of Wiley, visit www.wileyandwe.blogspot.com.

Simple recipe:

3 cup flour
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup oil
1 cup cheese
1-2 eggs
1 cup milk

Mix, roll out and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Is Sam's Club Cheaper than Wal-Mart or the Grocery Store?



I have resisted rejoining Sam's Club for a long time. It wasn't that I didn't want to shop there at times but it kills me to pay $40 for the "Privilege" of shopping at a store. So, for the last couple of years I have used the "Take Advantage of Friends and Family" plan. Otherwise known as the "I'm-too-cheap-to-buy-a-membership-will-you-take-me" strategy. 

 

When I went in the store to sign up, I was given the hard sell about upgrading my membership to some premium plan which cost $100. The main difference appeared to be you could then shop even more (starting at 7am as opposed to 10am) and an extended warranty plan on some items you purchase.  If you pay $100 to shop somewhere you are going to have to buy a lot of stuff to make back the initial cost of membership.

 

Before I went to Sam's, I did a little grocery shopping and wrote down some prices so I could compare to prices at Sam's. First, Apple Market.

 

 

I personally didn't find a lot of great deals this week at any of the Topeka grocery stores. At Apple Market, they did have Tostito corn chips on sale for $1.98. I had some $1 off coupons which made each package 98 cents. Rotel tomatoes were 98 cents each so after doubled coupons, I paid 48 cents a can. Roberts dip and sour cream were 98 cents so after doubled coupon, were just 18 cents each. I finally used my rain check for the 98 cent package sausage which was on sale last week. I bought hamburger at $2.99 a pound (cheapest I have found in town) and lettuce for $1.29.

 

 

Then on to Aldi's. Aldi's has the cheapest old fashioned oatmeal I have been able to find at $2.19 for a large container (used in my granola). Strawberries were $1.69 a package. Raisins were $1.79 a package, avocados 49 cents each (about half Wal-Mart's price), tomatoes 99 cents a package and Apple Juice $1.49. Aldi's has the least expensive marshmallows for 89 cents a package, cookies just $1.19 (similar cookies at Wal-Mart cost $1.88) and vegetable oil for $2.49 ($2.98 at Wal-Mart). I am a very picky eater. I can tell no difference between these brands and the national brands. I estimate I saved about $9 buying these items at Aldi's as opposed to buying them at Dillon's or even Wal-Mart. The difference isn't in flavor, it's in how much the company is spending on marketing.

 

On to Sam's Club....

 

 

 

I found a few items which were less expensive at Sam's. The Kaiser rolls were $1.87 for 12 buns. The snap peas were $3.47. A much smaller package normally sells for about $2.99 at other stores. Whole milk was $3.14 a gallon. Milk is selling for $3.50-$3.75 (was $3.37 at Wal-Mart on same day). However, milk is often on sale at other stores for around a dollar for half a gallon. When on sale, milk prices will be significantly lower than Sam's price. When not on sale, buy at Sam's.

 

The paper coffee cups with lids (perfect for camping) cost $7.86 for 50 cups. At Wal-Mart, similar cups cost 26 cups for $4.37. So, if you could buy 50 cups at Wal-Mart, they would cost $8.40. I saved 54 cents. Think about it....you will have to buy 80 items in which you save 50 cents per item before you recoup your $40 membership fee.

 

Here's what I found which I thought was significantly lower. Equal sells at Sam's for $9.88 for 800 packages. At Wal-Mart, equal sells for $4.98 for 250 packages. The same amount of equal purchased at Wal-Mart would cost about $6 more. Trash bags sell at Sam's for $9.68 for 150 bags. Wal-Mart sells similar trash bags for $11.57 for 88 bags. It takes a lot of math to compare prices. Stores are gambling we are bad at math (a pretty good gamble).

 

Items are not sold in the same quantities. To compare, you must figure out the price per number of items in the container. In this comparison, Sam's trash bags cost .0695 per bag and Wal-Mart is charging .1314 per bag. To buy 150 bags at Wal-Mart (not sold in this quantity) would cost $19.71. I saved about $10 buying these trash bags at Sam's. I estimate I "saved" around $18 on this trip as opposed to buying at Wal-Mart. It will actually take at least three similar trips to Sam's before I "save" anything since  I haven't saved enough to recoup my membership fee yet.

 

But not everything is cheaper is Sam's....



 

This Wolf Chili is being sold for $7.69 a case (I think 6 cans). Last week this chili was on sale at Dillon's for $1 a can. After double coupons, you could purchase it for just 20 cents a can.

 

 

At Sam's you can purchase 48 cans of cat food for $21.98. At Wal-Mart, you can purchase 24 cans of Friskies cat food for $10.98 (or two 24 can cases for $21.96). Two cents cheaper at Wal-Mart and you didn't have to purchase a membership. Ah yes, I'm starting to remember why I resisted buying a membership for so long. That, and the fact that I get really freaked out when I must spend something like $100 to buy 7 items. Do you really want to buy everything in bulk?

 

 

Club crackers, two boxes for $4.48. These crackers are frequently on sale for $1.99 a box at other stores or have coupons.

 

Here's what made me craziest while shopping at Sam's. I went on my smart phone to look up a comparison price at another store. Each time I connected to the Internet, it took me straight to an advertisement for AT&T phone service which I could purchase at Sam's!!!!! This is downright dirty. I felt like my phone was being held hostage. I was very mad.

 

So like every other store, Sam's is cheaper on some items and the same or even more expensive on others. Always compare prices.  I will continue to let you know what I find cheaper at Sam's and what is more expensive. Please tell me what items you have found less expensive at Sam's. 

How to Make Comfort Food: Stuffed Chicken Breast

Chicken has been selling for less than $2 pound on and off for several months. Most recently, this week (ending Oct. 23rd), Dillon's is selling skinless chicken breast for $1.89 a pound. I noticed Sam's Club had skinless chicken breast for $1.77 pound. As a result, we have been eating a lot of chicken at my house. I never thought I would miss good old hamburger.

 

Here is an easy chicken dish that looks gourmet but isn't: Stuffed Chicken Breast. It takes very little time to make and looks like you really put a lot of work into it.

 

 

To begin, you will need a box of stuffing mix. Any brand will work, I use the really cheap Wal-Mart Great Value brand. I cannot tell a difference between it and Stove Top. After all, it's just dried bread and some spices. You will also need an onion and a package of sausage. I bought this package of sausage at Apple Market when I it was on sale for 98 cents a package. This is shaping up to be a pretty cheap meal.

 

 

First fry the sausage will some onion. How much onion you put fry depends on how much you like onion. I like onion a lot.

 

 

Add some seasoning. I used salt, pepper and about a teaspoon of sage.

 

Sausage is greasy. Drain the sausage. You may want to keep the drippings to make gravy. I did.

 

 

Now, cook the stuffing mix according to the box directions. Most mixes just require you to boil some water and dump in the stuffing and spices. Easy and cheap.

 

Next, add the fried sausage mixture to the stuffing and stir.

 

 

Take one of your cheap chicken breasts you just bought on sale. I usually marinate mine in a little Hendrickson's salad dressing but you don't necessary have to do this. Trim off the fat.

 

 

Now cover the chicken breast with a piece of plastic wrap and pound it thin. If you do not cover with plastic wrap, you will end up with raw chicken pieces all over your kitchen. Feeling a little stressed? This is great anger management therapy.

 

Congratulations! You have now successfully beat up a chicken. You probably have a great career ahead of you as a bouncer in a biker chicken bar. I know it looks a little yucky but deal with it.

 

 

Spread your sausage/chicken stuffing mixture on top of the pounded chicken breast. 

 

Just roll up the chicken breast and place in a greased pan, seam side down. If you have some stuffing mix left over, you can put it around the chicken breast.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour. It may take longer depending on the size of the breast and how many you are baking. Never depend on the stated baking time, your oven may vary, the size of the breasts vary, the number of breasts, etc. Just set your timer and start checking after an hour. They are done when they are done but usually an hour is about right. I think these took about 75 minutes. Keep in mind stuffed chicken breast should reach an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees.  

 

I served with mashed potatoes and gravy. They were yummy.  

How Long Will Potates Store?

There have been some great deals on potatoes lately. This week (ending Oct. 16) HyVee had potatoes on sale for $1.48. HyVees deal of the day yesterday was the same potatoes for 99 cents. We're talking 10 cent a pound potatoes. That is some cheap eating.

 

The question is how to store potatoes? Most people probably don't realize potatoes last extremely well when stored properly. There are two important factors when storing potatoes: light and temperature.

 

First, potatoes must be stored in the dark.  Have you ever peeled a green potato?  Potatoes are alive and when exposed to light turn green due to chlorophyll. Green potatoes are bitter and should be thrown away. The glycoalkaloids (family of poisons found in plants) in green potatoes can actually make you sick. You can't just peel off the green part and use the rest of the potato because the unseen glycoalkaloids will be through out the potato.

 

Potatoes are part of the nightshade family of plants (also tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tobacco, belladonna and about 2,800 other species). Alkaloids in these plants can impact nerve-muscle  and digestive function. Cooking lowers the alkoids by about 50%.  Unless you are very sensitive, you will likely not be bothered by the alkaloids which help protect the plants from insects and disease. Most normal people would have to eat about 4.5 pounds of potatoes in one sitting before they began experienceing neurological symptoms.

 

(This does remind me of a story my Grandma told me about my Grandpa. People used to believe you would die if you ate raw tomatoes. My Grandpa and a friend ate some raw tomatoes when very young boys  and then watched each other to see you who would die first. Both survived, of course.)

 

So, store your potatoes in a dark place. Second, store between 40-55 degrees. Third, potatoes are 80% water and prefer a humid environment or they will shrivel. Four, potatoes need some air circulation. A dark corner of your garage or basement will usually work just fine. Potatoes will store for several months if you meet these conditions so feel free to stock up on them.

 

Like a lot of people, I keep some potatoes under my sink (the rest I keep in my garage on a shelf). I am highly envious of people with fancy cabinets with pull out drawers. But part of simplifying my life means learning to be content with what I have.



 

 

Here is my cheap improvisation of pull out drawers under my sink. For less than $25, I was able to buy these plastic pull out bins at Wal-Mart. They work just great. 

 

How to Organize Your Grocery Coupons and Save Big

 

I am always curious to see how others shop for groceries. I pick up tricks and tips from people of all kinds.

 

I have found the more prepared and organized I am, the more I save.  To start, I go through all the grocery advertisements.  I circle any items I want to buy that are on sale. I try to make special note of any items that are on sale for which I also have coupons--double savings! I decide which items are worth "stockpiling" based on how well it will store and the price. I usually will not stockpile an item unless it is at least 50% off the regular price.

 

By stockpiling, you will eventually have a cupboard full of items which you bought all on sale. As you incorporate these items into your menu's, combined with current sale items, you will find your grocery budget shrinking. It took me 3-4 months before I really began to see a large savings. Don't get discouraged! You will probably actually spend a little more in the beginning as you build up your savings inventory.

 

To begin, you must have a very organized coupon system. I use a plastic shoebox I purchased at Wal-Mart for around $2.  I made my own dividers   and keep my coupons separated by category (about 20 categories). I choose the shoebox because it was cheap, is big enough to hold a lot of coupons  and is easy to flip through as  I shop. Plus, it fits in the seat of the cart. I call it my coupon baby.

 

As I take out a coupon to use, I just throw it under the box but on top of the lid. It makes for easy coupon storage until check-out. I'm sure cashiers hate crumpled, wadded up coupons pulled from someones pocket and dumped in a heap on the conveyor belt.

 

I see some women at the store who have invested in huge coupon organizers which are really just baseball card holders.  They separate out their coupons and put them in the see-through plastic slots. They seem bulky and it appears hard to pull out the coupons. I see others with envelopes or cardboard holders--I call them amateurs. Really it doesn't matter what system you use as long as it works for you. You can't use a coupon if you can't find it and it gets frustrating to dig through hundreds of coupons to find that special one.

 

 

Before I go to the grocery store, I check a couple of different websites to see if I have missed any spectacular savings. I usually use moneysavingmom.com, frugalfritzie.com and/or kansascitymamas.com. These websites match up coupons to sales. The work is already done for you. I also often check the store's website to see if I want to load any coupons to the store's loyalty card or if they have unadvertised specials or "deals of the day".  Be careful about loading coupons to your store card, they do not double. Paper coupons which double are usually the best savings.

 

I try to never go to the store without a plan. First, I make my week's menu, trying to incorporate as many sale items as possible. I estimate how much each item on my list will cost. As I go through the store, I write down the actual price of the item. My goal is to never go to the check-out without knowing how much I am spending.

 

Right before check-out, I add up the items, subtract off my coupons and include the sales tax. If over my budget, I decide what I can live without and put it back. This is called "budgeting" people. I never cease to be amazed at people who spend what they want, then pay what bills they can with what little is left over.

 

 

Let's take today's shopping trip as an example. I needed bread, celery and cottage cheese. I also had a few coupons for sale items at Dillon's that I wanted to use. If I have time, I try to pull out the coupons I plan on using before going to the store but I take my whole box because I don't know what other great deals may be available.

 

I knew Wold Chili was on sale for $1 and after the 40 cent coupon was doubled, I could get the chili for 20 cents a can. I also knew Campbell's Chunky soup was on sale for $1.25. After the $1 off four can coupon, it cost $1 a can. These items generally cost around $2.25 a can. Sometimes when I just don't feel like cooking, I open a can of Campbell's soup and pour it over Rice or Noodles. It's a cheap, easy meal. My husband calls it "ER" soup--because we usually eat it in an emergency.

 

I also try to always check the clearance rack. Today, there were five Arm & Hammer deodorants marked down to 50 cents each and several packages of tampons for $2. I had a $2 off coupon for the tampons making them free. I spent less than $9 for all of the above items. (I also wanted to mention you can get really great croissants at Dillons for 2 for $1.) I saved 59% off the total bill.

 

 

The best part was the coupons which printed at register. A free package of carrots, $5 off future order of $50 or more and $2 off when spending at least in frozen items.

 

There are always great deals out there. I think the key is just being organized and paying attention.

How to Make Easy Moist Banana Bread

I love fall. It's that time of the year you finally start feel like baking again. There is nothing more homey than the smell of something baking in the oven when you walk through the door on a crisp day.  I like those days where there is a chill in the air but it's still a little too warm to turn on the furnace for the first time...perfect baking weather!

A couple of weeks ago HyVee had bananas on sale for 29 cents a pound.  I bought a few too many so decided it was the perfect time to make a little banana bread. Banana bread can either be the most moist wonderful concoction in the world or the devil's dry dust. It's an art. I have spent most of my life working on finding the perfect banana bread recipe.

Here's a basic recipe I have played with over the years.  This recipe makes two loaves. To begin, cream 2 sticks butter (softened) with 2 cups sugar. Do not be fooled by this picture of my giant 4 cup measuring cup. It really is two cups sugar and 2 sticks butter or what I like to call a perfect start.



 

Now add four eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Blend together.

Here's the secret to really good banana bread: ripe bananas. I mean pungent "black" bananas. Some people might consider throwing these bananas away just when they have achieved the perfect state of ripeness for banana bread. My Grandpa would only eat a banana once it was about the consistency of mush.

But what if you have over ripe bananas and aren't in the mood to bake?  That's easy. Just peel the bananas and place in a plastic bag. Freeze. Take out another day, thaw and bake away. You will not be able to tell a difference.

 

Add 4-6 bananas and blend.

 

 

Most recipes tell you to mix all your dry ingredients together and then gradually mix into cream mixture. I'll be honest, I usually just throw in a half teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons baking soda. Then I gradually add 3 cups of flour, about a cup at a time until blended. But hey, if you want to do it right, mix all three dry ingredients first, then add flour mixture slowly, though I have a feeling it won't make a lot of difference.

 

The second secret to great banana bread is to not over work the batter. Mixing too long will make the bread "tough".

Just mix until all ingredients are combined. It will be about the consistency of pudding.

 

 

Preheat your oven. I usually bake my banana bread at about 325 degrees. Be sure and grease your loaf pans.

 

 

The real challenge is how long to bake the bread. Many recipes will say 35-45 minutes. Who are they kidding? Mine usually takes at least an hour and often longer. I think every batch is different. The consistency of the bananas will likely change the baking time. So set your timer for about 50 minutes and start checking every 10 minutes after that. Of course, it is done when a knife stuck into the bread comes out smoothly. Anything else you add to this batter, such as nuts, will also likely affect the cooking time. Now is not the time to indulge your ADHD tendencies. You have to focus and check the bread. Don't go off and forget it.

 



 

If you stay focused, you should be rewarded with a perfect loaf of banana bread. Wait a few minutes for it to cool before slicing.

 

 

The best thing about making your own banana bread is you can make the slices as large as you want. As demonstrated in this picture, my husband seems to think a third of a loaf is a good portion size. Yummers!