it was good banana bread because ryan said so

I used to be a nervous wreck about baking - measuring the right amounts, making sure the baking soda wasn't over 3 months old, being out of eggs & not wanting to go to the store, having a floury mess over every countertop. My one-butt kitchen experienced a peaceful, organized symphony of baking glory today, however. I have my new stand mixer from my sweet mom to thank for it. I found two recipes from some new cookbooks I got for Christmas that call for very few ingredients: sour cream banana bread and lemon-lime tea cakes. I only had to get ripe bananas, lemons, and limes from the store - I had everything else. Lazy is my middle name. I hate recipes where I have to go buy things no normal kitchen has stocked. Tell me you have the following combination of ingredients at your house at this very moment and I will give you $10: heavy cream, mexican chocolate, turmeric.

Banana bread came first - set up my wet ingredients on one counter, dry on another. I heart mise en place. The stand mixer was awesome - I was done mixing when the oven beeped it was ready, and an hour later I had two beautiful brown loaves. Sour cream made the loaf thicker, and for baking two loaves at once, I sure timed it right. That never happens for me. I tried to talk myself out of eating a few crumbs off the corners, but it didn't work.



Then came the tea cakes - 24 mini muffins made with lemon and lime zest and their juices. This was probably the best batter I've ever tasted. While they baked, I made a simple syrup with more lemon slices, and poured the syrup over the cakes when they were done. They were so gooey and light. I think if they were regular-sized muffins, they'd be too rich.

I would sure hate to have a gluten problem.

With love and citrus,

Jabe