I have been using this recipe often the last several months. A slice alongside your breakfast yogurt or as a snack in the kids lunch box, is exactly what this momma ordered.

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Banana Bread
makes 1 loaf

1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 medium ripe bananas mashed, about 1 cup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and scrape down the sides often to mix it all well. Add the mashed banana and vanilla.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips together. Add to the banana mixture but do not over mix, only until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes, until well browned and when a toothpick comes out clean. Place on cooling rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from: Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding, Anna Olson.

When I buy or make breads, I prefer multi-grain versus white breads for sandwiches. I used an 8-grain cereal, as that is what I had on hand, but you may use the 12-grain version too. This simple recipe is great for sandwiches as it turns out light and fluffy.

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Multi-Grain Bread: Bread Machine Recipe
makes 1 large loaf

1- 1/3 cup warm water
2 tbsp oil

2-1/3 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup 8-grain cereal
2 tbsp brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp yeast

Place the warm water and oil into the bread pan. Put the rest of the dry ingredients in order.

Place the bread pan into the machine. Choose the basic bread or whole grain, if you have it, setting. Remove from pan and let cool on rack.

Recipe adapted from: Multi-Grain Loaf, Canadian Bread Machine Baking

There is a photo that comes to mind every so often. When I saw it, many, many years ago, it left an impression on me. It was a picture of me in kindergarten, on my birthday. I'm surrounded by my classmates, holding a cake, with my mom and sister next to me.

My parents were immigrants and came to Canada when I was one years old. My mother's english-language skills were not very good but I'm guessing that the teacher asked my mother if she would bring cake or something to celebrate my birthday with the class.

I can't even imagine how much effort it was to bring that cake that day to school. It's not something I would have realized back then but something I understand now. It was likely a cold and wintry day, since my birthday is the beginning of March. My mother did not have a car, so she had to walk to school, which was a good 20 minutes. She also was about 8 months pregnant and probably carried my 3 year old sister and this cake all the way to my school. I remember feeling so happy and surprised to see my mom, sister and the cake at kindergarten that day.

Fast forward to the present day. My daughter is in kindergarten and her birthday is here. That photo of me in kindergarten comes to my mind and I want to do something special for her too. Though I don't have the same struggles that my mother had, I want to have my daughter feel the same joy with her classmates, as I did on my 6th birthday.

I asked the teacher if I could bring cupcakes to class and she agreed. But, today is a different time than it was when I was a child...

"Remember, absolutely no nuts. We also have an egg allergy. There is also another child that has many allergies so he probably won't be able to have one."

I remember leaving a bit disappointed. Many children have allergies nowadays but I really wanted to bring cupcakes but could I? Egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, everything but the kitchen sink-free cupcakes? Is there such a thing and what would it taste like?

But, don't you worry. When there is a challenge, Maki will prevail. Especially with making this memory. And I'm happy to say, I have found the recipe for you moms who want to make dessert but don't know what to make in this allergy-full world. AND it tastes good.

I didn't get a picture of my daughter with her kindergarten class and the cupcakes but I have the memory of my daughter's beaming smile when we dropped off the cupcakes that morning. She was filled with excitement to share her birthday and these cupcakes with all her classmates.

And that, my friends, is why us moms do what we do. Whether it be walking 20 minutes in the cold, pregnant, with a 3 year old and cake or sifting through recipes to find that perfect set of ingredients to accomodate all friends and their allergies.

First, you are teased by the wonderful aroma filling your kitchen and home while it is baking. Then, you have to wait until it slightly cools before you take a bite. I know that I have burned the inside of my mouth often, because I just couldn't wait for that cookie or some other baked good to cool down.

I also find that I eat way too many pieces. How can you just eat one slice of fresh out-of- the- oven bread? Impossible!

This is what happened with these baking powder biscuits. The kids and I stopped often in front of the oven, while it was baking, to check on them. And of course, many biscuits were eaten while still warm.

This is the first time I've ever made baking powder biscuits. They were pretty good. Not as good as some I have tried before but that didn't stop me from eating too many!

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Enjoy!


Zucchini & Chocolate Chip Mini-Loaves
makes 16-18 mini-muffins or 12 regular muffins or 9-10 mini-loaves

3/4 cup natural bran
3/4 cup whole wheat
1/2 cup sugar or splenda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

1 cup grated, unpeeled zucchini
1 egg, beat
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Combine all dry ingredients (first 6) into a bowl. Set aside.

Combine zucchini, egg, buttermilk and vegetable oil together. Add dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture until just moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon into prepared muffin tins. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes for muffins (about 3-5 minutes longer for mini-loaves) or until toothpick comes out clean from center of muffin. Let cool on rack for about 5 mintues and take them out of the muffin tins.

Recipe adapted from: Zucchini muffins, The Lighthearted Cookbook

Our bathroom renovation is near completion (we are awaiting for some extra specialty tile to come in to finish it up) and we were busy getting ready for house guests from Germany visiting. We're still dealing with our insurance about fixing up our home after the crazy windstorm that knocked down our 50+ year old spruce tree. Just when I think life will calm down, back to school craziness will start up. I guess that's life for you.

I forgot about these cupcakes! I made them for my children's preschool graduation party. (yes, that was months ago!)


I omitted the nuts and instead made them into mini-size cupcakes. They were a hit but anything that's colorful is a hit with children, if you ask me. I tend to make lots of goodies either in the colors pink or purple and green, as these are the favorite colors of my children.

The recipe was tasty. I especially liked that it was full of carrots. Made it feel like kids were getting a healthy choice (alongside the sugary icing!) A good healthier alternative to the usual plain white cupcake.

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carrot spice cupcakes
makes 12 regular size cupcakes

2 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp each cinnamon and ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat eggs with brown sugar in a bowl. Beat in oil and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powders & soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Stir in carrots, cconut, raisins and walnuts, if using. Spoon into greased muffin cups or paper lined muffin cups.

Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and let cool before icing.

cream cheese icing
makes enough for 12 cupcakes

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups icing sugar

Beat cream cheese with butter and add in vanilla. Beat in icing sugar in 2 additions until smooth.

Recipes from: Carrot Spice Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Icing, Canadian Living May 2009 Magazine Issue.

As I am typing up, I hear the clang, bang and sweet sound of demolition. It's been a long 7 year wait but our main floor bathroom is finally getting the gut. YAY! We kept putting off the bathroom since we had bigger projects but now it's finally happening. Though we aren't fully prepared for it as we sort of decided that we will start today instead of next month. Nope, we don't have any tile, don't know what color the walls will be but I think the biggest step is usually getting started. This is how we roll, what can I say. I am sooo so excited!

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You can use any assortment of herbs and the next time I make these, I will probably add even more. And there will be a next time as I really enjoyed these.

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sour cream herb muffins
makes 12 muffins

2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup green onion tops
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (I didn't have fresh dill so I used 1/2 tsp dry dill)
2 teaspoons chopped oregano
Melted butter

Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl to blend well. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, sour cream and oil in medium bowl to blend; whisk in herbs. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Brush tops lightly with melted butter.

Bake muffins 20 minutes in preheated oven at 350°F. Brush tops with butter. Continue baking until golden on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes longer. Turn muffins out onto rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

recipe adapted from: sour cream and herb muffins, Epicurious website.

It got me thinking when that happened. I'm sure that as a young adult, when I was new to cooking and baking, I probably followed every recipe as written. But, I think with time and experience, I've gotten comfortable with my skills and don't usually flinch when I see that I don't have certain recipe ingredients.

It's gotten to the point that I will try new recipes all the time and my guest will be my guinea pigs. Books will say that you should really only make things you are comfortable with or have made over and over again -the tried, tested and true recipes. But, my guest and I will be sitting around the dinner table all wondering what the food tastes like.

Though there have been a few times I was left with a dud recipe. I think there as only been one dinner party where I can say that a dish was a total flop. Tasteless and boring. There was another time that I used soybeans (edamame) with the shells intact, thinking they would be like peas in a pod, but nope, they were certainly not. The shells are not really edible and I admit I was embarrassed that my guests had to shell each of those darn pods to eat them. A sit down dinner and everyones is using their fingers or mouths to open up the shells. Sigh. Forget napkins, I had to get wet naps out for everyone!

But no worries, these muffins turned out swell.

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blueberry lemon muffins
makes 12 muffins

3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 cups frozen blueberries(do not thaw)

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice, oil and vanilla.

In a second bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Take 2 tbsp of the flour mixture and mix it with the blueberries to coat them.

Add dry ingredients to the wet. Mix until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries.

Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tins, right to the top. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes. Cool on rack for 15 minutes and remove muffins from tins to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from: Blueberry Orange Muffins, Published in Edmonton Journal Newspaper.