This Just In

Another copy of "the book" has become available to win. It's true.

All you have to do is jump stage left to a Rafflecopter giveaway and cross your little fingers. 

Note: Please think long and hard about this. Our story is one of several the author is giving away. Don't accidentally pick one of her other titles. 

Honestly, ours is the best in the bunch. Normally, she writes about innocent little women thrust into dangerous, uncomfortable places and historical times with nothing but their wits and handsome, flawed men to save them. Oh, and God, He always shows up. I'm thinking wits and God are enough but that sure would be kind of a not so historical romance. Ha. Ha. And her male characters are kind of FABIO if you know what I mean, so I'd miss the whole hub-hubba experience. 

So if you pick one of her other books, I guess I'll just have to be okay. That means you'll just have to buy our story then. 

Baby needs a new pair of shoes. 

Banana Cake A Cure for the Boos...

The writers have another busy month in November. Which means I'll probably be required to post a few extra times. Today is Halloween. We don't get many trick or treaters anymore. All those Trunk or Treat and the malls are all the rage now. Some of those costumes are scary! Have you seen some of them? And people buy them for little kids. Sweet mercy. I can't imagine the sugar overload and the terror filled nightmares. 

I would share my famous candy bar cookies today. But that would be too predictable for Halloween. 

I will share this recipe though. 

Also a hint. Did you know that if you peel old bananas and toss them into a plastic bag in your freezer you have a much easier time of getting the banana where you want it to go rather than all over you. I'm shocked at how many home chefs just shove whole bananas in the freezer. Ugh. Then you have the slime, the black and greasy peel and the strings. Oh, that's almost enough to give me a nightmare! Trust me. Peel the banana first and toss it into a gallon sized banana bag. You'll thank me. You know you will! 

Banana Cake  (Slightly healthified by Fern but with non-hippie options still available for those of you who wouldn't know flax from a flea.)

Makes one sheet cake.  Heat your oven to 350.  Grease and flour a jelly roll pan.

Cake

¾ Cup coconut oil (You may use butter if y’all think that’s better. I will say Fern's suggestion of coconut oil did add a different and tasty spin on this cake. Trust me she tells everyone that she converted me. Yeah, whatever, Fern, whatever.)

3 Cups whole wheat pastry flour (whole wheat flour that is decimated into a much finer flour. Whole wheat traditional would give you much denser result. All purpose would work as well. Or give old fashioned oats whirled into flour a try. Fern fix. She just has to meddle in everything, I swear.)

1 Cup water

½ Cup milk (¼ cup if using eggs instead of ground flaxseed)

2 TBSP ground flax seed (or 2 eggs and decrease milk amount as noted above)

2 Cups sugar

1 teaspoon slightly mounded baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1 ½ Cup or 4 ripe mashed bananas

Pinch of salt

Optional but highly recommended!!!:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1-2 Cups chopped pecans or walnuts

Place the water, coconut oil (or butter) and milk into a saucepan. Bring to boil then remove from heat.

Place every other ingredient into a large mixing bowl where you have smashed the bananas. Pour the hot liquid over the other ingredients and mix very well.

Pour and spread into the prepared pan. Test the cake at 20 minutes. A toothpick or knife should come out clean or with wet crumbs.

Frosting

½ package cream cheese (4 ounces)

4 Cups powdered sugar

dash of vanilla

1-2 TBSP milk, added 1 TBSP at a time.

Mix it to the consistency you want. I made mine pretty thick.

Spread over the cooled cake. Serves at least 20 people.

I hope you survive Halloween. Watch out for clowns. Fern and I are staying in tonight for sure. I'm still healing and just can't abide by a scare. Mabel said she she saw a clown in the wooded area by the parking lot. Sweet mercy. I'm hoping it was Ralph who actually is a clown and that he'd just come from a birthday party. Ralph is a little strange though. Oh goodness. I've gotta go, I need to lock my doors!

Another Recipe ~ Oh, You Want THIS!

The writers are quiet. One has moved off to promote another story. Her characters aren't quite up to having their own blog if that says anything. And I think it does. Granted, those characters are historical so the world webs weren't around then, but that's beside the point. 

I am quite capable of stepping outside the book covers and moving and shaking. Shake what your mama gave you, folks. That's my motto. 

While you are shaking you might as well be baking. Not baking per say, because these are no bake treats. But I think you get the drift. 

These are totally season appropriate which is why I'm going to share them now. 

Saltysweet Sensations (try singing it, very lyrical) 

3 TBSP coconut oil
3 TBSP peanut butter (creamy, crunchy, whichever you have is good)
1 package marshmallows (10 ounce) 
4 Cups krispy or flaky cereal
1 Cup dry roasted peanuts
1 Cup candy corn
*Optional - 1 Cup chocolate chips or candy coated chocolate pieces should you need a chocolate fix. Note that the color of your treat will change unless you wait until they are cooled. I left the chocolate out this time. Peanutty delicious. Also if you leave out the chocolate you can share with your four-legged bestie. Fifi danced and whirled for a morsel of these. 

Melt coconut oil and peanut butter. Add marshmallows. When melted throw everything else in and mix. Press down into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Use wet damp hands to press or a spatula if you don't want sticky fingers. And cut them with a pizza cutter when cool. These are delicious!

Update on Our Story...And A Recipe!!!!!

The writers are blah-blah-blahhing over here http://bit.ly/2dVDvuY. They talk about how they invented us and took us through danger for their enjoyment. Yeah. "Whatever" as the kids say.

Since I'm just a figment of someone's or someones' imaginations I will just go on and head to the kitchen now. 

Hmmm well, if I'm imaginary how in the world do I have recipes?  Interesting!!!!

German Chocolate Krispy Bars

3 TBSP coconut oil
3 TBSP butter (note, you can do 6 TBSP of either one, I like the mix though for additional flavor goodness)
1 10 ounce bag of marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt (this helps cut the uber sweetness and adds dimension)
1 Cup toasted coconut *

1 Cup toasted pecans *

1 Cup chocolate chips
4 Cups (roughly) of crispy rice cereal.

Melt butter/coconut oil over flame in a large saucepan. Turn down heat, pour in marshmallows, stir until they begin to melt. Remove from heat and keep stirring until they are fully melted. Add salt if using and vanilla. Stir well. Pour in cereal and add-ins.
Press your mixture into the greased 9 x 13 (or 8 x 8) pan, wait til they cool and cut and devour.

*Toasting coconut and pecans. Cover a baking sheet with a cup of coconut and chopped pecans and toast 3-4 minutes at 350. Stir. Put back into the oven for 5 more minutes. Watch carefully the last minute so the coconut doesn't get darker than golden brown. 

Mondays - Something to Sing About

"Monday, Monday!" humming now. "Monday! Monday! hum, humming." 

Zula here, like you can't tell the difference between Fern and me at this point. Ha.Ha.Ha. Fern's posts will probably start with a bulleted list or just a random fact. But me...Oh, I just love to sing. La, la, la, LA!

Fifi loves to join me. I think her coming to live with us has added years to her little doggie life. She just preens when I dress her up and coos when I scratch her belly. Her former daddy had been slipping downhill for quite awhile so she was just starved for love!

We had a quiet weekend in Paradise. I taught a class on banana breads. Would you like the recipe? It's a doozie. I started using coconut oil because of Fern...and ground flaxseed replacing eggs because of Fern. I prefer using both of these ingredients for the extra ummmph but lets not tell her that, okay? 

Oh. And one of the creators was busy promoting our book on blogs this weekend. Here. You should probably go check them out because honestly these girls think they have some sort of writerly wisdom to share. 

Best Ever Banana Bread 

1/2 Cup coconut oil

1 Cup sugar

1 TBSP ground flaxseed

2 TBSPs non-dairy milk

2 ripe bananas

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 Cup flour (I used whole wheat pastry) 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bread pan, mini muffin pan or small loaf pans.

Melt the coconut oil and defrost* bananas (if using frozen ones) in preheating oven in medium glass or stainless steel bowl. Prepare the milk and flaxseed in small bowl. When the coconut oil is melted and bananas squishable remove from oven and add the sugar and mix well. Then add the cinnamon, salt and baking powder and stir until combined. Pour in the  vanilla and give it a couple more hearty stirs. 

If you want mix-ins add them now (chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruit.) 

This will make one full loaf, 4 mini loaves or about 60 mini muffins. You will bake the mini loaves for about 40-45 minutes, the mini muffins for about 13-15 and the full sized loaf about 50-60.

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

pulverized nuts (1/4 Cup or so) (optional)

Mix flour, sugar (and cinnamon and/or nuts) well, cut in the coconut oil with a fork, two knives a pastry blender. Sprinkle this over the top of the unbaked bread, muffins etc. 

Or Cream Cheese Frosting!!!

1/2 package cream cheese

2 Cups powdered sugar

1 TBSP liquid (such as milk, orange juice or coffee) drizzled in 1 teaspoon at a time to get the perfect consistency.  

Mix the cream cheese with the powdered sugar until you get a big blob then slowly add the liquid and mix until you hit your preferred consistency. 

* in case you don't do this. When bananas get too ripe, peel them and place them in a designated zipper bag or container in the freezer. Then use them for such a time as this. Peeling is important unless you want to dig banana membrane off a frozen banana later. Gross! Who wants that mush under their freshly manicured Sizzling Hot Pepper fingernails? 

Welcome to Our First Blogalicious Post

I'm Zula. I'll be writing most of the content. My sister-in-law Fern will be dropping in occasionally. I'll no doubt have a few things to say after she's done posting, too. Just to make sure this blog stays true to my themes. I don't know why everything has to be a wrestling match with her. First she says she doesn't want to post and be part of this

blog thing. Then I twist her arm and she finally agrees to do it "every once in awhile." But then she wants to post things she's interested in and doesn't want to follow my pattern. Can you see why I want to bedazzle her while she sleeps? Stubborn woman. 

Beyond all that fuss and bustle, I'll be sharing wisdom and wit and skills I've picked up over a few decades. The theme of the blog is Zu-fer where you always get more than you bargained for. Promise. Money back guarantee hahahaha. I've always wanted to say that. 

Feel free to comment and give us ideas on what you might like to hear about from us. We are always open for trying new things. Well. One of us is anyway. And if it's "interesting" to Fern she might be on board, too. 

We'll break down our posts so it'll be easy to search for areas you are curious about. I'll dare to say that you will be delighted with all of them, though. We will have some great content for you. 

My main areas are: 

Recipes ~ Come and Get it, Big Boy

Advice ~ And Then She Said

Crafts ~ WELL THAT'S CRAFTASTIC

Decorating ~ Lovely, Darling, Just Lovely

Fashion: ~ Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend, Sparkles a Close Second

Pets ~ FURBABIES

Fern will be dropping by with these kind of posts (yawn)

Life and Safety Hippie Tips from Fern: Well being and Well Feeling Tip

Art Appreciation: Artscussions about art stuff

Either one of us can chime in with REBUTTALS and RANTS. And these will be tagged in all caps because we do get a bit heated. 

And because you know you are wanting a little piece of these glorious shares now I'll leave you with a Fifi pic and a cookie picture. 

SaveSave