Snow days and comfort food

Today has been beautiful. We fell asleep last night, knowing that the snow had begun to fall...and knowing that we would have some happy children in the morning.

We watched the snow fall all morning...as we did math...as we read aloud...as we cut out snowflakes. The children drew next to the french doors by our deck, all too often distracted from the pencil in their hand because of all the magical white scene before them. 

Brent had a snow day (those are the best kind!) but went into town to do some studying; he brought back soup & bread from Panera for lunch. Yum.

And then all four of them went outside. By lunchtime, it was really slushy. But that doesn't stop my kiddos in the least. That girl is definitely in her element outside.

The snow on the deck was best for packing, so Nathanael began a snow fort behind that chair...and lots of snowball fights took place here...with my couch as the perfect vantage spot! I just love that grin.

Snow days are perfect for baking comfort foods. We chose banana bread today.

I love this recipe. It always turns out perfectly...nice & toasted on the outside and perfectly done in the center. This banana bread never fails me. (To make preparing banana bread easy, I peel any uneaten ripe bananas and store them in the freezer in a Ziploc freezer bag.)

Banana Pecan Bread

1 1/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
5 1/3 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana, about 2-3 ripe bananas
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with baking spray.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar over medium speed for 2 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs.

4. Add flour mixture slowly to butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. After all of flour is added, pour in the eggs and mix until combined.  Add banana, mixing on low until batter is uniform. Stir in pecans.

5. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan on wire rack, then remove from pan and cool completely.

This recipe is easily doubled, as I did today! It also freezes well.

Make sure to serve alongside a cup of hot chocolate...it's the perfect after-snow treat!