The weather this first week of May has just been, well, ugh.  Not fun.  Rainy, windy, just cold enough to make me not want to go outside.  What happened to April showers and May flowers?  Not happy.

Perspective.  That's what I needed.  A little perspective.  And food.  I had a bunch of way over-ripe bananas, so I decided to make my favorite banana bread and jazz it up with some walnuts and crumb topping.  Living life on the edge over here!

Now I don't want to take credit for something that is not mine, so right away let me tip my hat to "Banana Banana Bread" by Shelley Albelun on Allrecipes.  If you are looking for a nut-free, comforting banana bread recipe- Shelley's your girl.  However, like I said, I like to live dangerously, so I added walnuts and a crumb topping to her recipe.  Giving the weather a one-two-punch, if you know what I'm saying.

I compiled all of my ingredients here- your standard banana nut bread ingredients.  You want to make sure you have super-ripe bananas.  Speaking of perspective, here's what is hiding just outside of this picture (blocking all my light)...

Reed crooning the ABC song on a ninja turtle ukulele in his underwear.  Priceless!  He will be grumpy about me sharing this picture someday, I'm sure.  Don't care!

I began by asking Reed to mash up several bananas.  I had 4 pretty big bananas, so use 5-6 if you only have smaller bananas.  And if you are cooking with a toddler, you may want to add an extra one just in case he/she gets a little hungry...

Then, mix together the dry ingredients: 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

In a separate bowl or mixer, combine 3/4 cup of brown sugar and a stick of butter.  Beat this pretty well.

Next, add 2 beaten eggs and the mashed bananas to the brown sugar-butter mixture.  Mix until blended.

When you're ready, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and pour in the nuts as well, should you choose to use them.  Stir this until just moistened.

The joy of cooking!  Yes, I know it has raw egg in it.  It was just a little bit, and I was going to lick the spoon if he didn't.  Future Rocky Balboa?  Didn't that guy eat raw eggs?  Reed has the boxer shorts going on, anyway.

Spray a 9 by 5 loaf pan with cooking spray and spread the mixture evenly in the pan.

Now, let's talk about this crumb topping!  This  topping is sweet, buttery, and really takes this bread to the next level.  Plus, it's really simple.

With a fork or a food processor, combine 1/2 cup of brown sugar with 2 heaping tablespoons of flour, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of cold butter, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Pulse or cut in the butter until it is evenly mixed.

Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter in the loaf pan.  It's ready for the oven!  ​The bread will need to cook at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until you can poke it with a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for a little before you get it out.  I like to spread some butter on mine and serve it warm or at room temperature.

We really enjoyed having this banana nut bread during our first chilly week of May.  We ate it for breakfast for a few days and it was satisfying and delicious until it was gone.  I hope you love it as much as we did!

Banana Nut Bread with Crumb Topping
Find base recipe: "Banana Banana Bread"

Ingredients
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 plus 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/3 cups mashed bananas
​- Dash of cinnamon
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

Mash the bananas well.  Mix together first three ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
In a mixer with the paddle attachment, combine 1/2 cup of softened butter with 3/4 cup of brown sugar.  Add 2 eggs and mashed bananas and mix well.  Pour into dry ingredients and add walnuts.  Mix until just combined and pour into prepared loaf pan.

In a food processor or small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar, dash of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of cold butter.  Pulse or cut in with fork until combined.  Sprinkle evenly on top of batter in loaf pan.

Bake for about 60 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out dry.

 I just finished writing my post on getting up early to spend time with God (see "Good Morning!- Faith) and I was thinking that some of us might need some motivation.  Enter cinnamon rolls.  These soft and chewy rolls actually rendered my two year old speechless... at least for 30 seconds until the sugar rush came along.  Ahem.
Anyway, here's how I made them!  The official recipe can be found at the bottom of this post.

​1.  Warm up 1/2 cup of milk in the microwave.  Once the milk is warm, but not hot, add in a packet of yeast. Let this mixture stand for about 5 minutes.
2.  Mix together a half a stick of softened butter, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until the mixture becomes fluffy.  If you have a standing electric mixer, use the paddle attachment, but a hand mixer will do just fine, too.  
3.  Beat in one egg and a cup of flour.  Finally, beat in the warm milk mixture.

Switch to a dough hook and gradually add a rounded cup of flour.  If you don't have a dough hook- have no fear!  Use a spoon until the dough gets too heavy and then finish with your hands.  Mix this really well, for a couple of minutes at least.  Scoop out the beautiful, soft dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Store this in a warm place (I stored mine in the microwave) for about an hour and a half.  Just enough time to feed the kiddo, get him a bath, and in his jammies.

Turn the dough out on a well-floured working surface.  Use plenty of flour to keep the dough from sticking, and roll it out to 15 by 8 inch rectangular(ish) shape.  It should be about a quarter-inch thick.  Feel free to use a knife to trim the edges.

Bare feet on the countertops- sorry clean freaks.  Its the price of a toddler who is determined to roll the dough.  We have quite a system at this point.

Use your rolling pin to transfer the dough to some wax paper.  Now it's time to make the fun stuff...
​Use a fork to mix together 1/2 stick of butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.  Spread this mixture on the dough, leaving a little space around the edges.  

Oh. My. Goodness.  I think I could just eat this stuff on its own.  Maybe I did...

Then, roll it up!  Try to roll it tightly and evenly.  If you have time, wrap it in the wax paper and pop in the freezer for a few minutes.  That will make cutting the dough SO much easier.

Cut it up!  Make sure you use a really sharp knife, and make your rolls about an inch wide... long?  Whatever!  Ya got me!

Butter a square or round nonstick pan and arrange the rolls inside.  Be sure to leave some space between the rolls.

Okay, you have a couple of options now.  

• Option one: cover with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Option two: cover with plastic wrap and store the rolls in the refrigerator overnight.  I did this and it worked really well.  Just make sure you let them come to room temperature before baking them in the morning.

Whenever it's time to bake, just take the plastic wrap off and pop them in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, get your ingredients together for the icing.  I'm sharing a little secret from my mother-in-law here.  She's one of the best cooks I know, so perk up, peeps...

A half a cup of confectioners' sugar and about a tablespoon of coffee creamer (I used caramel here) is all you need!  Pour the sugar in the bowl first and whisk in the creamer a little bit at a time until it has the consistency of a glaze.

Drizzle with the glaze and serve!  Yum!

Yes, same flour-covered jammies as the night before.  We made these as soon as we woke up.  And... speechless!

Enjoy!  Please comment if you try these out!  

Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients:​​
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 pack active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 stick of butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 2 cups of flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tbsp flavored coffee creamer

Instructions
Add a packet of yeast to warmed milk.  Allow to sit for about 5 minutes.  In a mixer, combine sugar, half of the butter, and salt.  Add egg and mix well.  Stir in 1 cup of flour slowly.  Add warmed milk and yeast and mix well.  Switch to dough hook and slowly add remainder of flour.  Cover in oiled bowl and allow to rest in warm area for about 90 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remainder of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  
Roll out dough in a long, rectangular shape (about 15 by 8 inches).  Spread cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly on dough.  Roll up dough and cut into 1 inch rolls.  Place rolls on buttered 9 inch round pan and allow to rest for 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
​
Bake in at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Whisk confectioners' sugar and creamer to make glaze.  Drizzle on rolls and enjoy!