Moving On Up

My building hasn't changed but my floor number has.  For the summer I've left the 11th floor behind and am the newest resident on the Penthouse.  The amount of stuff I've accumulated over the year is seriously mind boggling.  Between new clothes, rescued furniture, and hand me down bake ware, it's a good thing there's two floors in my new apartment.  I'll only be here for three months, but that doesn't stop me from decorating.  After days of packing and unpacking, it's finally finished.   The plates are on the wall, and baked goods have been made.  The bro pad's been transformed, and it's certainly for the better.  

The Living Room's HUGE!  Besides the 5 coaches for sitting, it's been converted into a hula hooping paradise.  

My Favorite Room is the Breakfast Nook.  

Not as big but just as colorful.  

And the View's not to shabby...literally, I can see the entire Island! 

As for those baked goods I was talking about, last night I made banana bread.  The little kids I babysit introduced me to the recipe.  On Saturday, I took a piece home.  Instantly I knew I wanted a loaf of my own. 

Ingredients: 

2 cups sifted-all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.  Sift the flour with the baking soda and salt.  Cream the butter and gradually add sugar.  Mix well.  Add eggs, bananas.  Blend.  Combine the milk and lemon juice.  Slowly fold in flour and milk mix.  If desired, stir in nuts.  Pour into buttered 9 by 5 by 3 inch pan.  Bake in the oven for one hour.  

My oven was broken.  Its knob said 350°, but the actual temperature was 600°.  Needless to say, my bread didn't turn out quite as good as theirs.  But lucky for me, (after eating a slice of burned-bottom banana bread) my friend fixed the broken oven.  Hopefully that means I've had my one and only baking blunder of the summer.