~chasing my tail and yummy muffins~

Hello friends, how was your week? Aren’t these pretty, they were a gift from my Mamma. So bright and springy and of course they are in my favorite vintage milk carrier! You can read more about that here.

Ever felt like you were “chasing your tail”? Yup, I hear you! That was the kind of week it was for me, throw a couple extra things into the schedule and it was crazy town around here I tell ya! I am so happy I have today to play catch up, AND the sun is coming in and out from the clouds. It always makes me sooooo happy to see the sun!

This week also involved some real hands-on parenting here in the RGV home. Raising kids can be pretty hard at times. I know we set the bar pretty high round here when it comes to our family values and parenting, and sometimes that creates dilemmas. Do you ever feel like you are swimming upstream against all the influences out there?

I had to dig my heels in this week over one such relatively small issue that conflicted with how we have chosen to raise our kids. It was tough. But you know what :  I.am.a.good.Mom. We need to tell ourselves that more often. We “earn our stripes”! If you are in the trenches of parenting right now, stay with it. Stand by your family values. It counts, it really does.

Oh, and I also went on diet this week. It’s my first real diet ever, and it’s tough! But that’s another whole post!!

So with the “d” word still in mind let’s move right on to the yummy muffins shall we? No, I did not eat any of them, but in the interests of not starving my family along with myself I made an extra effort to do a little baking this week.

These Banana Oatmeal Choc-Chip muffins are great if you have bananas that are beginning to look overripe and no one wants to eat them anymore. Did you know that if you can’t bake with bananas right away you can throw them in the freezer? They will look disgusting as the skins go all black, but the banana inside is perfect for baking with. When you are ready to bake let them thaw, split the skin and squeeze out the banana and mush it up a little more, it will already be squishy. Just remember you threw the bananas in the freezer, don’t be like me and discover a dozen bananas staring at you when you open up the freezer one day….

Here you go then, the muffin recipe just in time for the weekend! This recipe comes originally from the Company’s Coming muffin cookbook. We added the choc chips ‘cos in this house we seem to throw choc chips into most baked goods! Thank goodness for Costco’s jumbo bag!

raggygirlvintage Banana Oatmeal Choc Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup cooking oil

1/4 cup milk

1 cup mashed bananas (3)

optional: choc chips, raisins

1. In a large bowl stir first 6 ingredients together. Make a well in the centre.

2. In a small bowl beat eggs until frothy. Mix in cooking oil, milk and bananas. Pour into well. Throw in choc chips/raisins if you like.

3. Stir just to moisten. Batter will be lumpy.

4. Find some cute muffin cases and fill 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 mins or until done. Makes 12-18.

Aren't these the cutest gingham cupcake cases! I am such a sucker for pretty cases, I have these in pink and aqua too! I found them instore but if you're looking for pretty cases check out etsy.

These muffins are good with a slathering of butter or a slice of cheese! They will stick to the cases when warm, let them cool. If you can’t wait go right ahead, they are good warm! {You can bake them directly in the muffin pans, I just don’t like the cleaning involved with that!}

Let me know if they make it onto your weekend breakfast menu

Have a lovely weekend,

Tracey

For more raggygirlvintage recipes check out my pinterest board here.

~home : a place of retreat and comfort~

Well I promised I’d show you my favorite pillow yet, and here it is!

I love the dictionary definition, and the typewriter font. 

Many of us work hard to make our dwellings a place of retreat and comfort.

~a place that feels safe to come home to even when the world is tough~

~a place where we are loved and accepted unconditionally~

~a place where we are cheered on no matter what~

~a place where we can sing out loud and put our feet up on the sofa!~

~a place where we find rest and refreshment~

You might find it strange that for all the pillows I sew I actually don’t keep that many of them in my own home. Silly really!! But this one is a keeper. I want it in my home as a tangible reminder to our family. I love being home. Plus it’s super comfy when those feet are up on the sofa!

Linking up with Courtney at Feathered Nest Friday 
and Becca's Home and Family Friday

Tracey

~chocolate eggs and stuff~

Hello peeps, had your fill of chocolate eggs? Me too! 

They are yummy, aren’t they!

We had unseasonably warm weather for our Easter long weekend up in the Pacific Northwest, what a treat! 

It was my turn to host Easter dinner, so here are a couple of peeks at our day and decorating, super simple and springy.

 

White flowers in small ironstone tureens. I had planned on white miniature roses and tulips, all sold out! These worked too.

 

Flatware dumped stacked in a pretty container.

More eggs and bunny marshmallows.

We had some Easter and coastal and spring all happening on the mantle! I think this vintage egg cup is so sweet, even if it is missing one eye.

These Easter nests were yummy, I’ll have to remember to post the recipe before next Easter! Loving the robin’s egg blue of these eggs. 

Here’s a quick trivia fact for you: Cadbury chocolate eggs in the US and Canada are not the same, the US ones are bigger, the Canadian ones are prettier colors. All sampled as a courtesy to bring you this important fact of course!!

Of course the day would not be complete without an egg hunt! Do we ever outgrow egg hunts? I think not…

Look easy to find? Hmmm, actually took them a while. Sometimes the obvious spots are the best! 

Certain teenage boys in the home had to line up their loot military style and engage in bunny battles. No comment.

My favorite part of the day : having the family share what Jesus means to them.

Well I’m off to raid the kids stash, hope you had a lovely Easter.

Tracey