It is 45 degrees outside, the windows are open and I'm sitting here in my long sleeve sweatshirt and long pants....why? Because we are letting the sweet smell of fresh rain flow through the house as it cleans away the dust cloud of junk that has been over Phoenix. After 144 days without any, it finally started this morning at 1 am and has been on and off all day! And can you belive that 10 minutes away from us they had snow falling this morning! This is how the pool looked this morning.
I've been in the mood to make something since I woke up this morning and today's new baked item is
Monkey Bars. Think a moist banana bread, but baked in a snack bar form. Inside these bars are crunchy toasted walnuts and golden raisins that have been steeped in dark rum. The raisins burst with a dark, but tasty flavor when you bite into one. My banana was very ripe and the flavor definitely came through - so make sure to use a dark banana! When I have extras, I let them go very dark and then store them in the freezer. You can leave the skin on or off, but when I thaw them, I find it easier when the skin is on because you can just squeeze the banana out like toothpaste. A bit of sweetness is added on top by a dusting confectioners' sugar.
With the rain today, it is a perfect night to watch a DVD from
Netflix. The movie will be
Fever Pitch with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon. I'm not too sure of the menu for next week, so I'll be spending some extra time reading through the to-try stacks and some cookbooks looking for some good stuff to try. Check back and see what we come up with!
It is 45 degrees outside, the windows are open and I'm sitting here in my long sleeve sweatshirt and long pants....why? Because we are letting the sweet smell of fresh rain flow through the house as it cleans away the dust cloud of junk that has been over Phoenix. After 144 days without any, it finally started this morning at 1 am and has been on and off all day! And can you belive that 10 minutes away from us they had snow falling this morning! This is how the pool looked this morning.
I've been in the mood to make something since I woke up this morning and today's new baked item is Monkey Bars. Think a moist banana bread, but baked in a snack bar form. Inside these bars are crunchy toasted walnuts and golden raisins that have been steeped in dark rum. The raisins burst with a dark, but tasty flavor when you bite into one. My banana was very ripe and the flavor definitely came through - so make sure to use a dark banana! When I have extras, I let them go very dark and then store them in the freezer. You can leave the skin on or off, but when I thaw them, I find it easier when the skin is on because you can just squeeze the banana out like toothpaste. A bit of sweetness is added on top by a dusting confectioners' sugar.
With the rain today, it is a perfect night to watch a DVD from Netflix. The movie will be Fever Pitch with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon. I'm not too sure of the menu for next week, so I'll be spending some extra time reading through the to-try stacks and some cookbooks looking for some good stuff to try. Check back and see what we come up with!
Hurray! Rain!
ReplyDeleteAnd I meant to tell you yesterday that the shrimp dish looks heavenly! Another of your creations that I think we're going to try here at home.
I love these monkey bars, have made many times! They are so moist, and I like the fact that they make a small pan, so we don't have many leftovers.
ReplyDeleteYum... have had them in a while, maybe I should make them again sometine when my bananas get too ripe! (I like to eat them without any spots, and when they ripen I do just like you and in the freezer they go! And I usually use them for muffins!)
Ana
I love any recipes with banana. I find that it is one of those fruits that do so well when cooked/baked. Great choice of recipe.If my bananas where ready I would make that too..will have to wait for a few days.Enjoy the movie.
ReplyDeleteGreat rain shots, Joe! Our So Cal rain hasn't looked that good - more muddy and full of hail. And Monkey bars on a rainy day? Excellent choice.
ReplyDeleteWasn't the rain wonderful? Just sat for a while & watched & listened. Monkey Bars sound great. My neighbor made Irish Soda Bread & shared yesterday.
ReplyDeleteMonkey Bars - a great way to use up ready-to-trash bananas. :)
ReplyDeleteCheck out my snow pics--that hit us before it hit Phoenix.
ReplyDeleteGreat-looking monkey bars!
Now that sounds DANG delicious!
ReplyDeleteWe love these Monket Bars, I'm baking them for years, even yesterday -
ReplyDeletehttp://momsrecipesandmore.blogspot.com/2005/12/monkey-bars.html
Thank you ;)
barbara - Thanks! Let me know if you give it a try!
ReplyDeleteAna - Me too, they froze well also!
Valentina - Thanks!
Nic - Thanks! I'm just happy that it cleared the air some - easier to breathe!
Fran - Finally huh? Great Neighbor!
Cate - Yeah!
Cyndi - I saw! That's a lot of snow!
Cameradawktor - Thanks!
Chanit - Great minds think alike!