An apple in my pocket ~ The iPod eating box ~ Floor Rug

School closed today, so watch out.  This post will be a doozy.  I've got a pot of coffee all to myself, and all the kids are still in bed.

I guess, although we are to warm up to the 38°F, they are predicting ice covered roads until noon today.
 
Aside from animal feed, which I may run out before the end of the week, I'm declaring this week a no-spend week.  Toilet paper is stocked up so we are good in that department.

Stupid Pie ~ Holy Basil - not just for tea ~ Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzels

(Yesterday morning's sunrise)

This time of year, everything is very wet early in the morning.  As I picked green peppers yesterday, I noticed how wet the garden still is.  

I opted to bake first, then head to the front flower beds instead.  I was sure to get "Frankenstein" feet if I went to the vegetable garden.

While my breakfast cooked, I quickly tossed ingredients together to make a pie for dinner.  Which by the way, was not a pie I'll make again.  

It was called "Stupid Pie" and

Going Bananas. . .

 Bananas were on sale, so I decided to try dehydrating them into chips.  If they kids like them, they will be healthy, inexpensive lunch packings and snacks.

 My intention was to sit, sip a hot cup of tea, inhale the wonderful apple spice candle, and read over some magazines from the library.

However,  while the tea cooled, I looked over to see that more of my bananas were ripe - too ripe to eat.  So I hopped on the handy dandy computer and made these Healthy Banana Cookies.  So simple, and so delicious.

Then I sat back down to sip my tea, and came across another recipe - Banana Chocolate Cupcakes.

I ended up baking again. 

I whipped my egg whites by hand this time.  Very easy to do also.  It was a rainy, dreary day, so it may be why I got the "baking bug" or it may be just the case of "when you give a mom a muffin."  You know how we can all get side tracked so easily in our day?

These were in the "Lower-Calorie" section of the Diabetic Cooking magazine.  We are not diabetic, but love their lower sugar/calorie recipes.  The family devoured these, even before I had a chance to frost them.

I still have more ripe bananas for baking, but need to run to the store for some butter.  Otherwise, you'd be looking at photos of banana bread also. 

Baking - the best therapy for stress.