Unemployment is...bliss?

Okay, so I know that unemployment wreaks havoc on countless lives and families across the nation...but can I just say that there are times when being without a job can be fabulous?!
Ever since kindergarten, I have lived the life of a student. School nine months out of the year, summer for a few months, and then school for another nine months. Summer jobs and temporary jobs intermingled, but for the most part, my concern was school, homework, and exams. And then I graduated college. No school in the fall?!? What?
Right now, I am in a unique place in life...one that will probably never happen again...and I love it. I don't have school and I don't have a "real", demanding job. Weird.
Yes, I would love to be working full time, but I am not, which means that I can enjoy a few lazy days. I can paint (which I have never done before!). I can go to the beach (a beach devoid of children because they are at school!) and read a book. I can organize and re-organize. I can sleep in or get up early, my choice. I can roadtrip. I can actually relax. Wow, what a concept. No school looming ahead, no pressure of finals in the coming months, no real deadlines.
I have a job, yes, but as a substitute teacher, I may or may not get called in to work tomorrow. Of course, now that I have sat back and realized how much I enjoy this leisure, my phone will start ringing or a long-term position will open up and I will once again be swept up in life. But until then, I will be relishing in these days of unemployment.

Going Bananas for Banana...

Lake trip #2 called for camping, long days on the lake, sunshine, and guaranteed increases in appetites, which meant we needed good food (and dessert), duh.
I say, "go gourmet or go home," and boy, did we go gourmet!
Dinner #1 consisted of authentic Mexican food (thank you, Brad), dinner #2 was barbequed steak, and dinner #3 (had the boat not broken down) was going to be a spaghetti feast with grilled garlic bread. Fabuloso!
Of course, to accompany the good food, I brought the dessert. Home-made snickerdoodles and banana muffins. The snickerdoodles are a classic, but the banana muffins were a new recipe.
I "splenda"ed them for the sake of a pre-diabetic on the trip and was a little wary of how they would turn out, but they surprised us all. Super moist, a good dose of banana, and wonderful for breakfast or snack.

Banana Muffins
3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup Splenda
¼ cup white sugar
1 slightly beaten egg
1/3 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
Dash of cinnamon

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and margarine together. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.
Mix wet and dry ingredients all together, being careful not to over-stir!
Pour into muffin tins lined with muffin papers, and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

*These are much more flavorful the next day, and they freeze very nicely too!

Dulce de Leche Brownies

I'm back. It's been a while, but a life of relaxation and vacation is time consuming!

I have been baking, but have had no time to post the recipes or blog...until now.

Tonight is college group, which means hungry college students who are missing their momma's home cookin' and treats. Enter Dulce de Leche Brownies.

Ingredients? One box brownie mix (plus oil, water, eggs per box's instructions), roughly 1 cup Dulce de Leche, and chocolate chips (optional).

Make the brownie batter following the directions on the box. Pour half of the batter in a greased 9x9 inch baking dish. Drop about 1/2 cup Dulce de Leche on top of the batter and swirl with a knife.

Add a handful of chocolate chips to the remaining brownie batter, stir, and pour remaining batter on top of the Dulce de Leche.

Drop 1/2 cup Dulce de Leche on top of brownie batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Thank you to Jordan for the REAL Dulce de Leche from South America!!!

Life

Ugh. I am such a planner and yet, somehow, I have found myself persuing a profession where planning is nearly impossible. Yes, during the school year, I can have a plan book, plan lessons, plan activities, live a routine and regimented life...but come June, July, August, planning is thrown out the window and it is definitely not my favorite thing!
I sit and wait. I wait for the state budget (lame), I wait for school districts to sort things out, I wait for interviews, I wait for responses...and I could be waiting up until the day before school starts! I could be contacted tomorrow or I could be called in two weeks...and school STARTS three weeks from yesterday.
I know I will be teaching next year, I just don't know where or when I will know. Hmmm, frustration? Yes, indeed.
Trust. Faith. Deep breaths.

An Apple a Day...

Apple Muffins
Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup applesauce

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 stick butter, melted and cooled

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

1 medium apple, peeled and grated (or finely chopped)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Whisk together milk, applesauce, egg, and vanilla.

Add sugars and blend; add flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and salt to combine thoroughly.

Use a large rubber spatula to stir in the apples and oats (you can also add nuts and raisins); scrape the batter into prepared muffin pan.

Bake for 10-15 minutes for mini muffins and 20-25 for regular, or until the muffins are golden brown and pass the toothpick test.

Summer

I just returned from Lake San Antonio and I sit here with an aching back and neck, sore muscles, slightly sunburned skin, and a smile on my face. I love the lake.
As we drove through the campsites and headed for the dock, we rolled down the windows and took deep breaths. There is nothing like the smell of the lake: water, sunscreen, dirt, trees, and maybe just a hint of bathroom.
Growing up, I took it for granted that we could choose a day, escape the coast, join friends, and head inland for a change in scenery. It is one of the simplest, and sweetest, vacations!
Wakeboarding until your knees shake and you just can't pull your legs up to get anymore air, tubing until your elbows and knees are raw and you just can't hold on anymore, lounging in the boat until your skin is pink and tight and you know that "lobster red" is only minutes away.
And just like there is nothing like the smell of the lake, there is also nothing like the smell of the ocean. As we pulled off the freeway and drove the few blocks home, we once again rolled down the windows and inhaled...salty, damp, fresh. We are blessed to call Santa Barbara home.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter...

I love to bake and…I cannot say no; these are my two biggest weaknesses, but my inability to say no sometimes has negative repercussions. At least baking is somewhat safe.
My roommates used to claim sickness (probably feigned sickness) and would give me the puppy eyes as they asked for something chocolate-y. Of course, I would give in…and this is the result: Chocolate Peanut Squares.
They are a little rich, but who can resist chocolate and peanut butter combined! Plus, they are super easy to make and require no baking in the oven which brings down the wait time and increases the smiles on faces. Mission accomplished!

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 3/4 cup peanut butter, 2/3 cup crushed graham crackers, and 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick). Spread into a 9-inch square pan that has been lined with foil and lightly buttered (easy clean-up).
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 4 tsp. creamy peanut butter, 1/2 tsp. butter. Heat until melted. Spread over peanut butter layer…you can even create a design or write a word after you spread the chocolate! Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until cool. Using the foil, lift out of pan and cut into squares. Store leftovers (if there are any!) in the refrigerator.