Meet the Domesticated Joanna

Yes, you read that title right. Meet the domesticated me:

Ever since I have moved in to my new place (yes I know it has only been 2 weeks), I feel a bit more... "grown up" if you will. Which is a scary good thing, I suppose. Not only are Tony and I cooking more, but I am beginning to experiment new baking recipes as well!

My future in-laws visited on Sunday to help move the rest of Tony's things into our new place. So to thank them, I decided to bake them something! Since we had 4 very ripe banana's just chillin in our fruit basket, and since Tony's mom has a gluten allergy, I decided to try a gluten free banana bread recipe.

Here goes nothing...

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cups and 1 tablespoon gluten-free all purpose baking flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
• 1-1/2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons and 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in eggs, maple syrup and mashed bananas until well blended. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture; mix until batter is just moist. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. If using muffin or cupcake tins, bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

(For more information on the recipe or to adjust the ingredients to change the amount of muffins you would like to make, click here for the website with the recipe and directions!) :o)

During the 15 minutes that they were in the oven... I decided to begin my blog post instead of cleaning up the mess I made. Oops. Dishes and I do not have a very affable relationship... so they were just fine waiting in the sink. 

DING! They are done!

Look at those beauts.

Ahhhhhh... if only I could share the smell with you as well. Heavenly.

So what's the verdict? Well... Tony, his mom, and his dad all said they were good and that they really enjoyed them. Tony said you couldn't even tell that they were gluten free! Either they were just being sensitive to my new found love for baking or they actually really did enjoy them. Either or, I'll take the compliment. :o)

Not only have I been crafty in the kitchen, but I've been putting my creativity skills (thank to Pinterest) to use in other areas. 

What can one do with buttons, fabric, and a canvas? Hmmm.. oh I know!!  

Wha-la! A buttoned "G" for when I am a married woman! 

With my finished craft, I decided to make an engagement/wedding themed wall collection for our kitchen: 

(Don't mind the messy table)

I ordered 2 8x10 engagement pictures and put them in frames that I found at Hobby Lobby (AKA my second home). The 11-17-12 picture is something I made for our engagement picture session with our photographer, and the flower is something I just put together with a mason jar and straw.  

Here is a close up:

So JoWanna know what? Not only is Tony one lucky dude ;o), but I have been enjoying all of this so far! With everything else going on that life hands me, taking on these new roles and creativity challenges has really been an alleviation from stress. To me, that time I spent crafting and baking was a nice and peaceful time to collect and reflect my thoughts. So whether you're looking to spice up your place, or looking for a "mind getaway", I prescribe you creativity. Not creative? That's nothing Pinterest can't fix ;o)

Right?

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!