Maple Banana Muffins

A few Sunday's ago, while i began gathering my ingredients to put together my mother's banana muffins, i decided to forgo the usual route.

You see, we are maple farmers, my husband & I.  We make syrup in late winter, early spring.  This task of splitting wood to fuel our boiler, of tapping, collecting, boiling & bottling is so very much a part of our family.  Maple syrup is surely a treat, but it is also a natural resource for us.  A pure sugar that we have at the ready, at all times.  After the spring rush of our regular & wholesale buyers, we almost always make sure we have enough to get us through the year.  

Yet i still find myself buying white sugar.  And every single time i ask myself why am i doing it?  

In my mind, i have wanted to make the switch for awhile now.  Over the past few years i have begun compiling recipes that use honey & syrup.  I have thinned the 'usual' cookbooks and switched them out for new & refreshing recipes.  To my great relief, some of my really well worn cookbooks from the early 19th century, already use syrup & honey, once again making me love them that much more.  

I can see us using maple syrup and honey more than white sugar.  However, i am by no means a purest, so i do realize that there will be the need, now & again, for some old fashioned chocolate chip cookies :)  

My goal is to feed our family a balanced diet.  One of mostly local & homegrown foods.

On that wonderfully warm Sunday morning, i started the switch.  

Maple Banana Muffins

1 stick of butter

1 cup of maple syrup (i usually use grade A, dark amber or B for baking to enhance the maple flavor)

2 fresh eggs

3 mashed bananas

scant over 2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking power

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream butter and syrup.  Add eggs & bananas.  Sift all dry ingredients into wet mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 

Enjoy.

Bringing in 2012

I began 2012 stress free.

I enjoyed so so much time at home with my hubby.

I made batter for chocolate chip cookies at 10 pm, just so we could try them out in our cook stove....fast forward to 11pm~ Full bellies, warm cookies, fresh milk watching northern exposure.

We stayed up late and slept in without an alarm clock.

I started a friendship with Jackie, making homemade lip balm.  She stayed for 5 hours.  We had so much to talk about....it flew by.

I make random projects, just because i could.  I started a baby quilt for Jackie and made some cute baby pants.

I made Artisan bread, pizza dough and foccocia.  It was delicious.

I went for an afternoon snowshoe with my pup and camera.  Being still in the woods.

We had some of our dear friends over for brunch, then spent the afternoon ice skating at Bean Hill Farm.

I read two books, almost done with the third.
I spent days in the woods with my husband, our favorite place to be together.  Getting ready for the sugaring season ahead.
I watched, as kayaker's made their way down the river, a new years tradition.  Although this year, they did not have icicles hanging from their beards. 
This new years day rang in with 40 degree temperatures & a beautiful light at sunset.

I stayed in my pajama's all.day.long.

We went on day trips; up north to antique shops; over to Maine, and north of Portland.

We worked on our beloved house. 

We enjoyed each other's company, laughing and just being.

I started a homestead notebook, which i am very excited about.

I didn't fret over keeping the house spotless.  I did laundry when i felt like it.  I didn't use the dryer.  I had time to hang the clothes on the drying rack. 

We had spur of the moment dinner parties.  (My very favorite kind...)

We ate out of our freezer and pantry.  Our food bill was cut in half because of that.  Oh how i LOVE that feeling.

I took out fresh berries from July and made berry cobbler.

We ate well, slept well, laughed fully and truly enjoyed the peace surrounding our days.

Yes, 2012 started out in a slow and simple pace, filled with calmness and fullness.  This year will have its struggles, I'm sure, but i will approach them with calmness and happiness. 

Slow & Simple

Greetings 2012

Merry & Bright

Well, i have to admit that i have fallen a bit behind with my blogging.  I absolutly love to document my thoughts and pictures, so i am going to overload my blog over the next few days with many posts that i have been meaning to write.....so enjoy....

:: Christmas in New Hampshire captured below ::

Baby Hebert Growing (13 weeks)

Both of my boys tired out after our family presents on Christmas night <3

Charlie's new toy from Santa...which is his new favorite for sure

Yes, its true.....our beautiful christmas tree actually began to grow...

Christmas in Vermont up next :)