Blogging again...
Life at Riley’s Ranch must be pretty boring if I only write once every six months! I have decided to try again and this time add a few things. Like if I try a new recipe I like and want to share it…Or have a new project I am working on etc. All summer long we have had a huge project it was called a yard. That was a beast to say the least. However I am happy to report that we have finally got grass, a rock wall, and lots more rocks. This weekend Gregory planted four more trees in the yard too. So I think for this year we are done …Maybe. I have some Iris’s that need to be split up and put in various places and some other bulbs my mom gave me over a year ago to plant too. I am hoping to put a picture or two of the yard in here. Sami and Benn lived with us for the summer; it was really nice to have them so close. We enjoyed them. We also found out we are going to be grandparents in February!!! We will have a grandson, and we are excited to meet him. They are in Pennsylvania; Ben is going to law school at Penn State. Sami is being the little homemaker. Nicholas has been getting up at 3:00a.m since he got another job working for UPS. He is very good about getting himself up and out the door. It is great to see him doing school and working two jobs. I often wonder when he sleeps. It must be in his car…? By the way he got a new car, it is a Chevy Malibu. He loves it. Taylor is doing well. She has started making duct tape wallets, and they are pretty darn cool. She went to Colorado this summer to visit the Charsley family and her grandparents. This week she is in Glenwood visiting her other grandparents. It’s good to see her getting better. Our hope is that her new medication will really finally help her. She is such a big help to me here at home. Greg was called into the bishopric and is now the 1st counselor. On top of that he still has the school thing that has him busier than ever. Work has only gotten busier too. How he is doing all of this is beyond me. Some days I think he would like all the stress and busy part to go away. Only 3 more yrs, and this school project could be over. Keep those fingers, toes and whatever crossed for him on that one. Me Well I have had both knees scoped and cleaned out under the knee cap. My right knee was first, and still is bothersome, but I am hopeful. I had the left knee done last Monday. They did more to that knee; I also had a lateral release so I guess my recovery time will be longer. Which leaves a big question mark in my mind since my right knee is still a pain… Why did I do it? To make my knees feel better when I exercise, walk, go upstairs etc. I am trying to come up with a good baby project. I have to do some looking around and figuring out what I can do. Anyway I made this yummy banana cake yesterday and I thought I should post it for anyone who might come across my blog if they wanted to try it. I think it is worth the try. Until next time…..
Buttermilk Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 1/8 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups pureed ripe bananas
• Frosting
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 275°. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan or 10 x 15 jelly roll pan. In a small bowl, mix pureed banana with the lemon juice; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
Frosting
Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla. Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Place frosted cake in refrigerator until serving. Store any leftover cake in refrigerator.
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