Bananas should always be bread.  It’s just what’s right.  Like how grapes should always be wine… or jelly.  I can’t handle eating a plain banana.  I have to drown… completely drown it in peanut butter, or wrap it in white bread and drench it in honey.  I just can’t handle it.

I’ll tell you what I can handle.  Sweet, warm banana bread.  With strawberries.  With peanut butter.  With oatmeal.  With mango.  Whatever you do, don’t stop.

Low-Fat Oatmeal Banana Bread I made this and ate a major amount… and I didn’t even feel bad.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread As good as you think it sounds.

Strawberry Banana Bread And there’s browned butter.  I know.  I just won’t quit.

Vegan Mango Banana Bread Double fruit!

Vegan Pineapple Coconut Banana Bread A lot of words.  A lot of awesome.

Rot some bananas and get your body bakin’!

Ps.  I’m making kale chips today.

Everything is as sweet as dessert in the summertime.

Living is totally easy:

Morning warmth and sunshine.  Just like dessert.

Granola with berries and sweet coffee.  Reminds me of dessert.

Chicken salads and pink wine for lunch.  Desserty.

Peachy blue sunsets, popcorn for dinner, and roasted apricots for dessert.

Gin and tonics.  Totally dessert.

Sleep.  Wake.  Repeat.

(Oh, but let’s not forget the fact that we still have to totally work hard, and get our hustle on, and keep our eye on the prize, and keep our nails did, and eat our vegetables, and pay our bills, and stay inspired, and just when we think we’ve worked hard enough… we have to try to work a little harder)

But other than that… summertime is totally all dessert, all the time.

Summer fruit is just stunning.  I ate most of these fuzzy little apricots just standing in my kitchen, trying to dream up a way to bake them.  They’re delicate and sweet, and absolutely my favorite fruit of summer.

Wait… did I say that about peaches last week?  Did I say that about strawberries the week before that?  I can’t decide.  I’m in summer heaven.

I dipped apricot halves in granulated sugar and roasted them under the broiler.

The fruit stays firm, but the tops get crunchy crisp, as the melted sugar creates a light candy shell.

I topped these little gems with honey sweetened marscarpone cheese and a bit of mint and lemon balm.  Lemon balm is like lemon mint.

So simple.  This dessert takes 5 minutes to create.

You could also try this recipe with ripe plums, ripe peaches or nectarines.  It feels fancy… but it’s really just good, simple, summer food.

Good Lord.

I’m so full of food.

I probably won’t eat again until 2012.

But! Yesterday you attacked my comment section with the most lovely Christmas wishes and all sorts of excitement about the goodies coming out of your kitchen.

You reached back into my archives, put on your baking gloves (duh) and got goin’ in your kitchen to create some sugarlove for your families.  I’m so glad I could be a part of that!  Blame me for those tightening trousers.  I totally think it’s worth it.

Here’s what you made! Ps.  I’m proud of you.

Katie made this Creme Fraiche Quiche for her Christmas brunch.

She called it “flavorful and fluffy”.  She’s totally right.

Lina made these Chocolate Brownie Cookies drizzled with white chocolate and dried cranberries.

She also greeted me with a “Sup, brah.”… which is totally uncommon.

These Sweet and Spicy Almonds were a big hit for Roohbaroo.  She hogged all the compliments… well deserved.

These Parker House Rolls are yeasty and topped with butter.  Ms. Wong said they were “AMAZING”.  Caps lock means things are pretty serious.

Someone made a vegetable.  That’s a miracle in itself.  Lisa made vegetables with butter… and she says she’ll make it again.   High five.

Joy in Amsterdam made these Egg Nog Pancakes for her first Christmas alone.  That makes my heart feel good.  Get it, girl.

This is the second year Mischa made this Cranberry Coffee Cake for her family.  Um… sounds like a tradition to me!

Gina made this Vegetarian Chili for her family.  She skipped the jalapeno and topped it with sour cream.  Smartypants.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls are just about the best thing ever.  Adrienne and her sister woke up at 5am Christmas morning to make these for their family.  Wendy made these Christmas morning so her boys would wake up to yeasty cinnamony smells.  Kim gave these a shot too.  Am I the only one who didn’t have cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning?

Anne’s Kitchen made this Vegan Pumpkin Apple Cranberry Bread for her friend in an effort to get her vegan friend into baking.  That’s sweet.

Um… ok.  I have to go stop eating for like… the rest of my life.

Cinnamon.  It’s a constant in my cupboard.

Cinnamon is that spice that instantly makes baked goods feel extra warm and extra comforting.

The smell from the oven?  Pretty much perfect.

It feels like Autumn is trying to sneak up on us.  Cinnamon just makes sense these days.  Let me show you some things I’ve shown you before.  This seems like a good weekend for some baking.

Pear Spice Cake with Walnut Praline Topping. Rich.  Spiced.  Delicate.  Caution:  you will want to eat the praline topping by the fistful.  You’ll have to stop yourself.  Good luck.

Vegan Coconut Pineapple Banana Bread.

That’s a lot of words…. and there’s cinnamon in it too.

This is one of my favorite breads over.  I make it when there’s nothing left in my fridge but dying bananas.

Yea…

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti… like toast became a cookie.  Awesome.

Ohmygosh.  This Spiced Apple Cake is so crazy yummy.  Maybe I’m just a sucker for baked apples and cinnamon.

Duh.

It’s vegan.  It’s pumpkin.  It’s walnut. It’s cinnamon.  It’s maple syrup.  It’s super dang good.

If you’ve been here for a while and you haven’t yet made this Apple Crisp, I don’t know what to tell you… this recipe is a game changer.  Trust me.  Please.  Go.  Do.  Go.  Do.  Go.  Do.  Go.  Do!

I swear… cooking rice in sugar and milk has got to be one of the best things man has ever created.  Well…that and mouth breathing.  You know that feels good.

Brown Rice Rice Pudding.

And!

Tea inspired, Chai Spice Pancakes.  Because I will find any and every excuse to make up a new pancake recipe.

You know that feeling….

When you’re on a brunch date, you arrive at a restaurant, and the hostess tells you that the wait is going to be 20 minutes…

And you think aloud to your date…’ok, great… let’s take a quick stroll around the block’… and you two take a quick stroll around the block.

It’s sunny and it’s Sunday and everything seems lovely…

Until you get back from your 18 minute stroll and check in with the hostess to find out that your wait time has increased in your absence… to like… an hour!!!

And your heart sinks.  And you want coffee.  And you really want some eggs.  And your kinda want to kick the hostess in the knee cap.

But you’re with a date.  You’re with a brunch date…. so you just sit with it.  You just sit with the wait time.  And you don’t complain.  And you try not to think about coffee.  And you try not to glare at the patrons already enjoying their eggs… those jerks.  And you just wait.  And wait.  And wait.

And then your brunch date finds the random rogue hair that sometimes grows out of your chin.  You call it your old lady hair.  And you’re usually really good about plucking your one old lady hair… but you misplaced your tweezers and your old lady hair got out of control… And you’ve waited so long for breakfast that your date has taken to intently staring at your face and has spotted your old lady hair…

And now you have to have a really awkward conversation about your old lady hair and all you want to do is dig a whole in the ground and crawl into it… And you curse that stupid hostess (who probably isn’t that stupid) for making you wait for your eggs so long that your old lady hair has been spotted.

DANGIT!

And you keep your hand on your chin for the rest of the date.

You know that feeling?  Yea… me too.

Let’s avoid that this weekend.  Make brunch for someone.

And keep your rogue old lady chin hair in check.  For your health.  For your dating health.

I can not believe I just told you about my rogue old lady chin hair.

This is totally embarrassing.

Perhaps I can distract you with these Cornmeal Molasses Pancakes.  They were really tasty.

This Crustless Quiche had spinach and blue cheese and walnuts.

How’s that for fancy!?

I want to marry these cinnamon rolls.  I already have the dress.

…. Stop looking at me like that.

There’s cream cheese!  In the cinnamon rolls!

Wait… did that picture of cinnamon rolls make you feel fat?

Me too.

Have a smoothie.  I’m going to.

And while we’re in the kitchen making that smoothie… how about some 30 Minute Croissants?

There go our healthy thoughts… right out the window again.

Hm…

You might consider turning these Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits into egg sandwiches.

That’s a good idea.

It’s up to you.

Get your brunch on… but don’t you dare wait in line for it.

I went to a meeting yesterday…

I went to one of those fancy LA-type meetings.  Think:  television executives, fancy open office, exposed brick walls, Apple computers, too cool for school/ultra hip staff… and me in last year’s twelve dollar Target sandals.  Um…..

It was intimidating.  I sat up straight and hid my shoes.

Know what we talked about?  Chocolate and Peanut Butter.  Seriously…. it really broke the ice.

And then one of the executives said I looked like a flight attendant.  That’s a compliment, right?

Peanut butter and chocolate.  The great equalizers.

Peanut Butter Blondies with Milk Chocolate Frosting.  Yea… these puppies make me want to sit on the couch with a glass of milk and watch after school specials.  Wholesome.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting and crumbled peanut butter cups make me feel like a dirty filthy whore…. and I love it.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies dipped in semi sweet chocolate?  There goes your diet.

… It was a stupid diet anyway.  You look great.

This is what Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie looks like if you put your face rreeeeaaaallllllyyyy close to it.

This is what Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies look like if you take a really bad picture of them.

True.

Don’t you feel like a genius when you’re in the middle of making peanut butter cookies and you remember you have half a bag of chocolate chips in the cupboard?  Yea, me too.   Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Good Lord!  We shouldn’t even be talking about this mess.  It’s butter and sugar topped with peanut butter, butter, more sugar and chocolate and butter.  See?  These Peanut Butter Fudge Treats are a legitimate problem.

Here’s a think piece:  Chocolate and peanut butter pancakes: friend or foe?

If you’ve been around these parts long enough, you’ve probably noticed that I’m pretty fond of buttermilk.  

Buttermilk brings the tang, brings a tender texture… and is all around awesome in baking.  

But once you buy the carton for one recipe, what the heck are you supposed to do with the rest of the milk?  

Not to worry.  I’m looking out for you.  Here are a few recipes that will help you use up that carton of buttermilk.

Click around.  Maybe you think that  Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream is swell.   

While you’re busy with buttermilk, I’m going to go stuff my face with more Easter jelly beans.  Good?  Good.  

Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles are a thing of beauty.

I love when a bag of frozen berries gets all fancypants.  Warm Berries with Stovetop Dumplings.

This cake is all sorts of classy.  It’s baked up in a sheet pan, covered in blackberry jam and Swiss meringue buttercream.  It’s a beauty queen.  I love it.  Blackberry Jam Cake.  

Red Velvet Cake with Fluffy White Frosting.  This cake is like the cool kid on the playground.  Everyone wants to be on their kickball team.  Laaaadeeeedaaaa!

I like carrot cake in Spring, don’t you.  Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream.  

Mmmmm.  Buttermilk Pie with Warm Blackberry Sauce.  This recipe just warms my heart to bits.  

Hop in the kitchen and use up that buttermilk.  You’ll feel better.  or… I’ll feel better.  Someone will feel much better.  

If you can’t find buttermilk, or buttermilk puzzles you, or you just want to make your own… I’ve got all sorts of tricks up my sleeve for you.  

I was packing up my kitchen this afternoon and I got to thinking.

I got to thinking about my box grater… which is totally weird.

As if thinking at length about my box grater weren’t odd enough… I’m now going to shovel my box grater thoughts onto your lap.

There’s butter.  There’s cheese.  There’s roots and veggies.  All the drama and intrigue you could want from one little box grater.

aaaand… seriously… thanks for playing along.  I realize I’m ridiculous.

First things first: carrots.

These are Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Frosting.  These are best when unwrapped and shoved into your face.

Cheese.  Just say yes.

Homemade pizza and a movie rental with your honey… just the best night ever.  Take note.

Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits.  Because biscuits are the answer to every problem.

Grated greens and roots for Zucchini Sweet Potato Bread.  It’s the goodness.

While we have the zucchini out.   Pancakes.  Zucchini Pancakes.

Take frozen butter to the box grater.  It’s a wonder in pie and scone dough.  It’s a secret weapon from me to you.

This No Roll Pie Crust recipe I came up with… it’s dang amazing!

I do this thing when I’m filled to the brim with tasks and opportunities and responsibilities and stresses…. I add more.  I really just pile it on.  I somehow think that adding new responsibilities and stresses will erase the ones I’ve already loaded on my shoulders.  

It’s illogical.  It’s a terrible idea.  It’s downright crazytown.  

I’m in Crazytown and I’m about to move into Lost My Marblesville.  Someone please send a straight jacket.  

In related news, I’ve decided to move into a loft in downtown Los Angeles.  I’m driving to Seattle in a Uhaul next week with my little sister… pray for us.  Aaaand I’m teaching my first cooking class in Sonoma this weekend!  

More on all of these things soon.  For now… here’s what I’m stress eating.. no joke.

Mini Chocolate Dipped Bananas rolled in crushed honey roasted peanuts.  If you really commit to your stress… I mean, really just get in there and wallow in it… I’m sure you can down a cool seven bananas in no time.  Just.  Like.  Me.  

Half spongy souffle cake, half warm pudding, all lemony goodness.  Lemon Souffle Cake.  Maybe I ate this whole souffle right out of the pie pan.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  But… yea, definitely.  That totally happened. 

I have bathed in this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.  

I like to eat brownies right out of the freezer.  Dense, cold chocolate cake with melty frozen marshmallows?  Yea… I never said I was normal.  S’mores Brownies.  Friends for life. 

Giant Vanilla Sugar Cookies.  There’s nothing like a cup of tea and a cookie the size of your face to wash your troubles away.   Dreamy.

Note:  Am I encouraging emotional overeating with this post?  No.  Yes… No.  Well… maybe a little.  I’m half kidding, half overcommitted and definitely stuffing cookies in my face at every opportunity.  That’s just the honest truth.  I hope you can handle it. 

Is it just me, or are there butterflies everywhere?

Maybe it’s butterfly hatching season…. that’s a technical term: butterfly hatching.  Obviously.

Exhibit A:  On a particularly rough day at work, a butterfly just about the size of my hand fluttered around me showing off its black, yellow and red wings.  Absolutely gorgeous.

Exhibit B:  Just this morning a butterfly whizzed past my nose as I rode a bike through the Oakland hills.  High speed butterflying.

I don’t even need an Exhibit C, I’m tellin’ you… there’s something in the air:  butterflies.

So, all of this beautiful fluttering action has lead me to, well… look for a little meaning in all of it.

I know… totally cheese ball, right?  It’s just that I feel something in the air.  Maybe it’s the change of season, or maybe it’s my sun sign doing God knows what to my moon sign.  Who knows?  I just feel a flood of change coming my way.  I think that’s what all these butterflies are trying to tell me.  Change is a’comin’, in more ways than I might already think.  That… or it’s just butterfly hatching season.  I don’t know.

In other news:  I have a fridge full of zucchini and I made zucchini pancakes.

You probably know me well enough by now to understand my lengthy and well documented affection for pancakes.

That being said… these pancakes aren’t the sweet breakfast treat that you might expect from me.  Think of them more like a potato pancake… the kind you might top with sour cream or apple sauce.  These are the zucchini version of potato pancakes.  They’re super easy to throw together and all sorts of fun to eat.  I topped mine with a bit of sour cream and sweet paprika.  Dinner, made so easy.