The best of 2011...

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!  We enjoyed ours here in Colorado.  There had been a few days before Christmas that brought snow and the cold, so it made it feel even more like Christmas here. I just love this time of the year and remembering the importance of what Christmas is truly about.

  As I look forward to the New Year to come, it is always a great time to look back over this last year and reflect on what 2011 brought.  I feel many of the goals I had set for this last year I was able to accomplish or to start on that path of getting to the goal I had set.  Setting goals give's me a chance to try to attain them in a realistic way and if I don't get there before the end of the year, I can continue to work towards them.

I wanted to share with you all what I think was some of the best things that happened to me this year and posts I shared with you.  I am really excited for what this New Year brings and some of the goals I would like to attain.  I have something coming up that is a big change for me and my family and we are really happy about it.  I can't share just yet, but very soon!!  A new road on my journey and of course I will be bringing you all along. :)

I hope you will enjoy going back in time over this year and visiting some of my posts that I felt were the best of 2011...

Following your dreams...

Love of old books...

Smell the roses...

This very moment...

Victoria's secret recipes...

A Sunday game of chess...

Flirtatious...handbag and clutch

My Art Saves Story...

Enchanted 2011 Collection...

Victoria Hayden...

Creating Vintage Charm...

Vintage matelasse floral stockings...

I will be back in the New Year of 2012 with new designs for my shop, lots more decorating in my home and exciting things that will be happening in my business!! Thank you to all of you who stop by for a visit, leave sweet comments and have become my support as friends!! I appreciate you all so much and look forward to what this new year will bring!!  I wish you all a very Happy New Year friends and many great blessings in this new year to come!!

Hugs and love,

Victoria's secret recipes...

Hello friends!

 For those that have been wondering when I will reveal my summer line, I haven't forgotten just have some things changing here and I am trying to get it all in order before I can share.  Sorry it has been such a wait, but I hope you all will think it was worth it! ;)


One of the changes that I am excited to tell you about, I am starting to share recipes here. Not just any recipes, but my secret recipes. :)  Those that know me well can tell you, as much as I love to create in my home, I love to be in the kitchen and cooking too!  It brings me great joy to share things I bake, cook or make in my kitchen with those I know and even those I don't.  I love to feed people and  I always add a little love into everything I make. ;)


Some of my recipes are ones that have been passed down, given to me by friends/family, my own creations, recipe books I treasure and of course my favorite recipes I have come by over the years.


Today, I am going to share a recipe that I have had for over the last 18 years.  I am not even sure where I found it, I just know I wrote it down and it is one of my favorite's! 


So, for my first Victoria's secret recipe I will be sharing...my very yummy banana bread.  It is so moist and good, one of the best banana breads I have ever tasted! It's the perfect recipe for when you have lots of ripened bananas and you don't want to throw them out...

Here are the ingredients you will need...

• 2 ½ cups of sugar
• ¾ cup of applesauce
• ¼ cup of canola oil 
• 6 ripe bananas
• * ½ cup of buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 4 eggs separated
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups of chopped walnuts (optional)
• *I don't always have buttermilk on hand, so I am substituting the buttermilk with a 1/2 cup of  milk mixed with 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar; let sit 5 minutes before using

In a large mixing bowl add your bananas...

Mash them together...

Now add the sugar...

Then mix your applesauce and oil in a liquid measuring cup, next...

* You can use 1 cup of canola oil, but I use the applesauce and 1/4 cup of oil to cut down on the fat. I use applesauce in place of oil on a lot of my baking...you can't tell the difference and I think it's more moist! 

Separate the eggs.  Yolks in one bowl and egg whites in the mixer... 

Now add your egg yolks to the batter and with a mixing spoon stir it all together by hand...

Whip the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form... 

Wait to add the egg whites till the end. 

*Tip when using baking soda in a recipe, pour some into a 

bowl then scoop with your measuring spoons and level.  

 Add 2 teaspoon's of baking soda to the buttermilk,

 use a large liquid measuring cup as it will rise when the soda is added.  

Alternate between your buttermilk/soda mixture and flour as you mix...

Once mixed add your vanilla...

*Note use a large mixing bowl, unlike me who started off with a medium bowl. ;)

And chopped nuts if you like...

Once stirred now it's time to add those fluffy egg whites...

Fold in gently...

Now it's ready for the bread pans.  Fill *greased and parchment lined pans  3/4 ways full.  This will make 2 large loafs, or you can do like I did (I am not sure what happened to my other large loaf pan?)  and use a smaller loaf pan.  I still had enough to do some big muffins. :)

*I use parchment paper on the bottom of the pans and a spray oil like PAM for the sides to keep from sticking.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven in the middle for about 30 minutes or until center comes clean when you insert a toothpick.  The top should be nicely browned and risen.  I brush with melted butter over the top when it first comes out of the oven and then cool on wire racks.  Once cooled invert onto a cutting board and slice.  So moist, with a crusty outside...it is so yummy!! If you don't have a large family to feed like I do, you can always share with a friend or even freeze a loaf for later. :)

Enjoy with a little pat of butter and a cold glass of milk! 

I hope you try this at home, please share with me if you do.  Would love to know if you like it.  I will be trying to post recipes here more often.  I am hoping to share the change I have going on here in the next several days.  Back to work I go! ;)

Hugs to you all,