TWD—Lots-of-Ways Banana Cake

I’m still in Idaho.  I made this cake for our family reunion.  I made it in a 9x13 cake pan.  We loved it.

I took really fast, not-so-good photos.  I did not add nutmeg, or rum, or coconut.  I used “homemade” buttermilk.  I used walnuts.  I made a cream cheese frosting.  I made up the recipe for the frosting.   

I feel like I’m writing a report for a 5th grade assignment.  I miss you all.  I’m so behind.  I will catch up.  I don’t exactly know when.  Soon.  Or I fear my Google Reader will explode.

My brother, Matt, who said he’s not eating sugar right now, caved and ate a piece of this cake.  He LOVED it.  Loved the frosting.  Snuck a plateful of pieces of cake to his hotel one night that he said his wife was going to want.  Right, Matt.  The verdict is out on that one.  He ate a chocolate chip cookie I made, too.  A half dozen or so of those were also on the plate he was sneaking out with. 

I love bananas.  I love everything that has bananas in it.  I will use this cake recipe again lots of times, I’m sure.  I always have overripe bananas.  I will use the recipe “Lots-of-Ways”.  Thanks to Kimberly of Only Creative Opportunities for the fabulous recipe pick this week for Tuesday's With Dorie as we keep on baking on.  You can get the recipe on Kimberly’s blog.  I think you should buy the book.  I think my turn to pick the recipe for our group is coming up in August.  How fun for me!

Part of the reason this is so short and super sweet is because my mom and I played Scrabble tonight (Monday night, which is really now last night and I should so totally be in bed).  I had all the good letters for most of the game and was kicking her rear.  She overtook me in the end and whooped my buns.  That was only because my dad came along and started helping her.  I played all by myself.  ;)

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I left for Idaho last Wednesday.  I love being at “home”.  I came with the three youngest boys.  Kevin stayed in Utah until Friday and drove up with Scott (who is in band camp to begin his dream of playing drums).  Three hours after Kevin started driving (it’s about a six hour drive), his sister called and said there was a brush fire behind our new house.  See this picture of our backyard (and beyond) that I posted a few weeks ago.

WAYYYY too close to home!!!

In the first photo, you can see this cement slab on the left of the picture.  The fire was very close!  Cindy and Sarah worked to make sure our property was safe.  It was a windy day.  They say (since I'm not home yet, I haven’t really seen it), that the fire came within about 15 feet of our neighbor’s property four houses away.  Just sayin’, still too close for comfort!  I was sort of freaking out.  Cindy asked Kevin’s mom to say a prayer and ask for the weather to change (I guess she’s good at doing that).  We all prayed.  Not long after that, the wind shifted away from coming toward the houses and the firefighters were able to put the fire out. 

Thank you Cindy, Sarah, Mom-in-law, and Heavenly Father!  We really felt helpless and feel totally blessed!  I had forgotten how dry Utah is compared to green, wet Kansas!

We’ve had a lot of fun with my family, the reunion and visiting friends and family and playing.  We’ll leave on Wednesday to go back to Utah and desperately try to feel like life is getting back to normal.  Whatever that means.  I hope to get some fun pictures up on my blog in the near future.   You ever heard of Hawaiian Charades?  It’s an all occasion party must-play game.  Especially if you’re in the Scott Family.