{ Banana Streusel Muffins }

Confession: I'm a Crazy Cat Lady.

Well, I mean, can you be a Crazy Cat Lady with one cat? I think you can. Therefore, I'm pretty sure I meet the criteria.

Our cat is nearly 12 years old. We got him when the Bean was four. The Bean had, at the time, a little black cat that lived outside. His name was Sam. Sam had a best friend. He was a bunny named George. I know that sounds unlikely and weird, but it's a true story.

We would let George Bunny out of his cage and he and Sammy would play. They were just the funniest lil things.

Well, Sammy was young, George Bunny was old. George passed away. The hubs and the little Bean put George in shoebox and buried him in the backyard. Sammy followed them and meowed the whole time. Then, when they were finished Sam laid on George's grave. It was so sad. That evening, Sam went across the road, which he had never done ever, and got ran over. I'm convinced the cat committed suicide. It was the most bizarre thing. Extremely tragic for our 4 year old as well.

A couple months later, we found a lady giving away kittens at the county fair. The Bean picked out a kitty and his heart was just set on him. Only him. I just had to let him have him. That is where our kitty, Fairley (middle name Bueller, haha) came from. The Fair. Fairley. The Fair cat. We love him.

He is the sweetest cat on the planet. I might be biased, nah, that's crazy talk, he really is the sweetest cat on the planet. I love him. I love love love love love him.

I'm on instagram. I post photos of my cat. Too. Much. TOOOO MUCH.

I AM a crazy cat lady. 

Recently, I've started posting pics of him on my lap at night while we watch TV together.

I'm crazy.

Here are photos. There are lots.

I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not.

 Pretty Fairley

Fairley at Christmas (see the stockings?)

He's JUST SO FLUFFY!

Here we are watching Downton Abbey

 FRIENDS here.

 Watching a little Glee

Some Firefly

Downton Abbey again!

 Gilmore Girls! Fairely loves Gilmore Girls.

We were watching Bunheads last night. This photo is is from yesterday. I'm doing Geek Photo A Day through Instagram #geekphotoaday , check it out! You can follow me and all of my cat adventures. I'm SugarBeanBakers.

I'm also slightly unstable.

KITTY! <3

CRAZY. CAT. LADY.

We should really talk about something else. ANYTHING else.

How about Banana Muffins? Or better yet, Banana Streusel Muffins.

The original recipe for the muffins (without streusel), I THINK is from the old Betty Crocker cookbook. I've used it so long though, I am not positive.

We love banana muffins around here, but you know what makes em better?

Streusel.

So, Banana Streusel Muffins is it.

Just mix up the ingredients for the muffins, put in muffin tins, sprinkle the stresuel on top, and bake.

I think precious few things make your house smell better than banana bread.

Yummy.

Tina

I'm sorry. I tried to stop myself from posting another. But... with this face??? Resistance is futile.

Banana Streusel Muffins

adapted by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

Muffins

1 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/3 Cup Butter, Softened

1/3 Cup Water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3-4 mashed RIPE bananas*

1 2/3 Cup Flour

1/2 Cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans (optional)

Streusel

1/2 Stick Butter, cold

1/3 Cup packed Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Quick Oats

1/2 Cup Flour

*the riper the banana the better the bread. The ones in the photos above are not nearly ripe enough for me. Brown to black bananas make the best bread.

For the muffins:

Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Add in the water, eggs, and mashed banana. Mix well. Add in dry ingredients and mix slowly until well combined.

Grease a muffin pan, or use paper liners, and fill cups 2/3 full.

For the streusel:

Cut the dry ingredients into the butter using a pastry cutter or a fork (or a food processor) until the mixture looks like peas.

Sprinkle over muffins (you may have slightly more than you need for this recipe).

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes (check at 20). A toothpick will come out clean from the muffin, but a bit of streusel may still cling to it. Makes approx. 16 muffins.

 

{ Chokladbollar: Swedish Chocolate Balls }

Do you know how to say that word up there?

Yeah, me either.

I've gone through my phonics trying to work it out. Chalk-lad-bowl-are?
Chock-laud-bow-ler? Chuck-lah-boo-lur?

I have no idea, but it sure is fun to try. Go ahead, you know you wanna.

You ever notice some words sound weird if you really think about it?

Ok, if you REALLY think about it, MOST words sound weird.

Muck. Burlap. Squirrel. Toes. Corn. Squishy. Purple. Skillet. Turtle. Chair.

Even weird sounds weird.

Weird.

ANYWAY... (<---------how weird does that word sound? Oh my gosh. I think I need medication. med-ih-ka-shen).

Recently, while trolling the web for ideas to use the Pearl Sugar I had left from my Vanilla Bean Liege Waffles, I came upon this little Swedish treat. Now, actually, this takes Swedish Pearl Sugar (Swedish recipe, Swedish sugar...go figure) and I only had Belgium, but hey, we'll make do eh?  You really don't need pearl sugar at all, it's just a fun finish.

These are quick and easy. No cooking. No baking. Made from things you probably already have at home.

SCORE.

I found them on the blog (blog. LOL), She Simmers. Fun site. I'd never been there before. I love her category listings on the side. Check 'em out.

She got the recipe from a reader of her's named Mikael, who is Swedish. This is his recipe for Chokladbollar, so they are authentic Swedish Chocolate Balls, not Americanized*.... yet. See below ;)

This took 2 minutes to mix up and about 10 minutes to roll. That's IT.

The Chokladbollar have a yummy mocha taste to them. The Bean, not a coffee fan, labeled them "Interesting", but good. "Just interesting" (his words).

I like 'em. Yes, yes I do.

*However.... Being a born and bred Buckeye, I'm already plotting to remove the coffee and and insert some peanut butter. Or, hey, maybe some Nutella.

Yes. I think so.

You can roll these in Pearl Sugar, regular sugar, or coconut. I enjoyed the coconut most.

I also used Pure Cane Sugar on some of them.

You could use colored sanding sugars as well.

These would be great for holiday get togethers & for gift giving!

Click here to go to She Simmers for Mikael's recipe!

Chaulk- LAD- Buller?

Bueller?

Bueller?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Tina

P.S. Yesterday was my friend Darla's 3rd Blog Birthday! She's got a great giveaway, you can win $50 to ModCloth! Go check it out, and see her delicious Triple Layer Strawberry Cream Brownie Cake too! Deadline for entry is Jan 30, 2013, 9 PM PST. Click HERE to go to Bakingdom!