What's been baking in my kitchen this week...

I wasn't sure what I wanted to post about this week.  My heart has felt very sad about the devastation in Haiti and talking about food hasn't felt like something I wanted to do.  I had the opportunity to travel to Haiti back in 2001 on a medical mission trip.  I know that my life was changed more by the people I met than theirs were changed by me.  They did not have much - hardly anything.  Some barely had clothes to cover themselves with.  But they did not complain.  They were - they are beautiful people.  I don't understand why such disasters happen.  I know people question why God would allow it.  But I believe that things happen in life for a reason.  I don't need to know why as long as I know who is in control and trust that He has not for one moment left us alone.  My prayers are with them.  One thing I have been reminded of this week is how much I complain about the little things in life.  I find myself now being so thankful for what I have been blessed with. 

On a lighter note - I did do some baking this week.  I had some bananas that started getting brown faster than I had thought they would.  I remembered seeing a recipe from the Sugar Plum blog for a Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Marbled Banana Bread - so I gave it a try.  It was delicious!  It was huge and beautiful too.  I brought it to work and it was gone by the end of the day.  This recipe is definitely one I will make again!

Isn't it pretty?!  It looked even better when you sliced into it.  Very swirly.  Unfortunately those pictures didn't do it justice - so I left them out.

I have recently gotten into the routine at night of checking my blog for comments and then checking each of the blogs I follow for their newest recipes.  I keep a notebook by the computer to remind me of which ones I want to try.  This week Jenny from Picky Palate had beautiful pictures of a panini she had made.  It got me thinking - I have a panini maker in my basement I had never tried before.  So I got it out and whipped up and turkey and provolone panini with ranch/pesto dressing.  It was really good.  I wont be keeping that panini maker in the basement anymore!