Best old-fashioned banana cake recipe, from scratch.  This is a family favourite for birthdays that still tastes delicious the next day, if there's any leftovers!

Oh yeah.  Carve yourself a big slice.  I know you want to.  This is seriously the best banana cake you can bake from scratch.   Even my dad, who is a self-professed non-liker of banana cake…likes this cake.  In our spree of spring family birthdays, this one almost always get chosen by someone.  And even though this was the third cake in as many weeks, there is only one slice left, just in time for the next birthday cake to make an appearance today.  You’d think I was a full-on pastry chef these days but trust me I’m not.  I do binge cake-baking in the spring for birthdays and Easter and then it’s back to muffins, loaves…and cookies if they’re lucky.

Shabby Chic Personalized Flowerpots

How to give a shabby chic look to plain terra cotta flowerpots and personalize them for a pretty hostess gift this Easter and spring.

So we are being hosted at both sides of the family for Easter this weekend.  That means hardly any cooking for me, no intense house-cleaning, grocery shopping, table setting and all the rest of the entertaining requirements.  I love to do it but this time around it didn’t work out that way.  I decided to get a little craft on and make a little something for the lovely hostesses to enjoy.  (Plus one for me too!)

Photo Finish 16: Easter Wreath

I’ve had this wreath for many years.  I think I just bought it at the Superstore but I really like it and always find a place for it around Easter.  And do you know how to make a cross from the palm leaf you get in the Palm Sunday service?  I don’t, so I keep mine that someone made for me years ago.  It’s dry and brittle now.

Tips for Photographing a Tablescape

Wow can you believe the Easter season is right around the corner?  I’m sure many of you are making plans for family meals and traditions, or casual entertaining, or maybe a kid’s party.  It’s a great reason to get out some spring-time decor and put some beautiful and delicious food on the table.  And some of us will have our cameras in hand trying to capture it all.

Photo Finish 15: Labradoodle

Well it would hardly be a photography series without some doggy pictures, would it?  She’s made a few appearances around here before…in this post and this one.  But here’s the first official dedicated photo, and there’ll probably be a few more as I go along!

Blog Makeover Reveal

Hey-ho blog friends!  How is April treating you so far?  We came into it with a flu bug starting through the family, so hoping for healthier times ahead…

Photo Finish 14: Winter Sunday Walk

TGIF bloggy friends!  Today I’m sharing a photo I took last Sunday.  To be honest I almost didn’t take my camera along.  We were all just a bit cooped up and needed to get out, but I didn’t think there would be anything about this season I would even feel like photographing anymore.  But I did anyway and I’m glad.  Because this completely demonstrates something important about photography…it really can be all about lighting lighting lighting.  Even with trees that are dead as can be, and a slushy muddy path in a winter that’s long overstayed it’s welcome, this scene looks almost ethereal.
 

And here’s the thing… it’s straight out of the camera.  Straight.  Not a very fancy camera.  Not a fancy lens.  Nothing post-production at all.  Nothing.  But the gorgeous watery hazy but bright light is what makes this picture.  It’s distinctive to this season and totally captures the feeling of the day.  

Lesson:  when the light is gorgeous…just take pictures.  It’s hard to go wrong.

xo andrea

20 Minute Garlic Shrimp {Suppertime Save}

So this is the third Suppertime Save in my little series on weekday suppers that can be pulled together with staple ingredients in very little time.  If you missed the first two, they were Cheater Chicken Parmesan and Easiest Sweet & Sour Meatballs.  This one is for Garlic Shrimp with pasta and stir-fried vegetables…a complete meal in 20 minutes.  It’s ever-so-slightly more sophisticated tastes, but I know you’re out there too and need a quick meal on the table sometimes.  Families with picky eaters will have the shrimp or the snow peas left at the side of the plate…under the plate?…under the table?  No reason not to give it a try once in a while.