I’ve been crunching numbers, adding magazine checkbook info into Quicken, and editing my excel spreadsheets that contain the business’s deposits for 2009 like mad lately. I’m sure our accountant will think it’s a modern miracle when my package arrives to them (hopefully) early next week. So when I asked husband, Dave, if I should enter another month’s worth of bookkeeping into Quicken or make a banana cream pie…well, you can probably imagine which was his choice.

Banana cream pie was my mom’s favorite, so I always think of her when I make one. I was short on time since it was already getting late in the afternoon, so I cheated and used a box of vanilla pudding that you cook on the stove rather than my usual batch of homemade custard. I like the homemade kind better, but in a crunch, the boxed pudding sufficed. It’s nice to have a stash of that type of stuff in the pantry for treats. I happened to have enough bananas that weren’t past their prime, so I thinly sliced up a big banana and spread it onto a baked pie shell. Then I added the somewhat cooled pudding, refrigerated the pie, and by late evening it was time for dessert. It made a nice 2 am snack for Dave too as he was up LATE working on getting our upcoming anthologies ready to go to print. Son #2, Robby, thought it was pretty cool to have a big slice of it for his breakfast before school the next day too.

Banana cream pie is one of our favorites.

Okay, so it’s already the 7th of January and I’m just now coming up with my New Year’s Resolution. Had to think about it a while.

I really need to lose some weight. I’ll feel better, my clothes will fit properly, I’ll be able to hoist those growing grandkids without moaning like an old granny, and my nurse practitioner will think my fantastic cholesterol numbers can go on display on the refrigerator right next to the kids’ awards.

The problem is I like to cook, bake, and eat way too much to slow down much on watching what goes in my mouth. We’ve already learned a lot about food preparation and the types of foods to eat for a heart healthy diet after Dave’s heart surgery. Nothing like seeing all those guys with their big fresh chest incisions to make you realize that taking care of our health should be a top priority.

So I don’t think that food is the issue in my case since we’re already eating a pretty healthy diet….it’s exercise. I’m simply not MOVING enough. I need to swim, ride my bike, and walk….all of which I enjoy tremendously, especially nice long walks on the beach at low tide.

Okay. I’ve said it. It’s in print now for all the world to see. The 7th of January isn’t too late. Think I’ll go WALK to the bookstore and proofread some articles for our upcoming issue.

Yesterday was Sunday and that means I had my apron on pretty much all day. Grandkids spent Saturday night with us, so when I asked Olga what she wanted for breakfast, “Waffles!” came the reply. It was a good way to start the day, especially since all the big people that wanted a waffle got one with the addition of blackberries from my frozen stash of stored goodies from this past summer’s harvest.

In the afternoon, Robby and Sammy took the little ones outside for some fresh air and a romp in the woods above our yard. So I took advantage of a few quiet moments and started a batch of cookies using a recipe I hadn’t tried before. As per usual, I changed around a few ingredients with the addition of a bit of whole wheat flour and brown sugar, both of which the original recipe didn’t call for. They came out so good that when the parents of little ones, husband, Dave, and John Silveira showed up after a big hike in the woods, the cookies were warm from the oven and were nearly all gobbled up pretty quickly. So if you get the hankering for a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies, here’s a good one to try.

Raisin Nut Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup water
1 cup raisins
2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small saucepn, over medium heat, bring water and raisins to  boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until raisins are plump. Drain, reserving liquid. If necessary, add water so liquid measures 1/2 cup. Set raisins aside.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, oats, nuts, and reserved raisins.

In another large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs. Stir in vanilla and reserved raisin liquid. Add flour mixture and mix well.

Drop by rounded teaspoonsfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes on sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.