Hellloooo you crazy cats and kittens! LOTS of reader input today, so let’s get to it. Dianne is at home in Collingwood, enjoying virtual happy hour with friends and playing online euchre. Leanne has joined a crochet block of the month club. She’s also on a mad muffin baking spree, and watching stand-up comedy specials. Roberta is also crocheting small blankets for the SPCA, and making strawberry jam. Lucky Ellen managed to score some sourdough starter from her neighbour. Elaine has discovered online dance exercises for all ages and abilities courtesy of the National Ballet. Patty is going for walks with her daughter in London, even though she lives in Milton (they talk on the phone). Lynn’s husband repaired a hole in their shower stall floor so now everyone can bathe. “J” is sad that her breast cancer dragon boat team will miss the season, but agrees that the BC experience has given her a renewed appreciation for things that matter. Julie has a scientist sister working in the U.K. who says that our immune systems have been weakened by antibiotics and such. Joy is worried about Christine (Cardoso, our news person) working in studio when she has an underlying health concern. Joanne is quite upset that I had family over for dinner on Saturday, saying that’s 4 too many when I don’t know where they’ve been. And, as we head into Passover, Bonnie is fuming that she had to pay $50 plus delivery online for matzoh since it can’t be found on store shelves. Matzoh is the new toilet paper, but please don’t take that literally.

 

Aren’t we the crafty, baking crowd? Katherine (Ronan’s girlfriend and our new roommate) is making pizza tonight from scratch, and she reports that active yeast is also hard to come by, as are flour and cocoa. She also made the most delicious banana bread. Almost everyone can make good banana bread, but hers is spectacular. I’ll pass on the recipe below. Jamie, Aidan’s fiancee, is also a really good cook. We are blessed that way. I have to admit that I am somewhat suspicious of people who can’t, or won’t, cook. To me, there is nothing more creative and satisfying than preparing a delicious meal for people you love, even if it’s just for yourself. Food is love, love is food, chomp chomp nom nom lip smack burp.

 

Which brings me to Joanne’s concern about our family dinner on Saturday. Just to clarify, there are 4 of us living here, and the ‘guests’ were Aidan and Jamie, who are of course family, and they were living in isolation at Jamie’s family cottage for almost a week before that, and are now held up in their 600 square foot apartment where they see no one. That is the entire extent of our physical social circle, but yes, Joanne, you have reason to worry, because a lot of people just don’t get it. And Joy, I hear you about Christine. I also have, or had, sarcoidosis, which is an auto-immune disorder. We are taking every precaution in studio, sitting as far as possible from each other as the microphones will allow, dousing everything in antiseptic, getting in and out without contact, touching nothing and no one. Gord and Ian both wear blue latex gloves, Gord because he has to behind the board, Ian because he looks cute in them.

 

COVID tip: if you don’t have latex gloves, but own a dog, chances are you have those biodegradable doggy poop bags in the pockets of all your coats. When I’m out, I use them to open doors, press elevator buttons, touch the pad of credit card scanners and the like, and then throw them out immediately afterwards. I guess any plastic bag will do in a pinch. You don’t have to get a dog.

 

KATH’S BANANA BREAD

 

Ingredients

 

I cup plain white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oats

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup or 4 oz butter (room temp)

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 ripe bananas, mashed

5-6 tbsp buttermilk, or substitute milk with 1 tbsp white vinegar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

 

METHOD

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Grease a 9x5x3 in loaf pan. Sift together flours, baking powder and salt, then add oats. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, bananas and mix thoroughly.  Add the flour mixture gradually, alternating with buttermilk. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Scrape mixture into loaf pan. Bake for about an hour.

 

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy. Chomp chomp nom nom lip smack burp.

 

 

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