Give thanks

(This post was originally published on thesabbaticalchef.com on November 8, 2016.)

Practice gratitude.  Easily said.  Not so easily done sometimes.  But I try to do this every day.  By nature, I am not a negative person.  EB recently gave me this little gratitude tree. She and Son #1 have one in their apartment. Last time I was there, I noticed that theirs has more leaves on it than mine and that makes me very happy.  Now that I look at mine, so far I have the letter F covered!  When I begin to feel worried or upset, I take deep breaths and try to focus on the good.  This morning’s grateful list in no particular order.

• My health.  A little neck pain requiring some treatment but nothing debilitating or too serious.  Getting older isn’t for sissies.
• Two amazing sons finding their way into adulthood and their own happiness.
• The Ex-Ex. We recently celebrated the anniversary of our first official date. We went to the 30th birthday party of a colleague (who has become a very dear friend and is still a colleague) in 1981.  2016-1981= 35.  Wow.
• Mama Mildred.  Still my hero.
• Sister Moo.  More.
• Technology.  I have the world at the touch of a button or the click of a key.  Amazing.
• A well-stocked pantry and refrigerator.
• Leftovers.  Specifically chili and potato soup at the moment.
• Fall.  It is going to be the perfect day today.  Sunny with a high of 65˚F.  We have had the bluest skies lately.  I actually had to find my ice scraper this morning to get the frost off my windshield for the first time.
• My friends.  We laugh.  We cry.  We celebrate.  We mourn.
• My home.  Warm. Dry. Comfortable. Casual.
• Books.  My escape.
• My students.  They inspire me, make me laugh, make me want to pull my hair out, keep me young.
• My comfortable, warm clothes.  All my black dresses.  My black tights.  My Dansko clogs.  My boots.  A great pair of jeans I found at a consignment shop– on sale.  The cashmere sweater I found on get-rid-of-it sale and I had a coupon.
• Durham.  The town I live in.  Keep it dirty, Durham.  I love you just the way the are.  Great restaurants.  The American Tobacco Trail.  Duke.  The Durham Bulls. DPAC.  Duke Gardens.
• The student who inspired me (and, more importantly, helped me) to set up this blog. The people who read my blog.  Thank you very much.  Merci beaucoup.

Oatmeal Banana Muffins

Makes 12

Inspired by Allrecipes

1-1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup Old-Fashioned oatmeal

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup mashed bananas (2 med-sized bananas)

Pre-heat oven to 400˚F.  Line muffin tin with paper cups or coat with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the egg slightly with a fork.  Stir in milk, oil, and vanilla.  Add the bananas and mix thoroughly.

Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture just until combined.  Batter will be a bit lumpy.

Divide the batter evenly among the cups.  If desired, sprinkle turbinado sugar mixed with cinnamon over the tops.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until muffins test done.

Bon appétit and practice gratitude and kindness.  It has been an ugly presidential campaign and I am glad it’s over as of today.