Possibility: GF Chocolate Brownie and Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

Brett, my husband, turned 40 last week.  There was a long period…maybe 4 or 5 months…where he was NOT handling it well.  He would grumble about the months passing too quickly and snarl “it’s just a number” and roll his eyes at his little brother’s attempt at “age humor.”  Especially when it threatened to included a collapsible cane and a subscription to AARP.  I thought he was overreacting.  And told him as much. 

But now that his birthday has passed…I’m starting to get a little nervous.  Because I realize…I’m right behind him.  Creeping along that well worn road of “unmistakable adult,” where I no longer get carded for a glass of wine and must set regular appointments with my stylist to cover the patches of gray hair that insist on reappearing each month. 

It boggles the mind, to consider the fact that our lives could very well be, half over.  And at the very least, the most exciting, full-of-possibility, pain-free half of our lives.  I say that, with a bit of humor...but I work in the aging church...where most of those I minister with, have long given up trying to cover their gray hair and wistfully remember the "good ol' days."  I hear litanies of pain and listen for laments of lost freedom and humdrum.  And even I want to shout to the new college freshman, "Don't forget this moment...it really is the best...everything is in front of you.  Every possibility.  Every turn and every fork in the road.  Every love and every loss.  Every exploration and every hesitation." 

But even as I type that...I know that it's a choice...it's a choice to decide that "possibility" is no longer in your vocabulary. 

So, rather than freak out or settle into a serious state of depression… I’ve started my own version of a bucket list...my Possibility List.  I’ve got things like “be an extra in a movie” and “spend the night in a tree house” and “take a pottery class” and "eat more (really) good chocolate" – you know, frivolous fun stuff!  But then I’ve got other, more intentional things, like “be a more active presence in the life of Alzheimer patients“ and “volunteer regularly at Hope Haven“ and “work to change the systems that keep people food-insecure.”  This list has already taken me out of my little, comfortable box that I live in…it's brought fear and the unknown back into my life.  In a good way.  And I like it. 

So here's to checking things off the Possibility List...starting with "eat more (good) chocolate" and Brett's birthday cake...





















What you'll need:

 

Gluten Free Brownies:

1/2 Cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon water
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla
3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 Cup white (or brown) rice flour
1/4 Teaspoon salt
 

Peanut Butter Mousse:

1 Cup heavy whipping cream, cold

10 Ounces cream cheese...or like, a package and a half, at room temperature

2/3 Cup powdered sugar

2/3 Cup creamy peanut butter (the stuff I used, had added sugar...so I cut back on the powdered sugar just a smidge) 

 

Chocolate Ganache:

4 ½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely

½ cup heavy whipping cream

What to do for the Gluten-free Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350*.  Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl mixer.  Add eggs, water, and vanilla, mixing well.  Add cocoa and incorporate well.  Add flour and salt, mixing until smooth and a little glossy.  Divide between two 8 inch round cake pans that have been buttered and lined with parchment.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

What to do for the Peanut Butter Mousse (besides drool):
Whisk the whipped cream on high until stiff peaks form.  Set aside (I put mine in the fridge because it was so bloomin' hot in the house..."enjoying August" is not on my Possibility List). In a different bowl, gather cream cheese, peanut butter, and powered sugar together, whisking on medium speed, until fully incorporated and fluffy.  Add whipped cream and whisk on medium high until peanut butter mixture and whipped cream are fully incorporated and the texture is light and fluffy and tastes the way you think heaven might taste.

 

What to do for the Chocolate Ganache:

Break up your semi-sweet chocolate and put it in a small-ish bowl.  In a saucepan bring cream to a boil. Once the boil starts, pour over chocolate. Let sit for about a minute or until your patience runs out.  Whisk until mixture is smooth and glossy.

And then assemble.  Layer...or, if you don't care about presentation...just take a big spoon, scoop up a bit of brownie, a glob of mousse, and dip the tip into the ganache...and eat to your hearts content.

You'll note: There are Reeses Peanut Butter Cups on this concoction...they are Brett's favorite candy...but they completely ruined the flavor profile (Gaw...I'm fancy.  Or spending too much time watching the Food Network).  I would suggest leaving them off.  Or replacing them with chopped Snickers bars.  But that's only because those are my favorite. 

Snow Days: Cutie Cake

I mentioned that my husband and I are doing this elimination diet, right?

 

Well, we're still on it.  (We cheated one day...like, really cheated with butter and sugar and maybe even some wheat flour*...and decided just to start over.  It's better for us and we feel more energetic and blah, blah, blah...)

 

This past weekend we had one of those rare winter days...in May...where neither of us had anything to do and it was snowing/sleeting/freezing, so we stayed in our sweats all weekend and watched DVR'd episodes of The Following and Modern Family. And ate Cuties.  Like a three pound bag, in two days.  For the second time, since we started this food-body exploration.

 

They are our addiction.

 

My guess is, when your fingers are stained orange...you've had one too many.  Interventions are forthcoming.

 

But until then, here's a Cutie Cake. Because I gotta get my Cuties however I can and I hear that the quickest, easiest way to get the Cuties into your system is through baked goods.  And your parents won't ever even know. 

 

What you'll need:

 

6 Eggs

1/4 Cup coconut oil (melted)

1/4 Cup + 1 Tablespoon coconut milk

2 Tablespoons raw honey

Juice from 2 Cuties

Zest from 2 Cuties

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 Cup coconut flour

1/4 (+/-) Cup shredded coconut

1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon salt

2 More Cuties for the juice

 

What to do:

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease an 8x8 pan with coconut oil or line it with parchment paper.  I wrestle with parchment paper for some reason.  And, I like any way that will allow me to add more fat to my cooking. Mix the eggs, coconut milk, honey, juice, vanilla, orange zest and coconut oil together.  Add in the coconut flour, coconut, baking powder and salt.  When well combined, pour the batter into your greased pan and bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  But be careful not to overcook...it can get a little dry. Then, while it's still warm, go ahead and juice two more Cuties on top of the whole thing!  And enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* That little asterisk, is for a peculiar turn of events.  We attended an event called Forks and Corks, where restaurants from all over the KC Metro area come out, serve their best stuff, and all the proceeds go to a local food bank.  We go every year.  It's a blast, but not really one of those events where you can take your time and ask each chef what each item, is made with (flour, corn, etc.).  So, I always load up on meds, inhalers, and Tums and take my chances (I'm not reckless...I don't eat pastries or pasta, but you never know what's tucked into something).  Anyway, I accidentally ate a large spoonful of cake (not realizing what I was ingesting) and....I didn't react.  I think this elimination diet is allowing my body, in all of its inflamed ways, to chill enough, that maybe...in small doses...I might be able to incorporate wheat back in to my diet someday?  I don't know?  does that just sound like "bad science?"  We'll see.  Fingers crossed. 

Needing The Silence: Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Spiced Cake

Today is Monday...and for most people, that means returning to the grindstone, Facebook status updates that are summed up by a resounding "ugh," and larger than normal pots of coffee.  For me, it means silence. Sweet, blessed silence.

I'm an introvert.  I'm the kind of introvert that has risked a bladder infection (or two) rather than make my way to the bathroom, because I know a dozen or so church ladies are hanging out in the hallway. 

Small talk is the silent killer.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite jokes: How many introverts does it take to change a light bulb?  None.  Having the light on, just invites people to come into the room to visit. (Been there!)

But of course, in my line of work, I can turn the extrovert on when I need to.  And my Father and I did just that on Saturday when we participated in a local craft fair...he, selling his Sleeping Village Pottery creations... and I, selling my Just One Bite bits!

It was exciting...affirming...exhausting... and though neither of us will be paying off the house any time soon with what we made in sales...we DID make back the entrance fee.  So.  There's that.  (You know, aim for the stars, I always say.)

And as a thank you to those who came out (as if ANY of you might ever find this blog?!) and a better-late-than-never kick off to pumpkin season, here's Just One Bite's Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Spiced Cake, for one!

What you'll need:
2 Tablespoons almond flour (also known as almond meal)
1 Tablespoon rice flour (white or brown)
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon allspice
1 Teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 Teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
3 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons oil (coconut or veggie)
2 Teaspoons pumpkin puree (or sour cream)
dash of vanilla

What to do:
Ideally, you mix the dry stuff together first, then add the wet ingredients.  But I'm not expecting someone that is making a cake in the microwave, to care too much about ideals.  So just mix it all together.  Then pop it in the microwave for about a minute.  Microwaves vary, so I'd keep an eye on it...but other than that...just enjoy! 

And take a bit of silence when you can....

A New Rhythm: Gooey Pumpkin Bars

Everything is happening a little too fast around here... I started listening to Christmas music a full two weeks prior to my self-imposed "start date," which has been a fast and furious rule around here, for as long as we've been married.  Thanksgiving came out of no-where.  Boxes of Christmas decorations have been pulled out of storage since last Thursday.  The tree... up since last Saturday.  I have a wreath hanging on my door.  A WREATH... before Thanksgiving day.  This is not cool.

But it's a necessity this year. 

It's probably not a surprise, but the Christian calendar provides a lot of stability in my life.  That long season of Pentecost... which always seems disproportionate with the actual length of the life of Jesus, comes to an an abrupt halt.  And we leap into Advent... breathing in the breadth of possibility and hope and new life in the midst of gray skies and dry, crunchy leaves.  I spend all year, longing for Advent... for the rhythm of waiting and sitting and anticipating and hoping for things not necessarily hoped for throughout the rest of the year.  I wait for the nesting and the baking and the smells of warmth and the glimpses of peace, in the midst of chaos.  Christmas lights make me weep and snow blanketing the ground, fills my spirit with much needed renewal.  I find warmth in the chill and comfort in the bustle.

But this year, it's all different.  We'll be gone for week two and three, of Advent... and I've lost my orientation, my rhythm.  I don't know how to "do" Advent and Christmas, without the week to week progression, the hearing of our biblical story, and the steady climb that we make, as church, to the birth of a newborn baby... the birth of hope.

So I'm satiating, with disproportionate amounts of butter and sugar.  And I made Paula Deen's Ooey-Gooey Pumpkin Bars.  Though they won't do a lot for renewing the spirit, they're quick and easy and they get the job done.  And I guess sometimes, that's all you can do.

What you'll need for the cake:

1 Yellow cake mix
1 Egg
8 Tablespoons butter, melted

What you'll need for the filling:

2 Cup pumpkin puree
1 8-Ounce package cream cheese, softened
3 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla
8 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Cups powdered sugar
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the cake, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Pat the mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking pan. And at this point you're thinking... well, this isn't SO bad (at least not for Paula Deen).  I mean, 8 Tablespoons of butter?  Yeah, that hurts a little bit... but it's not gonna kill me.  And then you make the filling...

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and EIGHT MORE Tablespoons of butter... and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well.

Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.  Then serve it to your family... and have the car running in case anyone can't handle their butter.

It's okay...it won't bring about world peace or sooth the weary soul, but you can eat it, knowing that it's not the last dessert you'll ever know... and just enjoy it for what it is... a little over the top, a bit cheapened by the commercialized-out-of-a-box taste, different than what you'd normally make...but still beckoning the holidays.

Blessings to you all this Thanksgiving Eve... may you know a rhythm of peace and joy and hope... even if it's a little different this year...

Sunday Morning: Carrot Cake Jam

We don't have children. But we do have two dogs that act like children.

Scratch that.  We have two dogs that are treated like children.

Sunday morning was "Interceptor Day!"  It sounds fancy, doesn't it?  Like there should be fireworks and congressional lapel pins, but really, it's just the day that my dogs get their heartworm medicine.  And I suppose if you'd like to fashion a congressional lapel pin based on heartworms, well, be my guest.  But I prefer to celebrate, by typing the monthly task into my online computer calendar that way...with caps and an exclamation point.  Interceptor Day!  Makes me feel excited about something. (sad face)

We are a bonified pet pharmacy in our house. Boy Dog has quite a few issues... a few of which we medicate for, three times a day, with the helpful use of hotdogs.  You stick the pill in a chunk of cheap hotdog and Boy Dog will swallow it whole.  And even though there's not a single thing wrong with Girl Dog, she of course, must have a hot dog as well.  This is reminiscent of grandparents, who give the older child a gift, "so they don't feel left out," when the younger child has a birthday. (Ugh. I won't get on my soapbox.)

So, back to Sunday morning.  Interceptor Day!

The morning started out as it normally does, with me, groggily standing at the top of the stairs... it's a sight to be seen.  All this 'aint a pretty picture in the morning... but the dogs don't seem to mind, and normally, they eagerly greet me on the stairs for their morning gooby-boooby-boo session.  Uh, yea... that's puppy talk.  Anyway.

This morning, they were mysteriously absent.

Covering the living room and moving towards the coffee pot in record speed, due to the absence of my canine speed bumps, something caught my eye.

It was the wrapper, from a stick of butter, which had been left on the table from dinner the night before.  Just an empty wrapper... which means one of the dogs, had just eaten a stick of butter.

Coffee in hand and still missing the normal company of my dogs... I headed to the basement... to find Boy Dog eating a roll of paper towels.  I suppose you need something to wipe the butter grease off your mouth, right? 

Now, I have to say... up until this point... I've kept my cool. I find the emergency vet's phone number... I calmly explain that one of my dogs has eaten a roll of paper towels for breakfast... and one or the other, has topped it off with a stick of butter.  "Need I be concerned?" I ask.  Friendly Vet-Tech says, "oh no, don't worry about it... you just might have a few rough days ahead of you." Joy.

I hang up the phone.  I give the dogs a dirty look.  I give God thanks that a roll of paper towels and a stick of butter did not cost me a few hundred dollars with aforementioned Friendly Vet-Tech... and I remember that it is Interceptor Day! Yeah!

Grabbing hot dogs and pills, I pop the tiny Interceptor pills into their respective hotdogs, and present our eager, albeit stopped up dogs with their medicated treats.  Boy Dog, per his usual behavior, swallows his whole.  Girl Dog, sensing that there is something amis... something has been SNUCK into her normally "pure" hotdog... must investigate.  Taking it carefully in her mouth, she moves to the living room... well, this is NOT my first time on the ferriswheel, and being the gifted and talented dog-mother that I am, I anticipate this move... so I squarely position myself between Girl Dog, Hot Dog... and Boy Dog.  Sternly, I look the drooling mess of a Boy Dog in the eye and say, "Don't even think about it."

He looks at me... sizes up the opening between my legs... looks back at me... and begins to lunge forward... "NO!"  I have stopped him in his tracks.

Yeah.  That's right.  Who's top dog?

He looks at me again... sizes ME up... thinks it through... refers to his Dog Manual... calls his buddy in Arizona who concurs... and decides that the benefits of having another hotdog, FAR outweigh the repercussions.

Dropping my hand to the floor to retrieve the hotdog... I miss it by seconds... and before I can say "Bad Dog" it had slipped down the proverbial hatch.  Now Boy Dog has had two heartworm pills.

And I sort of lost it. 

WYYYYYAAAAATT!!!!!!!

Mother's grabbed their playing children out of the driveways and ushered them inside.  Birds retreated to the safety of the skies.  Dogs ceased their barking.  And the neighborhood cats... laughed.

For maybe the third time in nearly 8 years... Wyatt had made me mad.  And he knew it.  No sooner had I turned around, Boy Dog was making his way out to the garage with his tail tucked and head down.

And I dialed the emergency vet's number... again.

The conversation went something like this:

"Hi!  I called a few minutes ago about the dog that ate the stick of butter and the roll of paper towels.  Yeah... well, I'm pretty sure I just overdosed that same dog.  Please don't call animal control."

By the end of the conversation, Friendly Vet-Tech assured me he would not die, but would merely experience an upset tummy and (my absolute favorite), possibly some "loose stool."

Hanging up the phone, I realized I still needed to get Abby her Interceptor pill. Stuffing it in a hotdog and offering it to her, I was failing miserably... so, I resorted to the ol', crank-her-mouth-open-and-stuff-it-down-her-throat trick.

Two times.  Three times.  Four times... each one, followed by the dramatics of dry heaving and gagging noises.  Trying one more time, I found her jaw... completely locked.  Like Fort Knox.  She was NOT going to take that pill.

Finally, dejected, despondent, and nearly on the verge of tears...and not one to be above theatrics... I crumpled to the floor, barely squeaking out, "Abby.  I just can't do it anymore.  You win.  You all win."  And I sat there, with my arms crossed.  Holding in my hand, a hot dog with the "back up" pill stuffed inside...

Within a few minutes, I watch as Girl Dog belly-crawled over to me... head down, eyes averted... and stuck her sweet nose in to the crook of my elbow.  All but crawling into my lap, she waited... waited for me to forgive her, waited for words of reassurance, waited for a single touch, that showed her that it was all better. 

And after a few minutes... convinced that I wasn't going to throw her out of the pack... she lifted her head, and turned to my other hand, where the hotdog was still clenched.

Nuzzling open my hand, she gently took the hot dog... and with great intentionality, chewed... and swallowed.

Some things just aren't worth the fight.

So on this cool, almost Fall-like day, don't fight it... make this jam.  It'll make me happy... and as you can see... I need a little happiness in my life!

 

What you'll need:
1 1/2 Cups finely grated (and peeled) carrots
1 1/2 Cups finely diced peeled and cored tart apples, such as granny smith
1 3/4 Cups canned crushed pineapple, including juice
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 Cup raisins
One (1.75-ounce) package powdered fruit pectin

6 1/2 Cups granulated sugar

1/2 Teaspoon butter

1/2 Cup finely chopped walnuts

If you are going to preserve this jam, you'll want to prepare everything as you normally would... boil the jars, warm the lids and rings, etc.

Combine carrots, apples, pineapple, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, pulse raisins in food processor until finely chopped. That way, all you raisin haters won't be able to tell they're in there! Whooo-ha-ha-ha.  That was my evil laugh.  Set aside.

After 20 minutes, remove the pot from heat and stir in pectin until dissolved. Stir in raisins, breaking up clumps with back of spoon. Return pot to heat and bring to boil. Add sugar all at once. Die a little bit inside, when you see 6 and 1/2 cups of sugar go into something you will be serving your friends and family, and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Add butter and boil hard for one minute. Remove pot from heat, skim off any foam if you want (though I usually skip this step), and stir in walnuts.

Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims of the jars, cover with lids, and screw bands on until just barely tight. Place jars on rack in pot and cover completely with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, uncover pot, and allow jars to rest in water for five minutes. Remove jars from pot and allow them to sit undisturbed on the countertop for six hours or overnight.

I wish I had been the one to create this recipe... because it is GENIUS!  But alas, I found it at seriouseats.com days ago... you know, when there was snow on the ground and I was foolishly searching for recipes that would convince me that Spring was on its way...  It's sweet. Sticky.  I sort of wish it had more carrots in it (literally, never thought I would say that).  And has six and half cups of sugar in it.  But it's totally worth a try... and the sugar crash that follows.

Please enjoy and... by the way, Boy Dog and I have made up.

St. Valentine: Pumpkin Tiramisu

Oh hey!  Guess what?!  Today is Valentine's Day!!

Noooooo.... it wasn't in November when WalMart started to throw boxes of pre-made iced sugar cookies on the shelves. As appetizing as that sounds...

Or in December when Target threw open the doors and filled every last crevice with red and white Saint Valen-tiny memorabilia.

OR January, when our local grocery store started to convince me that if I didn't pre-order my red roses RIGHT NOW, I'd be sorry, grow an awkward and unexplainable fungus on my foot, and die a lonely old maid.

Nope.  It's today.

So my husband... my dear, sweet, beautiful husband... took me to IHOP for lunch and then (yes, it actually gets better) we went to Sam's Club... to buy a printer.

I know. 

You don't have to say it.

Romance is alive and well, in the metro.

So in return, I smoothed down the hair on my legs and made Pumpkin Tiramasu.

What you'll need:
1 1/2 Cups whipping cream
1 Package of gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese
1 Cup pumpkin puree
2 Packages ladyfingers or a loaf of pound cake, cut into "finger" sized strips
1/4+ Cup coffee liqueur (I used Sheridans, which is just about the best coffee chocolate flavored liqueur out there)
Crushed toffee bars (Buy four.  Eat one.  Use two for the tiramisu.  Stash the other for that day.)

Dissolve gelatin in about 1/4 Cup whipping cream. Pour remainder whipping cream and gelatin-ized cream together, and beat with sugar, until peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese and pumpkin, and beat just until filling is smooth.

Line the bottom of a springform pan (my springform is on the small side, and it still works wonderfully) with 1 package ladyfingers, overlapping and crowding to fit. Sprinkle with a generous few tablespoons of liqueur. But don't be so generous, that there's none left for the juice glass that you may or may not have filled, for yourself.  Spread half of the filling over the ladyfingers.

Repeat with the second package ladyfingers, remaining coffee liqueur, and remaining filling. Smooth. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Chill overnight or at least, 6-8 hours.

It's beautiful, it's lovely, and Saint Valentine would be proud.

Proud, no doubt, that we've run his name and his message, through the chocolate and candy heart mud.

But anyway...

I pray you know love today... from a spouse, a partner, a dear friend, or a family member.  I hope your dog or your cat can take a few minutes out of their busy, busy lives to show you how much you mean to them.  But most of all, I hope you love yourself today... despite the fungus.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Murder, Lies, and Banana Peppers

Several days ago, I touched briefly on Silly Cardinal love. I will revisit that sordid tale of unrequited affection, on a later date. For now, I must speak of this:













That's Bell. This was last Wednesday.

He jumped.

Word on the street (and by street, I mean the porch) is that the pressure got to be too much for Bell. I only wish someone had let Bell know, that there are other options. People who will listen... plants who will love you no matter what. But sometimes even that reassurance, doesn't matter. At the end of the day, all I know is that he was so young, so full of promise and well...Bell, will be missed.

Then, just as I was working through this fresh grief, yesterday, in an ill fated attempt at solidarity, Banana jumped as well. I arrived home several hours after the fact, to find this:













Another jumper?

Maybe?

But my instinct tells me otherwise.

And my instinct thinks Banana was pushed.

But no one's talking. I sort of expected Squash to point some fingers (because everyone knows what a pushover Squash is). I've bribed Cucumber and Okra with extra waterings and promises of sunny days ahead. Nothin'. I got rough with Bean and Tomato... neither waivered.

I haven't had the heart to ask Jalapeno. It just seems cruel. But I think Jalapeno knows something. Unfortunately, there's a bit of a language barrier.

None-the-less, I'm determined to get to the bottom of this. Banana will not have died in vain. But until then, may Bell and Banana rest in peace. And eat cake. So here's your Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting. (Get it? Banana pepper...banana cake? See the connection. No?)

What you'll need:
3 Bananas, mashed
1/2 Cup butter, room temperature
1 Cup brown sugar
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup peanut butter plus 3 tablespoons, divided
1 Teaspoon vanilla
2 Cups ap flour
2 Teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoon milk
2-2 1/2 Cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to *350. Beat butter, 'nanners (save out 1/2 of a banana for your frosting), and sugars in a large bowl. Add the eggs and 3 tablespoons of the peanut butter too. Gradually add the flour and baking powder. Pour mixture in a greased 9x9 or 13x9 in pan and pop it in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

When the cake has cooled, beat your remaining nanner, peanut butter and milk until smooth. Add powdered sugar until smooth. Frost your cake and call it good.

If I were a detective on tv, I'd hand you my card, and tell you to "call me if you think of anything else you wanna share." But instead I'll grab my print dusting kit, and be on my way. And would welcome any theory you might have...