Banana Bread and My Amazing Mom

My mom is amazing. Like really and truly amazing. When I was growing up all of my friends thought that I had the coolest mom because she was younger than most, and she was always willing to listen to everyone’s problems and help them find a solution. She is so caring and willing to help out that we almost always had one of my (or my three younger sisters’) wayward teenage girlfriends living with us for a couple of month at a time. She gave us just enough freedom and flexibility to feel like we weren’t being smothered by parenting do’s and don’ts, but she was firm enough that we still had no doubt that she was the boss in charge.

When World Market invited me to take my mom shopping and to spend some quality time together in the kitchen, I jumped at the chance. We are both huge fans of shopping at World Market, so I knew that the most difficult part was going to be narrowing down what we wanted to buy!

We started by browsing World Market’s awesome jewelry selection, and though we didn’t buy any jewelry or accessories that day, I made sure to take note of what she liked the most since I’ll be buying her Mother’s Day gift soon!

I hadn’t been to World Market since February, so we wandered around looking at all of the fun stuff that they have in the store these days. My mom loved all the different varieties of glass lanterns, and I naturally found myself gravitating towards World Market’s selection of awesome chairs. If only I could convince my hubby that we should get one of these beauties instead of one of the big bulky leather chairs he’s been eyeing!

Since we were there to shop for our afternoon in the kitchen, I had to regain my focus, and the selection of baking goodies didn’t disappoint! I think I picked up everything in this section two or three times while I was trying to make a decision! Ack! Too many cute things to choose from!

While I was engrossed in pretty patterned mixing bowls, my mom discovered the apron section. She desperately needed a new apron since she’s always in the kitchen cooking or working on craft projects with my kiddos or my niece, so I made her try on all of them until she found the one that she loved the most. I loved buying her something special that’s both pretty and functional!

Look at all these goodies we came home with! This little owl timer might just be the cutest thing EVER!

Time to get our baking on!

We decided that we wanted to bake banana bread, which always means using my late Grandmom’s old handwritten recipe. It’s been a family favorite for years (even though I change it up just a teensy bit by swapping out the shortening for butter!), and my kids usually eat it up before I even get a chance to have any!

My mom, my sister, Jessica, and me in the kitchen baking banana bread.

GRANDMOM’S BANANA BREAD RECIPE: 

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp  baking soda
• pinch of salt
• (optional) I like to add 1 tsp of vanilla to mine even though the original recipe doesn’t call for it

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first four ingredients in one bowl (and the vanilla, if desired) and the dry ingredients in another. Combine the two bowls and mix well. Bake 25 minutes for muffins or up to 40 minutes for a loaf pan.

Yum! Aren’t these flower cupcake liners the cutest?! I love using these mini colanders as serving pieces – they’re the perfect size for holding a few treats!

If you have an amazing mom too, enter her in the World Market Amazing Mom sweepstakes to have a chance to win a $5,000 World Market gift card (yep, that says FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS!). All you have to do is upload a photo and tell World Market what makes your mom so special – easy peasy! You can also win one of ten $500 gift cards by following World Market on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®and World Market, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #MyAmazingMom. https://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO