Banana trail cookies

Summer, especially this summer, does little to encourage baking in a warm kitchen. But I had a couple over-ripe bananas and I'd been wanting to make cookies for some time. So, with the air conditioning on, I wrote this recipe for soft banana chocolate chip cookies.

Banana trail cookies

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup granola (I used Kashi GoLean Crunch: Honey Almond Flax) 
1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

Melt butter and dissolve brown sugar in it, let cool. Beat eggs, add sugar. Mix in butter/brown sugar, banana, vanilla, cinnamon, soda, powder and salt. Fold in flour until well mixed. Fold in granola and chocolate chips. Chill dough before dropping, tablespoon size, on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

(Recipe by H. Farrell)

Africa's Big Five, through a lens

One of the advantages of visiting South Africa in winter: you get to see animals. Lots of animals. The grasses are low and the animals are out for water in the dry season. The disadvantage? Sitting in an open vehicle going 30 mph at 6 a.m. is not exactly warm and cozy. But it was worth getting up before dawn and staying out past sunset because we managed to see the so-called Big Five, not to mention dozens of other kinds of birds and animals. We began our tour with a sunset drive at Kruger National Park, and within the hour we were fortunate to spot the elusive leopard crossing under the road. 

Over the next day and a half we got up close to the other four animals that will turn on a hunter if wounded: lion, elephant, rhino and buffalo -- aka "black death" -- the only animal that won't give warning before attacking. Our last day we went on a morning drive at the private reserve Thornybush, where the drivers off-roaded and we couldn't stand up and "break the silhouette" of the vehicle (or risk getting attacked). In addition to getting uncomfortably close to many elephants and buffalo, we got to follow a cheetah on her way to track down breakfast. I have to say that after this, the zoo will never be the same.

(Photos by H. Farrell)