In Which I Fail At Parenting But Succeed At Muffins

This morning I drove AlmondGirl to the bus stop which was devoid of people and, after a few minutes of waiting, also still of the bus. So I drove up the the school which was desolate as well. "Huh!" I exclaimed, idling in front of the playground like the Creepy Person I warn my kids about.

"Mrs. K said 'see you on Monday,'" my daughter piped up from the back. "That's why there was no homework last night."

"Well," I said, waiting for some kind of Parenting Cop to materialize and issue me a citation of stupidity. "Well."

I called my son's school to ascertain whether or not it was open (it was) and I dropped him off while figuring out how to reconfigure my morning. Miles to run, bread to bake, chickens to brine...crap.

I called my friend whose daughter is the same age as AlmondGirl. "No school today," I remarked when she answered.

She agreed that this was the case.

"I might be an idiot," I said, and told her what I had done. Because she is my friend, she laughed at me and suggested I drop AlmondGirl off to keep her daughter busy. I happily accepted. She is a good friend.

Also, I made her thank-you muffins. Banana ones frosted with peanut butter-molasses frosting and topped with Reese's Pieces.

Banana Muffins

4 large bananas, mashed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 slightly beaten egg

1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

Walnuts or chocolate chips, optional

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and butter together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Combine wet and dry ingredients, stirring as little as possible to keep the muffins tender.

Divide among 12 greased muffin tins. Don't use paper liners.

Bake at 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting

So this is an adaptation of another recipe because I like very, very peanut-buttery peanut butter frosting if I'm going to bother.

1 jar good peanut butter (no Skippy or Jif or what have you)

1 tablespoon molasses

3 - 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 stick butter, softened

2-4 tablespoons of milk

Cream butter using the paddle attachment of a mixer, then beat in the peanut butter and molasses until smooth. Beat in 3 cups of sifted sugar, then the milk and any more sugar as needed. Resist impulse to eat with spoon.