Birthday Sweet Treat

 Yes, we have a special birthday to celebrate in our house. Mommy turned the big 4-0  Saturday! Actually we do birthday months in our family, so I've been celebrating for about 4 weeks now! Plus my mom's birthday is just 8 days before mine, so it's basically been 2 weeks of cake, great food, shopping, balloons, presents, and of course lots of love! 

I am a firm believer that you don't have to have cake on your birthday if you prefer something else. It's your special day and you can choose the sweet treat you get! Alex and I have both been known to ask mom to make us pumpkin pie on our birthdays. One of my favorites (and what I've gotten the past couple years) is mom's peach custard pie. One year Alex asked for root beer floats. We've done cupcakes, cookies, cookie cakes...whatever the birthday boy/girl requests. 

I love fluff salads so much, it was only appropriate to share this with you around my big day. It is super simple for any night of the week but I thought it would be a terrific addition to an Easter menu too. Our holiday tables always include one or two of these "salads" and this new banana split variety is over the top! 

Some fluff salads can definitely be served as a side dish, and that is why my Grammy always made them at the holidays. They were basically a creamy fruit salad, and then you could still eat dessert too. However this one tastes so much like a banana split you will definitely want to save it for the end of your big meal. 

It's got the bananas, the pineapple, the chocolate, the whipped cream, the cherries and the nuts. Every single ingredient in the ice cream shop classic, in every single spoonful! 

I used walnuts but roasted peanuts or pecans would be delicious too! I get a lot of reader comments about wanting to use real whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. First off, you can do whatever you want, I will never know. But in my experience, salads like this don't set up as well with the real stuff. Just MY opinion, not holy grail or anything! 

I thought I would be more bothered by turning 40, but I'm truly not. It's only a number, and like I told someone when they were teasing me about turning 30, each decade comes with blessings! In my 20's I graduated college, got married and become a mom. And then in my 30's I found a career I could do from home while raising my son, become a mommy for the 2nd time when I never thought I would. I was 35 when our miracle baby came to us! So I am excited to see what wonderful things are in store for this next chapter! And you know it will definitely have some delicious food along the way! 

Banana Split Fluff

1 (3 oz.) box instant banana cream pudding

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip

1 (16 oz.) jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved- save a couple whole for garnish

1/2 c. chopped walnuts, reserve a few for garnish

1 c. mini marshmallows

2 bananas, sliced

Chocolate Syrup 

In a large bowl, combine dry pudding mix and undrained pineapple. Mix well. Fold in Cool Whip, walnuts, marshmallows and cherries. Chill for 2 hours. Fold in bananas. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with extra walnuts and cherries. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Check Your Bananas

Do you have fresh bananas on the counter? Are they starting to look like a science experiment? If they are brown, even blackish, and starting to get squishy...they are PERFECT for this recipe!

How is grocery shopping for you these days? I haven't stepped foot in a grocery store in over a month. See, since Mr. E works in healthcare, he is already exposed to Covid 19 daily, so we decided it was smart for him to venture into the stores weekly.

And oh what an adventure it is! I don't just hand him a list and say see you in a couple hours. Oh no. See, when I was pregnant, both times, I was extremely sick. More so with Alex, but Max too. So for weeks he did the grocery shopping and I learned letting him loose with a list is not a good idea. Therefore, to avoid that disaster again, we virtual shop. Yep, he Facetimes me and I instruct him on what to get.

But here is the ironic part. Something happened to me when this whole quarantine started. Those first few shopping trips were a nightmare of empty shelves, revamping meal plans and substituting products. So now that stores are better stocked, I still find myself having him get things simply because they have them, and didn't at one point.

Case in point? Bananas. We already had some. But he found more. So I had him get a few. Now, my boys eat fresh fruit daily, and we go through a lot of it, but bananas go from green to black in about 35 minutes! So I found myself needed to use some up, and fast.

Banana bread came to mind instantly, but I only had 2 bananas. So muffins it was, and a small batch at that. But it was the perfect amount for us, and can easily be doubled for more.

They are perfect for a quick breakfast before your Zoom meetings, or a snack in the afternoon, since I know the kids are asking for those every 10 minutes!

I hope you're staying healthy and safe. Sheltering in place with as much ease as possible. We can all get through this quicker if we do what is asked. No doubt, some yummy muffins will make it a bit easier too!

Banana Bread Muffins

2 over ripe bananas, divided

1/2 c. white sugar

1 c. flour

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

6 TBS butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tin, or use papers. In a large bowl mash one banana with a fork. Add sugar. Whisk until well incorporated. Add butter, vanilla and egg. Whisk well. Add flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Using a spatula, fold together until just mixed. Mash remaining banana and fold into batter. Fill wells 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 6-9 muffins. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

A Spring Saturday at Home

Are Saturdays a day of relaxing in your house? Lucky you! At our house, they don't turn out that way very often. Saturdays are sometimes grocery day. Others we have plans with family. And most of the time, we have church in the evening, followed my dinner out. 

I'm not complaining. I love getting out and about on the weekends since I'm home a lot during the week. I feel blessed we have the option of a Saturday casual church service so Sunday mornings aren't rushed and hectic. But sometimes, once in a blue moon, we find ourselves with a Saturday with no plans, and that is a nice change of pace. 

This past weekend was one of those. We had taken a mini road trip on Friday, headed to Indianapolis and The Children's Museum (a post sharing our adventure will be coming soon) and didn't get home until after 9pm Friday night. (That's late for us!) We had a super fun day, soaking up family time. In preparation for this, I had gotten groceries on Thursday, and purposely made sure our Saturday was open on the calendar. I knew we would be tired from our big day, and I would need a day to catch up on all the chores I had left behind. 

So, Saturday rolled around, and yes, we were all a little tired, and very thankful we didn't have to be anywhere. I caught up on laundry, worked on a couple other projects around the house, and we grilled out. Hog dogs, potato salad, sliced veggies and I wanted one more thing. Fruit. More specifically, fruit salad. 

A friend had just told me about this amazing fruit salad she had made with a really easy dressing, that included lime...one of my boys' favorite flavors. I had plenty of fruit on hand (thanks to Aldi's great prices) and I decided to throw it together for our simple supper.

So fresh. So tasty. So easy! You can easily switch out whatever fruits you have on hand, or whatever is in season. I can't wait to make it again once we go strawberry picking, and maybe add in some blackberries or raspberries, another of my boys' favorites. 

We are all so busy days at home have become a welcomed treat. I hope we get more of them this summer, so I can make this over and over!

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

1 lb. strawberries, sliced

1 pint blueberries

1 cup green grapes, halved

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

1 banana, sliced

3 TBS honey

1 lime, juiced and zested

In a large bowl, combine all fruit. In a separate small bowl whisk together honey, lime juice and zest. Pour over fruit. Chill for 2 hours before serving. Stir before serving. *NOTE* To measure honey easily, spray measuring spoon with cooking spray or dip in warm water. Honey will slide right off!

Shared at Weekend Potluck

A Gadget Makes All The Difference

So, I might have a new obsession. Well, I guess when it comes to food, I have quite a few, so I better narrow it down. The latest addiction I have to add to my list is muffins. I am constantly looking for new flavors, and a lot of this new infatuation has to do with one small thing. A cookie scoop.

See, until last year about this time, I had to use a normal, every day spoon to transfer the muffin batter to the muffin tin. But then something magical happened. I received a cookie scoop for my birthday. Do you know what I'm talking about? The kind with the spring loaded handle that when pressed, allows whatever is in it, to be removed quickly and easily. Nothing special, nothing fancy. But absolutely life changing.

Oh, and the funny part? I've never made cookies with it! For almost a year now, it has been used exclusively for muffins. I'm sure it would be fabulous for cookie dough too, believe me. It makes scooping anything so much easier. I can literally fill a 12 well muffin tin in almost no time at all! Plus, it helps to keep the mess down too! (I'm all about less clean up when I'm done!)

If you love banana bread, you're going to love these as much as we did. Plus these come with a glaze that banana bread usually doesn't, so they are that much sweeter! Perfect for breakfast, brunch, an after school snack or dessert.

Do you have a great kitchen gadget that makes all the difference in your life? Share it with me in the comments! I'm always looking for new ones!

Banana Nut Muffins

From Taste of Home

1/4 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. mashed banana (about 3)

1 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/4 c. powdered sugar

Milk

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with papers or grease. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla and banana until smooth. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Mix well. Pour into moist mixture and combine just until moisten. Fold in walnuts. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Mix together powdered sugar and enough milk to make glaze, usually about 2 tsp. When muffins are cool, drizzle with glaze.

Shared on The Country Cook Feb. 6, 2015

Disclaimer: As a Field Editor of Taste of Home, I share my own thoughts and opinions of this recipe. I am not a paid employee. 

Celebrate Whole Grains Month with Post Great Grains {A Feature}

Welcome to September, and Happy Labor Day! Did you know that September is also National Whole Grains Month? Don't feel bad, I didn't either until my friends over at Post Great Grains filled me in, and I'm more than happy to celebrate with them!

And what a better way to enjoy an entire month dedicated to whole grains than with a new fun recipe including Great Grains cereal? Did you know that each Great Grains variety has at least 30g of whole grains per serving and is an excellent source of fiber? Just what you're looking for in a breakfast to fuel your entire day! Or even better, take what you love from your cereal bowl, and experience it in a whole new, unique way? 

This recipe can be enjoyed for breakfast, a midday snack or even a nutritional dessert. Oh, and did I mention, it's super simple too??!! Give your kids something fun they will gobble down before the school bus comes, or give them something to look forward to after a full day of classes. Packing lunches for school and/or work? These would be great for that too! So versatile, you will find a hundred different ways to use it, each more tasty than the last. 

Whole grains are something we are all looking to add more of into our diets, and with yummy recipes like this, and delicious cereal from Post Great Grains, it's so easy to do just that!

Banana Crunch Parfait

1 cup Great Grains Banana Nut Crunch cereal 

1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt

1 cup honey

1 medium banana, sliced 

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained

Spoon half of the yogurt evenly into six parfait glasses; top with layers of half each of the bananas, pineapple, cereal and remaining whipped topping. Repeat layers. Drizzle honey over final layer.

Disclaimer: I was provided with free samples in exchange for this feature. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Soul Food Saturday

What is it about banana bread that makes us think, something healthy? Is it all the times we have heard the health benefits of bananas; or just one more reason to have an extra slice without any of the guilt? I don’t really need many; I love banana bread any way I can get it. So here is one more recipe to add to your collection, and we are calling it “healthy” because the oil has been replaced in this recipe. But the flavor hasn’t been altered one bit, promise! Grab a cup of coffee, and a friend. This one is best when shared with ones we hold dear.

No-Oil Banana Bread

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 c. half and half

1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 c. mashed bananas

1 c. sugar

 1 3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. chopped walnuts, optional

 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray one 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray coating. Set aside. In a medium bowl add eggs, half and half, apple sauce, and bananas. Mix until combined. Sift together sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to banana mixture a third at a time, stirring to combine. With last addition add in walnuts. Stir to combine, completely. Pour into prepared pan and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Soul Food Saturday

What is better than an ice cream sundae? How about one that you wouldn’t feel guilty about adding toppings too? Now that I have your complete attention, believe me even making it is super easy! Why not surprise Mom with a delicious ice cream sundae with all her favorite toppings? Happy Mother’s Day to the wonderful Mother’s!  Also the Father’s doing double duties! We’re celebrating you today!

 

No Dairy Banana Ice Cream

4 bananas cut in 1 inch pieces

Freezer bag

Toffee pieces

Caramel sauce

Butterscotch chips 

 

Place pieces of banana in freezer bag and allow to, freeze completely. After pieces are completely frozen add pieces to food processor and pulse to break pieces up further. Then process until smooth. Serve immediately or store in freezer safe containers for later. Top with all of your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Spring, Easter and Bananas

On any given day I have about a million things going through my mind at once. I think this is pretty typical for all mothers out there. We are constantly juggling about a hundred things, all the while thinking about the next hundred coming around the bend. But even when it comes to food, and the things I'm going to blog about, I try really hard to stay ahead of the curve by always thinking about the next thing. And sometimes when I least expect it, fate will step in and decide for me what is to come next. 

This was the case the night I first saw this recipe. I was actually sitting on the laptop clicking back and forth between Facebook and here, trying to work on blog posts, but being easily distracted by the other. I was also working on my menu plan, ideas for new recipes to try, thinking about the next holiday/event that I should be focusing on...you see...a hundred different thoughts all jumbled in one tired mommy brain. And that's when a friend posted a link to this recipe saying she had just made it and it was fantastic. 

Well, anything with the words banana and cream has my attention immediately. But on this night, it really caught my eye because I had a bunch of bananas in the kitchen that needed to be used, and one of the things I was thinking about was what new recipe I could do using them. No joke! (Fate and kismet are funny things, huh??!!)

So the next day I made it, we loved it and I sat down to blog it; and that's when the train of thought once again jumped the tracks. While editing the photo I got to thinking what a pretty pastel yellow it was and how it really looked like spring in a bowl. And then that made me think what a great recipe it would be to make for an Easter dinner or even brunch. Or maybe even a bridal or baby shower! So yes, one little recipe had me thinking about spring, Easter, and bananas all at the same time! 

If you like Banana Cream Pie, you're going to love this! It's all the same flavors, but in a creamy, delicious salad. Plus, it's a great one for a crowd because where a pie might feed a few people, you can really stretch this out due to it being really rich and decadent. 

Sometimes my stream of consciousness scares even me. But when all those various thoughts come together and are able to manifest themselves into something yummy, it's okay, especially for you!

Banana Cream Salad 

1 egg

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 TBS flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 TBS vinegar, add enough water to make 1/2 cup liquid

1 TBS butter

1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip

3 ripe bananas, sliced, reserve a few for garnish

1/2 c. vanilla wafer cookies, crushed

4 drops yellow food coloring, optional

Whisk together egg, sugar, flour, salt and  vinegar/water mixture in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. (Be careful, it will scorch!) Once thick, remove from heat and add butter. Stir until combined. Allow mixture to cool. (I sped this up by putting it in the fridge.) Once cool, add Cool Whip and bananas. Stir well. Top with crushed vanilla wafers and garnish with a few banana slices. Refrigerate leftovers. 

Shared on The Country Cook Mar. 14, 2014

 

 

After School Snack Inspiration

After school snacks. We all had our favorites, and our children have theirs. But there have always been stand-bys that moms everywhere depend on, knowing they will be loved no matter how many times the little ones come home to them. Cookies and milk. Veggies with dip. Apple slices and caramel. Peanut Butter and bananas. They are what we turn to when the child walks through the door starving, and you want to make sure they get a little nosh, but don't ruin their supper. And the last one in that list was the inspiration for this dessert.

Oh, and have you seen the mini graham cracker pie shells in the baking aisle? They were also inspiration for this recipe. I've used them several times now and love them. They allow me to make mini desserts that are cute, simple and the perfect serving size! If you haven't, they are right there next to the other pre-made crusts!

Basically I had bought these mini pie shells but had no idea what I was going to do with them yet. Then I started thinking of new flavor combinations for pies, and with my brainstorming, this happened. If you love the flavors of banana and peanut butter together, you're gonna flip for this! Plus, something magical happens when the pudding meets the peanut butter and then they both meet the Cool Whip. It's a wonderful thing.

Now, I know some out there are going to look at this recipe and be critical of just how much help I took from the store. That's fine, go ahead and hate. But I'm okay with it, and I know many of my fellow crazy busy moms out there will appreciate it. If you have the time to make fresh banana pie filling, go for it! Or if you prefer to use a box of instant pie filling, go ahead. I actually probably would have done that myself had I not been able to find the canned variety.

These would be perfect if you're hosting a Halloween party later this week. Kids will enjoy the flavor and size. Adults will love the flavors reminding them of their childhood. It's a win win dessert...

Mini Peanut Butter and Banana Pies
12 mini graham cracker pie shells
1 (21 oz.) can banana cream pie filling
1 (4 serving) box instant vanilla pudding
1 c. cold milk
1 tub Cool Whip
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
Roasted Peanuts, chopped, for garnish

In a medium bowl combine pudding mix and milk. Whisk for 2 minutes. It will be thick. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Gently fold in Cool Whip. Divide pie filling among pie shells, about 2 TBS each. Add peanut butter mixture to a gallon sized plastic bag. Cut off tip, creating a pastry bag. Pipe peanut butter mixture evenly over each pie. Top with chopped peanut. Chill to set, about an hour. Refrigerate any leftovers. *NOTE* When measuring out the peanut butter, first run the measuring cup under hot water. This will allow the peanut butter to slide out easily.

Shared on The Country Cook November 1, 2013

Peanut Butter at Very Good Recipes

Soul Food Saturday #20

Happy Labor Day weekend! I hope you have something fun, or maybe relaxing, planned for this 3 day gateway to fall. Okay, so I'm not wishing summer away by any means, but with September coming in less than 24 hours, I'm trying to embrace the fact the hot, sunny days are going to become further and farther between. But I'm sure we still have some beautiful weather ahead of us, and hopefully you'll get out and enjoy some this weekend! Bekki is here with the perfect holiday dessert, especially if you're having guests. It takes one of my all time favorite ice cream parlor treats and put a new spin on it!

I saved the best for last. Since most of us have a 3 day weekend and are celebrating Labor Day, we can’t leave out the dessert. This pie transforms banana split toppings into one delicious slice. After having a nice cookout this is a perfect way to end the meal. Super easy to prepare and in advance so it doesn't get in the way of other celebrating that must be had this weekend. This is one you’ll want to keep around, because someone is going to want your secret recipe. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Banana Split Pie {Adapted from Valley View Women’s club Cookbook}

 2 graham cracker crusts

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

2 tbs. vanilla

1 8oz. package Cream Cheese, softened

6-7 bananas, sliced

1 large can crushed pineapple, drained

1 tub whipped topping

1 c. Maraschino cherries

1 c. macadamia nuts, chopped

 

In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and cream cheese. Pour half of    mixture into each pie crust. Layer bananas on top of filling and press them in gently. Then layer pineapple on top of bananas. Lastly finish each pie with a layer of whipped topping, and top with cherries and nuts.

Happy Halloween!!!

It's finally here! If your kids are anything like Monkey, and I think most are, the only countdown bigger than the one to today is the one coming up in about a month towards December 25th! Children everywhere are sitting in classrooms right now watching the minutes tick away just trying to contain themselves until they can get home, don their witches hats, pirate swords, superhero capes and princess tiaras. When Monkey gets home, he is convinced he needs to change right away, and trick or treating should start promptly at 3:45 pm. Well, our city council sees things differently and therefore made trick or treat hours from 6-8 pm, which means I have 2 hours to fill the void with some Halloween fun so I don't have to hear "Is it time yet?" every 5 minutes. So, I'm going to surprise him with these for a yummy, festive after school snack! I know he is going to think they are too cute and be surprised at what lies underneath. Hopefully these will lessen his urge to run out the door a little bit until that magical witching hour. From my family to yours, I wish you and your little ones a very "spook-tacular" and fun filled day!

~Happy Halloween~

My Monkey as Captain America

Ghost Pops From Pinterest
1 banana, cut into thirds
1 (6 oz) container very vanilla yogurt
1 c. sweetened flaked coconut
Candy sticks
6 pieces of chocolate puff cereal

Spread each piece of banana with yogurt, coating liberally. Roll in coconut, pressing to adhere. Dip each piece of of cereal in yogurt and press into banana for eyes. Freeze for 1 hour to set.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Oct. 31, 2012

Halloween at Very Good Recipes
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Birthday Party Snack

Back on September 15th we had a big day around here. It was Monkey's 8th Birthday Party! Now I've thrown him a few parties in his 8 short years, but this was going to be the first year he was allowed to invite friends; and was he ever excited! So back in early May (yeah, I'm that kind of planner) when I started thinking about what I would be serving, I knew one thing right away. I was going to have a low key, low stress level party for mom. All of his parties I've had in the past have included tons of food; and I don't regret doing it, but let's face it, there is a lot of work that goes into that! And this time, having other kids there besides my totally non picky eater, I didn't want to take the chance of having heaps of food leftover because none of the kids, or adults for that matter, ate it. So I decided we would have a simple "snacking" menu with cake, pretzels, popcorn, my Lemon Dill Snack Mix...and one more thing. But what would it be? Well, it wasn't until August when I asked fans on Facebook for their input that I got my inspiration. Many answered with trail mix or Chex Mix; and it reminded me I had just seen a commercial for the new Apple Cinnamon Chex. Immediately something came together in my mind and I knew I had my last snack for the party. Plus, I knew exactly what I would call it. It was after all, a party for my Monkey, so naming it after him was a top priority. Salty and sweet at the same time, this is yummy and simple to make. If you can pour cereal and mix, you can make this! My guests loved it. More than one told me that many times trail mixes are too sweet, and this was just the right balance of sweet and salty. I love my Monkey so much and each minute I put into his party was totally worth it when he said "Thanks, Mommy. I love you."

Monkey Munch
1 (13.75oz) box Apple Cinnamon Chex cereal
1 (12oz) bag banana chips
1 (6oz) bag dried cranberries
1 (14.75oz) can party peanuts

In a large bowl mix all ingredients well. Store in an airtight container.

Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Sept. 27, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Sept. 28, 2012
Shared on Make Ahead Meals Oct. 1, 2012

Snacks at Very Good Recipes
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32 Days And Counting

Why the countdown you ask? Well, on August 20th the day Monkey is dreading (and truthfully me too) will be here...The First Day of School. Now to be honest, as of right now Alex is not looking forward to it, but he loves school so much that by the time that morning rolls around he is always super excited and ready to see his friends, learn and have another great year. But between now and then I am constantly on the lookout for ideas both for school lunches and/or after school snacks. This is an idea I saw on Pinterest and I knew it would be perfect for my Monkey any day after school when at 3:30pm he declares "Mommy, I'm starving!!" After all, what's more of a match made in heaven than a monkey and bananas? I love finding new, fun and easy things to treat him with after a long day of reading, writing and arithmetic!

Banana Bites
Banana
Peanut Butter
Crisped Rice Cereal
Chocolate Syrup, optional

Cut each banana into 3-4 small sections. With a butter knife, spread peanut butter on all sides. Pour rice cereal into a small dish. Roll each banana section in cereal, covering it. Drizzle chocolate syrup over top. Chill for about 10 minutes to set.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain July 18, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook July 21, 2012

Bananas at Very Good Recipes
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Weekend Company {Guest Blogger Anne}

Good Morning everyone! I hope you had a fantastic week, and however you are spending your weekend, it includes some sunshine and fun along the way. If your family is anything like ours, our weekends are quickly becoming busier and busier as the days get warmer. I am determined to find some time to relax though~ somewhere, somehow! Today's guest is a fellow blogger who you might remember from the holidays when she hosted a fantastic countdown to Christmas on her blog, The Saturday Evening Pot, which I participated in. Be sure to stop by and say hello and visit her on Facebook too.  Please welcome Anne to EMM~

Hi, Everyone!  I'm Anne, also known as "The Lucky Wife", at the blog my husband and I co-author,  My husband, "The Chef", is trained in Culinary Arts by Johnson and Wales University.  So I figure I'm pretty lucky because I don't have to do much cooking in our home (per a deal we made when he went back to school for the degree in Culinary Arts, leaving law enforcement), and I get to taste test all of his culinary creations.
Now, this does not mean all you will find on our blog is fancy foods.  His work schedule does not permit much play time in our kitchen, and our young children do not have the more mature palettes to be able to appreciate the kinds of flavor variations we enjoy.  So you will find a good variety of recipes on our blog, including very basic, everyday family meals, such as Salmon and Sweet Corn Hash, as well as the dishes for the more advanced palettes, such as Peach and Sweet Tea Vodka Glazed Pork Tenderloin.  We've also got some great recipes for side dishes and for those days when you want to throw something in your trusty crockpot and let it cook while you're enjoying life, such as Slow Cooker Shredded Pork with "Skillet Apples".  Be sure you check out our daily paper, full of crockpot recipe ideas and information, The Crockpot Chronicles!  We also offer some kid-friendly food tips and information, like this Easy Toddler Smoothies Recipe (with a tip for eating yogurt mess-free!) and lots of creative lunchbox ideas.
Today I have something special, easy and fun to share with you.  It will be of particular interest for those of you with a child, grandchild or special niece or nephew who loves Elmo.  Both of my children are Elmo fans, and since we love food so much in our home, I got curious one day about what Elmo's favorite food is.  Any guesses?  Pizza!  And since his favorite fruit is banana, I decided to develop a recipe including Elmo's favorite foods, a fruit pizza.  The Chef suggested using strawberries to add some color (presentation!).  The end result was delicious and my children, of course, loved it.

Elmo's Favorite Food: Fruit Pizza with Banana (and Strawberries)
Ingredients:
Sugar cookies (you can make these yourself or buy them already made, the option I chose for convenience)
Vanilla pudding (again, you can make it or buy it already made, again, the option I chose for convenience)
Banana
Strawberries

Instructions:
Spread a layer of pudding over each cookie.  Cut banana and a few strawberries into toddler bite-sized pieces and position as desired on top of the pudding you had spread over each cookie.  Serve!

 Thank you so much, Krista, for having me as a weekend guest to share with your readers.  I know I do not have to tell them what a great resource your blog is for recipes!  I so enjoyed her participation on our 100-Day Countdown to Christmas series last year... check it out if you love Christmas and bookmark it or pin it for great ideas for Christmas this year (it comes quickly doesn't it?).  And thank you to those of you who took time to read what I had to share with you today.  The Chef and I would love to have you visit with us, and if you like what we offer, to become a part of our "foodie family"!


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Fruit In The Frost

Let's face it, fresh fruit in the winter isn't something that is "ooohhhh and aahhhed" about the way it is in the summer. The bountiful harvest summer brings us truly is one of the things we enjoy most about warmer weather. But winter does have it's stars too, they are just mostly imported :) When I was planning our Christmas Eve celebration I wanted one more side dish, and immediately thought salad. But we were already have a salad, plus a veggie tray, so something different I sought. I decided to look through my newest favorite cookbook, Gooseberry Patch's Quick and Easy Christmas. And while I would have never thought to look in the Breakfast/Brunch section for an idea for supper, that is indeed where I found this, so perfect! Yes, we had it along side our barbecue rib dinner, and it was something light and refreshing on a table full of heavier indulgences. But I understand why it was filed under the category it was, b/c it would be sensational with eggs, pancakes, omelets....all the brunch staples. Using a mixture of canned and fresh fruits, it really gives you a sense of that summer freshness, all while you admire the snowdrifts in your backyard!!

Winter Fruit Salad from Gooseberry Patch originally contributed by Nancy from A Recipe A Day
3-4 red and green apples, chopped
2-3 bananas, sliced
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained--save 3/4 c. juice
1/3 c. orange juice
1 TBS lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar
2 TBS cornstarch

In a small sauce pan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add orange, pineapple and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbling. Cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, combine apples, bananas, oranges and pineapple. Add sauce and stir to coat. Chill until serving.

Shared on Chef in Training Jan. 3, 2012
Shared on Naptime Creations Jan. 3, 2012
Shared on Sweetology Jan. 3, 2012
Shared on Lady Behind the Curtain Jan. 4, 2012
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Jan. 5, 2012

Salad at Very Good Recipes
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Monkey Loves Bread

And monkeys love bananas. So, is there a more perfect recipe for this mama to make for her little monkey than banana bread? I'm going to be totally honest w/ you, until I started blogging and even more so when I started blogging A LOT I didn't bake much. In fact, I used to describe myself as the cook who wouldn't bake. But the more I blogged, and the more I shared my recipes w/ the world, the more I ventured outside my comfort zone with the oven on! It wasn't that I couldn't bake, I just didn't. It's hard for me to describe now b/c I do it and I don't think twice about it. Am I a natural baker? No. Do I have to follow a recipe? Yes. Do I sometimes still screw it up....Um, Yes. But at least I'm more willing to try these days and not so fearful of what might happen! However, long before I was baking on a regular basis, this was something I did make, and was SO proud when it turned out perfectly the very first time. And Adam? Well, he was shocked when he came home to something freshly baked that came out of our oven! I love sweet breads: cranberry, blueberry, banana, zucchini, pumpkin.....anything I can put butter on and fulfill my sweet tooth and carb cravings in one bite is okay w/ me! The moral of the story is if the "old" Krista can bake it, then it must be fool proof, so try it today!

Banana Bread
3-4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 c. melted butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. With wooden spoon, mix butter and bananas. Stir in sugar, egg and vanilla. Sprinkle w/ baking soda and salt. Mix well. Add flour last, and mix well. Pour into a buttered loaf pan, or a couple mini loaf pans, Bake for 1 hour. Cool before slicing.

~Join me for Tasty Tuesday at Formula Mom~

Shared on Chef in Training Nov. 8, 2011
Shared on Naptime Creations Nov. 8, 2011
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Nov. 8, 2011
Shared on Hugs & Cookies Nov. 9, 2011
Shared on Food Corner Nov. 9, 2011
Shared on This Chick Cooks Nov. 9, 2011
Shared on Newlyweds Blog Nov. 9, 2011
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Nov. 10 2011
Shared on Something Swanky Nov. 10, 2011
Shared on It's A Keeper Nov. 10, 2011
Shared on A Little Nosh Nov. 10, 2011
Shared on Sweet as Sugar Cookies Nov. 11, 2011

Bread at Very Good Recipes
Banana at Very Good Recipes
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Oops Equals Yummy

I love getting recipes from my foodie/blogger friends. I love the world of food I have at my fingertips. But I am always nervous when I try a recipe for the first time, and that is only heightened when that recipe comes from someone I know. Someone that will see the results and might thing "What the heck did she do?" I hope others out there feel that way too, and it's not just my crazy brain working over time! A perfect example of this is when I attempted to make Banana Bars from Lark's Country Heart. The moment I saw these on her blog I wanted to make them. Banana?? Well, those definitely belong in this house! After all, I do have a little monkey running around :) Not to mention I love anything w/ banana in it. So it was a weekday, Alex was at school, the laundry was done, the floors were vacuumed and the blog was up to date. Okay, I can't lie. The floors weren't vacuumed, but I really wanted to try these. I ventured into my kitchen and after following her very easy recipe (yep, click that and you'll see it too) and putting the dish in the oven, I went to write the recipe down. This was a keeper!!! That's when it happened. I noticed the "spread evenly on a sprayed sheet pan". Oops. I must have totally read over that. Great. I poured my batter in a 9x11 Pyrex baking dish. I knew in that instant these weren't going to turn out as bars. That's okay. Regroup. Now we have a banana cake!! Add some simple frosting and the family will never know!!! I will share the recipe, the way I did it (I had to go w/ what I had on hand) but if you want bars, be sure to click the link above. If you are happy w/ a cake, then mine will be great. Either way you have a yummy dessert! Next time I think I'll pay more attention (my teacher always told me speed reading would get me) I guess it can be a secret between me, Lark and all of you!

Banana Cake  Adapted from Lark's Country Heart

2/3 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. chopped pecans

Frosting:
2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix milk w/ slowly in small amounts until desire consistency. Add vanilla and mix well.

In a mixing bowl, cream together both sugars and shortening. Next add in the salt, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix together for 30 seconds. Add in the egg and banana. Finally add in flour slowly. Then add in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour into a greased 9x11 baking dish. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. To frost, place in a ziploc bag and snip off corner. Drizzle over cake. This is best kept chilled.

Shared on It's A Keeper Sept. 22, 2011
Shared on Around My Family Table Sept. 22, 2011
Shared on Recipes For My Boys Sept. 22, 2011
Shared on Jane Deere Sept. 23, 2011
Shared on Mangoes & Chutney Sept. 23, 2011
Shared on Sweet As Sugar Cookies Sept. 24, 2011
Shared on Six Sisters' Stuff Sept. 25, 2011
Shared on Saturday Evening Pot Sept. 26, 2011
Shared on Home Savvy Sept. 26, 2011
Shared on Make Ahead Meals Sept. 26, 2011
Shared on Chef in Training Sept. 27, 2011
Shared on Naptime Creations Sept. 27, 2011
Shared on Celebrating Family Sept. 27, 2011
Shared on Sweetology Sept. 27, 2011

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Nana Nana Nana!!!

No, I'm not being a snotty kid teasing anyone. Nor am I running around yelling Grandma's name. Ha! I'm talking "nanners", bananas!!! As a kid, I wasn't the biggest banana fan. As an adult, I am. But more than just the fruit itself, I love banana flavored things. Bread, milkshakes, ice cream, candy, cake--I don't care. If it's banana, sign me up, year round, but especially during these hot summer months. Maybe it's b/c it seems tropical to me (same reason why I'm all about coconut May-September). Maybe it's b/c it is so refreshing. Whatever the reason, when I see a recipe involving bananas it always makes me stop and take notice, especially if it is dessert. I saw someone on tv making a banana pudding dessert and though "Mmmmm, that's what I've been craving and didn't even know it". So off to the store I went. Seriously, from the time the tv chef was saying "join me next me" to the time I was in the car was no more than 10 minutes! I love desserts I can make, chill and we can eat from them for days! Anyway, I get to the store and head to the produce aisle to get bananas and there is a display of "Nilla Wafers". Well, isn't someone a total genius! Talk about grocery stores catering to their customers, and/or subliminal messaging. Whichever it was, I was happy b/c it meant less walking for me. So this is what I came up with after looking at a few recipes and pulling a little of this and that from each. This makes a huge portion and we will be enjoying it for days to come. But that is 100% okay w/ this banana lover----after all, I am the mommy to a little monkey:)

Banana Pudding Dessert

1 large box instant vanilla pudding
1 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
2 c. cold milk
16 oz Cool Whip, thawed
4 bananas sliced
1 box Vanilla Wafer cookies

In a large bowl, pour pudding mix. Add milk and whisk until thick. (The directions on the box call for 3 cups, so be sure not to follow them. It will be thicker than normal pudding). Add condensed milk and mix until well combined. Fold in Cool Whip. In a 9x13 pan, layer cookies, pudding, bananas in repeating layers, ending w/ pudding. Top w/ crushed cooking. Chill well before serving.

Shared on Chef In Training July 5, 2011

Shared on Around My Family Table July 7, 2011

Shared on Celebrating Family July 12, 2011

Shared on Gooseberry Patch July 13, 2011

Shared on Family Fresh Cooking July 13, 2011

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