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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Wednesday




Well,the pup woke me up a few minutes early this morning,so after I got all the critters fed and breakfast started (sausage and french toast),I made hubby's birthday banana bread (a few days late).It turned out WONDERFUL this time--I didn't forget to add the eggs or vanilla like last time.Forgot to take pics again,so the next time I cut myself a slice I'll take a pretty shot of it.

It never fails that when I get in the kitchen busy with whatever is on the menu at that moment,both the kid and the puppy go freakin' crazy-I KID YOU NOT! They either fight with each other like maniacs or try to tear the house down! Sometimes I'll bring Zachary into the kitchen to help and that will settle him down for a bit,but sometimes I'm not making something kid friendly that he can help with and he gets bored easy and likes to drive me batty.Like the last time I tried banana bread and he was chattering away with me and "made" me forget to eggs and vanilla-at least that's my side of the story.Tinkerbelle is another story.She is so attached to me.It's like she has this "mommy's not here" radar and goes crazy till I come back.Sometimes she just sleeps.But sometimes she will lay down at the hallway door with her nose stuck under it waiting for me to come back to that side of the house.Sometimes she's quiet,but most of the time she's whining and barking till I'm done in the kitchen.I don't like her in the kitchen while I'm cooking-no use in starting bad habits.

Supper tonight will be spicy roast with mashed potatoes and another side for the guys.I have a chicken breast in the fridge that I'm going to shred and have over quinoa I think.Not sure about veggies yet.Depends on what I'm in the mood for later this evening.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Tuesday Dinner

Tonight I made brown rice with veggie juice instead of water and added a handful of corn.I seared fajita strips and served it over the rice for the guys.For myself,I tried the hommade "cheeseburger" mac/cheese tonight using a bechemel sauce.It was good,but still missing something.I'll have to play around a big.I promise to do more pics of the outcomes.

Tuesday Thoughts

This morning it was a nice cool 51*F. I love this time of year. It's like something inside be comes alive in autumn. I want to be outside more.We hibernate for most of the Mississippi summer.The heat and humidity just doesn't agree with us.Give me a nice,crisp fall morning anyday! Now if I could only get my husband to make me a nice little spot in the backyard where I can sit quietly and enjoy a nice warm cup of hot chocolate or chai tea or apple cider. Grandpa keeps the backporch all cluttered with his projects and junk. I'd like to toss all that and screen the porch in and put a little table and chairs there instead.Maybe one day. I want to get the house all decorated for Halloween,but the hubby doesn't want me to deal too much with trick or treaters this year.The neighborhood's had a few break-ins and whatnot this year and I can see his point,but that just makes me sad.I'm afraid I'll just have to set up a little bowl on the front porch with a "please take 1 treat" sign.I'm usually the only house on the block to decorate.And probably the talk of the neighborhood because I DO! Alot of people overlook halloween because of the religious beliefs down here.They forget the true story behind halloween and try to twist it into something bad.I hope to invite a few kids over for a halloween party,I've already been looking at fun treats and thinking about a menu.I can't wait! When I make up my mind I'll share it.

As far as the regular menu today,I haven't even thought about it.Ask me later!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Monday,Monday

I ran a few errands this morning,which included getting my flu shot.Wasn't really in a cooking mood this evening so I made the "filling" for the taco-tamale pie but instead of doing a cornbread topping I layered it with shredded cheddar cheese and tortillas.I made the filling EXTRA thick.It looked YUMMY.Forgot to take a pic this time. Maybe hubby will like it and I'll make it again soon.I wasn't hungry so I scratched up leftovers for myself.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Saturday

Place a mozzarella cheese stick onto a wonton wrapper.

Roll up kinda like you are making eggrolls-be sure to dab a little water onto the edges that you fold in and on the last little flap so it will stay closed.

VIOLA!


Fry in your oil of choice-I used a little olive oil.



YUM-enjoy while hot and gooey!




The husband wanted spaghetti tonight so I had to figure out what to make for myself.I had found a recipe in Kraft Food and Family (love that magazine) for a homemade version of those box "quick fix-one skillet" meals some of us grew up on.As a kid I loved that cheeseburger mac dinner.The KFF recipe used velveeta cheese (I know-should have been a warning LOL),turkey,elbow macaroni and salt/pepper to taste-I added a little garlic and onion.It was good but I think I can do better using a bechemel sauce.I will try that in the near future.


Didn't get any of the bread done-I really want to get in there and bake,but I've just been so tired the past few days-my sugar has been up,too.But that goes hand in hand with being tired doesn't it? Maybe Sunday.Grandpa's supposed to go out of town for a few weeks so maybe I will have the kitchen area to myself tomorrow.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Birthday Banana Bread

Sept 25

Today is the husband's birthday.Instead of cake or another dessert he asked for banana bread.So later this morning,I'm going to make it for him-basicly using the recipe from an earlier post.I also pulled out my bread machine.It's been up on a shelf in the laundry room for a couple of years just sitting.I had made a few loaves of bread when I first got it but then something went wrong with the last 2 loaves I tried.I think the yeast was bad.It was a hard lump and just NOT good eats! I want to make dough for homemade cinnamon rolls and maybe flatbread (think I can make a flatbread without the machine).basicly I want to play again! I always get the baking/cooking urge around fall.I just go crazy! I want to cook everything!A few weeks ago I made homemade chicken stock.It's waiting for me in the freezer so I can make a fabulous soup whenever the mood hits!I love fall!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Zach's Reading List

PRE-K
Hide and Seek
Little Bear
Dog and Cat
Stuck in the mud
Quick help the fish!
Shadow Show
Baby Jaguar Can!
Time to sleep
Ice is nice
Let's go see holes!
Out of the nest
The Rain forest race
The great dinosaur race
Chinta the Chinchilla
Hop Like a Tree Frog
The World of Dick & Jane & friends
Super Spies
I Like Bug
Little Critter Sleeps Over
My Trip to Atlantis
James goes Buzz,Buzz
The Big Cheese
Big Bird Says
The Missing Tooth
Dinosaur Days
Danny & the Dinosaur
2008

Behold no cavities!
Just a bully
Just me and my Babysitter
Just a dream
In a People House
A Rainy Day to Remember
A Book About Disobeying
A Book About Whining
A Book About Being Selfish
A Book About Teasing
Joy Berry
If You Take a Mouse to School
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Johnny Appleseed
Patch
Fox in Socks
Mole and the Baby Bird
More Snacks
Father Bear Comes Home
The Great Bug Hunt
Tuckerbean in the kitchen
Fluffy Grows a GardenK
The Great Bug Hunt
Have you seen the crocodile?
Pigs go to market
The Treasure Map
Where the Wild Things Are
Blue's Thanksgiving Feast
Just Say Please
Franklin & the baby
What's Bugging Pamela?
The Queen's Dragon
Unicorn Wings
The Bossy Rooster
Little Critter Jitters
If I Had a Robot Dog
Snug House,Bug House
Camp Spongebob
WhoBobWhatPants?
It's Not My Fault
When I Feel Sad
Thanksgiving Cats
The Ant and the Grasshopper
Last one home is a green pig
Donna O'Neeschuck was chased by some cows
Coriander the contrary hen
The Lazy Scarecrow
Marvin,the Blue Pig
Fluffy's 100th Day at School
Goldie's New Home
The Enormous Turnip
Hot Dog
Days of the Week
Disney-The Three Little Pigs
The Day I Saw My Father Cry
Shipwreck Saturday
The Very Quiet Cricket
Time to Rhyme with Calico Cat
It's FallL
The Hungry Monster
Two Little Trains
Chicka Chicka 123
Fluffy and the Firefighters
Pirate Soup
Silly Questions
The Stubborn Pumpkin
The Very Busy Spider
Manuelo the Playing
Moo!
Little Red Riding Hood
Little Wolf,Big Wolf
The Crow and the Pitcher
The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog
This First Thanksgiving Day
Paul Bunyan
Whose Socks Are Thoose?
You've Got Dragons
Minnie & Moo -the case of the missing jelly donut
The First Thanksgiving
DecemberThe Incredible Dash
Just Going to the Dentist
I Just Forgot
Merry Christmas,Mouse!
What a Bad Dream
Here Comes Santa

2009
Harry and the Lady Next Door

Scaredy Cat
Hunting the Great Daddy-o-saurus
The City Sings a Song
Super Fly Guy
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy
Here Comes Silent E
Little Pig-Biddle Pig
Pigs aplenty-Pigs galore
The Color Monster
Simpson Snail
The Bookstore Cat

Fluffy Meets the Groundhog
Inspector Hopper
Kick the Football,Charlie Brown
Recycled!
The Dragon's Scales
Dragon Egg
Put Me in the Zoo
Is It My Turn Yet?
Fluffy's Valentine
Hedgehog Surprise
Telephones,Televisions, and Toilets-How they work and what can go wrong
The Tooth Book

Buzz vs Torque
Two can share too!
Little Critter's The Best Present
A Friend For Minerva Louise
Mother,Mother,Iwant another
Special Deliver
Little Critter Story Book
6 dogs,23 cats,45 mice,and 116 spiders
Easter Bunny's Amazing Egg Machine
The Caterpillar that roared
Science Diet New Puppy Booklet
What puppies teach us
A Dog for Danny
Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleepover
How to talk to your dog
Little Critter's The Trip
Space Dog Jack
I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words
Fluffy Grows a Garden
Fluffy Saves Christmas
Manners in Public
Parrots and Parakeets as Pets
Pig Parade
A Guest is a Guest
Clara the Clever Caterpillar
How a Plant Grows
Rhino and Mouse
The Hairy Toe
Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs the Mecha-Monkeys
Library Lion
Baa Baa Black Sheep
There's an Alligator under my bed
If you take a mouse to the movies
Blue's Garden
The Carrot Seed
Scooby Doo and the Rock and Roll Zombie
Danny and the Dinosaur
What do you do with a grumpy Kangaroo
Garfield's Ironcat
The Great Gracie Chase-Stop that Dog
The Hungry Hen
The old Woman Who Named Things
Harry in Trouble
PJ the Spoiled Bunny
Gus and Buster work things out
Green Eggs and Ham
Horton Hears a Who
When I Feel Sad
Misc stories/poems from Rainbow Shower ("public" school reading book)
Nick Jr Spongebob Magazine

Thursday BREAKFAST -Lunch-Dinner

Semi-homemade cinnamon rolls

I took two packages of PILLSBURY CRESCENT ROUNDS (not crescent rolls) and unrolled them and put brown sugar inside and rolled them back up.I sprinkled a little ground cinnamon on top and baked until they were brown.(didn't look at the clock-and don't remember the oven temp-I'm bad about that LOL)Once done,I let them cool while I made a glaze using 3-4 heaping TBS of powdered sugar and a little milk-next time I might add a little butter or use more powdered sugar because the glaze was thinner than I wanted.But they were absolutely delicious!I want to try at making them totally from scratch using my bread maker to make the dough, but in a pinch these are GOOD and you can customize them as you like adding raisins,cranberries,or other favorites.I might try using splenda next time to make them a little healthier for us diabetics!
Lunch today was a borning turkey pastrami sandwich on butter bread with a little mustard.LOL
What's for dinner? Honestly,I have no clue.I don't have any leftovers I can morph into something else today,so I'll have to think a little.OUCH-might be painful! Whatever it is,I definately need something quick and easy...When I figure it out,I'll update.
Friday is the hubby's birthday.He asked for banana bread as his "birthday cake".Haven't decided if I'll make it tonight or tomorrow.Depends on how the afternoon goes.Zachary got his flu shot and another shot he was due for,and he is already MAJOR LEAGUE GROUCHY! LOL
Dinner turned out to be KFC at husband's request.I should have listed to my inner voice and just made something at home because it didn't sit well with me.I was up sick late into the night-just plain miserable.I'll learn! I know better-I just LOVE fried chicken-but it doesn't love me back!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

wednesday's dinner fare

Tonight it's going to be "hamburger steaks" with gravy,mashed potatoes,and another as of yet un-decided side dish.It's basicly hamburgers cooked with a home made gravy.Easy-kinda quick.I have a leftover chicken burger from last night that I will probably have for supper.Most of the time beef doesn't "sit well" with me.So I really don't eat alot of beef.I will have a good steak now and then but not often.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Tuesday's Menu

For Tuesday,the guys get those round steaks I cooked in the crock pot with a jar of salsa and spanish rice.The meat is literally falling apart!I am going to have a chicken burger and maybe a salad.Quick and easy! Gotta love that!

Monday, September 21, 2009

Visit to the Vet Friday

I took Tinkie to the vet last friday to ask some questions about the upcoming spay surgery next month and to ask about the hair loss or thinning of hair I've noticed recently.He answered all my questions about the surgery and clipped her nails.He said that the hair problem could be a few things--either it's hormonal because she's going through puppy-puberty--or it could be some type of mange that's caused by a mite that lives in the hair shaft (EWWWW).Since she hasn't really been around any other dogs since coming to live with us,if it is the mite problem she was exposed as a puppy and it's just now showing up.He said she didn't have all the symptoms of the mite problem because her skin isn't broken out and red.It's just that you can tell the hair is thinning (or coming out) in some spots (around ears,possibly around eyes,on legs).Another possibility might be the puppy shampoo we had been using.We had been using a generic puppy shampoo by hartz.He told us now to use something called Aloe and Oatmeal ($14.00/bottle).So unless she shows more symptoms between now and the surgery,he will do a test when she is under anesthesia.He said he has to scrape the skin pretty deep to do a skin test.I don't want her hurt unnecessarily,so we will wait.I'm trying to go longer in between bathing her too.I usually give her a bath about once a week-now I'm going to try to stretch it to every 2 weeks.In the meantime he said to add fish oil to her doggie food.She eats "science diet small bites" for puppies-and each morning I've poked a hole in one of my fish oil capsules and drizzled it onto the food.I've had to be sneaky becase the first day,she certainly wasn't having anything to do with that LOL.BLAH! I'm still nervous about my baby having surgery,but don't want to deal with the other if we didn't have it done.I am going to be soooo LOST that day she has it done LOL and will worry sooo much about my little Tinkie.I am going to try to schedule it on a payday friday so that I can be busy running errands and not just be stuck at home waiting for them to call me to come get her. LOL (I know-I'm a wuss! LOL)

Adventures in HomeSchooling

In homeschooling my 6 1/2 yr old,I pick and choose our resources from several different curriculums.It works for us.The only thing I'd like to change is on my part-I would like to get organized enough to where I can write out lesson plans.As it stands right now,I just go with the next page in whatever we're studying.This year I am using a computer program called HOMESCHOOL TRACKER to record each day's work.It's taken a little bit of use for me to get the hang on the program,but it is great-and has a free version.Here is a list of resources that we are using this year.

Rainbow Shower-Scott,Foresman Reading
Spectrum Spelling-grade 1 (finishing what we did not finish last study year)
Spectrum Spelling-grade 2 (haven't started-waiting till we finish grade 1 book)
Child's Play Science-(what we didn't finish last study year) Marshall Cavendish Education
The Complete Book of Handwriting K-3rd grade-American Education Publishing
Spectrum Math (Little Critter) grade 1
Geography and Map Activities-Rand McNally Schoolhouse
Spectrum Reading grade 2 (haven't started yet)
Beginning Arithmetic Speed Drills grade 1 --Rod and Staff
Beginning Arithmetic grade 1 part 2 --Rod and Staff
Beginning Arithmetic grade 1 part 1--Rod and Staff
Science K-1 --Frank Schaffer Publications
First Grade Math Skill Builders
Elementary Spanish level 1--Frank Schaffer Publications
Basic Skills and Beyond Money grade 2-3 --Carson-Dellosa Publishing (zach chose this book)
Basic Skills and Beyond Time grade 2-3-- Carson-Dellosa Publishing (zach chose this book)
United States of America Work book grade 2-- A+ workbooks
United States Coloring Book--Rod and Staff
Scholastic Success With Spelling grade 1--Scholastic

**I use the Rod and Staff preschool/kindergarten workbooks as "review" or "easy work"-we started using them for kindergarten work but zach knew most of the skills in the books already.
The internet is a great resource for different printables.When I first started working with Phonics in teaching Zachary to read,most of our work came from online printables.

We use get books from our public library to suppliment our reading frequently.We get books on subjects that Zachary is interested in or to follow up to something we are studying.

Monday's menu

Tonight's dinner is going to be chicken strips.I picked up a couple of packs of chicken tenders recently and finally found panko breadcrumbs (after months of searching) LOL.Not really sure about sides yet-might go with home fries.I have a half bag of potatoes that I need to use soon.I'm going to be really smart and start tomorrow's dinner this afternoon.I'm going to throw some bottom round steaks into the crock pot with some jarred salsa and let that cook overnight.That way I won't really have to cook tomorrow except for whatever I want for myself and put a few sides together to go with the round steaks.

Well I decided to use up the rest of the bag of potatoes before they went bad.I made hubby a serving of mashed potatoes (he could eat them EVERY DAY--LITERALLY!) and some home fries for the rest of us.I also made a cheesey pasta broccoli casserole.I used a recipe from Taste of Home but used a different pasta.I will add the full recipe for that later this evening.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

should have had sandwiches LOL

Well last night I made hubby's fave taco-tamale pie for him for supper and I was trying out a new recipe turkey spaghetti casserole(which turned out good by the way).I had bought extra onions and celery to have on hand and I decided to chop it all and get it into the freezer last night.I was down to my last 2 ribs of celery when it happened--CHOP--almost had to get stitches in my right thumb.I had my "good" knives out and they are SHARP! So there went my appetite for the rest of the night-I had a turkey sandwich.I was planning on just having the guys make sandwiches anyway but hubby asked nicely LOL.I'll be alright in a few days but dang it-that HURT! Sunday morning,hubby decided to "baby" me and went out and got mcd's for breakfast so I wouldn't have to cook.Personally I like homemade breakfast better but he was trying to be nice.I didn't yell at him for ruining my weekend no eating out challenge LOL. Sunday,I decided to try my hand at making apple handpies using wonton wrappers instead of making homemade dough.I peeled the apples and took out the seeds and put them into the processor with the last few TBS of cinnamon sugar.Then,I cooked them in a pan with a few pats of butter.The filling was DELISH! The wonton wrappers worked well and I'd definately do it again, but they didn't come out crispy.Guess I didn't bake them at a high enough temp.It was good for a first try.Next time, I won't add as much butter and might see how they are fried in olive oil.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Saturday Supper Menu

I'm trying to go a whole 2 day weekend without eating out.As I've said before,if it were up to my husband,he would eat out every day but that's just crazy! (I think he has a demented streak LOL) Earlier today he asked what the plan was for supper and I said "haven't even thought about it".He said how about "Taco-Tamale Pie"? Now I have an allergy to tomatoes so I can't eat this.It's a relatively new recipe I found on the Hom-ec101 blog-they call it their TAMALE PIE.It's a meatless dish so I added beef so it would be a little more hearty for my husband.He's not into meatless (but I'm going to surprise him soon LOL).I added a few things to the recipe and it is definately a new favorite.He's requested it several times since I first tried it out on him a few weeks ago.

Taco-Tamale Pie
diced onion
minced garlic
4-6oz of veggie juice
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of chili beans (I usually get the spicy ones)
taco seasoning
cumin
shredded cheddar cheese
box of jiffy cornbread mix
1-2lbs of ground beef
2 cans of diced tomatoes (I usually use the spicy ones)
1/2-1whole can of green chilis
**preheat oven to 400*

Add a little olive oil to a deep skillet--cook the onion to the pan and cook until tender-add the garlic--add the meat and cook until brown-drain--add taco seasonings and cumin and veggie juice--add the beans and tomatoes and chilis-Let simmer a few mins and then pour into a deep casserole dish--prepare the cornbread mix according to box instructions (I usually make mine a little on the thin side so it will spread evenly over the casserole)--top the casserole with the shredded cheese and pour the cornbread over the casserole trying to cover it all evenly.Bake in oven until the cornbread mix is fully done.Remove from oven and let sit a few mins before serving.


There will be enough left overs for the guys to snack on for the next 2-3 days.Thanks always nice.For me I found a turkey spaghetti casserole I'm going to try.I found it in Taste of Home Healthy Cooking.I love TOH recipe magazines.I've found several keeper recipes in TOH.

Turkey Spaghetti Casserole

1medium onion chopped
1celery rib chopped
1TBS butter
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper to taste
1lb ground turkey breast
6oz uncooked spaghetti broken into 2inch pieces
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
(**due to allergies I am leaving out a carrot--am leaving out mushrooms cause I just don't like them LOL --switched to cream of chicken soup from the cream of mushroom soup the original recipe called for--and am using ground turkey breast instead of cubed turkey breast)

In a skillet,saute veggies in butter until tender--in large bown combine the broth,soup,salt and pepper--in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray,layer the turkey,broken spaghetti,and veggie mixture--pour the broth mixture over the top--cover and bake at 350* for 70-80mins or until spaghetti is tender--uncover and sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for another 5-10mins or until cheese is melted.

I can't wait to try this! I love spaghetti but have to get creative with the sauces-at least in the spaghetti recipes I make for myself since I am horribly allergic to tomatoes.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Homemade Yogurt

After alot of thinking what's the worst that could happen LOL,I pulled out the my old small crockpot and gave it a whirl.How could something so simple and easy work?But it did! I made my first batch of homemade yogurt yesterday.It was delicious as breakfast this morning.And it's definately going to be cheaper than the store stuff.I can't wait to sit and think up all the different "gourmet" flavors I'm going to try! I got the original recipe from "A YEAR OF SLOWCOOKING" blog.Here's what I used:

1/2 gallon of skim milk
1/2 cup plain store bought yogurt (live active cultures)
frozen peaches
frozen raspberries
2 envelopes knox unflavored gelatin
**you will need a crock pot and a thick bath towel

Plug in crockpot and turn to LOW--add the milk--cover and let "cook" for 2 1/2 hours--
unplug crockpot after the 2 1/2 hours are up and let it sit UNPLUGGED on the counter for 3 hours--After 3 hours,scoop out 2 cups of the "milk" and set aside in bowl (sprinkle the envelopes of knox gelatin on top of the milk in the bowl-do not stir-let it sit and bloom for about 5-10 mins)--In the crockpot add the store bought yogurt--whisk to combine-after the 10 mins are up on the milk in the bowl add that to the crockpot and stir well to combine--Put the lid back on crockpot (still unplugged) andwrap a heavy bathtowel around it to insulate it--LET IT SIT FOR 8 HOURS--Once the 8 hours are up unwrap the towel and scoop out the yogurt into your containers of choice and chill in fridge-This is when I added the fruit and vanilla-I blended the fruit in a blender till it was like a puree and then I kinda stirred it into the yogurt and put it in the fridge--It will be a little thicker after it sits in the fridge-save 1/2 cup as a starter for your next batch of yogurt.

**I added 2 packets of equal the next morning because the fruit hadn't turned out as sweet as I liked-but I'm sure you can use honey or real sugar or your fave sugar substitute.

**another blogger friend I have said that she puts it into popcicle molds and freezes--she says the kids go wild over them-I'll have to try that for zach.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Husband Catchin' Chocolate Mousse Pie

7 14oz chocolate candy bars (ie hershey-can be with or without nuts)
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup milk
4 cups whip cream (cool whip)
shortbread cookie crust

In sauce pan,melt the candy bars,marshmallows with the milk--stirring constantly until the mix is smooth.Remove from heat.Fold in about 3 cups of the cool whip.Pour into crust.Chill in fridge 4+hours or until set.Top with remaining 1cup of cool whip and a few squares of candy bar.


**This is the first dessert I made for my husband when we were just dating.His face lit up when he saw this pie!

Julie's Banana Bread

Small Bunch of Bananas-Mashed
1 cup sugar or splenda/sugar blend
1/2 cup room temp Butter
dash of vanilla
2 large eggs at room temp
dash of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cup flour
dash of cinnamon


In mixing bowl cream sugar,butter,eggs,vanilla salt,baking soda, and cinnamon.Add bananas.Mix until just combined.Add flour.Mix until just combined.Bake in either loaf pan or
bundt cake pan at 350*F until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

**can add nuts of your preference

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Poopy


Tinkerbelle--AKA Poopy is the latest addition to our family.Be sides the husband and kid,I have a guinea pig named Lassie,a Red Lored Amazon Parrot named Jabber, and a Pacific Parrotlet named Tweeter.We had tried to have pups in the family a few years ago but they didn't work out-we had so many problems with them.Tinkerbelle has fit right in.She is a 5 month old Miniature Pinscher.I never considered myself to be a dog person before now.Growing up,I had cats.But Tinkie has changed all that.She is a mama's baby!She is my second little shadow.

Adventures in Homeschooling


We have been homeschooling my son Zachary since he was about 3 or 4 years old.He kept asking "what does that say mama" and it was driving me batty LOL so I started teaching him how to read.He is 6 1/2 now and reads 1-2 levels above his age.He reads everything from store signs to nutrition labels to just about anything that catches his eye-even the little video game books that comes with the games he plays.He LOVES TO READ! I'm so proud of him.Back when I was pregnant with him,I read somewhere that if you want to get your kids into books that you should "clutter" their room with books.So that's what we did.Even before he could read we would often find him sitting quietly in his room just looking at the picture in a book.He still does that-but now I get the pleasure of listening to him reading the book!

A little about SweetMissMagnolia

My mom had a bakery in Georgia sometime in the 1970s.I have pics of me helping bake a cake.I guess that's where I was first introduced to cooking.I don't remember alot of what she cooked because she died in 1980, when I was 9 years old,but I am told by alot of family that she was a wonderful,resourceful cook.One of the things they say she made that was just fantastic is yeast rolls.We don't have a recipe for her rolls,but I keep telling myself I'm going to see what I can come up with and give them a try.She was also frugal--you had to be in those days if you had a large family.She would often take something from supper that night and turn it into something for breakfast or into an entirely different meal the next day.My mother had 7 children.

After my mom died,an older sister stepped in as "second mother" to me and raised me along with her own children.As I grew into a teenager,I would usually have dinner ready for them before they would come home from work.I have been cooking for years and love it.I love trying new recipes and searching for new recipes.

Something happens to me around this time of year.Autumn makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and makes me want to COOK-EVERYTHING! Cookies,cakes,bread,you name it,I have the itch to cook it! I get so excited planning the menu for THANKSGIVING,HALLOWEEN,and CHRISTMAS each year.I made some banana bread the other day and it was so good! Banana bread was another of mom's favorites.I've picked out a few recipes I want to make for our halloween party (I plan ahead LOL),so I can't wait to give those a try to make sure they pass the test for our party! And if they pass the test I'll share them on here of course!

Bourbon vanilla


I've been reading alot of foodie blogs lately and found this recipe for homemade bourbon vanilla that I just had to try.I'm not a drinker,so I borrowed a cup of bourbon from a sister to see how it went this first try before I invested in more bourbon for myself.You can find the recipe on the A YANKEE IN A SOUTHERN KITCHEN blog.I can't wait to try it!


Bourbon Vanilla

1/2 cup bourbon

2 vanilla beans


Cut the beans legnthwise and scrape the seeds out.Add them to the bourbon.Add the beans also.Store in an airtight jar and make sure the lid is on tight.Shake well and store in pantry (or cubbard like I did) for 2 weeks.