Banana Cake

In honor of my mother, I am sharing a recipe for banana cake. She always made this to go to my dad's family reunion. Several family members asked for it again and again...so...yes, Nancy, I will continue with the tradition.

In the mixing process. It isn't this yellow, but you know how lighting and cell phone cameras are...


1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup lt. brown sugar
2 eggs
3 large, ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup buttermilk

Cream this all together. Gently add:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking soda
-1/2 cup nuts are optional-

Bake in a non-stick 9 x 13 cake pan (or use nonstick spray) at 350 degrees for approx. 40 minutes.

Cool cake completely and then frost. Mom always used a buttercream frosting to appease Dad, but I prefer a cream cheese frosting. This is even tasty with a light chocolate frosting. To each his own!
Enjoy however you make it!
~jan

PS. Nancy...which frosting do you prefer?

She Loves Green!

Since moving into our home two years ago, I have changed my daughters room three times. Our current color palatte...neon green and turquoise. This is what Miss H's room looked like before...


Here is the during process...


and this is the new room with a few things left to do.


I wasn't too sure how it would turn out but I just went with what the adorable three-year old chose and I must say she has some fun taste. Nice choice baby girl...
Amanda

Facing Anxieties

I like to think that I Fear No Craft! (Because I am very {brave}, you see.)

I admit I have been a tiny bit apprehensive (not scared!) about a few aspects of quilting. Pinwheels and free-motion quilting. They just look scary intimidating!

I decided to combine them into one project, and get over it. 

Ms. Amanda's little girl had a birthday recently, and I made a little doll quilt for her with this pattern. 


This pattern ends up being 18x18, and I made it entirely out of scraps. 

Pinwheels? Piece o' cake. Free-motion quilting? So fun! 

I will be doing both of these again very soon, and now I'm looking for something else that frightens bothers me to try out! 

My daughter tries out the quilt... guaranteed to keep even the chilliest of dollies cozy!

<3 AmberLou

Eric's Adventures in Baking

My Sweet Baboo needed a dessert for an event at his job not long ago, and I encouraged him to make a cake himself. He freaked out a bit, but I assured him he was capable and that I'd make sure he didn't burn down the house or break anything important.

Starting with a boxed chocolate cake mix, he mixed it according to the package directions.

Next, he folded in a can of cherry pie filling and a cup of chocolate chips. (please ignore the recycling next to the mixer how embarrassing!). Then he baked it in a bundt pan, and I helped him make a chocolate glaze for it.

It turned out beautiful and was extremely tasty. Next time we'll try a lemon poppyseed cake, just for fun.

See honey, that wasn't so hard, was it?

He Can Sew!

My son had a teen-living class last trimester. One assignment was to sew a pillowcase, which he put off until the last day of the tri. So he was whipping one out under pressure at the last critical minute - he has a habit of this and I hide my face in shame to say he came by this unfortunate trait quite honestly.

His only requirments were to make one to actually fit a pillow he owned, use a straight seam, a zig-zag seam and iron open the seams and the finished project.

So here he is... Sewing his straight seam.

Measuring his hem. He had to improvise because his unorganized mom couldn't find her seam gauge. He was appalled he couldn't just 'eye-ball it'. (Another bad inherited trait - yikes)

Ironing the finished product. You can see his very straight zig-zag top-stitching done in white.

His precise measuring and slow guided stitching paid-off! His teacher raved about his great job and was so frustrated with him when she found out this wasn't the first sewing project he had done. But seriously, he is 15 and so very cool, how would that have looked to admit that in class with his posse (and harem) looking on?

Happy Sewing!
~jan

No- Bake Cornflake Cookies

This is one of my favorite recipes!

They are quick and easy to make, and bring back such yummy childhood memories:)

I made these the other day for my husband and daughter and they gobbled them up...I was lucky to get a couple pictures!

My almost 3 year old {on Thursday!}isn't one for sweets but, she LOVED these.

I. was. shocked.

I admit I was kinda hoping there would be more for me but, Im glad I can share my childhood yumminess with the two people I love the most so without further ado:

Momma Jan's Cornflake Cookies

1/2 c. corn syrup

3/4 c. white sugar

1/2 c. peanut butter (both creamy & nutty work)

Combine in saucepan on stove (med. high heat) until all blended and smooth.

Remove from heat and add...

1 c. mini marshmallows

mix until melted into sauce. pour over...

6 c. cornflakes (I have used regular or frosted flakes)

stir all together and scoop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Cool...and eat!

So Yummy!!!

-Amanda

we link to these parties.
and these:

A southern fairytale. 

Prairie Story.

Life As Mom.

Patty's Day Popcorn Balls

My St. Patrick's Day bribe for my students. Do you think it will work?

I used some cute printable tags from Elizabeth at To Be Charmed. Thank you for sharing. My picture doesn't show off how cute they really are so check them out on her blog.
Here's the easy recipe.

2c. light corn syrup
1c. sugar
1 box (6oz.) lime jello (or the color appropriate for the season)
22 cups air-popped popcorn
1/4 cup butter or margarine

Mix first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until all the sugar is dissolved - don't overcook. Pour over popped corn and stir very well. Rub hands with butter then make into balls and let cool on waxed paper. You will need to use butter repeatedly so the gooey balls don't keep sticking to your hands. Good luck and let me know how yours turn out.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
~jan
Linking to some of THESE parties.
and http://annkroeker.com/

Decor on a Dollar!

From Boring...

To Bam!

What were the chances of finding a decal for this spot at the Dollar Tree that actually matches the color palette of the room? I am doing some big changes in the kitchen and dining area, but the process is lengthy and I am so tired of the BLAH look. So $1 added some color and a great message.

Happy Weekend!
~jan

Spring Break Blah Busters

Are you staying home this spring break? 

Do you need some kids activity ideas?

Head on over to Tip Junkie today for 38 awesome activities to do with your kiddos over the break....

including one of our ideas!

Thanks Tip Junkie for featuring our Marshmallow Play Dough!

Upside Down Spaghetti

1 lb. hamburger

1/4 c. diced onions

1/4 c. green peppers

1/4 c. chopped mushrooms

1 pkg. spaghetti noodles (we use Gluten Free)

1 8 oz. block cream cheese

1 c. sour cream

2 c. shredded cheese.

1 jar of favorite spaghetti sauce...or your own homemade recipe.

Brown hamburger & veggies. Mix cream cheese and sour cream. Layer a 9x13 pan with the cream cheese mixture, noodles, hamburger mixture, 2 cups of shredded cheese (of your choosing. I have used both mozzerela & cheddar and they are both yummy!) And lastly add the spaghetti sauce.

Take a table knife and poke holes to help sauce drain down through noodles. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees.

After cooling, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve!

This recipe is delicious, a great take on the classic spaghetti.

As you can see,  lil miss thinks its tasty!

-Amanda

picture via :http://blisstree.com/eat/baked-spaghetti-with-mushrooms/

St. Patricks Day Menu

For years we have celebrated St. Patty's Day with green food at Breakfast and Dinner (the kids had lunch at school). I want to share my typical menu - although it changes with crazy whims on occasion - but this is pretty close to the typical. You don't have to be a master cook to cook a green meal. Green food coloring is your friend for this holiday!

Breakfast:
Green Scones with butter and honey
Green colored milk - when the kids were young, I blamed it on a leprechaun:)

After school snack:
Hostess Green Sno-balls OR
Lime Sherbet/vanilla yogurt smoothies

Dinner:
Green Chicken Pillows (also called bundles, bread filled with chicken and cream cheese mixture and then baked. Take a look at THIS recipe on Allrecipes.com. It is very similar - except mine are GREEN of course.

Green Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce-to go over pillows.
Green peas
Lime jello and whipped cream parfaits.
Lime flavored Kool-aid (the only time we buy Kool-aid!)

Dessert:
Chocolate Mint Dessert OR
Grasshopper Pie (so pretty when made in a spring form pan. I like to put a layer of hot fudge on the crust then the ice cream and zig-zags of hot fudge over the top)

I make my favorite bread recipe and add green food coloring. The recipe I use I make the night before and it rises in the fridge overnight. It is used for the scones and also the chicken pillows.
~jan

Linked to...
some of THESE Wonderful Parties



photo: http://brooklynpix.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/leprechaun
http://www.stockfood.co.za/results.asp?txtkeys=Woodruff