Vanishing Banana Bread

I call this "Vanishing Banana Bread" because as soon as you cut into it, it vanishes! :)  My mom gave me this recipe and every time I make it, I get lots of compliments. It is DELICIOUS!! Keep in mind as you read that when I explain the instructions, I am keeping an inexperienced baker in mind.  So some of you who are a little more experienced may skim over some of the instructions.

The ingredients:
1 cup margarine (I used butter)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sour cream (yes, SOUR cream...I think it's what makes the bread "vanish")
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

I always start out by getting all the ingredients ready.  Take out the margarine/butter and eggs.  If you are using butter let it sit at room temperature for about 30min.  I let my eggs sit out with the butter.   Sift all dry ingredients together, set aside.  Mash bananas...I used a potato masher, you can use a fork or anything else that works for you...Then preheat oven to 325...

Cream butter and sugar together.  Start by beating your butter until smooth.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy. (pictured left) Then add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. (pictured right)

It is important to scrape sides and bottom through out mixing so everything gets mixed real well.  Add dry ingredients (that you mixed together earlier)gradually, alternating with the sour cream.

Add mashed bananas (the white in there is left over sour cream from my spatula)and vanilla... Mix well...If you are using walnuts, add in here.  I did not use nuts.



Grease loaf pans.  You can use two loaf pans, or I used one 5x9 loaf pan and 3 mini loaf pans (perfect for gifts). Fill about half way full...

 





Bake at 325 for about 1hour (if using two 5x9 loaf pans).  I baked all 4 pans together.  I took the mini pans out after about 35min. (When the toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.)  I moved the larger pan to the middle and let it bake for another 10-12 min, again testing with a toothpick. Let loaves cool for about 10-15min in pan on a rack before getting out of the pans.

Let them cool before slicing and enjoy!

This is one of the mini loaves.

 

I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as we all do!  Let me know what you think!

 

<3 Ashley





Crockpot Roast

I saw a pin on Pinterest for this roast.  When I went to click on it, the link was broken.  The ingredients were listed in the picture, so I went ahead and made it.  Let me tell you, my husband said it was GOOD!!  For those of you who may know my husband, this is huge.  The hubbs doesn't get excited about food the way that I do.  When I make something it is usually "fine."  After receiving a "fine" we usually categorize the food by "should I make it again" or "lose the recipe."  The hubbs very much appreciates the meal, he just doesn't take a bite and then say"OMG this is good!!"  Any hoo, down to the meal.  I added mashed potatoes and corn as sides because I know my boys will eat them.  You could also add some red potatoes and carrots.

The ingredients:
Any kind of roast.  I usually go for something not too fatty and not too big since my boys don't eat a lot and I usually just want enough leftovers for the hubbs to take some to work the next day. You will also need...

Mix all three packets into 1/2 cup of water...

Pour over roast in crockpot and cook on low for 8-10hrs.

Man, the house smelled good.  Add your sides and you are good to go.  Sometimes you just need some good old meat and potatoes! Ladle some au jus (the juice left over from the cooking) over the top of the meat after you plate.  Yummmm! 

 

 

It was a little tangy for the boys.  I think next time I might try the regular Italian dressing instead of the zesty Italian dressing. 

 

I hope you enjoy!!

 

<3 Ashley





Cheesy Broccoli Chicken...Yummmm!

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and knew I had to try it.  Now, my boys are very picky eaters!  Anthony wont eat anything that is cooked all together, ie. casseroles.  So when I make things like this I usually cook them something separate.  Last night they got to eat their Tyson Chicken Nuggets while my hubbs and I got to eat the yummy chicken.

This recipe is super easy to throw together and leave to cook.  We went to a baseball game last night, so I was able to throw the packets together and finish getting ready to leave while they cooked. 

So, here is what you will need...

1 package stuffing mix; chicken flavor
1 1/4 cups Water
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups broccoli florets
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 slices cooked bacon; crumbled
4 tbsp ranch dressing divided
pre-heat oven to 400

Directions:
~Mix water and stuffing mix, then divide up between the 4 foils.
~Place chicken breasts on top of stuffing mix
~place 1 cup of broccoli on top of each chicken breast
~sprinkle 1/4 of cheese over each chicken
~crumble one slice of bacon over each chicken
~drizzle 1 Tbsp ranch dressing over each chicken
~ Bring sides of foil up to meet each other, then fold.  Make sure you leave a little room in the top for circulation.  Don't forget to fold the sides up.
~Put in 400 degree oven and bake for 35-40min.
~Let sit for about 5 min when finished and be careful when you open for any steam that may come out.

It took me about 15min to throw everything together in the packets.  The result is so yummy!  The nice thing about the kids not wanting to eat stuff like this is that the hubbs and I get leftovers the next day for lunch. :)

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can add or subtract based on how many chicken breasts you want to make.  If you don't want the leftovers and are cooking for 2, you can just cut the rest of the ingredients in half.  I think next time I will put more broccoli, you can never have too many veggies. ;)

Some things you can do to make a "lighter version."  (I will try this next time.  I had all theses ingredients in my fridge already and wanted to use up what I had.)
~use a light dressing or no dressing at all
~use reduced fat cheddar
~use turkey bacon

I hope you are inspired to try this recipe too. 

<3 Ashley

Spiderman Cake

It has been a while since I have posted.  I have had a horrible cold that resulted in me bruising my ribs from coughing.  I haven't been able to do much, including house work. :/  Luckily for me I have an amazing husband that has taken over taking care of the house, the kids and me. :)  Who knew that bruising your ribs could be so painful?!

Pain aside, I had to get ready for my son to turn 6.  He requested a Spiderman birthday cake.  I wasn't too excited because I am NOT an artist.  My best art work in school consisted of stick figures.  But I try to make my boys happy, so I wasn't going to say no.  I think because I was under the weather and had the issue with my ribs, this cake gave me a little more trouble than it normally would have.  I had to run out the day of his birthday to get red frosting because mine went pink and wouldn't go red.  That is why I always do their cakes the day before! You never know what could go wrong. Now on to the cake...

Like his brother, Anthony requested a chocolate cake.  For my chocolate cake recipe click here.  I am looking forward to making something other than chocolate cake, because it seems to be all that I am making lately!!  But it is a really good recipe so it is ok! ;)  I used my frosting recipe for the blue frosting.  Click here for the recipe.  For the yellow, red and black frosting I used Wilton products.  You can click each color to see what I used.  I decided to buy the black frosting this time because it takes a lot of coloring and mixing to get true black.  I didn't think I had the strength to be doing that much mixing.  Because I knew I was doing such a small amount of yellow I decided to purchase that as well.  The red was the only one I wasn't planning on purchasing.  If you are planning on purchasing any frosting for decorating, I recommend the Wilton tubes, not the one in the can.  When I went to the store they didn't have the red in the tube so I was stuck.  The one in the can worked well for the bottom ribbon the cake, just not for the top.  Because it is in the can it comes out a little fast and makes bigger stars than I would have liked.  I chose to stick with star tipping because I like the visual affect. 

I put the cake on a turned over cookie sheet with tin foil...



I started with a 9x13 and frosted the whole thing blue.  I then used the black frosting with a round #4 tip attached with a coupler to do the outline of the Spiderman face (did I mention I am not an artist?!).  I then used the yellow frosting and star tip #16 attached with a coupler to fill in the eyes.  If you click on any of the items you can see what I used.

To fill in the face I used the red frosting and the star tip that was provided.  I also used the provided star tip to do the ribbons on the bottom.  I used the yellow with the round #4 tip to do the writing on the cake.  The end result was....

And a happy 6 year old! :)  I hope you enjoy my recipes!  I also hope that my attempts at cake decorating will inspire you to try.  It is lots of fun (when you are not in pain), and the look on your kiddos face when you created something for them is so rewarding!!

Questions? Comments? I would love to hear from you!!

<3 Ashley

Getting ready for school to start

School is just around the corner for my kiddos and it is bittersweet.  I am so excited for them to get some time away from each other so they can appreciate each other more!!  BUT, I am going to have a hard time with Anthony going to school full time and Logan going to school at all!!  My babies are growing up too fast!

~anyway~

I knew that with school starting I needed to get them on a schedule.  They don't go to any kind of day care, so for the most part besides meal, the day is pretty much a free for all.  I have always been a fan of check lists (I get it from my mom...she loves checklists!)  I saw this checklist type clipboard on Pinterest, sadly when I clicked on the link it was spam.  So I really just had a picture to go off of.  Before you continue you should know that I am NOT a crafty person.  I just try to be.  I am not an artist (my sister got all of those genes).  And when I try this kind of stuff there is usually more than one flaw.  But this is what I came up with...

I did two clipboards for each of my kiddos.  One for the morning and one for the evening.  I also purchased a small digital clock to put in the bathroom.  Click here to see one similar.  The clock is so that I can tell them what time they need to be done in the bathroom by.  We also have the alarm set for when they need to start their bed time routine.  They do tend to argue less when the alarm goes off or if they get to keep track of the time on their own.  To start you will need these...

I got this vinyl table cloth from Walmart for like $5 that I use whenever I paint.  I wanted the traditional clipboard, but you could try plastic.  I got mine from Staples because I swear no one carried plain clipboards anymore ($2.29 for 1...I got a set of 3 for $4.49 and then 1 additional).  The Mod Podge and acrylic paint I had from a previous project.  Make sure you have a fresh foam brush.  I thought mine was new but it was a little flimsy making application a little difficult.  Paint pen, I used black.  Scrap book paper for the bottom ($0.16).  Magnet squares, you will need 10 per board ($3.49for 40).  I used small round magnets ($6.99 for 60) and foam stickers ($2.99) to make the star magnets.  Minus the clipboards, I got the rest of the supplies from Michael's.  Look online and in your local paper for coupons, you can get anywhere from 25% off purchase to 40% off an item.
First, Paint your clipboard.  After I started I decided to add some painter's tape around the top.

Use old newspaper or magazine pages to put your paint on.  This is the first coat.  You will need at least two coats of paint.  Decide what you want your board to have listed on it.  After the paint dried I marked off every inch up to 6 inches from the bottom of the clip.

Then, very lightly with a pencil I drew a line across at each inch 6.5 inches across.

Then, I wrote the list with pencil to make sure my spacing was OK before I wrote over the pencil with a paint pen.

I then cut 3 inches of scrapbook paper per board.  I did a very thin layer of mod podge to seal the paint and writing and laid the paper at the bottom if the last item on the list.

Let that sit for about 10min and then apply another thin layer of the mod podge all over the board including over the paper.  Be very careful here because the paper can wrinkle or bubble if there is 









too much mod podge.  I had to smooth them out a couple of times, and sadly there are still a few. Be prepared to get glue fingers here! ;)  Let the last coat dry for about 15min.  Next up is making the magnets.  So take the round magnets and the foam stickers and put them together. :)  The boys had fun helping me with this part.

Then take the square magnets with adhesive on them and put five on the bottom ( or however many you may need) and one next to each task.



As my peanuts accomplish a task they can move a star next to it.  Logan is not old enough to have "homework" yet, but then I don't have to make another one when he is.  ;)...I did consider putting times on the one for the morning but decided against it for when schedules may change.  I do plan on putting some ribbon through the hole on the clipboard and hang them.  This project did take me about 2hrs.  However, I was making 4 of them and had to figure out the best way for me to do it.  If you follow these steps, it shouldn't take you as long.

To make it a little more interesting for the boys my hubbs and I decided to add a little incentive.  Every time the boys do all 5 tasks on a clipboard they get a "stick" or a craft stick. After receiving 10 sticks they have a choice of picking a dinner for the following week or trading them in for a red stick.  After earning 3 red sticks they get to pick a restaurant to eat at of their choice.  You should know that dinner time in my house is a struggle.  I want a balanced meal and they would prefer just a grilled cheese sandwich  "with nothing else please!!"  So, they love picking what is for dinner.  They love to eat at "restaurants" and we don't do it often.   Try to come up with something fun for your kiddos! 

Let me know what fun things you add to this project!

<3 Ashley

If you like spicy...

One of my good friends had me and my family over for dinner one night and made this super yummy dish.  I find this dish very spicy, but keep in mind every one's level of spicy is different.  Because I find it so spicy I decided to only use about half the red pepper it calls for.  Also, the nice thing is that the recipe doesn't call for any protein, so you could add chicken or shrimp (I tried shrimp this time...yummy!!!).

Linguine with Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce

8oz Linguine Noodles

2 TBSP olive oil

1 tbsp minced onion

2 garlic cloves (I use the minced ones you get in a jar)

1 can diced tomatoes w/garlic & onion

1/4 cup fresh basil

1/2 tsp ground red pepper

1/2 cup whipping cream

salt and pepper to taste

~cook linguine noodles according to box

~heat olive oil in skillet, add garlic and onion, saute for a min

~add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to boil.  Let boil for 5min.

NOTE: If you are going to add any kind of protein, do it here so all the flavors can cook together.

~Toss in the linguine and serve.

You can count on cook time being about 15min start to finish.  Now, because it is so spicy, my boys don't like it.  I usually just cook extra linguine and give them some noodles with Parmesan Cheese.  Add a salad and your meal is complete.

I hope you enjoy!

<3 Ashley

Baby on the brain??

If you are thinking about starting a family, I am sure you have done some research about diapers, bottles, etc.  If not, it's never too late to start.  Don't know where to start? Ask family and friends what they used or their suggestions and build from there. 

When we decided to have a baby our decision was a little rushed.  Read my about me, it will explain why.  We didn't take the time to plan and save.  We didn't take the time to be prepared.  So while there are circumstances that prevent you from preparing for a little one, it is important to do so when you can.

When thinking about a little buddle of joy snuggled in your arms there are other factors that you don't want to consider, but should.  The biggest one is....How much that sweet precious peanut is going to cost you.  Now, I am not telling you this to discourage you from having a child, rather to prepare you for it. Having kids is an amazing blessing.  While money isn't everything, it still matters.  We live in a society where most people are living paycheck to paycheck.  When you add a baby to that you have to start finding ways to stretch that paycheck.  Maybe you can't go get your hair colored at the salon every 6 weeks or maybe your husband has to cut back on all his "toys", OR maybe you need to find an additional source of income.  Either way, being prepared makes having a baby much more enjoyable and a little less stressful.

Something to think about...Daycares can start at about $120 a WEEK and go up from there.  If you have family members that will be watching your kids for free, then you are one lucky mom/dad!!  Otherwise, my suggestion is to take a look at your monthly budget (don't have one? start one!).  If you don't know where you would get roughly $500 a month for daycare, now is the time to figure out how.  It may be time to start clipping coupons, or getting a part time job.  If you can handle this no problem, then virtual high five!!  If your budget can handle it and you have the time, I suggest taking a year of saving that $500 a month.  You will thank yourself later.  This could help too if you don't get paid for maternity leave.  If you are blessed enough to be a stay home mom, keep in mind that preschools are usually tuition based.  They are not as expensive as daycare though.  For 2 days a week I have seen preschool as low as $120 a month.  I have also seen it as high as $189 a month.  Some states offer a 4yr old pre-k that is through the school district.  We were fortunate to be able to send my oldest to one in Wisconsin that was only $25 for the YEAR!  Now we are back to paying $238 a month for preschool.  So it is a good idea if you are working and plan on leaving your job to stay home, to save as much of your paycheck as you can before you leave.  Again, you will thank yourself later. :)

Another big one is diapers!!! I know some families are doing cloth diapers to help cut cost and waste, I never ventured that way.  If you are going for disposable diapers here are a couple of suggestions.  One is to ask everyone that is coming to your baby shower to bring a small pack of diapers.  I was very fortunate with my first son and ended up with a year supply of diapers!!! Keep the receipts of the diapers you get before the baby is born.  You never know just how fast your little peanut will grow.  If you keep the receipt you can usually go and exchange your diapers for a different size as long as it's in it's return/exchange window. Also, as you enter into your last trimester you could start purchasing larger sized diapers for as the baby gets older (sizes 1/2 are good ones).  All of these things will soften the blow.  Those big economy size boxes of diapers are roughly $45 for name brands.  If you can front the money, buying in bulk will save you some money here.  If you want to try a generic brand, I found Target's to be really good when my boys got a little bit older.  I just couldn't part from my newborn Pampers in order to try them out sooner. 

Another big expense may be avoidable.  Breastfeed if you can!! It may seem odd to some at first, or it may seem too time consuming.  But think about that little peanut and how good it is for them.  The other thing to keep is in mind is how much money you will save.  A 22 oz container of formula is around $23 and you may go through it in a week or less.  So at a minimum you will spend around $95 for the month, and that is on the low side.  So like I said, breastfeed if you can!!!


Now, don't be discouraged.  The good news is that out of all the expenses in life: utilities, medical bills, mortgage/rent, etc. these three do have an end.  After about a year the formula will be gone (if you decided to go that route).  Diapers will be done as soon as you potty train (around age 2/3).  And the daycare for the most part will subside when they start school full time.  Again, this post is not to discourage you from having a baby, rather be more prepared going into it.  If you are already pregnant and haven't started any saving, it is never too late.  Babycenter.com has a calculator to help you figure out how much a child will cost.

A few more suggestions for the road.  Enroll in mailing programs.  You can get samples and coupons.  If you don't clip coupons, consider starting! Especially for diapers!!  Enroll in any free rewards programs, you never know when they will pay out. :)  Most important: enjoy every second because they really do grow up faster than you think.  I know everyone says that, but you don't truly realize it until it happens to you. 

<3 Ashley

Read it! Love it!

I just finished Wicked Business!  OMG! I loved it!! Every time I read it my desire to visit Salem, Mass. increases.  If you haven't read Wicked Appetite (the first book in the Lizzy and Diesel Novels), I strongly suggest you do!

If you read the Stephanie Plum between the novels by Janet Evanovich, then you will already have an idea of who Diesel is.  If not, Diesel is a hunky man that has special abilities that are never fully disclosed, but they seem to be magical.  Lizzy is a baker that makes amazing cupcakes.  It is safe to say that every time I read these books I get the desire to make a batch of cupcakes.  Diesel enlists Lizzy for the help in finding a stone that is supposed to posses the power of one of the deadly sins. There are of course obstacles for a little bit of action and humor.  But don't forget the attraction between Diesel and Lizzy that they can't do anything about.  Intrigued? Read the books!!!  Click here for a look inside Wicked Appetite.

Now, what to read next?!?!  Any suggestions?? There is a series my mom wants me to start, but I don't know that I am ready for anything too intense.  Sometimes you just want something light hearted! I will keep you posted!

Want to read my thoughts on having a Kindle? Click here.
<3 Ashley

EWWWW!!! That came off my fruit?!

So a few years ago I was at a friends house for a play date with our kids.  As she was getting lunch together, I noticed the grapes soaking in water.  When I asked her about it she told me that she mixes water and vinegar together to clean the fruit.  Now, I am sure some of you have heard of this, but I never had.  Like I said in my post about the refrigerator, vinegar and water are a natural cleaner, I just didn't think to use it on my fruit.  So of course the next time I was cleaning fruit at home I tried it.  Can I just say, YUCK!!! There was so much dirt left over in the bowl after I dumped out the grapes!!!  I couldn't believe it!! All these years of just rinsing my fruit off with water!!  Now I know some people wash all of their fruit at once.  While this may save on time and maybe water, I don't suggest it.  It is best to wash as needed, you decrease the chance of it spoiling faster.  I know that when you wash grapes and you don't get them completely dry, the moisture locked inside a container can make it spoil faster.  This also works with veggies!! So, get out your fruit/veggie, a bowl(or your clean sink for bigger items), and some vinegar.  NOTE: If you are using your sink, make sure it is free of any chemical residues that may be there from cleaning.  I always put the fruit/veggie in the bowl/sink first.  Then I add water and a tablespoon (or more if needed) of the vinegar.  If you can't smell the vinegar, you probably need a little more. Let the fruit soak for a few minutes, then rinse and enjoy! :)

Something to think about...Do you wash the outside of your melons and pineapple before you start slicing?  Any dirt, chemicals, salmonella, etc. that was on the outside, will go inside once you make that slice.  Last year there was an outbreak of salmonella on cantaloupe!  Better to be safe then sorry and make sure it's all clean!

<3 Ashley

Ben 10 Omnitrex Cake

For my son's 4th birthday he requested a Ben 10 cake.  He had got an "omnitrex" a couple weeks ago, so I used that as my inspiration.  For the recipe for the super yummy chocolate cake and butter icing click here.  Trust me, this chocolate cake is really good and you will be happy you made it. :)  Enjoy!!

To make this cake I poured the batter into two round pans.  I mixed up some grey icing for the base color of the cake.  Then I mixed up the black to outline the center and star tip in the black.  When trying to get the black I have found that Wilton's icing coloring is the best.  If you use any liquid food coloring it will thin out the icing making it very difficult to star tip.  Most often then not I am using a #3 round tip and #16 star tip to decorate my cakes.  Wilton has a very convenient set of them together if you are just starting out.  Click here to check them out.  If you don't want to make your own icing, I have also used Wilton's Buttercreme mix.  It is easy and very good.  To get the green for the center and the writing I used Wilton's Leaf Green.  As always when mixing icing colors start small. You can always add more, you can't take out.  TIP: Especially with the heat this summer, keep an eye on the consistency of the icing as you go.  You may need to refrigerate it for a minute if it gets too warm.  Also, when using the star tip it is best to keep the tip straight up and down.  If you do it at an angle it has a little different affect.

Let me know how you like the chocolate cake!

<3 Ashley

Who's with me?!

Just checking in to see how you all are doing with the 30 Days of Running Challenge.  Who is running with me? I have to be honest I already had a few days of wanting to give up.  Then I remembered that my friends know that I am doing this and I would feel silly to not finish.  Let me know how you're doing!  Get some of your friends to do the challenge with you! Keep up the good work!  And remember to drink LOTS of water in this heat!

<3 Ashley

To Kindle or Not to Kindle

My mom get a Kindle a couple of years ago, and for whatever reason I just couldn't wrap my head around reading a book like that.  I love having that book in my hand as silly as that can sound.  My mom kept trying to get me to purchase one and I refused.  Then my mom got the Kindle Fire and wouldn't stop talking about how much she loved it!  By that time I was thinking more about getting one just because I was tired of moving all my books from one state to another!! So when it came in the mail I wasted no time downloading 2 of the books I was missing in one of my series.  Now that I have had it for a few months I have to say that I LOVE it!! I love being able to download a book the minute I decide I want to read it.  My mother in law has a Kindle, and she loves it too.  I am sure there will be books that I purchase time to time, but for the most part I am sticking with my Kindle!

So now that I have professed my love for my Kindle, let's talk about what I am reading right now.  So I am sure many of you got sucked into the 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy the way that I did.  I was actually the first one to read it out of my group of friends/family.  If you haven't read it yet and you like a good romance, READ IT!!  There a lot of haters out there who are talking about how it was poorly written, blah blah blah.  Listen, the story line is good and it has a fantasy line down that wont disappoint.  Some things that you should know before reading the trilogy.  First, purchase all 3 books at once (you'll thank me later).  Next, if you are a Twilight fan be aware that the books are Twilight fan based.  So there are many similarities between Twilight and 50 Shades.  For example, Bella and Ana are both clumsy and a bit awkward, they take place in the Pacific Northwest and the leading man has a mysterious secret to uncover.  Also, if you are having trouble with the whole idea of Christian wanting Anastasia to be his submissive, look past it.  If you can get past all that the love story is enough to keep you coming back for more!  When I first read the trilogy all I knew about it was that it was a Twilight fan based book.  When I got farther in the book I was shocked.  But the interaction between Christian and Ana kept me coming back for more.  So, after I read the trilogy the 3rd time, my mom got on me to explore some new books.  Lucky for me Janet Evanovich came out with the second book in the Wicked series.  Did I mention I love books that are apart of a series?! Because I really do!! ;)  I read Wicked Appetite and loved it.  It has a little bit of action, a little bit of sexual tension, a little bit of mystery and Evanovich's quick witted humor.  What's not to like?!  So, when Wicked Business came out I was very excited!  I am still reading Wicked Business so no spoilers please! ;)  Read the Wicked series with me! I would love to hear what you think about it. 

My mom is a big reader too! So look forward to some book reviews from her.  Any suggestions of what to read next? I would love to hear from you!

<3 Ashley