2013-A CLEAN SLATE!

 

2012 - Where has it gone?

I could sit here and reminisce about days gone by, but that

would take too much time. Besides, I am not so sure I want to

rehash some of those days. So instead I will just thank God for

getting me through another year, fairly healthy, loved and blessed.

Now onto a new year...one that I pray will be filled with

love, happiness, good health and positive energy!

As I read back over that last statement, I realize that I am

responsible to make all of these things happen.

I am responsible for what will be written in my book.

I WILL make it a good one!

Wishing all of you a blessed New Year.

 

Banana-Brownie Pie

1/4 c. Butter

3 oz. Cream Cheese

1 1/2 c. Powdered Sugar, sifted

1/4 c. Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

3 Bananas, sliced

1 (6 oz.) can Pineapple Juice

4 Brownies

Cut into 1 in. pieces

1 Baked Pie Crust

1/2 c. Chocolate-Toffee Bits or Chopped Pecans

Whipped Cream, for garnish

Beat butter and cream cheese together until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with whipping cream.  Stir in the vanilla.  Set this filling aside.

Toss banana sliced in pineapple juice; drain.  Pat sliced dry with paper towels.

Spoon half the filling into baked pie shell. 

Arrange banana slices on filling.

Add the cut up brownies around on the bananas.

Top with remaining filling.

Top with fluffy whipped cream and add chocolate-toffee bits or pecans.

Refrigerate until serving.

Sunday Morning and Cornflake Blobs

Good morning folks! It's a beautiful Sunday morning...beautiful blue skies with billowing white clouds, a nice breeze blowing, a nice hot cup of coffee, Christmas tree sparkling...and quiet! We are strange creatures aren't we? Sometimes I love just listening to the "quiet" and other times, I can sit back and bask in the noise of laughter and talking of loved ones! Well today is one of those "quiet" days. And I will enjoy it while I can.

The tree and mantle is decorated (thanks to Addie) and there are bunches of presents under the tree (thanks to me). I would love to decorate every room in the house but when it comes to taking it all down after the holidays, I am so glad we didn't decorate every room in the house! Might have to do the bathrooms tho....yep I think we will. I bought these adorable little birdies at KMart and wish I had gotten a couple more. Aren't they so cute?

 

 

I am definitely not the decorator in the family, my sisters have that talent. Thank goodness I have Addie who picked up some of that talent. It may be simple but it works for us!

What about you? Do you have a certain theme that you go with each year or do you change it up?

There are so many awesome recipes I want to share with all of you this month, so be on the lookout for a bunch of blogs! 

A friend of mine sent me this recipe. I haven't made it yet but I plan to really soon. It looks SO good and so simple! She calls it Welfare Cookies but this blog called it Holycraptheseareamazing cookies! Call them whatever you want...I call them YUMMY!

Holycraptheseareamazing Cookies 

Ingredients

(Makes about 3 dozen cookies)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 jar (18 oz ounce) peanut butter, crunchy or smooth (I like creamy.)
• 6 cups corn flakes
• 3 oz good quality chocolate of your choice

Directions

1. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and stir until the mixture comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and stir in the whole jar of peanut butter. Mix well.
2. Add corn flakes to a large bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over corn flakes and mix well, taking care to coat all of the corn flakes.
3. With a tablespoon or cookie scoop, scoop out and form into 1-2 inch balls, depending on your preference, and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.
4. Put the chocolate in a small bowl and melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.
5. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies.
6. When cooled, eat these cookies with reckless abandon.

LET THE PREPARATION BEGIN....

And it begins...Thanksgiving preparations closely followed by Christmas decorations, altho I have heard quite a few people who are doing the Christmas decor first. I was even thinking about beginning with the Christmas decorating this weekend...IF I can convince someone to bring it all down from the attic! Do I really want to go thru that? Am I really ready to hear grumbling about getting it all down, THEN the choice words because most of the lights won't light up? Heck yeah...afterall, that is what its all about right? Us women see it as ohhh and ahhhh look how pretty this will look....not our men, they see it as I am about to cut every damned light out of this tree and string new ones! Oh Joy ! 

I am totally looking forward to having an entire week off. I know it will just fly by but that's okay...I am still looking forward to it. The early part of the week will be spent preparing for Thanksgiving dinner here at our house with my little family. I am really looking forward to that...all the fixin's! Turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs, green bean casserole, corn casserole, rolls and dessert! OH and let us not forget the wonderful gelled cranberry sauce (that only I eat). It will be a feast at the Hernandez house. Then the end of the week, we are trying to get away from it all for a couple of days...SO hoping that works out for us.

As most of you know or read today...Hostess Bakery is going bankrupt and shutting down ...no more Twinkies, DingDongs, HoHo's, Snoballs and O M G Donettes!!!!! Say it isn't so!!!What is this world coming to? I swear if Lil Debbie's ever shuts down, there will be mass rioting and it will not be nice (and that is just in MY family!) In all seriousness tho, it saddens me to see businesses shutting down after being around for so many years! This company will lay off 18,500 workers! That's just awful. I guess its a sign of things to come...God bless us all!

I will have a special overnight guest...bet you can't guess who it is! He has us wrapped around his little finger and has our hearts so full of joy! Cannot wait for him to get here!

Have a blessed weekend. I will leave you with a delicious recipe that you can make for Thanksgiving...everyone will love it...I promise!

CORN CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with cheddar cheese. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

November and Satsumas

November..how the heck did that happen? Seems like only last week it was January! I actually love November and Thanksgiving..it is such a humble month...the prelude to the excitement of Christmas and all it's glory. Sometimes I feel as though Thanksgiving gets pushed to the side. As I thought about that, I realized that I feel a lot like Thanksgiving...sometimes pushed to the side, forgotten, doesn't matter one way or the other. I know that's sad huh? Well I am happy to say that after last night I will not allow anyone to make me feel that way anymore...I will not allow myself to feel that way anymore. It wasn't a huge revelation, just a subtle reminder from a couple of special people in my life....you know who you are...thank you! So no more pity party, no more "hey what about me", no more "I feel so left out". The people in my life who truly loves me, knows my heart and that is what really matters. Will I stumble and falter again? Oh I am sure I will...but I will get right back up and move forward once again.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has not another to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:10

Don't forget to set your clocks back 1 hour when you go to bed tonight....

Since satsumas are abundant this time of year, here is a recipe for Satsuma Marmalade. Don't let it scare you..it seems rather simple. This recipe was adapted from here.

SATSUMA MARMALADE

Ingredients:

12 Satsumas

2 Lemons

7 cups Cold Water

Caster Sugar (see method for amount)

Method:

Wash and peel the satsumas. Slice the peel into thin matchsticks and the flesh into chunks.

Do the same with the lemons.Remove any large pieces of pith.

Place all the fruit and peels in a large saucepan.

Add the water. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and leave to cool for 8 hours or overnight.

When the mixture is cool and you're ready to move on, put a plate in the freezer.

"Why?" I hear you cry! Just do it. Martha says so.

Bring the mixture back to the boil and simmer for around 20 minutes until the thickest piece of peel is tender.

Measure the mixture. Return it to the pan and for every cup of mixture add 3/4 cup of sugar. This is because all satsumas are different sizes, so a set amount of sugar cannot be given.

Bring the mixture to the boil and stir frequently for about 20 minutes. The marmalade is ready when you can drop the mixture onto the frozen plate and have it form a slight film when pushed with a finger (according to Martha). You can begin to tell when its done, it gets thicker and stickier and doesn't spread out straight away when put on the plate. Use your common sense here.

You're done! Refrigerate over night before serving.

Be proud, you made marmalade!

Sundays, My Dad & Paula Deen Desserts

It is an absolutely beautiful Sunday here...cool temps, sunshine and a slight breeze. Reminds me of my Daddy so much! And just as I was thinking about how much this weather reminds me of my Dad, I sign online to check facebook and lo and behold, there is a video that my sister made in honor of my Dad, that I have seen countless times. My mom commented on it today, so it made it show up in my newsfeed...so once again, I watched it...and O M G the tears just flowed. I miss him so so much...we all do. I know everyone says they have the best Dad in the world but I kid you not...we do! Sure he had his faults (don't we all). But he was just the best...he worked hard, played hard (ha) and loved hard. We are all products of his love and a little bit like him in each our own way. I hope he is looking down on us and is proud of the adults we have all become. I know I am so proud to be called his daughter.
This is a family picture from 1982 - a western Halloween party at my sister's house...ha, this just cracks me up!

 

Family traditions are so special and so important....make sure you don't forget the little things that one day will be looked back on as the big things!

This is a Paula Deen recipe....easy to make and sinfully delicious!

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer.

 Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: 

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.

 Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. 

Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. 

 Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.  

Check on them after about 35 minutes so you make sure not to overbake them. 

The center should be a little gooey.  

 Let the pan cool completely before you cut the squares. 

 Dust them with powdered sugar to make them extra pretty before serving them.

Reconnecting and Pumpkin Crunch!

I cannot believe it's 2 weeks since I have blogged! Time does get away from us doesn't it? The weeks just seem to pass by so quickly! Last weekend, Rene' and I spent the weekend away from it all...just he and I! I know...can you believe that? We talked about it and realized that was the 1st time we have done that in over 20 years! That is just terrible! But we made a promise to each other, to spend more time together and try to reconnect. You would think after 37 years, you would be really connected...but we weren't. Life happened. We have been through so much in the last 20 years. We became 2 different people after Joshua died...it was a gradual thing, but we really became 2 different people. After the death of a child, your whole world is turned upside down and you each deal with it differently. Statistics show that the majority of parents who lose a child, end up in divorce. I won't lie, it came so close to that so many times. But we stuck it out "for the kids". THAT is also not always the right reason to stay together. I often times questioned that. I only saw that Rene' had become so distant and unhappy and never fully dealt with his grief. After really thinking about it, he probably thought the same things about me. So we just dealt with what was and pushed it aside, thinking maybe if we didn't acknowledge it, it would just go away. Well, it didn't just go away. It festered, like a horrible disease. What a disservice to both of us...to our children. You know the old saying, if I could go back....well IF I could, things would be handled so differently. Anyway, we had a wonderful weekend...just US...we talked, we laughed, we cried and we reconnected. I am not saying it was a miracle and all is wonderful...but I saw the man that I fell in love with 38 years ago resurface...and I know why we made it through those hard times. I couldn't be happier....and I am pretty sure he feels the same way. So much time wasted...but still so much time ahead of us to enjoy our lives. And that is exactly what we plan on doing!

Life is good....grab every moment you can!

Look at that good looking couple wow!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

15 oz can pumpkin; or 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
1-12 oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 box cake mix ( spice cake,yellow, butter or white)
1 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Mix the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon.

Spread mixture evenly in a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking pan.

Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle the nuts over the top of the cake mix. Pour the melted butter evenly over the top of everything. Do not stir.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until top is browned.

 Let cool before serving. 

Refrigerate leftovers.

Recipe borrowed from
 http://thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com

RAINY SATURDAY & SWEET POTATO BISCUITS

It's a quiet rainy Saturday here. There's something about rainy Saturdays that I simply love. I am not even sure what it is, but its serene and comforting...I guess that is unless one has plans for outdoor activities! Then I guess it's not so cool! I am thinking about a trip to Hobby Lobby in search of fall decor...that could be trouble!! 

It's been quite a stressful week at work, new computer system, lots of sick kiddies, long hours! And just when you think you can't do it another day, you get a comment like this one on Facebook that I got last night....

HER - are u working tomorrow?

 ME -Lord I just got this...sorry! Good seeing you today and glad all is well !!!

HER -thanks me too!! i just wanted to make sure u were there bc i trust your opinion so much when it comes to cannon! thank you for that!! 

ME -Aww ty Maggie...you just made my day! Glad I can be there for you...I love my job

That just makes my stress disappear! And I really DO love what I do!

I can't imagine going to a job day after day that you really don't like and that you don't get some satisfaction out of it. I know its not always simple to just change jobs but at some point in your life, you have to find peace in  your work because when you think about it, you spend almost all of your waking hours there. So I thank God that I am able to do what I love doing with people that I love spending my day with!

OK - off to Hobby Lobby I go. Have a blessed weekend. I leave you with a yummy recipe. 

SWEET POTATO BISCUITS

 

 INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup baked, mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium potato)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), frozen
Heavy cream for brushing the tops

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle.  Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.  In a separate large bowl, mix together milk and mashed sweet potato until evenly combined.
Grate frozen butter through the large holes of a box grater and toss with dry ingredients until butter is coated.  Add milk mixture and mix lightly until dough forms a shaggy mass.
Turn out mixture onto a floured surface and knead just until it comes together.  (The dough will not be smooth.)
Pat into a circle and use a floured rolling pin to roll dough to a thickness of about 3/4 inch.  Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or glass, cut the dough into rounds.  Gather leftover dough into a circle, reroll, and cut until you have 8 large biscuits.
Place biscuits on a baking sheet, brush tops with heavy cream, and bake until the bottoms are golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

 

ADOPTIONS AND PRALINE PUMPKIN CAKE

Well it's official....we have a new addition to our family! Addie has adopted a new puppy! She is a mixture of Springer Spaniel and Jack Russell terrier! Can you say HY-PER! We will see....right now she is only 5 weeks old and only weighs 1 1/2 pounds! T I N Y! and so cute! Her name is Marleaux altho I wanted to call her Honey. But since she is Addie's, she won out on the name. I swore I would never have another dog in my house, but she is so cute and is already being spoiled...by all of us! Dogs (puppies) bring so much joy into a home...they give you unconditional love and all they ask in return is for you to feed them, and let them snuggle at your feet! Here is her picture...will post a better one later when I am able to get one. Isn't she adorable?

It's beautiful here this weekend...still a little warm, but you can tell that Fall is not that far away. That is  my absolute favorite time of year. Brings back so many wonderful memories ... of my Dad...of the day we got married ... of fall festivals we used to attend .... wonderful memories indeed! What is your favorite season?

In honor of fall, I am sharing this amazing recipe I came across and cannot wait to try! If you try it before I do, send me a comment and let me know if you enjoyed it!

PRALINE PUMPKIN CAKE

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
Caramel topping, if desired
Additional coarsely chopped pecans, if desired



Heat oven to 325°F.  In 1-quart heavy saucepan, stir together butter, whipping cream and brown sugar.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted.  Pour into two ungreased 9- or 8-inch round cake pans; sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup pecans.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.  Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture in each pan.

Bake 41 to 47 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.  Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Stir remaining 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice into frosting.  To assemble cake, place 1 layer, praline side up, on serving plate.  Spread with half of the frosting.  Top with second layer, praline side up; spread remaining frosting to edge of layer.  Drizzle with caramel topping and additional pecans.  Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion.
People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more
naturally to the human heart than its opposite"

~Nelson Mandela~

Everything Will Be Alright!

As of Monday Sept 3, I no longer am the Mom to "children". My baby is now 21 years old...21 years? HOLY COW! I remember it like it was yesterday...detail for detail...not feeling well over the Christmas holidays, exhausted for New Years...then the next week...the verdict! I had not told anyone, maybe it was a denial thing? Afterall, I was almost 37, there was no way I could be pregnant!! I mean I had a 7 year old and a 12 year old!!! I was waiting to get back into nursing school, I had way too much going on in my life to be pregnant! I secretly bought a home pregnancy test, went into my bathroom and waited. I didn't have to wait very long. I opened the door just a tiny bit and asked Rene' to please come and see. As he walked in, the tears just came as I said "I'm pregnant". He said "YOU'RE WHAT???" How did that happen??? Seriously??? He really asked that! He let me cry as I kept saying, "I'm too old, I have to go back to school." We decided to wait and tell the boys until I went to the Dr. When we did tell them, they were ecstatic!!! Me? I cried for 2 weeks!! Don't get me wrong, its not that I didn't want a baby...but I didn't think I had time for a baby! Once we told family and friends, it sunk in and the tears stopped. The one person who really made me feel okay about this was my Dad...he always had such wise words for us. He said "This is your little girl and everything will be alright". And he was right...on both counts! It was a girl and everything was alright! She was my lifesaver in so many ways...more than she will ever realize! We named her Addie...a name I had always loved. My grandmother's name was Adles and she was the best grandmother ever, so I wanted to honor her in a small way. So Addie it was. She was born 21 years to the day that my grandmother was buried...the circle of life. Two years after Addie was born, our firstborn, Joshua, passed away. There are no words that can begin to describe the pain and heartache of losing a child...none! I wanted to just die and be with him. But reality was that I had 2 other children who needed their Mom. Thank God for them both because I honestly don't know if things would have turned out as they did. Thank you Jordan and Addie. Several of my lady friends that I used to play cards with would tell me, "she's going to keep you young". And in a sense, she did. I can tell you tho, turning 40 with a 2 year old was mind boggling to me! We have had many ups and downs...more ups than downs. We have laughed, cried, yelled,shared, played and been each others shoulder at one time or another. She is my BFF! Some people say parents should not be their kids BFF's. I say POO on them. I think if you are a good parent and lead them in the right direction in life then it's okay to also be their BFF! I would hope that I have done that with both of my kids. So as it goes, my children are adults. And I think we did a mighty fine job. Sure we have made mistakes along the way...but its the end result that matters the most. I am proud to be the Mom to my adult "children"!

 And I love them with all that I am.

 Thanks Dad....You were so right! Everything is alright! 

My Dad holding Addie

And my Addie today!

Isaac.......

I sure have been a slacker haven't I? I am honestly not sure where the time has gone since I last posted. I guess life just took over? I DO know that this past week....Isaac has taken over! Man O Man...for a Category 1 hurricane, this bastard storm has wrecked havoc on so many areas. Luckily we were spared but not so lucky for some of our neighboring cities/towns. There is wide-spread flooding, levees overflowing or breaching, water rising in rivers, creeks and bayous...and swamps! Thousands have had to evacuate either due to flooding or impending flooding. I just cannot imagine a knock on my door saying.."you have 90 minutes to evacuate". Where do you begin? What do you take with you? What do you leave behind? I thought we "had a plan" but when I really sat down and thought about it...I have no plan. So this weekend, a plan will be made. Sure I have your normal "hurricane survival kit" but if I had to leave, not knowing if I had anything to come back to...I shudder to think about it.So after complaining...yes I was a complainer, I admit it...about having no AC for 2 days...I am ashamed and humbled after seeing the pictures on the news of surrounding areas. Someone posted that we should all be ashamed about complaining and my comment was that its human nature to complain about inconveniences during these storms. That doesn't make us bad people...it just means that at that moment, perhaps we aren't looking at the big picture. What's important is that once we do take the time to look at the big picture....we look within ourselves and know that we had a moment of weakness...we regroup.....and find a way to help those who have lost so much more than we have. This weekend we will be baking and cooking and delivering it to those in need, whether it be one of the shelters or a group of those Entergy/power workers who are working hard, risking their lives, to restore power to thousands who are still without power. It feels like such a little to do and I wish I could do so much more. But I guess if enough people does just a little...it will grow into being a lot. I still have visions of working at the shelter after Katrina...the stories we heard...the horror...the pain...the sadness...

it is something I will never forget. 

None of us ever should.

We can do no great things, only small things with great love.  

~Mother Teresa~

Manic Monday and Banana Pineapple Bread

Thank you Monday for kicking my behind! Dear Parents, if your child needs a back to school note for lunch, bathroom privileges, medication, physicals, or all of the above...PLEASE do not wait until the week that school begins to get these filled out! Thank you kindly, the nurse who has to do this for you! O M G it's been a wild day....can you tell?? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my job, but its no fun being swamped at the last minute or having a Mom being angry because you cannot have what she needs done immediately. And how was your Monday???

On a brighter note, had a really nice weekend. Dinner with friends Saturday night and dinner with family last night....and my little man is learning SO much. Last night he learned how to blow a duck call! Its a southern thing...some of you will understand! Now we are working on teaching him to say "WHO DAT"!!!! Speaking of WHO DAT...we enjoyed watching our Saints take the field last night and winning! AND we got to see Drew Brees on the sidelines dancing to "Play that Funky Music" as he munched on sunflower seeds! It was SO classic...L.O.V.E.D. IT!

 

Cannot wait to see what the rest of the season has in store for our Saints!!!

Here is a great recipe for a soft, moist homemade quick bread with banana and pineapple...yes pineapple!
Don't hate until you try it!!

Banana Pineapple Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients: 

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
1 cup crushed pineapple
 (with the excess liquid drained; this is almost the amount in a 15-ounce can of pineapple)

Instructions: 

1. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

2. In another mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar. 

Add remaining ingredients, beating until well mixed.

3. Pour wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Don't over-beat.

4. Pour batter into two greased and floured loaf pans

 (use smaller loaf pans -- 6x3-inch, or use several mini loaf pans).

 Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until loaves test done.

OLYMPICS - FAB 5 - PEPPER JELLY!

What an awesome night for these young ladies and the
U S A!

 

It brought tears to my eyes, as I am sure it did for thousands!

I am really enjoying watching these Olympics!

O M G is it hot or what? I know we say this every summer but

this summer seems hotter than last summer. My hubby calls me daily to

remind me that he is on his 2nd or 3rd set of clothes and to see

if I am enjoying sitting inside sucking up the AC. And the answer

is always the same.....HECK YEAH!

Stay hydrated out there folks!

Here is something I read the other day and wanted to share with you.

GOD's HEART FOR YOU....

Think of it...

You belong to a God who has no limitations.

He is able to do things for you,

be mighty in you, and bring blessings to you.

His provisions are endless,

His blessings are measureless,

and His generosity is boundless.

All that is in His heart (for you)

flows out in waves of love.

They are sent to touch you, to fill you, and to cover you.

You cannot contain them for they are

more than your mind can imagine,

more than your arms can embrace,

and more than your heart can hold.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.
 Amen.
 Jude 1:24-25

Powerful words I'd say!

Speaking of powerful...this peach pepper jelly is sweet and hot!!!

And super easy to make.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups peeled and diced peaches (about 2 1/2 lb.)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 (1.75-oz.) package powdered fruit pectin

Preparation

1. Stir together all ingredients in a 4-qt. microwave-safe glass bowl.
2. Microwave at HIGH 8 minutes (mixture will boil). Stir mixture, and microwave at HIGH 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. (You're going for the viscosity of pancake syrup here. The mixture will thicken to soft-set preserves after it cools and chills.) Cool mixture completely (about 2 hours). Serve immediately, or cover and chill preserves in an airtight container until ready to serve. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

  

Reality TV and Peaches!

Do y'all realize just how many reality shows there are on TV these days? Holy Moly! I will be the first to admit that one of my guilty pleasures is watching Real Housewives....any and all of them but I LOVE New Jersey, Orange County and Beverly Hills! And now my hubby has me hooked on....you will never guess...Deadliest Catch

 

I don't even know what it is about it...but I am hooked (no pun intended). AND the other night he MADE me watch Duck Dynasty...not so impressed but he laughed like a fool watching it. I think I will stick with Theresa and Caroline and Jaqueline and Gretchen and Vicki and Alexis and Tamara and Lisa and Taylor and Kyle...well you get the idea.But I DO have a craving for Alaskan Snow Crabs!!!! Maybe this weekend !

We finally had a slight reprieve from the rain today....but boy was it hot! I guess we are never really satisfied are we? Personally I am ready for some fall temps! Can't come quick enough!!!!

Do you love peaches? I sure do...here is a simple Peach Cobbler Trifle...YUM!

2 sml pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 Cup sour cream
1 1/2 Cup milk
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
2 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 loaf pound cake
4 C Diced fresh peaches

CRUMB MIXTURE
1 C graham cracker crumbs
3/4 C sugar
1/4 C quick oats
1 tea cinnamon
1/4 tea nutmeg
dash of clove
6 Tbl melted butter
* stir together well and spread on cookie sheet and bake 350 until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool.

Cube cake into small bite size squares, set aside.

Whip heavy whipping cream until peaks. In a separate bowl whip milk, pudding and orange zest together until thick, fold in sour cream and once smooth fold in whipping cream.

Wash and slice peaches, stir in 1 Tbl lemon juice and 1+ Tbl sugar to keep them from browning. Set aside.

In Trifle dish layer cake, pudding,crumb mixture, peaches repeating until dish is full. Top with fresh peaches. Chill before serving. Peaches can brown easily so serve within a few hours of chilling.

St. Francisville and Banana Split Icebox Cake

Today I read a blog post from a fellow blogger about how much she loves to visit St Francisville...a quaint little town north of Baton Rouge. It reminded me of our visit there last year for the 4th of July. We had such a good time and today I just wanted to share a few pictures that Addie took while we were there. Hope I don't bore you, but I simply love this place...hope you do too!

This is along the lake that is right behind the cabin we stayed at...

 

The cabin we stayed at...it was SO nice

 

The famous Magnolia Cafe...love the purple and gold pig!

 

One of the many antique shops. This used to be a bank many years ago..

 

an old abandoned high school that was built in 1907

 

Church Office

 

Of course our American Flag...

 

 

 wrought iron fences and brick sidewalks everywhere

 Inside one of the many shops

and the yummy food Addie prepared for us...

If you ever get the chance to visit St. Francisville....you won't be disappointed!

And now for a light, cool and yummy recipe!

Banana Split Icebox Cake

Ingredients

• 1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
• 24 whole graham crackers
• 2 medium bananas, sliced
• Toppings: chocolate syrup, halved fresh strawberries and additional banana slices

Directions

• In a large bowl, mix the whipped topping, sour cream and pudding mix
• until blended; fold in pineapple. Cut a small hole in the corner of
• a pastry or plastic bag; fill with pudding mixture.
• 
  
• On a flat serving plate, arrange four crackers in a rectangle. Pipe
• about 1 cup pudding mixture over crackers; top with about 1/4 cup
• banana slices. Repeat layers five times. Cover and refrigerate
• overnight.
• 
  
• Before serving, top with chocolate syrup, strawberries and banana
• slices. Yield: 10 servings.