It has fruit in it, that makes it healthy

2 delicious things I made this week:

1. Banana Bread. This recipe is unlike any I've ever tried and I love it. My sister-in-law Patti gave it to me, and it has become a favorite. Which is saying a lot since for the most part I make most recipes once and almost never again. This recipe is twice as good if you make it into muffins. You get more surface area when you make muffins, and that is the best part of this recipe: the sugary goodness of the crust.

2 c sugar
4 tbsp sour cream
3 large bananas
2 c flour
1 stick butter
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c nuts (I never put nuts in)

Mix all and bake at 350. For bread it's about an hour (check with a toothpick) and muffins it's more like 30 min. or so.


2. Cherry "Pie." We got this from a children's book we got at the library, about King Bing who is trying to get Queen Bea to marry him by giving her a pie. This recipe is at the end, purportedly King Bing's recipe, but it's doubtful since in the illustrations it's a double crust cherry pie and this is more like a cherry crisp ;)

1 1/4 c. oats
1 c brown sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 20 ounce can cherry pie filling

Combine the oats,brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir. Cut in the butter. Mix it all together with your hands (it's more fun that way) until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Empty cherry pie filling into a greased pie plate and top with crumbly mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 375.

As many of you know, I try new recipes all the time. There are so many great recipes in the world, and I love food so much (faaaar too much) that I feel like I'm missing out on the joys of this world if I waste my time always eating the same few meals. So we're always trying new things. In fact, the reason I started this blog (since I've always been anti-blog ;) ) was to post recipes I've liked. So, my little blog is finally fulfilling the measure of its creation with my first recipe post.

Veggie Nachos

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef ( I used ground buffalo meat)
  
• 3/4 c. water
  
• 1 envelope taco seasoning (I made my own: 1 tbsp. chili powder, 2 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. each ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, powdered oregano and sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt. yum.)
  
• 1 medium bunch broccoli, broken into small florets
• 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into small florets
• 1 package (15-1/2 ounces) bite-size tortilla chips (I used baked tostitos)
  
• 1 can (11 ounces) condensed nacho cheese soup, undiluted (I made my own with 1 c. milk, 1 1/2 c. cheese, 2 tbsp. butter)
  
• 1/2 cup milk (only if you use the canned cheese sauce)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

Directions:

Chop all your veggies and set aside.

In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, drain. Add 3/4 cup water and taco seasoning. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make cheese sauce.

Just load up all the veggies and meat on your chips and drizzle cheese sauce over top.

I served it with corn bread.

I changed it to make it as healthy as I thought nachos could be. But still deeelicious. It's a winner.






Everyone ate it and loved it. In my book that's a good recipe.

Why I like being a mom

Because older siblings will dress up younger siblings, now and forever....



Because it's so exciting to go swimming that they can't even wait to go upstairs to put on swimsuits.....




Because of the allure of stylish eyewear....




Because of brotherly love. (Ben did all the work...)



Because Batman capes (and goggles) are more fun than I could have imagined...








Because eating is sooo exciting...



Because life is never boring around such funny little guys!!

a little bragging.... sew what?

a couple years ago i fixed a dress for my friend karen. it was a really simple fix, literally requiring only a 4 inch square of fabric. a couple months ago she told her sister-in-law kirsten that i am really good at tailoring dresses. so kirsten calls me up and says that she needs me to fix a dress for her. no problem. then she shows up with a completely strapless dress that is also about 3 inches too long for her, one yard of lining material and a sheer shawl one yard long and about 18 inches wide. @#$%@^$??? i pretend it would be no problem and then spend the next few days *kind of* freaking out and wondering what i got myself into. this seriously kept me up at night. for several nights.

but eventually the stars aligned, the hem came out straight (the piece was over 20 feet long when i finally cut it off), and the dress turned out beautiful. i was really proud of it.










these pictures are from the final fitting... there are still basting stitches in the pleats and pins in the back, but they're the only pictures i have. *sigh* good job, melissa...