Author: Melissa

This is a favorite snack in our house!

Banana Bread
 
5 1/3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 c mashed very ripe banana (about 2)
1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
Mix butter and sugar together in high speed until light and fluffy, two or three minutes. Beat in the flour mixture in low speed until blended and the consistency of brown sugar. Gradually beat in eggs. Fold in bananas and walnuts with spatula until just combined.
Scrape batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before taking out of pan to cool completely.

from Joy of Cooking

Colin has had a 103 fever since Saturday morning and he's going to the doctor today. I'm pooped. Between not sleeping, constantly carrying him and nursing practically around the clock. I feel like I have a newborn again. Well, a newborn weighing 25 pounds with a mouthful of teeth and yells "MAMAMA!!!" while hitting your b00b when he wants to nurse.

**********
You say: "Girls, your brother is sleeping! Please be quiet!"
They hear: "Girls! Be extra loud! And please play in the hallway right outside Colin's door!"

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We're having a major obedience crackdown over here. The girls were horrendous in church yesterday. I could tell by the look on my husband's face when they all walked in the door. And how quiet Grace was. And how she came inside and walked right upstairs and got in her bed. And how Ellie was pretending to be asleep so we wouldn't talk to her.
Yes. It was that bad.
It was kind-of the icing on the cake. The girls have been acting poorly for a few weeks now and we've been too busy/sick/tired to really deal with it and then the behavior just snowballs…
So now we need to get things back in shape around here. Always fun.

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All that to say, if I'm not posting this week, that's why! Off to the pediatrician! Again!

snacks/appetizers/breakfast/sides

apple cake
apple french toast bake
banana bread
fruit smoothies
guacamole
homemade croutons
margarita
oven roasted vegetables
roasted brussel sprouts

main courses

amazing burgers
beef and black-bean chili
beef bourguignon
beef fajitas
beef skewers
black bean tacos
california blts
calzones
carnitas
chicken chili
chicken curry
chicken parmesan
chicken piccata
cornmeal crusted tilapia with salsa
garlic-thyme marinated chicken
grilled herb shrimp with mango salsa
heirloom tomato salad
herb roasted leg of lamb
honey baked chicken
indonesian ginger chicken
italian tuna melt
lamb kebobs
pasta fagioli
penne alla norma
penne with braised short ribs
pork barbeque
pork chops with pineapple salsa
roast beef with carmelized shallots
seared steak with arugula-roasted pepper salad
seared scallops and tenderloin steaks with manhattan sauce
slow-cooker beef minestrone
snow crab legs
steakhouse steaks
tequila lime chicken
vegetarian lasagna

desserts

apple crisp
brownie pudding
chocolate chip cookies
chocolate crinkle cookies
chocolate white chocolate chunk cookies
dark chocolate cookies
gourmet s’mores
peanut butter blossoms

I appreciate that you are trying to get your child to learn to swim. I understand that he is terrified of the water, but you are trying to show tough love and make him swim anyway. All of us moms feel your pain. We really do. However, our sympathy has evaporated since that first lesson.

Why?

Well, because of your child, everyone else's kids are not learning to swim. Because the teacher is spending 90% of the class with your screaming kid wrapped around his neck. And the other 10% trying to cram a half hour lesson into 5 minutes.

Invest in private lessons or try to get a refund or something. But please, please be respectful of the 6 other kids (and their parents). We are hoping that our children get to learn something, too. Instead of paying quite a lot of money for their kids to hang out in to pool and watch your kid cry.

Thank you.

This morning, we were waiting for the bus and my daughter asks me, "Mom, are you sure its pajama day?" Of course I'm sure. "Did my teacher tell you?" Yes, it was in the newsletter. And the school calendar. And she's standing at the bus stop in her pajamas. What is going on?

"I'm afraid I will look silly," she quietly admitted.

And so it begins.

When did my little kindergartner start worrying about her clothing? She's always been very opinionated about clothes, but only in that she only wants to wear what is comfortable or pink (preferably both). Sure, she has asked for clothing or shoes (like Uggs or a cute dress in the window of Gap Kids) but she has never been overly concerned about what she is wearing. She would happily wear the same pink tank top every day of the year, regardless of temperature.

I feel like some innocence has been lost. Her fashion awareness has been alerted and there is no turning back.

Continued here.

My poor little guy has a temp of 103. His first real fever. We partied all night between tepid baths, nursing and cuddling.

Must go cuddle my poor baby. Be back later.

I halved this recipe and only marinated it for about four hours, but it was still sooooo yummy!! My kids gobbled this right up.

Indonesian Ginger Chicken

1 cup honey
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic (8 to 12 cloves)
1/2 cup peeled and grated fresh ginger root
2 (3 1/2 pound) whole chickens, cut-up

Cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger root in a small saucepan over low heat until the honey is melted. Arrange the chicken in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan, skin side down, and pour on the sauce. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan, turn the chicken skin side up, and raise the temperature to 375 degrees F. Continue baking for 30 minutes or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh and the sauce is a rich, dark brown.

from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook