Freeze-Ahead Banana Muffins

Quick breakfasts and mid-day snacks are great to have on hand! These homemade banana muffins are one of my favorite snacks to pull from the freezer, pop in the microwave for about 25 seconds, and serve to the kids.

If you are feeling kinda crunchy, change up the sugar for honey, substitute a cup of whole wheat flour for a cup of white flour, and add a couple tablespoons of ground flax (my favorite secret ingredient) to the mixture. They will never know  :o)


Banana Muffins 
(a triple batch)

Ingredients:
8-9 bananas, mashed well
3 large eggs
3 cups sugar (or a bit less if you prefer)
1 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a dash of salt

Directions:

• Peel the bananas and mash them up well in a large bowl.
• Add eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla and mix well.
• Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a pile on top of wet mixture. Lightly fluff the dry ingredients together before mixing it in to the wet ingredient below.
• Grease muffin tin, or line with paper cups, and scoop mixture into cups to fill a little over half full.
• Bake at 375* for 18 to 20 minutes. (in my oven they are done in 18 minutes)

I love that this recipe uses oil instead of butter, as using butter in everything can get pretty expensive. Because this is a triple batch recipe, it usually makes 3 dozen muffins. I leave one dozen in a Ziploc bag to enjoy the week that I make them and place the other two dozen in the freezer. I can pull one or two muffins out as needed or just let the whole bag thaw on the counter to eat later. It's wonderful!

And here is a "sweet" verse to feed your soul.

"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." ~ Proverbs 16:24

May you be blessed with peace and health today! May kindness be found in your words and may they bring life and grace to the hearer!

Have a wonderful week,

My Morning Meal... in a Glass!

Fun at the Dallas Zoo!

This momma needs her energy to keep up with two little ones, care for the home and minister to others.

If I don't start the day by eating something with lots of protein and fiber, I'm HUNGRY by 10am! That's a little early for lunch  :o)  A bowl of cereal for breakfast doesn't cut it anymore.

I have to say... I'm a bit of a smoothie snob. I'm picky! It has to taste good and be thick! One job that I really enjoyed during high school was working at Zumba Juice (before it became Jamba Juice). Making smoothies at home reminds me of all the fun I had and my experience has helped me know the combinations that I enjoy best.

Hope to try some tropical combos this summer... mango, pineapple, and peach (maybe not all in the same drink).

Here are a few favorite smoothies that I enjoy!

Cool and refreshing... and filling too!

Blue-Bana-Berry Smoothie
3-4 lrg. ice cubes
1 cup milk
1 frozen, chopped banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 packet Acai + Acerola Puree (found this at Sprouts - a local natural food store)
1/2 cup raw oatmeal
2 Tb ground flax seed
1 Tb honey

PB Bana Blast ready to spin!




PB Banana Blast
3-4 lrg. ice cubes
1 cup milk
1 frozen, chopped banana
2 Tb smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup raw oatmeal
2 Tb ground flax seed
1 Tb honey
1 packed cup baby spinach

Good for Momma and Jo Jo too!

Food for the soul:

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31

Hope you will share some of your favorite smoothies with me too - could use a few new ideas!


Have a blessed, safe weekend,

I'm linked up with:

Women Living Well

and

Comfy in the Kitchen

Freezer Pancakes and a Few of My Favorite Things {Thoughtful Momma Monday}

Thoughtful Momma Monday

A baker in the making!

The washer is spinning, paint on my canvas-in-progress is drying and the KIDS ARE NAPPING! Time to play a little blog catch up!

My daughter LOVES her Eggo waffles in the morning - a little peanut putter and syrup and she is a happy, full girl. I was looking to save some money, and make something that I know all is in it and I came across a simple pancake recipe. These freeze SO well and make a quick breakfast for busy mommas. I just place individual pancakes in sandwich bags and pop them in the freezer to be used over the next week or so.

Sometimes I make simple, round pancakes - just the size to fill my babies' tummies for breakfast. And sometimes, we have a little fun (for birthdays, Valentine's Day, or just because!).

A little love for the tummy!

A forced smile from the birthday girl... and her evil-eyed bunny pancake. lol.

Only had red frosting on hand :o)

"J" for Josiah, never too early to learn your letters!

Pancakes
(adapted from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook)

Ingredients:
1 large egg
1 cup whole wheat/white flour mix
3 Tbl. ground flax seed
3/4 cup milk
1 Tbl. sugar - white or brown
2 Tbl. vegetable oil
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt


Directions:

1. Beat egg in medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth. For thinner pancakes (especially helps when making designs), stir in additional 1-2 Tbl. milk.
2. Heat griddle over med/high heat. Grease pan (with butter) as necessary and cook your circles or shapes until they are puffy and dry around the edges.
3. Turn and cook on the other side ( idea: after flipping over, place a few chocolate chips as eyes, nose, mouth on a face - so fun!)
4. ENJOY!

Nothing fancy, just pancakes... but your kids will enjoy them! It will keep their tummies full 'till at least snack time  :o)

Now onto a few of my favorites things...

My kids' firsts

Here is Mo's first time roller skating!

Loving the lights on the ground!

Flowers from a friend

Making new friends!

LOVE the princess dresses/trampoline combo. And a diaper booty!

This face...

And this one...

And especially this one!

Playing outside in cold weather

All bundled up for a walk through the park!

And in warm weather too!

Loving the sand!

Nursing my big baby boy :o)

Watching my little girl's excitement to go with Daddy on a date.

Practicing her princess curtsy

Visiting Daddy for lunch on a work day

May God bless your week abundantly,

I'm linked up with:

 

 



Homemade Pinto Beans in the Crock Pot

Here's a favorite recipe of mine (my dear friend shared her recipe with me - it's Da Bomb!). I usually cook a batch of beans in the crock pot, put a container in the fridge to use right away and freeze the rest for later. They keep very well and taste so good, even after being frozen.

I no longer want to eat canned beans... these rock! Go ahead, give them a try!



Leonora's Pinto Beans

Ingredients:

2 lb. pinto beans (or lentils, black beans, your choice!)

2 bulbs garlic

3 jalapenos (fewer if you want less heat)

1 onion

3 Tbl. sea salt/kosher salt

1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:

Sort and rinse beans.

Place in crock pot and cover with water - about 2 inches above beans.

Add salt, peeled garlic cloves (whole or halved), chopped jalapenos, and chopped onion to the pot.

Cook on High for 6 hours.

2 hours into cooking beans, add 1/4 cup oil.

Add water as needed. It may need another cup or two half way through cooking. Just watch to be sure that there is always a couple inches of water above the beans.

When they are done, place beans in plastic containers, with plenty of room to expand as they freeze.

I always write the type of beans and the date I cooked them on

a piece of tape and stick it on each container.

Allow the beans to cool a bit before placing them in the freezer. 

Ready to freeze!

Some of my favorite ways to enjoy beans:

• Breakfast tacos - I re-fry one container of beans in 2 tablespoons of butter to eat with eggs, soyrizo (soy version of chorizo), and corn tortillas. Yummm...
• A side dish for enchiladas, Tex Mex roast, or fajitas.
• A plain old bean burrito - with a little homemade salsa, sour cream and cheese of course!

Okay, I'm ready for dinner! Here are a few pics and a great kitchen tip for you!

 Having fun sorting beans... oh my!

(my one-year-old now makes a "cheese" face when I pull out my camera :o)

A tip for peeling garlic

This tip is great for peeling a LOT of garlic and saving a LOT of time!

I used to peel each clove with a knife and my fingers - ouch!

Now my three-year-old can help me and we have fun :o)

Start by cutting the end off the garlic bulb.

Turn the bulb and cut a bit, turn the bulb and cut some more.

Grab a silicone pot holder and place a clove in the middle of it.

Roll the pot holder up like a taco and roll back and forth,

pressing down at the same time.



And TADA! A nice, clean piece of garlic, ready to be dropped

in your crock pot of beans!

 

 My big helper!

Now I can reach into my freezer for some homemade, ready-to-eat beans!
I get to save money and eat well. What a deal!!!

I know that this is a simple recipe, but I hope that it encourages you to try your hand at beans! They taste so much better than canned beans and the nutrients found in beans is HUGE (including protein, fiber and iron!).

God bless your weekend, 

I'm linked up with:

Hash Brown Quiche and a Thankful Heart

I hope that you had a very Happy Thanksgiving! We enjoyed the evening with my in-laws. The kids played and laughed, we ate and ate, and then headed home around 9pm. What fun!

I've been saving this recipe to share with you - it's an easy one that is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Thank you Paula Deen, yet again, for a tasty recipe that my family loves!!!

So colorful and delicious!

This is a simple, yet delicious quiche that you can add any meat or veggie to. Here is the original recipe, as I've adjusted the recipe below to what we had on hand.

Hash Brown Quiche

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups, shredded frozen hash browns, thawed and drained

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup half-and-half

3/4 cup browned sausage

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 roma tomato, diced

1/2 cup fresh spinach, sliced

1 cup shredded Cheddar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Gently press the drained hash browns between paper towels to dry them as best as possible. In a 9-inch pie plate, toss the hash browns with the melted butter into the plate. Press them into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp.

After browning the sausage, remove meat to plate. Cook the onions, tomato and spinach (or any veggies you prefer) in the pan on Med heat.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir in cooked meat and veggies. When the hash brown crust is ready pour the egg mixture over it and return to the oven.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is light golden brown on top and puffed.

Perfection!

I have so much to be thankful for... here are a few of those things:

 New life, after stray dogs killed two of our laying hens

Fun times making cookies with a house full of girls!

Blessed to have Grammy and Grandpa here with us for a couple of weeks!

Cousins nearby for my kids to enjoy!

A healthy, happy family!

 God bless you and your family with peace and health,




PS - This one is for you, Momma...

I love you!

I tried my hand at a pecan pie this Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Not too sweet and oh so tasty! It calls for brown and white sugar instead of corn syrup. Mmmm...

I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com and it's a keeper!

Pumpkin, Chocolate, and Pecan Pie!!!

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