Gets the Christmas blood flowing....

For once I rock....

I am not the best mom... I would not qualify as "Mother of the Year" but once in a while I have a good idea.  Technically the idea I had yesterday I got from a friend on FB six months ago but I finally seized the opportunity to make Banana Pancakes for the kids.  I get tired of banana bread really fast... I think it's too dense and after awhile, I don't care for the banana flavor.  We haven't been getting to the bananas fast enough lately so I had yet another batch of icky bananas to use this weekend.  This morning I made banana pancakes with them...  The boys, who eat very little fruit or vegetables, ate them just fine.... I feel like I tricked them!  Heh heh....

Here's the recipe.  I wouldn't normally post it but Steve thought it was a winner too:

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

This recipe is a good way to use up bananas and want something a little different for breakfast or dinner. This recipe is adapted from an issue of Canadian Living magazine

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas ( about 3)
• 2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups sour milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• butter ( for frying)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift or stir together flour, sugar and baking soda;
2. Combine bananas, buttermilk, eggs and butter(I pureed it smooth in an immersion blender); stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
3. In a large skillet or griddle, melt just enough butter over medium heat to coat the surface of the pan.
4. Pour in about 3 tbsp of batter for each pancake; cook pancakes, in batches, for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on one side or until tiny bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.
5. Flip and cook the second side for about 1 minute or until golden.

I'm marrying Frankenstein

As I have stated before, as a mother, I am very conflicted about Halloween costumes.  I know I'm likely too conservative in this area of my life but I'm trying to keep my daughter "off the pole" as Chris Rock put it so succinctly....  After seeing this little bit of fun, I know who is buying these terrible costumes for their daughters.

This year I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Gretchen told me she wanted to be the Bride of Frankenstein.  While it's a touch morbid for a six year old, it's not a princess and it's not slutty so I'm all in.  The best part though is she never calls it the Bride of Frankenstein.  She says Frankenstein's bride or I'm marrying Frankenstein, etc... she never quite gets it right.  As long as the costume doesn't have clear heels, she can call it what she wants. 

On Turning 40

Louie cracks me up....

Talk Much?

Gretchen got a note home from school yesterday indicating she talked so much at school that the teacher asked us to talk to her about it.  Oh boy.... I was a talker too so I'm sure she got that from me.  The day before, at the first girl scout meeting of the year, she showcased this attribute for me and her troop leader by cutting her off and talking over the other girls.  Sigh.... what do you do with a talkative child?  Steve gently got her to be quiet for five minutes.  He handled it much better than I did... 

It's times like these when I wish my mom were alive so I could hear how she handled me!  I've been thinking about my mom a lot lately.  Her brother passed away a few weeks ago.  I made it to the funeral in Iowa and I was the only family member there besides my uncle's wife.  It was a sad little funeral and it stirred up so many memories and feelings that I think I had been suppressing for a while.   All of my memories of the past are kind of hazy.  Anyway, I realized that I can't hear my mom's voice in my head anymore.  I don't remember what it sounded like as clearly as I used to....  My 40th birthday is coming and I will have lived longer than she did...  I know it's a weird and perhaps morbid thing to focus on but that is my life so.... I must.  At least my kids will not suffer the same fate but they won't appreciate it either since it will be the norm to have videos and pictures of our their entire lives.

Book Club?

I sent out an email to some moms with little kids about an indoor playground that will watch your kids whilst you sit in their cafe and pay $5 a coffee to relax.  It's a great idea so I forwarded it out saying it would be a good play to have a book club or meeting or something.... Well, somehow it was decided that a book club would be fun.

So...I guess I'm launching a book club (which means I'll launch a blog for it too...Ha!). The first order of business it to pick a date and a book.  The date is likely harder than the book.  I've added a poll to gauge interest in a date. 

As for a book selection, someone has already suggested The Help by Kathryn Sockett but some of you may have already read that so it's up for discussion once we pick a date.

Picnic Season

Steve just planted our vegetable garden and we are going to have quite a few tomatoes.  It made me pine for some chips and salsa.  Here's my recipe for it but there are a million out there....

Anjanette’s Salsa

3 or 4 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped (if you don’t seed them, the salsa is watery)

½  sweet onion, finely chopped (can substitute with ½ cup scallions or red onion)

1 fresh Serrano or Jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 to 2 tsp salt (I like Sea Salt or Kosher Salt)

1 tbsp of salad oil (optional but it has a good mouth feel)

Juice from 1 lime

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir well and chill……

*For an earthier taste, roast the tomatoes, onions and chiles in the broiler or on the grill.  Peel the skins off of the tomatoes and peppers and proceed as directed... : )

Red Tape

Don't know where the time went since my last post.....  I have been in Special Education mire the last few weeks.  Getting the boys to transition from Early Invention into Early Childhood programs.  Getting Gretchen evaluated as well.  I need a guide to get through all this and help me understand everything.  I am patiently reading the parents guide on the Illinois Board of Education site.  It's not bad but lengthy...