Recipe: Elvis Morning Cakes/PB and Banana Muffins

Do you like Peanut Butter? Do you like Bananas? Good...so did Elvis. He loved Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches. So in honor of the King of Rock I made these lovely Peanut Butter and Banana "Muffins"...I think they are more like breakfast cakes because they are rich and sweet. I took this recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes and made it my own...here is the original recipe if you want a more low fat option or count WW points. Mine...is well, a little more indulgent. 


 First...gather your ingredients.

• 3 ripe medium bananas
• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 Tbsp of Crunch Peanut Butter
• Handful of Golden Raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a muffin tin with 12 liners. Spray with cooking spray.

Mash bananas in a bowl. This is my handy dandy masher that I bought at William Sonoma. It is one of my favorite kitchen tools. Well worth the money.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg whites, bananas, apple sauce, vanilla, and 8 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter, and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl. I love electric mixers...they remind of when my mom let me lick the beater! :)

Add flour mixture, then blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix.
Divide the batter into each muffin tin equally. You will want to fill them almost up to the top.  Sprinkle golden raisins on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Use a toothpick to make sure they are cooked through.

If you need to reheat...just pop they in the microwave for 15 seconds the next day.

Enjoy with some fruit and some rocking Elvis tunes. Yum. 

My Volunteering at a Consignment Sale Experience

I just got home from my first volunteer shift at a local consignment sale and man am I exhausted. It was a lot of work, but I am glad I did it for multiple reasons:
1. I get to shop early Thursday
2. I learned A LOT about kids clothes and how to shop at these sales 
3. I scoped out the goods I hope to score
4.  It was a good work out indeed....my legs/feet/butt hurt

I went in thinking about how this would be a good way to meet people also. I am always up for making new friends and being the social butterfly I am I thought it wouldn't be hard....um, I was wrong. Don't get me wrong...the women were cordial and nice, but there was no bonding. Ha! I asked a lot of questions of veteran moms though and felt like I learned a lot. But, for the most part people kind of kept to themselves...they probably thought I was a little nuts commenting on all the clothes, talking a lot...telling them I was scared of stickers and tape when they tried to put me on that task. Yeah...maybe that is why I didn't make any friends! Oh well...those are the ABC's of me baby! I'm slightly weird.

Wisdom that got dropped on me....

I learned that most women do work 2-3 shifts to get in to shop early. They said the good stuff really does go out the door the first 3 hours.

Don't buy clothes a year ahead because you never know if your child will be in the right size for that season.

There is not a lot to choose from in the 4-7 boys and girls range because the kids are too hard on the clothes.

Price things to sell if you really want them out of your house and some people are crazy for what they want for used clothes/items.

It was a fun experience and I am glad I went, but man that was exhausting. Hopefully my hard work will pay off and I will score some good stuff Thursday.

I also consigned a lot of Walker's baby clothes and at the end of the night after seeing all the other peep's pricing I felt good about my prices and things I placed there selling. It was hard to see a lot of things go...this little dude is growing up WAY to fast.

Night, night.

Walker's 12 Month Well Visit

Yesterday we went to visit our favorite pediatrician Dr. Andy Huss at Harpeth Pediatrics for Walker's 12 month well visit. Dr. Huss rocks...I can't say enough good things about him. If you are in the market for a good kiddie doc...he's your man.

Our little man is doing great! He's weighing in at 23 pounds and 9 ounces. Lengthwise he is 30 inches wise. He's an average little dude. Ha! I would say Chad and I are both average in the height category or below average. Our dream of raising a little NBA star is fading in the distance. Dang!

We did talk to Huss about his egg reaction a couple of weeks ago and he recommended we head to the allergist soon and he prescribed an Epipen for emergencies if he ever gets a life threatening reaction. The thought of jabbing my baby in the leg with a shot gives me the willies, but if he needs it I will do it. Both Chad and I think it is very unlikely this will ever be needed, but better safe than sorry. Poor little guy...eggs are DEFINITELY the devil!

Dubs did not like getting his 3 shots at all or having his ears checked, but he survived. Little guy was fussy yesterday, but today seems in great spirits. Just gotta keep him away from the eggs.

Tour de Toddler: Discovering Free/Cheap Activities in Nashville

This little lad is on the move and looking for activities....so we set off to find fun and cheap things to do in Nashville for a wobbling toddler. Walker is on the younger end of that term, but now that he is pretty steady with his walking abilities...we set out for daily "adventures" this week. Here are a couple places we went...


The Cool Springs Mall Play Area

 I have always seen these little kids going wild in the mall while their parents looked on. We were one of those wild kid/parent couples the other day. Walker really enjoyed it...he played with this spin thing for quite awhile. I followed him around to make sure he was cool, but as he gets bigger he will get more independent time. He really enjoyed the little manufactured kiddie wonderland, watching the other children and walking around in a new environment. A great perk: FREE

Chuck E. Cheese

 Wednesday was W's birthday so I took him to my first place of employment, Chuck E. Cheese's. I worked their in high school and yes...I dressed up as Chuck E. I know, I know...I'm kind of a celebrity. It was amazing how many kids tried to beat me up! Anyway, I digress..so I thought this would be another wonderful kiddie land for him to explore. He really enjoyed it. Lots of wheels to observe and touch...he loves some wheels!

 Wheels #1

 Wheels #2

 I think Chuck E. Cheese's is owned by Vegas and is just gearing kids up for gambling one day. This game above proves it. I love Vegas...so who am I to stop a future gambler? All in all...a great place for a long weekday lunch. He enjoyed the show, the food and the atmosphere. Cost: Food for myself

The Monkey's Treehouse in Bellevue

 This place rocked! It was like a kid paradise and had a special area for Toddler's (2 and under) also. Above W is enjoying the sea of balls and that was ultimately his favorite part of his adventure.

 A giant wooden puzzle table.

 This was half of the tree house and in the ropes was a giant pit of wooden blocks.

 A grocery store and theater area...equipped with food, play kitchen and working lighting.

 Dinosaur station! Turns out Dubs likes dinosaurs. They also had a princess castle station, train station, car station, dollhouse station and an area where you could construct sentences on a giant magnet board.

Here is the fishing/boating station. You could catch these magnetic fish with a pole...very cute. Cost: $7 You could buy packages though and that cut the cost way down for each visit. This would be an AWESOME place for a birthday party. Lots to do and comfy places for the parents to hang out and watch. I again followed Dubs around quite a bit and being the kid I am...played right along side of him. There is also a location in Cool Springs on Seaboard Lane...we will check that one out soon. It's new!

We are going to continue our Tour de Toddler each week until we have tried out everything fun thing in Nashville/Franklin. When it gets cooler we will start getting outside more, but for the most part...we need air conditioned adventures right now. Next up: Adventure Science Museum!

What are some fun activities you do with your toddlers/kids?

Walker's First Year of Life

Today is my sweet son's very 1st birthday and he was so excited to celebrate that he woke up at 6:15am. Ha! He greeted me by bouncing up and down in his crib with a great big smile. Our day will be all about W today. We are planning a play date with Fenn and Laura to Chuck E. Cheese this afternoon. That should be interesting!

A whole year...how did this happen? It's crazy. Will he be bringing home a girl next year that I will judge and say is not good enough? Ha! Having a child is being on fast forward sometimes...time flies.


I love being a mom and look forward to many more precious memories with our sweet Walker. Here are a few memories from the past year I put together last night. Enjoy!

Menu Monday - Tomato Madness!

 

I'm flying mostly solo this week and I have a TON of fresh tomatoes from Chad's grandparent's garden. Bring it on tomatoes...I plan on figuring out 50 ways to cook tomatoes while listening to 50 Way to Leave your Lover by Paul Simon. Ha! Maybe 50 is a little lofty, but here is some of my ideas. If you guys have any suggestions on tomato madness please comment!

Monday - Tomato, Avocado, Carrot and Swiss Panini with Garden Salad with Cherry Tomatoes
Tuesday - Double Tomato Bruschetta - Recipe from All Recipes.com

 
Wednesday - Grilled Cheese with Tomato and Campbell's Light Gumbo Soup
Thursday -  CPK BBQ Chicken Pizza for One and Caprese Salad
Friday - Grill Night! Steaks and Potatoes....with of course....tomato salad
Saturday - Hot Dog Reunion...we have quite a few hot dogs left to cook from last weekend. Oh and salad...with tomatoes.
Soul Food Sunday - Chicken and Dressing (Stove Top), Black Eyed Peas and Cornbread. Sliced Tomatoes with mayo and salt and pepper...mmm...just like Laverne Swindle used to make! Mmmm.

I'm going to attempt to make salsa and possibly tomato soup, but I'm trying to give myself a pep talk to attempt these labor intensive dishes while solo watching Dubs. It's too bad neither Walker or Chad like tomatoes.

Okay, there it is! Seriously...what kind of tomato dishes should I make with these beauties? I'm feeling creative this week. 

Holder Birthday Bash - The Debacle

(Cake we never cut)

Yesterday we celebrated Walker and Chad's Birthday with having friends and family over to our neighborhood pavilion and pool for a Hot Dog themed birthday bash. Chad and W share the same birthday (July 20th)...crazy, right? I always want to incorporate my hubby's b'day each year and find a way to make it special for him also. I thought a pool party would do just the trick. Ummm...it was a disaster pretty much.


What went wrong:

Okay, now I planned for a long time with my theme, decorations, easy meal choice and so on, but right out of the gates the day just didn't go right. Our families showed up as we were walking out the door to go decorate and set up. Glad to see all of their smiling faces, but considering they were the bulk of the guests...well, it just created chaos for a completely non-set up party. I scrambled to decorate and set up, but let's just say it was tough stuff to juggle, entertain, watch Dubs and try to keep my cool. By the time the party was starting we had 5 out of 50 balloons blown up (my store purchased tank ran out, nice), nothing really set up and me stressed to the gills. Being the stubborn lady I am I ran to Publix to get more balloons blown up...I mean, I bought them online and wasn't letting them go to waste. My sweet produce lady couldn't have been slower, so I dashed out with 10 more in hand all tangled up to boot.

I get back to find I had left my sweet husband with no directions and the tables all looking like crap and nothing properly set up the way I had it in my delusional dreams of a perfect party. The next probably hour was a blur to me, but I just gave up pretty much. We started grilling the weenies (which were awesome, kudos Chad) and rolled with the punches. Enter next punch...


You know all the cute pictures you always see of first birthday parties where these adorable babies are smashing cake, laughing and enjoying the attention...well, that is not my child or how his "smash cake" experience went. He didn't want to go in the high chair, he hated the attention and everyone cheering scared the crap out of him. We both had Red and Yellow icing all over our faces, arms, hands and souls. So after the cake debacle we scooped him up, I stripped down to my swim suit and took his sweet crying self to the pool shower. Which probably was one of my funniest memories and his favorite parts of the day. No more icing...ahhh. Internal thoughts at that point in time: "Oh crap, I'm in my swimsuit in a group full of fully clothed adults...proceed Cory, proceed." We go back to the party, wrestle W into his swimsuit and try to relax a bit.


What went right:

We opened presents and Dubs got a lot of great things...a cool Radio-Flyer wagon, toys, DVDs, clothes, savings bonds and more toys. It was wonderful to see him surrounded by people that loved him and wanted to just hold him, watch him smile and enjoy his special day. I felt like I had a helper with my dear husband who busted his butt to keep me happy when he saw me start to crack. All in all we never got in the pool, we have yellow and red icing stained clothes and the flies enjoyed most of our spread, but it was definitely a memorable birthday. We all came back to our house afterwards and had some great laughs about all of it.

What I learned:

Nothing is ever perfect, lower your expectations, roll with the punches and keep a smile on your face no matter what goes wrong. Red and Yellow icing on a smash cake is a HUGE mistake and get that kid sporting only a diaper before you decide to set them down for the big moment. Hot Dog shaped balloons attack people eating hot dogs when the wind blows hard enough. Oh and also....decorate 3 hours ahead of time. Also, have someone help take pictures and video...we didn't get near enough!

Happy Birthday Dubs and Chad...you are both two great dudes and I'm lucky to have you in my life. Thanks to all of our friends and family that showed up to celebrate with us...we appreciate your love and support.

And here is my little quickie iMovie about the event...

Sippy Cup Training

We have been working on "how to use" the sippy cup for awhile now. It's not going too well, but we keep trying every day. Today I thought I would try to show W how it was done and of course add my goofy personality in to make it fun...here's what happened. Enjoy! :)

Fast Chicken Fettuccine and Menu Tuesday...whoops!

It's been a crazy week and Chad has a crazy half travel/half home week...so my menu is wonky and late, but if your husband travels like mine does...than you will love this week's menu! :)

First let's start out with one of the two actual "meals" I'm cooking this week: Fast Chicken Fettuccine. Found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens, was supposed to make it last week (opted for take out) and it was originally posted on Recipe.com ...I'm going to show you how to make it for 2 and keep it easier than easy. Go to the website if you don't trust me. Ha! I have added some of my tricks and tasty additions. Also...it's $1/per serving!!! Cheapy cheap cheap!

I did NOT want to cook tonight, but I'm glad I did...this literally took 20 minutes and was YUMMY. Chad approved and I took all of his sun dried tomatoes gladly...he's a picky one that Chad.

What you are going to need:

• 4 ounces fettuccine
• 1/4 of a 7-ounce jar oil-packed, dried tomato strips or pieces (1/4 cup)
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  
• 1 large zucchini or yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 2 cups)
• 1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1/2 grated cup Romano cheese
• Black pepper

What you are going to do:

Chop up the goods.

Cook in lightly salted boiling water with 1 Tbsp of Olive oil; drain. Return pasta to hot pan.

Meanwhile, drain tomato strips, reserving 2 tablespoons oil from jar; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon reserved oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and minced garlic; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet. Add remaining reserved oil to skillet. Add chicken; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Add zucchini, chicken, tomato strips, and cheese to cooked pasta; toss gently to combine. Season with pepper to taste.

Did you know? That this is what Martha Stewart says a serving of pasta is...a quarter size. Well Martha, you are a heifer because that fed both of us.

Secret "Cooking for 2" Weapon: Small Colander...great for small straining tasks. Never had one until we got married and now...I love this thing. Also, small in the dishwasher. Score!


Try this people, it's easy and good and cheap. What else do you want? :)

So...here is my day late and dollar short weekly menu...drum roll please...............

Monday: Pizza and Salad (We eat a lot of Tombstone pizza around here)

Tuesday: Yum Yum Recipe listed above

Wednesday: Kashi Frozen Meal - Lemongrass Coconut Chicken (So....good)

Thursday: Morning Star Chik Pattie Burger and Sweet Potato Fries (Seriously...taste just like chicken)

Friday: Pasta Night! Spaghetti with mushrooms, squash and onion...and a salad.

Saturday: HOT DOG PARTY NIGHT for Dubs and Chad's Birthday Bash (crazy they have the same b'day...right?!?)

Sunday: Soul Foodish Chicken and Rice - Chicken Thighs, Cream of Mushroom and Uncle Ben's Ready Rice...easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Happy cooking!

Goodbye Miya...we will miss you.

Today is a hard day. We are putting our sweet Miya dog to sleep. About 3 months ago we saw a change in her mood and energy so we had some blood tests done. The vet said she most likely had liver cancer. She progressively got worse and worse. It's a lot of sad details that I will spare telling you, but I wanted to blog about it to just get the message out. I'm beyond sad about it. She has been a great dog for almost 12 years in our family. She was gentle, sweet and loving every day of her life.

I bought Miya for Chad in college and she was definitely a handful of energy back then. Running around the Quad in Tuscaloosa like a maniac, sneaking out/leaping over a chain link fence, eating books, eyeglasses, recliners. She really gave us a run for our money, but we loved her so much it was always hard to look into those sweet blue eyes and get mad.



With Walker she has always been loving and gentle. She would let him grab her fur, try to ride her and go in with me to rock him.

It's a sad day over here. I know a lot of you guys loved her also. Life is tough when it comes to these decisions, but we didn't want to see her suffer any longer. She was a proud and beautiful dog who would never want anyone to pity her. Last night after hanging out with one of my most amazing friends, Laura Graham, I started feeling a bit better about everything...I stopped by Waffle House on the way home and ordered a single chopped sirloin and fed it to my sweet girl. She gobbled it up and we said our goodbyes. We will miss Miya so much and Ophelia will also.



Dogs are more than companions...they are friends. Losing a friend is hard, but we are better for having her in our lives. I keep telling myself that she is going to "The Big Dog Sled Race in the Sky" and it looks like Alaska and chopped sirloin is dinner every night. We really will miss you Miya...don't tell the angel dogs at the pearly gates about killing those kittens in Orlando that time. I'm sure you will get a pass for that. Big tears for my big girl today.

Happy 12th Birthday Ophelia!

My little round Ophelia is 12 years old today! Ophelia has always been my sidekick and continues to do so. Every time Walker wakes up from a nap...she goes in with me. When we are playing in the floor...she's right there. At mealtimes...she's right there waiting for whatever is getting dropped.


In her golden years she still enjoys her squirrels, barking at the UPS man, snoring at bedtime and begging for anything you might drop. I wouldn't trade her for the world. My little rescue dog has been the greatest companion and I hope she has a wonderful 12th birthday!



Leave me some comments for Ophelia and I will be sure she gets them! :)

My 10 Ten Favorite Baby/Toddler Apps for Ipad

I spend quite a lot of time searching for new and fun iPad apps for Dubs. I think the iPad is his favorite toy of all time actually. It's a great way for what I call "lap learning" and I thought I would share my favorite apps. They are in all different categories...learning, fun, stories, entertainment. This list will change as he grows, but these are my favorites for right now. Enjoy!

Peakaboo Baby Ladybird Baby Touch by Penguin Books

Very cute little British lady with animals, vehicles and such playing Peekaboo. I kind of want to meet this lady because she is calming and cute at the same time. Love the "Autoplay" option that allows you hands free option.

Lunchbox Preschool Monkey by Thup

Just bought this one recently and I know he is too young for it, but it got great reviews so I took the plunge. Walker cracks up when the monkey flips and it is educational for the future...teaching colors, matching, counting and puzzles. Cute graphics also.

Peanut Butter Bob Gets in a Jam by Frog Dog Media

A story time book that cracks me up. The narrators really go all out with their characters and it's a cute short story. Parents flip the page and I think this one will be a hit for a long time to come.

Zoo Tap by Gigabud Limited

It's funny how babies liked things pointed out to them. This app does that with different animal groups and plays their sounds. I enjoy the peacock noise myself.

Nighty Night by Shape Minds Berlin

This might be one of my favorites. Very soothing, again...those British people can narrate! You can either use Auto Play on this one or it can be interactive...or both! I love options. The graphics are adorable and the story is good for bedtime.

Splish Splash Inn by Short Stack

Walker loves numbers and I know where he gets that from with Chad's "Math Problem of the Day" mentality. This little fish goes from room to room counting different sea creatures that make cool sounds when you touch them. They all have a big party at the end and who doesn't like a party? Cute app.

Fish School by Duck Duck Moose

Again with the numbers, but this one also has letters, shapes, matching, play time and colors. Score! Duck Duck Moose Apps are the bomb. Great graphics, awesome content and it's fun learning.

Itsy Bitsy Spider by Duck Duck Moose

This was one of the Apps that started it all for me. So cute and fun for interactive play. Just a cute song, some creative creatures and a Chloe the Fly explaining things way above my Dubs head, but one day....he will tell me that the sun is a giant ball of gas and I'll know he learned it from a fly named Chloe.


Interactive Alphabet by PI 'IKEA ST.

Another obsession in my son's world is the alphabet. This app got great reviews and the graphics are really neat. I think this is one he will continue to grow into. The robot dances...and who doesn't like a robot that can dance?!?


ABC by Paul McDougall

See a shopping theme here...yep, another alphabet app. These little characters are so cute that I want to invite them over to hang out. Except for Matthew the miserable mouse...he can stay away, but Chelsea the charming young carrot can come hang anytime over at Holder Haven. Super cute app where the parents read, no auto play.

Okay, that's it...if you guys have other apps that your kids/babies/toddlers love I would love to hear about them!

Here's the list again...in no order! :)


ABC by Paul McDougall
Interactive Alphabet by PI 'IKEA ST.
Itsy Bitsy Spider by Duck Duck Moose
Fish School by Duck Duck Moose
Splish Splash Inn by Short Stack
Nighty Night by Shape Minds Berlin
Zoo Tap by Gigabud Limited
Peanut Butter Bob Gets in a Jam by Frog Dog Media
Peakaboo Baby Ladybird Baby Touch by Penguin Books
Lunchbox Preschool Monkey by Thup

Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder and Menu Monday!

Yes, it's 100 degrees outside, but I'm craving soup...so I tackled this recipe that I ripped out of Better Homes and Garden's July issue. It was pretty labor intensive, but I'm going to break it down for you so you can save some time, money and effort.

Spicy Chicken-Corn Chowder

8 slices of bacon
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped red sweet pepper
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 to 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
2 cups fresh sweet corn kernals
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves

1. In a 5-6 quart Dutch oven cook bacon until crisp. Remove with spoon, set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in pan.
2. Add chicken to pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink; remove chicken. Add sweet pepper and onion to pan. Cook and stir until tender. Add jalapenos and garlic, cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in flour. Cook and stir 1 minute. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or just until potatoes are tender; stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken, corn, cream, cayenne, and bay leaves. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Top with bacon and jalapeno slices. Makes 8 servings.

Time Saver Tip: Now those are the "big girl/boy ingredients" and that means a lot of chopping!! I'm a sub par chopper, so I'm saying next time I make this...I will buy: Frozen chopped red pepper, chopped sweet onion, frozen corn and then that leaves the chicken, jalapeno and potatoes to be chopped. Bam, just saved you time.
Quick Fix: Bacon...mmm. We love bacon, but I hate the mess and I need it on the fly. So I bought this microwaveable bacon when it was on sale. I am in love. Easy, quick, delicious. Squeeze the "bacon pad" for the tablespoon of drippings. Voila!

Beware: Cutting jalapenos can burn your skin. I always itch my nose so when I had gave myself "jalapeno nose" I felt a duty to inform you, wear gloves. Also, it's easier to cut the jalapeno down the middle and remove the seeds.

My assistants...one kept me entertained and the other kept the floor clean. You can figure out which one did what task.


That was last night...so here we go for the rest of the week.

Monday: 4th of July cookout with the Settles! I'm off for the night.
Tuesday: Fast Chicken Fettuccine with Salad (Better Homes and Garden July issue)
Wednesday: 5 Spice Pork Kabobs with angel hair pasta and sauteed zucchini (Better H&G)
Thursday: Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Verde Sauce (Skinnytaste.com)
Friday: Black Bean Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries (Costco)
Saturday: Cajun Chicken and Rice with Salad (improv meal where I get creative with Uncle Ben's Cajun rice, chicken thighs that were on sale and spices.)

There you go...that's what is going down in the Holder Haven kitchen this week. Happy Cooking!