Thursday, June 28, 2012

Going Bananas

So, the title may be indictive of how the household runs now that school is out.

 Well, maybe a little bit, but really, the title is meant for your tummy.

There is this little dessert that I make, and call, "a healthy one," but really, it's not so much. However, when I brought them to the classroom for Grace's birthday back in kindergarten, the teacher gushed about the fact that it included bananas! and bananas are healthy, boys and girls! And, she loved them, and a teacher said they were healthy, so I'll run with that. While some kids stuck their tounges out at the mention of that vile fruit, most gobbled it down because it was covered in chocolate.

Now, I am by far, not the first person to come up with these, but I've learned some tricks to pass on.

 



                                CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANAS








First, you gather a monkey, ususally the loudest, hairiest, silliest, one you can find.

Then, you steal it's bananas and cut each banana into equal thirds.










After the monkey is done crying because you stole it's bananas, you gently insert a popsicle stick into the bottom of each one. Your monkey may want to do this, but it takes a gentle hand not to split the bananas. Dry monkeys tears.











Now, put each banana-sicle onto a wax covered plate and place into the freezer until firm. This will make them much easier to dip, and the popsicle stick won't slide out on you when you dip it.  After they have frozen, melt down some chocolate chips for dipping chocolate. I have found that 1 1/2 Cups of chocolate chips will generously cover 9 banana-sicles (3 whole bananas) with a little left over. I melt them down in the microwave in my 2 Cup Pyrex which works great. Beware of clawing monkeys as you do this. They bite too, watch out.



Once your chocolate is good and melted, grab those bananas from the freezer and set up a dipping station. Have any garnish ready. We like to use rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles, or shredded coconut. Nuts would be nice too, or even mini chocolate chips, or all the above put together if you want to go all mama gorilla with it.


Now, let your monkey dip to his/her hearts content.

















Since the banana is so cold, the chocolate firms quickly, so tell your monkey to garnish right after they dip it so it will adhere.








Place your bananas back onto the plate lined with waxed paper and place back into the freezer. Wrestle away the pyrex measuring cup with leftover chocolate away from your monkey and hide in the broom closet so you can lick it in private. Ignore the tantrum outside the door.








Freeze until the banana-sicles are solid, then you can store them in a ziplock bag for easy pickin's.







Give to your monkey on a regular basis. It's a fun treat.


I plan on making dozens to bring to a fourth of July celebration. Fun. Easy. Healthy, right? ; )

I'll be back the Sunday after the fourth. Until then,

Have a wonderful and safe holiday!!!

Happy 4th!!!!





Sunday, June 24, 2012

Schools out 4 summ-ah

For some reason, I remember summers seeming never ending.

When I think of summer as a child, all I remember is sunshine, swimming, playing, and going to bed with dirty legs, and blackberry breath. In our house, we call those "Summer Legs." When I close my eyes and think back, I can almost smell the leftover chlorine on my skin, the sandy grit feel of my flip flops, heavy, with leftover beach sand, and an itchy back from where my sunscreen had worn thin. I stand now, thirty years later, in front of my calendar, and I shake my head. Almost everyday has something scrawled on it. How did this happen? When did I grow out of summer?

After a long Hmmmm...at the calendar, instead of freaking out over the scrawls, I pledge to do a whole lot of nothing on the days that bleed into those amazing summer evenings, and accept summer's invitation to drop it all and come play.  Why not be seven with Gracie, this summer?? This has to be the summer that I do this, as I can feel her wings strengthening, only needing my nudge and not my hand anymore. I can almost hear her growing, and that panic and pride is welling up inside, as I am realizing that I am loosing a sense of parental control, the older, and wiser she gets.

Oh my dear. She just walked into the room and asked me to zipper up the back of her Snow White dress she just climbed into. Deep sigh. All is well. I suppose it counters the fact that she has been saving her money for a Tablet, and has found a way to connect to the Internet on her wii. Sneaky little thing. Gulp.

Last Wednesday, to her displeasure, school let out. I knew she liked school, but I was surprised by her reaction. She was very sad to be out for the whole summer. She "can't wait for fall!," she says. She wants back to school. Badly.

Oh, my.

 This summer has to be it, before I blink my eyes, and going to the beach doesn't mean shovels and pails anymore, but bikini's and boys.

After a celebratory lunch out, we girls headed to the beach along with the hoards of tweeny boppers and sun seekers.

KVI was a hoppin' as I looked to find a sandy spot. Kids and adults of all ages bathed in the sunshine. Some game of "tag the person with the ball" was being played by a grouping of fourth graders. Little ones were splashing in the shallowness of a low tide. Someone was grilling up hot dogs in a beach fire pit for a large group of hungry children, and a group of scantily clad teens sauntered the shoreline like leggy gazelles. A groovy snapshot of summer, and we are ready to play, seven year old style, which means swimming in the sound!





















































I hesitate to look forward at the pages in my calendar as things really heat up, late summer. I think I'll run not walk, eat more ice cream, stay up past my bedtime, acquire crazy tan lines, and go to bed with those "Summer legs," evidence, of a day well spent.

Time to turn back the dials on the clock of ages to seven,

: )


*********


This weekend we went to celebrate Bina's first birthday! I remember writing her birth story just a hop, skip, and a jump ago. Remember "The Story of Sabina?" Welp, she's done all grown up, and turned one whole year already.










I love first year birthdays. They are my favorite.





















I think it's because I love to watch that first bite of cake. The ultimate whole body satisfaction of "Mmmmmm!!!!"




















Shouldn't we all eat birthday cake like this??? Yes, I think it should be mandatory. You eat that cake, girl.













Happy first birthday to little miss Bina. Let your story continue!! XOXO ~auntie M





















I will be back for a quickie post on Thursday, in place of next Sunday's post.

Summer Legs are a callin'!

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Superdad

Dear Jeremy,








































































































































































































































































    







Grace is the luckiest girl on the planet. We think you are awesomesauce.

Happy Father's Day!


Love you bunches,
                            Us


 XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO