Failure

.... Not only did I wait until the last minute to order my Dad a gift for Father's Day (which has yet to come in the mail) and forget to bring his card to our Family BBQ (which I showed up late to).. I neglected to post on this here, the World Wide Web, how grateful I am for my Father.

Here's to you, Dad!

You are the most incredible father!!! Thank you for working harder than any man I've ever known and never letting our family go without.. even if it meant late nights and extra shifts. You have shown your love in more ways than I think you even realize. I am eternally grateful for the values you've instilled in our family and the example you've been to me and everyone who comes into your life. Thank you for showing me that someone who is patient, understanding, supportive and shows unwaivering love for their spouse and family truly does exist, and even more so, thank you for teaching me I am worth all of that and more.
Thank you for supporting my decisions and taking time to comfort me when life gets rough. And one more thing...Thank you for making Nick feel welcome in this family. It means the world to me!

I love you more than words can express. I am blessed to call you my Father. I love you Daddy! ~Happy Fathers Day!!

Thursday = Breakfast for Dinner Day.

It has been a very busy few weeks for me. Between Papa's birthday, a Palm Springs get away, playing mama to our new kitten and a new position at work.. I haven't made much time for blogging.. or any down time really.

This is short and sweet because honestly, I am exhausted and it's very possible I may be in bed before 9 pm this evening.



Nick has been bugging me to make pancakes the past few weekends. I've managed to cram way too much into my weekends to want to wake up and make pancakes before starting the day.

This afternoon I realized pancakes are about as simple as it comes and I was not in the mood to plan anything elaborate for dinner, so Pancakes for dinner it was......Chocolate-Chip pancakes, turkey bacon, apple-chicken sausage, a scramble and hash browns. Seems like a feast and maybe it was, but once I got started I remembered how fun and delicious breakfast is.

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal to eat out. I figure that's probably because I never make time for a tasty breakfast. My breakfasts usually consist of a yogurt and some fruit or a microwavable oatmeal shortly after I get into the office... God knows, I am not going to be the person to have a bowl of cereal, let along an egg at home before leaving the house at 7:30 a.m.

So, after Nick and I enjoyed our breakfast for dinner tonight.. I am officially going to do Breakfast for Dinner each Thursday night (if life permits) so I can try some of the delicious breakfast recipes I have been saving over the past year!  I am reallllly looking forward to it... stay tuned!~
I suggest you try Breakfast for Dinner next time you're stumped on what to prepare for your hungry household.

Sharing is Caring.

I've been taught since I can remember that Sharing is Caring. I obviously care for you, so first and foremost, I am kindly asking you NOT to throw away those brown mushy bananas left behind in your fruit bowl. (I know how it goes, they are only .19 cents a piece and it's easy to bring home a bunch of 8 at that price.) This is when you will thank yourself for overbuying and ME for sharing this amazing recipe.

I love me some Banana Bread...unfortunately, I was put on this earth with an allergy to Walnuts! I am always looking for banana bread recipes that don't sound like they will be lacking if I forgo the walnuts. So, I came across this delicious recipe from Our Best Bites. Go ahead, try it! I PROMISE you will not be disappointed.



CHOCOLATE SWIRLED BANANA BREAD

2 c. flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
¼ c. butter, softened
1 ½ c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 medium bananas)
2 eggs
1/3 c. plain lowfat yogurt or sour cream
½ c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups and level. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Cream sugar and butter. Add bananas, eggs, and yogurt, beating until just blended. Add flour mixture. Beat on low until just moistened. Microwave chocolate chips in a medium bowl for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Add 1 c. batter to chocolate, stirring until well-combined. Spoon chocolate batter alternately with plain batter (so you have stripes of plain and chocolate batter) in an 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Swirl batters with a knife.
** this is where I sprinkled about 1/2 cup of brown sugar on top. It made a delicious crunchy topping.**



Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes (give or take a little; I’d probably set your timer for 1 hour and 10 minutes to be safe) or until a knife comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan and then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.


Please make this. You WILL thank me!

I heard (maybe discovered it myself) that peanut butter spread over the top of a warm slice of this delicious banana bread is as close to heaven as you will get here on earth.~ dead. serious.