5 Question Friday

1. How many times have you moved and do you have any tips? Oh man between birth and 18 we moved like 15 times and that was not in the Army. Since I was 18 I have moved 6 more times. I love moving so this is a good life. 2. Do you have a budget for the holidays, or just keep sliding the credit card and have a heart attack in Jan? We do not have a budget and we have NO credit cards (thanks Dave Ramsey). We do not have a budget but we are very careful. 3. What is the one medical thing you avoid like the plague? The dentist, I wish someone would give me a credit card that I did not pay for to use at the dentist. My dentist will actually put you to sleep for things like cleanings. I have lost a TON of weight (okay 79 pounds). I would love my teeth to look better. 4. What your least favorite Christmas song? I am a scrooge and I love anything that is not about really Christmas. I want to hear silent night and real songs nothing about Santa Claus. Okay, that sounds judgmental since I really like really like “I saw mommy kissing Santa clause. I actually almost got a picture of me kissing Santa Claus. 5. This Christmas are you spending more, less or about the same? Why? We are spending less. Well less on our kids but more on extended family but not by much. I am glad and mad. We are spending less because someone in my house needs counseling and it is not covered by our insurance. That is $500 a month we were not ready for. I do not mind at all and would spend double and triple for this help. I just hate that my insurance company is not paying like they should. Pamela

Banana Cookies

Holy Word, Me oh my, these are amazing and so easy.

Of course I doubled all of the ingredients.
3/4 C. shortening
3/4 C. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ripe bananas
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. flour

1. Cream shortening and sugar together. Add egg, vanilla and bananas.
In a separate bowl, combine salt, baking soda and flour and add to the mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Frosting:
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. evaporated milk
4 T. butter
1 C. powdered sugar

1. Melt the butter, evaporated milk and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the powdered sugar (I would add half of it at a time - whisking it smooth before you add in the rest of the cup.) Now you want the frosting to be a very thick glaze, so if you need to add more powdered sugar, do so.
***totally forgot to read the recipe and did not do this step. Now I need to make them again to see if it makes a difference.

2. Frost each cookie. They definitely are the best fresh out of the oven, but are still delicious for a few days after.

I got this recipe from Envy My cooking. She has a ton of amazing recipes on her blog. I think I have a new addition.
Pamela

Wordless Wednesday

We may have allowed our 7 year old to peel potatoes this year. My husband may have used the ham bone to give a health class. I love this man and how he can always make things a learning experience. Pamela

No Bake Cookies

Have you ever eaten no bake cookies. I can keep candy bars in the house and not touch them. But, put no bake cookies in my kitchen and they are going to get eaten. I would bet I ate 30 or more in the last week. It is crazy addicting. I tell myself that the oatmeal is good for me. I always double the recipe. My girls are having a bake sale to raise money to buy Christmas gifts. They sold a TON of no bake cookies. I am so glad they did not sell them to me. I love making no bake cookies because the recipe is in a old MOPS cookbook. I love church cook books. What is your favorite cookbook? 4 cups sugar 1 cup milk 1 stick butter 4 T cocoa 6 cups minute oats 1 cup peanut butter 2t vanilla Mix sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine in heavy saucepan and bring to rolling boil. LET BOIL 1 MINUTE (very important). Remove from heat and add oats, peanut butter and vanilla. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper. Let cool. ENJOY. We make these cookies all the time. So easy and so yummy. Pamela

Miscellany Monday

This week I ate more no bake cookies than I have in years. I would sneak in the kitchen after everyone was asleep and help myself to a couple more. I kept telling myself that they have a ton of oats that are healthy for you. This weekend we went to Great Wolf Lodge with friends from church. Saturday night after everyone was asleep my friends and I sat in the hallway laughing and giggling and doing weird things. We thought we were having fun until one of the Chaplains with us informed us that he heard every thing we said and every noise we made at breakfast. I may never have the guts to enter my church again. Pamela