GLUTEN FREE Banana Bread {from a cake mix}

This has got to be the easiest and simplest banana bread (and GLUTEN FREE) to top it off. You can make it either way though, gluten free or not, choice is yours.

After the Banana Bread is baked and cooled, I wrap them individually and freeze them for my daughter. This gives her a fresh gluten free banana bread slice anytime she wants.

Banana Bread from a Cake Mix {gluten-free}
adapted, original recipe found at Betty Crocker

Betty Crocker GF Yellow Cake Mix (we used a GLUTEN FREE cake mix, but either work well)

3 Eggs

3 to 4 Overripe Bananas

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped nuts (but you can add in mini chocolate chips too)

(Options: adding in a 1 tsp of vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and someone added a snack size applesauce, I will try this for sure next time. Fall Option: Instead of Bananas add in 1 cup of pumpkin and 1 cup of chocolate chips instead of nuts.)

Smash bananas on a paper plate before added them to your mixer (if works great and it's easy peasy). Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Prepare your loaf pan with non-stick spray and a little bit of flour, then pour batter into a loaf pan and bake.

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes, or until center comes out clean on a toothpick.

FREEZER TIP: When you have a stack of bananas or just one or two left on the counter that go uneaten FREEZE them. I never throw away a ripe banana. You can freeze them whole just as they are with the peel and everything. Then when you are ready to bake some banana bread, banana cupcakes or banana cookies, just remove the banana from the freezer and within 5 to 10 minutes its ready to add to your batter. OR if you LOVE smoothies, I take the banana and slice it and put it into a ziploc bag so I can add it to my next smoothy. No need to even thaw it out, just add to smoothy like ice and it makes it cold and also adds all the nutrients of a banana. I hope you try this and NEVER throw another banana away again.

Banana Crunch Muffins {TWC Linky Party #96 - Everything BANANAS}

It's a BANANA kind of day! Today is the weekly LINKY PARTY (yes I am a few hours late, but better late then never). I just returned from a 16-day road trip yesterday (dropping my girls off at college 1837 miles away) and my son started 8th grade TODAY! Needless to say, I've been BUSY!  But, please come share with us your favorite BANANA recipes. We recently made these banana muffins and they were wonderful. I still have a few left in the freezer that are calling my name. What have you made lately with BANANAS, we'd love for you to share a few recipes with us?

This is one of my "adpoted" sons, making banana muffins with us. I will have alot of visits from all my adpoted kids while my twins are away at college, so don't be surprised if you see lots of different kids faces around here.

Banana Crunch Muffins

found on Wives with Knives, originally from The Barefoot Contessa

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
3/4 cups whole milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed banana (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe banana (1 banana)
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla and mashed bananas and add them to the flour and butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don’t over mix.

Fold the diced bananas, nuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each to the top. Top each muffin with some chopped nuts or dried banana chips, if desired. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly and serve.

This week's theme is: BANANAS

Please only link recipes with our theme!

If you are a regular to THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS Linky party, then link-up we're excited to see what you made this week. If you are new, please just follow our simple rules, so that everyone can enjoy the linky party! If you forget to follow the theme, your post will be deleted. Please don't feel hurt, just come back and link up a recipe that follows the theme. Thanks a million, we look forward to blogging with you!

Please Grab Our Button!!!

<a href=" http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/THIS%20WEEKS%20CRAVINGS" target="_blank "><img src="http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k498/Hudgens6/Buttons/ThisWeeksCravingsButton.jpg" /></a>

This Week's Cravings Upcoming Linky "THEMES"

Here is a complete list of the past and what's coming up next on THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS!

September 3 - Chicken Recipes

September 10 - Back to School RUSH (30 minute meals)

September 17 - BACON (everyone loves bacon)

Your hostess for this party are: Tina from MOMS CRAZY COOKING, Nicole from The Daily Dish and Kristi from Veggie Converter. We host this theme linky party every Monday (and the party stays open all week long)! We hope to inspire you to make something with our theme or get an old post notice by linking it up to the linky party below. 

The LINKY PARTY is opened ALL Week!

PLEASE do not link more then 3 recipes per week.

This week's theme is: BANANA "everything"
Please only link recipes with our theme!

Frozen Banana

You can even make these camping like I did with plastic knives as sticks!
ENJOY, recipe only Friday's on MOMS CRAZY COOKING!

Banana Roll Up

Enjoy this delicious dessert from Recipe Only Friday's on MOMS CRAZY COOKING!

Banana Blueberry Cupcakes

First I would like to point everyone to my RECIPE INDEX (A-Z). This is my little pride and joy. If any of you use blogger then you know how hard it is to do this, not hard just alot of manually hours. I try an update this list once a month, I wish I did better, but time just slips away. I do LOVE LOVE my recipe index, and I use it ALL the time at home when I am looking for a recipe. I hope you all enjoy it and get some use out of it too, go on take a look there may just be a recipe from awhile ago that catches your eye!

MOMS CRAZY COOKING RECIPE INDEX (alpha list)

Muffin or Cupcake? That is the question. These are just like a muffin, taste almost like a muffin, but yet it has that cupcake texture and of course it has frosting on it too. They are Banana Blueberry Cupcakes, yep they are! And if you have some bananas laying around that need to be baked into something (like I often do), then this recipe is just what you need. I was in search of some recipes that I could use ripe bananas in, instead of making Banana Bread, that my family does NOT like. I've already blogged a few now; Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies, Banana Pancakes, Banana Muffins with Lemon Icing and one of my favorites is Gluten-Free Banana Doughnuts with Banana Frosting, and now I have a new one these cupcakes.

This recipe was featured as a TOP PICK for THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS: Blueberries and it's from a blog I just adore, The Farm Girl. I love all her recipes, we obviously think and bake alike.

I have to share this coolest trick ever! I have always hated making Blueberry muffins because they turn out purple. I found this new trick and I LOVE IT! Take about 1 to 2 tsp of flour and coat the frozen blueberries separately before mixing them into the batter. It works like a charm.

Banana Blueberry Cupcakes
original recipe found at The Farm Girl

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)

3 cup flour

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 lemon, juiced and zested (the zest is for the frosting)

1-1/2 cup milk

2 cup blueberries, washed and picked over

extra blueberries and sliced almonds for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line your cupcake pans with liners. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer) cream the butter with the sugars. Blend in the eggs one at a time, and whip until creamy. Add the vanilla as well as the bananas. Mix until creamy. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the mixture roughly, but do not combine completely.

In a large measuring cup, mix the lemon juice with the milk. (Reserve the lemon zest for the frosting.) With the mixer running, slowly pour the milk into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in the blueberries, but first add in a tsp of flour to your blueberries. Using a large scoop, fill your cupcake pans 2/3 full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan and then remove to cooling rack and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

I used my own favorite cream cheese frosting for this recipe, not the original recipe used by The Farm Girl. This is NOW my one and only recipe for any cream cheese frosting  I need! (LOVE IT!)

6 oz cream cheese - softened

3/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Mix all together in mixer and blend until fluffy, add in the reserved lemon zest and a pinch of salt for this recipe! Spread on cupcakes and garnish with blueberries.

Just FYI: I freeze all my muffins and for some reason these do NOT freeze well.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

I always have left-over bananas, and no one in my family likes Banana Bread. My son, maybe sometimes, but he only likes it hot out of the oven. So, this is a new recipe I found and something perfect to make with those left-over really ripe bananas, and everyone LOVED these cookies!

Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

a Martha Stewart Recipe found on Recipe Girl

1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup ripe banana, mashed
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted & coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Spray pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together flours, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, mix butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add egg & vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix just until combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop dough into small round tbsps onto prepared baking sheets (or use a cookie scoop), spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

Banana-Sour Cream Cake

Friday on MOMS CRAZY COOKING....Recipe Only
Sorry there is not a better picture of the cake, but it is OH SO DELICIOUS!

Sweet Potato Muffins with Bananas

These Sweet Potato Muffins are a family favorite (and have actually become the all time favorite  snack in my girls math class in High School). The first time they brought these to their teacher (who they absolutley love and adore) she loved them. So, through out the year they brought in many batches and then the kids started wanting them and more and more people kept taking them from the poor teacher. I think I've now made them a few dozen times for not only one of their favorite teachers (and her daughter) but for the entire math class. Since school is out in just a few days, I've got the final request from my daughter to make yet anther batch of these one last time for the 2010-2011 Algebra 2 class of the lovely Mrs. Rinkel (and of course, I am SO happy to oblige).

This recipe is already a favorite here on my blog Magic Sweet Potato Muffins. But a few times ago, I tried to add in some mashed bananas and the results were just as good. The taste is really almost the same, but the added nutrition wont hurt. (I hate just eating bananas, so now I get them in some other way)

Magic Muffins

from Food Network - Melissa's Easy Left Overs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes

1 to 2 bananas, ripe and mashed

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup or more mini chocolate chips

Mix sugar, applesauce, eggs, sweet potatoes, bananas and oil in a bowl. In another bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spice. Mix the potato mixture into the flour mixture, then stir in some mini chocolate chips. Spoon into greased regular muffin pan, with or with out cupcake liners. Bake 12-13 minutes at 375.

I LOVE LINKY PARTIES, what a great way to meet other bloggers! Today I will be sharing with these parties, Delectable Tuesday, Get Your Craft On, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday,Tuesdays at the Table, Monday Link Party at Craft-o-Mantic, Muffin Monday, Take-a-Look Tuesday, It's a Blog Party Delicious Dishes,  Made from Scratch Tuesday, Tuesday's Tasty Tidbits, 33 Shades of Green Tasty Tuesday, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods,  Titus 2sday Linkup, A Little Birdie Told Me, , Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Hearth n' Soul Blog Hop, Too Cute Tuesday,  Tasty Tuesday, Simply Homemaking Linkup, Real-Food Wednesday, Food & Health Carnival

Banana Muffins with Lemon Icing

My family goes through bananas like crazy, so it's not often that I have many bananas that will just hang around to get ripe. But every once in a while we do, and I am a little sick of banana bread. We only have one recipe of Banana Bread we make and it gets a little old (although they all love it), I was just ready for something new. I knew when I saw this recipe linked up to THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS Linky Party that this was a recipe I was going to try for sure; Banana Muffins with Lemon Icing. And I just noticed that it is a Weight Watcher recipe, even better. I made these last week and froze them to take to Florida, (of course, I ate two before I did that, and they were scrumptious).

My twin daughters are competitive dancers and we will be leaving today to compete at the WORLDS DANCE Competition in Orlando, Florida. (We'd love for you to say a little pray for us, for save travels and for all the dancers to be positive and to do their personal BEST)! We are all very excited. There are over 28 countries represented there and this is an awesome opportunity for all of them to compete and meet other dancers from all over the world. It's equally exciting to watch them communicate and trade t-shirts with girls from Japan, Finland, China and so many other countries. They all share the common ground of dancing even though they do not speak each others language. It's amazing. 

This is their costume from last year, and their team took 2nd place at the Worlds Dance Competition. (I am sure I will be sharing new pictures next week from this year's competition).

We are always so grateful for these opportunities for our kids and I too am so proud of my daughters. They have been dancing their hearts out for 9 years and each and every year they worker harder then the year before. it's amazing watching them grow. GOOD LUCK Ashlyn, Kayley and the entire Pace Elite Dance team. (If you are interested you can LIKE USAF/IASF on facebook and watch routines live all weekend, my daughters company she dances for is PACE ELITE)

See note below on freezing (for all the holes in my muffin)!

I made a dozen of these Banana Muffins (froze them) and will pack them and take with us to Florida. I also made Magic Sweet Potato Muffins. When we are at this competition it is hard work. We wake up at 4am and get to the competition and they practice...practice...practice... until it's their time to compete... then compete like no other. Then we stay all day til about 10 or 11 pm (wait for the finals announcements for the following day), only to wake up and do it all over again the next day! And I have to say the girls are so amazing, they never complain. They just go... go...go... and LOVE every minute of it! This is why it's important to have lots of food and healthy snacks for them to eat all day long. They pack breakfast, lunch and dinner so that they are well feed and do not eat junk all day long.

Now, onto the Banana Muffins recipe.

Banana Muffins with Lemon Icing

originally found on Addicted to Recipes

1/2 cup sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup milk
4 bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.

In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined and then fold in mashed bananas.

Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

Lemon Icing1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract

Meanwhile, combine icing ingredients in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins.

(Freezing Note: Since I was freezing these muffins and did not want the icing to be a problem. I used a skewer and poked several holes in the top of the muffin before adding the icing. This allowed the icing to set down into the muffin instead of laying on top.)

THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS LINKY PARTY #20 (Go GREEN!!!) and St. Patrick's Day Frog Smoothie (GLUTEN-FREE)

THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS Linky Party #20

The Theme is: GO GREEN for St. Patrick's Day Celebration

St. Patrick's is not a big holiday celebration around our house, but we do always make sure we wear our GREEN as we head out the door in the morning. This year will be no different, but this year we will be making sure we celebrate with lots of GREEN food. And since St. Patrick's Day is just a few days away, I can't wait to see what GREEN food you all bring to the blog hop party! I would love to see some GREEN cookies or some GREEN cupcakes. I will have to make them as soon as you share the recipe with all of us!

I came across this Frog Nog on Sister's Cafe Blog, where I spent the entire day on Friday printing out recipe after recipe of some amazing things I want to try. But since GREEN food day was coming first, I thought this recipe was perfect (plus I had some left-over spinach in the refrigerator)! This smoothie is so sweet and as long as you can get past the GREEN color, it is actually one of the best smoothies I have ever made.

St. Patrick's Frog Smoothie (GLUTEN-FREE)
adapted from original recipe found on Sister's Cafe Blog

2-4 cups spinach or other greens (I use mixed spinach and arugula)

1 banana
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 tbsp Honey
1 Vanilla Yogurt

Fill food processer (works MUCH better then a blender) with greens and a few tbsp of water. Pulse to blend until the greens turn to liquid greens. Add in banana, pineapple, honey and yogurt and continue to blend until smooth. Pour into the glass and serve!

(My daughter is still in the running for another COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP! PLEASE VOTE, if you would! Just click, read and VOTE for my daughter Kayley. She wrote a beautiful essay about an amazing teacher she has at school. THANKS AGAIN for VOTING!)

I LOVE Linky Parties and it's MONDAY already! Let's do this bloggers... it's a fresh start to a NEW week! I can't wait to mix and mingle with all of you and see what has been cooking in your kitchens! Today, this recipe is linked to the following linky parties: Homemaker Monday, I Made It Monday, Just Something I Whipped Up, Made by You Mondays, Making the World Cuter, Market Yourself Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Motivate Me Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays, It's a Blog Party Delicious Dishes, and My Meatless Mondays

*****************************************************

Now onto the LINKY PARTY! Please only link recipes with our theme!
This week's theme is: GO GREEN for St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Here is a complete list of the past weeks and a list of what's coming up on This Week's Cravings!

The SIMPLE Rules: (Click for complete list of guidelines for This Week's Cravings)

If you are a regular link-up we're excited to see what you have to share! If you are new please read & follow the simple rules, so everyone can enjoy the linky party! If you forget to link back or add a button IN YOUR post you will receive a gentle reminder to add it. THANKS A MILLION!

<a href=" http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/search/label/THIS%20WEEKS%20CRAVINGS" target="_blank "><img src="http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k498/Hudgens6/Buttons/ThisWeeksCravingsButton.jpg" /></a>

Please Grab Our Button!!!

This Week's Cravings Past & Future Recipe Links

March 7 - Romantic Dinner Recipes

March 14 - St. Patricks Celebration - GO GREEN!!!

March 21 - Chocolate - Chocolate and more Chocolate !!!

March 28 - "Surprise" Ingredient

April 4 - HUBBY COOKS (I can't wait to see what the husbands come up with)

This is a BLOG HOP Party so please visit other links
and meet some great BLOGGERS!

Banana Doughnuts with Banana Frosting (GLUTEN-FREE)

Okay, whoever thinks Gluten-Free food tastes horrible has got to taste these doughnuts. AMAZING, DELICIOUS, SCRUMPTIOUS ON MY, that's just a few words to describe these luscious GLUTEN-FREE doughnuts. On my 8 hour search last Friday for gluten-free recipes I came across this amazing recipe and I knew I had to give it a try. And not just for my daughter, because we all love doughnuts and we don't eat them much (more because of the calories then anything else).  

In researching this recipe a little more I found some great web-sites. This recipe is actually from Everyday with Rachel Ray former editor Silvana Nardone. She even has her own blog for gluten-free baking and cooking Dish Towel Diaries and a cookbook: Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals. (I went right over to Amazon and purchased my own copy). The recipes look and sound amazing, out of all the gluten-free cook books I've looked at this seems to be my favorite so far.

Banana Doughnuts with Banana Frosting
Everyday with Rachel Ray  former editor Silvana Nardone

1 1/4 cups gluten flour & 1 tsp of xanthan gum (or use regular flour if you don't need gluten-free)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1-1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 bananas)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (make sure it's gluten-free)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease nonstick, 6-count doughnut pans (makes about 16 doughnuts). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, mashed bananas, vanilla and the oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Spoon the batter about three-quarters full into the prepared pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out dry, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool completely on a rack.

Banana Frosting
1/4 cup shortening, at room temperature
2-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (1 banana)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (make sure it's gluten-free)
1-3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the shortening, confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup banana, vanilla, cinnamon, and the lemon juice. Glaze the doughnuts with the frosting.

(We will be using this frosting on many things to come in the future, this would be awesome on cupcakes too)!



I LOVE Linky Parties, what a great way to mix and mingle with lots of bloggers! This recipe is linked to the following linky parties: Feasting in Fellowship,  Fab Friday, Family Friendly Fridays, Fat Camp Friday, Feature YourSelf Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday and Flaunt it Friday

PB & J Spirals

This is a perfect afternoon weekend snack with the kids! Arrived in my mail a few weeks ago was the Taste of Home GRAND PRIZE Winners Cookbook, I really thought "I do NOT need another cookbook". But, I was so wrong, this cookbook looks amazing. My daughter looked through cover to cover and she came across this recipe and said "Let's make it right now!", and of course we did! She is my PB&J girl! Eating this hot right out of the oven is the only way to go!

PB&J Spirals

Taste of Home Grand Prize Winners Cookbook 2010

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls

8 tsp creamy peanut butter (we used chunky, it's the only kind we like)

8 tsp grape jelly (or whatever your favorite kind may be, mine is Marionberry from Oregon)

1/4 cup unsalted peanuts

2 tbsp confectioner's sugar

Optional: We did some with bananas, peanut butter and honey. (these were equally good)

Unroll the dough and separate into triangles. Spread 1 tsp of peanut butter and 1 tsp jelly on the wide side of triangle; sprinkle with peanuts. Roll them up in crescent shape and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 11 -13 minutes or until lightly browned. Dust with confectioner's sugar. Serve Warm.

This post is also linked to: Meatless Monday, Delicious Dishes, Let's Do Brunch, Works for me Wednesday, Ultimate Recipe Swap and Tasty Tuesday Bloghop



Pumpkin Smoothie & First Weigh-in for HOLIDAY HOTTIES

Holiday Tips to Get it Done from Better Homes and Gardens: A schedule/timer is key to not crashing and burning when getting your house guest-ready. Clean main rooms, a little each day. Look for progress, not perfection. (I do this a lot throughout the year, I pick one room per day and clean it. I may start on a Monday and clean living room, Tuesday bathroom, Wednesday bedroom, etc. etc.; then by the weekend or the day of the holiday/event the entire house is spotless. I LOVE IT!)

Watch for this logo for healthy recipes this Holiday Season here on MOMS CRAZY COOKING.

My Holiday Hotties Teams are going strong. We are checking in with each other daily on our facebook group and it really helps being accountable to a team. We are all on our way to loosing weight with encouragment from one another along the way. My weigh-in last week Wednesday was 159.6 and today I am at 159.4 (I am still excited because I am still down from when I began this adventure months ago). This week our challenge from The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans was exercise minutes. I did NOT do as well as I wanted. I do NOT have an excuses except for LIFE. But I am in the adventure for the LONG-HAUL, so I will just pick up where I left off and press forward.

This week is Thanksgiving and my boot camp trainer today sent an email with some good advise; "to help with the extra calories that may be consumed on Turkey Day try to take it easy the day before and the day after. Also control your portions and drink plenty of water." Thank You SHE ROCKS, I am going to take this advise and put it to use.

We had this delicious smoothie this week. It's the perfect time of year for pumpkin flavored everything, so why not have a Pumpkin Smoothie. This smoothie is so packed with nutrition that I felt stuffed all morning. I even skipped my morning snack, because I did not feel hungry at all. I estimated this only has about 225-275 calories, so I believe this is a perfect healthy breakfast. What a great shake for the morning of Thanksgiving. It's quick, easy to make and will definitely hold you over til' the big meal is served.

Pumpkin Smoothie

recipe author unknown (found on a torn piece of paper from a magazine)

In the blender whirl together 1/4 cup canned pumpkin with low-fat vanilla yogurt, a banana, a spoonful of peanut butter, a handful of ice and fat-free milk to thin as desired. Top with a little whipped cream and cinnamon.

We would love to have some HEALTHY recipes for using your Thanksgiving leftovers
please link up with

"THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS"

This recipe is linked to: Show & Tell, Toot Your Horn Tuesday, Lucky Linky, Sweet Sunday, Meatless Mondays and Gold Star Wednesday

Strawberry POMegranate Smoothie

I try to make my lovely teenage girls (haha, most of the time they are lovely, but they are 17 years old and yes I do have TWO of them, TWINS) smoothies once a week.  It is a nice change from the normal everyday breakfast. I wish, I wish I knew where I got this smoothie recipe from (If someone recognizes it, PLEASE let me know so I can give proper credit.) Anyway, it is one of our favorites. My girls are VERY VERY picky on their smoothies because they LOVE Jamba Juice, so if my smoothie does not measure up to them, then it's no good! We have just a few recipes that we use for smoothies and this is one of them. ENJOY and HAPPY SMOOTHIE DAY!!!

Strawberry POMegranate Smoothie

recipe author unknown

2 ripe bananas

8 oz Vanilla Yogurt

4 oz POM Wonderful Juice

2 tbsp honey

12 frozen or fresh strawberries

Place all ingredients in blender in order as they appear above. (we sometimes have ripe bananas that we have thrown in the freeze to preserve, these work just as well). Blend all the ingredients well until everything is nice and smooth (or leave it a little chunky if you'd like). Make sure that the honey has not stuck to the sides; if so scrape and remix. Pour into a glass and enjoy with a straw. Complete goodness!

This post is linked to: Real Food Wednesday

Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies

WOW, what a yummy cookie! I found this recipe over at Squirrel Bakes and I just had to bake them. My boys absolutely LOVE Banana Nut Bread and Chocolate Chip Cookies, so what better combination then to mix the two together. This recipe came from a Mrs. Fields Cookbook which of course I had to run over to Amazon and buy right away. I found the cookbook for only .01 cent and $3.99 shipping (what a deal). I am HAPPY and I can't wait for it to arrive in the mail. It will be just in time for planning my Christmas baking. (I do a TON of baking, making of cookies and all kinds of other goodies for the holidays). I am sure I will be sharing many more recipes from my new cookbook, make sure to come back and check them out.

One of my son's teachers asked for volunteers to make some goodies for a bake sale they are having at the Homecoming Football game and of course I was happy to sign up. Just another great excuse to allow me to bake, create and have a little fun in the kitchen. I am baking 3 kinds of cookies for the Bake Sale and this is the first one, Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies. The two other cookies will be White Chocolate Lemon Cake Cookies and Monster Cookies (no peanut butter) and/or regular Monster Cookies.

For all you Bloggers out there: For the Bake Sale I labeled the cookies with my logo and web address so that they could come here and find the recipes of the cookies they purchased at the Bake Sale.

For all the Bake Sale Customers: I hope you enjoy your cookies and Thank You for supporting Brethren Christian Junior High, enjoy the cookies and the recipes!

Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from recipe found at Squirrel Bakes from Mrs. Fields Cookbook

2-2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup ripe banana, mashed

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray with non-stick spray and set aside. In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt, whisk to combine ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl combine sugars and mix till blended. Add in butter and beat till a grainy paste. Add in egg, vanilla, and mashed bananas, mix till blended, scraping sides as needed. Slowly add in flour mixture and beat till well blended.  Add in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts nuts just until combined. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Remove cookies from pan and let cool completely on cooling rack. Makes 4-5 dozen.

Note from Squirrel Bakes: I found these cookies to serve best straight from the fridge. Weird I know, just try it, I promise. The banana is such a refreshing surprise, its almost like those frozen chocolate dipped bananas you get at the theme parks!  (I have not tried this yet, but I will)

Banana-Chip Yogurt

Friday Post at MOMS CRAZY COOKING "Recipe Only"
Enjoy this FUN & EASY Breakfast!

This post also linked to: Food on Fridays, I'm Lovin' It Fridays, Friday Potluck, Friday Favorites and Inspiration Friday Party

MOMS CRAZY COOKING was featured today at:

 

Just a few more days to link up with us

your favorite Pumpkin Recipe at:

"THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS"

Click here to VIEW all the YUMMY Pumpkin Recipes!

These recipes are AMAZING!