This Strawberry Jello Salad is a favorite of mine.  But I have a kid friendly version and an adult version.  It’s a great use of over ripe bananas!

Strawberry Jello Salad

Adult Version

1 16 ounce pkg. frozen strawberries

2 small boxes strawberry jello

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

6 medium bananas, smashed well

1 8 ounce container sour cream

1/2 c up walnuts, optional

2 cups boiling water

In a large bowl mix two boxes jello and boiling water.  Stir well, until jello is dissolved.  Add strawberries and stir until thawed. Then add drained pineapple, bananas and walnuts.  Pour half of mixture in 9 x 13 pan.  Let cool in refrigerator until firm, then spread a layer of sour cream on top and then pour on the rest of the jello/fruit mixture.  Refrigerator until set.

Kids Version

Mix jello, boiling water and then fruit.  Do not add Nuts!  Pour all of the jello/fruit mixture into a 9 x 13 pan and let cool and set to firm in refrigerator.  Add cool-whip on top and then sprinkle only half of the pan with chopped walnuts.

I just finished reading “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova.  This book was difficult for me to read.  But so insightful into the feelings and emotions of someone being diagnosed and dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease. My mother lived with us for 3  1/2 years during her long journey through Alzheimer’s.

In the book it describes the doctor visits and includes specific questions they ask to check mental abilities.  It was like walking back in time – I watched and listened to my mother go through the same series of questions.  I remember taking notes so I could compare her progress to the next visits.  It seems like a horrible nightmare – but yes, you are living it.

The book brings in some humor – just like Alzheimer’s Disease.  It was funny how some of the things my mother did, now make sense from reading the book.

I absolutely loved the part in the book where Alice speaks at a Alzheimer’s Conference and proclaims that she is still a person.  Someone that still has feelings and can still think and be. It is interesting to find who is caring for her in the end – her daughters.  I don’t know how to explain it but there is something between mothers and daughters.  A bond so strong that you are willing to do anything for each other.

The book brought a lot of memories back and dreams and nightmares.  A few “up in the middle of the nights” too.  But, overall it was a positive experience for me, because I remembered the good.  I remembered the many, many moments of   love, sharing and caring.

There is a time of day that I love.  The time when the sun begins to set. I’m usually outside watering our garden boxes and potted flowers.  I like this time of day – it seems quieter.  I can hear the neighbor behind us laughing and talking as a family.  Sometimes I can hear a lawnmower in the distance.  It’s so nice to hear the sounds of life slowing down and calming to a gentler pace.

I needed to make a quick trip to get milk last night and I saw something so sweet.  I wish I had a camera.  A couple was walking hand in hand strolling along in the early evening.  The wind was breezy and cooling.  And they walked along barefoot, smiling and chatting away.  It was so cute.

So a little advice – take some time outside during the early evening.  And enjoy that peaceful time of day.

Well our new furniture came and I am all in a fuddle!!!  First the couch and love seat are curved!!  I did not notice it when ordering.  I am working my way through that issue.  I love the color and leather and quality.  Now I am trying to get the furniture in the room.  My husband worked on it for a while and now I need to tweek it some.  But, I need to find something else to replace the old green love seat.

Any suggestions?  I am thinking a big comfy chair or two chairs.  Or put the new love seat below the window and put one or two chairs where the new love seat is sitting.  Please share and help me!

View from above.

Okay – I need to move the couch to the right some.  But then the love overlaps some with the couch.

Oh!  the flowers look bad!  They need an update.

Opposite wall from couch.  Now you know the truth!  We still have an old TV!

Wall behind love seat.

View of fireplace.

I had to make a quick decision the other night.  On Mondays I do my major cleaning for the week.  But now I work on Mondays – so I come home and clean like a mad woman as fast as I can.  Hurry and cook dinner and hope to be done before 6pm.  And do some wash too!  So I was running behind on Monday and was mopping the floor, cooking, pumping breaks and let the wash wait for another day.  By 6:15pm I was done.  I was just setting the table when my sweet husband walks in and then we sit down to eat.  So at 6:37pm we are done eating and I am thinking – do I do the dishes or leave now?  I was going to see my granddaughters – they were home from their Panama trip.

The granddaughters won out – and I was 10 minutes late.  They were out in the front yard waiting for me.  I was greeted with screams and squeezy hugs!  I missed them sooo much!

The kitchen that was left behind!  Guess what I did the next morning?!!

But at least I got my floors cleaned!

These are so good – I could almost do a dance in the kitchen.  I mean fantastic, moist, soft and delicious muffins.  You could almost add some cream cheese frosting and call them the best banana cupcakes in the universe!  They are that good.  These muffins actually plump up – you do not end up with a flat top muffin and they are MOIST – not dried out.  Actually the recipe is - Favorite Banana Bread.  But muffins is what I needed to add to my Crustless Spinach Quiche I was making.

Best Banana Bread Muffins

1/4 cup butter

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp.  salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mashed bananas (about two)

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Add to cream mixture and add sour cream and bananas.  Beat for a LONG TIME (5 minutes at least). Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or 40-50 minutes or a loaf of bread.

The batter is smooth and creamy.

Beautiful.

Hands Down the Best Banana Bread Muffins Ever!

I tried a new recipe.  I had a to do something with the rest of some spinach.  So I looked in my new neighborhood recipe book and found something that looked interesting - Crustless Spinach Quiche. I really wondered if it would be good.  I had not used cottage cheese in a quiche before.  And I thought without the crust there would be less fat and calories.  And I used no-fat cottage cheese – another bonus.  And the outcome – We loved it! At least my husband and I – our teenage son, not so much.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

10 ounce package frozen spinach – thawed and drained.  I used fresh chopped spinach

3 chopped green onions

4 eggs, whisked

1 16 ounce contained cottage cheese

2 cups cheddar cheese

1/2 cup croutons or cracker crumbs

Mix all ingredients together except crouton/cracker crumbs.

Drop into greased pie plate.  (I needed to use two because with fresh spinach there is more bulk.)

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.  At 45 minutes add the crouton/cracker crumbs to top and continue baking.  Cool a bit before serving.

I had a wonderful weekend!  Isn’t it great when your plans all go as planned?  We started our weekend off spending some time at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

Our sweet, beautiful daughter, Laura joined us.  It was a beautiful morning.

I must have taken a “Happy Pill” in the morning!

Friday afternoon we drove to Logan to meet up with some family.  We had dinner together and Sarah, our daughter and her husband, Lucas joined us.  On Saturday we drove to Bear Lake and spent the day at the North Beach in Idaho.  Bear Lake State Park is simple – it’s like going to the Beach!  You just need $5 Bucks to get in and you drive your car onto the beach and pick your spot and unload.  The weather was warm – yes, warm and beautiful.  The water is clean and the beach is sandy and smooth and the water is shallow.

The grandparents braved the sun!

Doesn’t it look like we are at the beach?  But better – no salt water!

I was actually there, in a swimsuit and went in the water!

We left around 2:45pm and got home.  My fun was over.  There was a car to clean out, clothes to wash and somehow sand always gets tracked into the house!  But it was all worth it.

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We celebrated Candace’s 22nd birthday last week.  It was a quick, fun party.  She is our fun loving niece. We love having her visit anytime!

I loved making this Butterfly Cake – it was so easy and fun.  Reminds me of the old days when our kids were thrilled with anything for their birthday!

We put up some quick decorations! But Oh! so colorful!

Then we had breakfast for dinner – Banana Pancakes – in honor of Jack Johnson – the girls went to his concert that night.  We actually made whole wheat pancakes in a blender and they were delicious!

Happy, Happy Birthday Candace!

She blew out all twenty-two candles in a snap and one big breath!

We are making a change in our house  -  out with the old and in with the new!  We ordered new furniture – leather!  I am so excited.

So anyone interested we are selling our Dark Olive Green sofa and love seat for $550 and a floral couch for $300.  Please pass on the word…

Prices are negotiable.