I was looking through every one's creativeness on Pinterest and found these yummy looking frozen banana, peanut butter snacks. We just happened to have bananas and peanut butter so I showed Penelope the Pinterest photo and she said "oh, I can make these!".


You slice the bananas then spread peanut butter on one side and top with another banana slice.

Freeze for at least 3 hours and then you can pop them into a freezer bag for easy snacking when you desire. Chris mentioned these would taste good encased in chocolate magic shell. DUH!

Easy Meatloaf

2 lbs. Ground beef
1 package of Lipton onion soup mix
2 Garlic cloves minced
2 Eggs
3 Slices of white bread torn in small pieces
Salt & Pepper
Ketchup
3 Strips of bacon

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients except the ketchup and bacon. Form loaf into an oval football shape and place in baking pan. Brush ketchup all over the meatloaf and then top with the strips of bacon.


Bake at 375 for 60 to 75 minutes until cooked through.


We had ours with peas and mashed potatoes. You can't have meatloaf without mashed potatoes!


Use the leftovers to make meatloaf sandwiches for lunch the next day. Slice the meatloaf and fry both sides in a little oil and then place on soft white bread which has been slathered with mayo. YUM!

It's been awhile since I made Pen a snack box. I think it's because when we moved Chris made me I sold my Easy Lunchboxes that I just loved for making snack boxes. I am going to get me a new set but in the meantime I found a replacement.



Penelope was very excited when I told her that there was a snack box for her in the fridge if she got hungry. She said "I remember that, you haven't made one of those in a long time. Thank you mommy!"

Cheddar and Pepper Jack cheese cubes, salami, club crackers, sliced cucumber, Plumazins and a couple of whole prunes, grapes, olives.

Yesterday when I went grocery shopping I intended to purchase items to make a zucchini lasagna. When I got home I realized I had forgotten to buy the cheeses, Mozzarella and Ricotta. Duh! Then I got an idea...why not save Italian for another night and go Mexican instead. So Penelope and I made a Zucchini Enchilada Casserole. Basically an enchilada casserole but you substitute the tortillas for zucchini. Great vegetarian dish or for those low carb eaters.

Zucchini Enchilada Casserole

1 lb. Ground beef
1 Can of corn
4 Zucchini's on the smaller size cut into thin strips
1 10oz. can of your favorite enchilada sauce
Colby Jack cheese
Seasonings for meat, I used cumin, garlic salt, onion powder, salt & pepper

Brown beef and season until cooked through. Drain the meat. Add the canned corn and mix well. In a baking or casserole dish cover the bottom with a little of the enchilada sauce. Then make layers starting with the zucchini, meat, cheese and continue making layers of zucchini, sauce, meat, cheese.


Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes. We had ours with a dollop of sour cream and guacamole on top.

Penelope got a cotton candy machine for her birthday from her grandma Dolly and Grandpa Rocky.


She was so excited and said "just what I always wanted!" We just attempted to make cotton candy for the first time...let me tell you it is harder then it looks.


She tried twirling the stick around to collect the sugar but the thing about took her arm off. "I'm scared, mommy!" I had to take over but didn't have much luck either. It was shooting sugar at me faster then I could collect it. This was all we could gather up before Penelope asked "what's that smell?" Ummm, that would be burnt sugar.


Well I always tell Penelope to "keep trying at something" and "don't give up" and "you will get better the more you do it". So as soon as I clean the machine and get the nerve we are going to try for round two. Let's hope it just takes a little practice...

Which reminds me, I bought a balloon animal making kit awhile back and after several attempts, explosions, and finally making a sword. I decided to take a break from it. Suddenly I feel like giving it another go. Cotton candy machine, balloon animals, Chris' magic, and Penelope wanting to be a tightrope walker...well I could very well see us starting our own family circus. I wonder if I could get Timber to jump through burning hoops...

Look what I found at Target the other day!


They had a couple different styles and only $4.00! Looking for some new bento boxes head on over to your local Target and see if they are still available. Speaking of Target, for those of you who entered my Surprise Follower Appreciation Giveaway we have a winner. Congratulations Melanie! She also guessed right when she said the prize would be a Target giftcard. I am surprised I didn't have more entries. Stay tuned for the next one!

This week for share day Penelope had to bring in something that was cross shaped, pink, the number 16, the letter V, or had a new life theme. She chose to take a cross in to share with her classmates. Which inspired me to create this bento for her today.


Top tier: Veggie chips, olives

Bottom tier: Broccoli coleslaw salad, turkey cross sandwich, white cheddar "John" and cheddar "3:16"

And on another topic...we discovered a food Timber won't scarf down. Olives! Instead he rolled it around the house like his very own tiny ball.

A couple of months ago my super sweet friend sent me an amazing care package filled with some Alaska goodies. Included in the care package was a can of straight outta the Alaskan sea smoked salmon.

 It was actually from another super sweet friends catch and let me tell you there is nothing like home caught and home smoked Alaskan salmon. THE BEST!


Smoked Salmon Spread

1 can of smoked salmon. I think the can was about 8oz. it made quite a bit but because it is so tasty certainly not enough!
8oz. Cream cheese
2 to 3 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
Cajun Seasoning

Mix everything together and eat with crackers, sliced cucumbers, bread, or just lick the bowl. Sooo good!

Here is Penelope's dinner tonight. You may laugh but she proclaimed it was the absolute best dinner ever!!!


Rosemary crackers, club crackers, cucumbers, pretzel bread sticks with Pesto hummus from Fresh & Easy and my smoked salmon for dipping. She also had some sliced white cheddar cheese and salami and some juicy grapes.