little boy's sanctuary: sneak peek.

A Chalkboard Wall!

when life gives you rotten bananas...

Make Banana Bread!
ok not rotten but you know what I mean.

Banana Chai Bread

Ingredients:

1. 1 3/4 cup flour

2. 1 tbsp baking powder

3. 1 tsp sea salt

4. 3/4 cup white sugar

5. 3 oz cream cheese

6. 2 eggs

7. 3 large over ripe bananas (mashed)

8. 1/4 cup brewed chai tea

Recipe:

1. First off I took 1/2 cup water and 2 vanilla chai tea bags and microwaved it for a minute. Ten let stand while I made the rest. (turns into about 1/4 cup; squeeze tea bags for extra liquid.)

2. In one bowl combine flour, baking soda, and sea salt.

3. In another bowl combine sugar, cream cheese and eggs until light and fluffy.  Mix bananas and chai into sugar mixture.

4. Then slowly add the flour mixture while stirring. Combine until smooth.

5. Pour mixture into a gresed 9x5 loaf pan.

6. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Let cool for ten minutes then remove from pan.

applesauce.

"LIFESAVER TUESDAY"

This stuff is a LIFE SAVER.

Dantae loves it. Its awesome for in the car and for eating by himself.  Go-go squeez. 1 pouch = 1 serving of fruit.   All natural, no sugar added. And with 5 different flavors he never gets bored. 

(appleapple, applebanana, applecinnamon, applepeach, and applestrawberry)

http://www.materne.us/product/

Starting a new thing, Lifesaver Tuesday.

Some things I find to "save my life" sometimes.

an avocado a day...

Does anyone love avocado as much as I do?

probably not.

If you do then you'll probably love this recipe.  Easy. Looks wonderful. Delicious.  

Crab and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

2 (6oz) cans of lump crab meat

1/4 cup light mayo

1/8 cup chopped red onion

1 tsp diced jalapeños

1/2 tbsp cilantro

juice from half a lime

1/4 tsp ground cumin

2 avocados (cut in half, pit removed, and diced; save half shells)

dash seasoned salt

Combine all ingredients. Spoon into the 4 avocado halves.

Now off to use my sewing machine for the first time. Wish me luck.

Couldn't resist a couple pictures of baby kitty, Sherlock.

shepherd's pie.

Ingredients:
1. 3 large russet potatoes 
2. 1 yellow onion (chopped)
3. 1 lb. ground beef
4. can of mixed veggies
5. 8 tbsp butter
6. 1/2 cup beef broth
7. 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8. salt, pepper, other seasonings
9. shredded cheddar cheese


Recipe:


1. Peel and quarter potatoes. Boil in salty water until tender.
2. Meanwhile over med high heat in a skillet add 4 tbsp butter. Brown onion. Then brown ground beef.

3. Add can of veggies, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth.  Add Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Mash potatoes with remaining butter.
5. Layer beef mixture then mashed potatoes. Top with cheese.
6. Bake at 400 for about 20 mins. Until browned.

they think I'm mexican.

Its quesadilla night at my house, with homemade guacamole and lime/cilantro sour cream. Yum!

First of the Guacamole.

Ingredients:

1. 4 ripe avocados (diced)

2. 1/4 yellow onion (chopped)

3. 6-10 grape tomatoes (cut into fourths)

4. 1/2 tbsp cilantro

5. 1/2 clove garlic (chopped)

6. 1 jalapeño (diced)

7. sea salt (to taste)

8. juice of 1/2 a lime

Recipe:

Mix all ingredients. Do lime juice last, helps with he browning of the avocado.

Now for some yummy sour cream to go with it.

Lime and Cilantro Sour Cream.

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup of sour cream

2. 1/2 tbsp of cilantro

3. juice from half a lime

4. 1 tbsp yellow onion

5. sea salt (to taste)

Recipe:

Combine.

Healthy Chicken Quesadilla.

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2 lbs. stir fry chicken (cook and shredded; seasoned with cayenne pepper and cilantro)

2. 1 red bell pepper (diced)

3. 1/2 yellow onion (diced)

4. 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

5. 2 tbsp low sodium chicken broth

5. 2 roma tomatoes (diced)

6. flour tortillas

7. shredded cheddar cheese

Recipe:

1. In a skillet over medium high heat saute the bell pepper, onion, and garlic in the chicken broth; til softened.

2. When broth has evaporated, add tomatoes and chicken. Mix well.

3. In a cool skillet add flour tortilla. Top with desired cheese and chicken mixture. Cook on both sides about 2 mins each; til golden brown.

Chicken Mixture.

"a cat is a lion in a jungle of small bushes."

I love my cats, almost as much as D. I don't understand why someone would own a pet without feeling like they are a part of the family.  All the cats (which is only 3) I've owned I got when they were 7-9 weeks old. Just babies.

This is Maddox. 

He was born christmas time 2008.

I've had him since he was 8 weeks old. (sadly I lost all kitten pictures of him) 

This was taken when he was 6 months old. 

He loves sleeping in strange places.

And snuggling with me. 

This is Sherlock.

We got him right after my birthday and he was 7 weeks old.

(so he's just about  11-12 weeks now)