Banana Bread Donut Holes

Will this weather ever straighten itself out?

We have had too many cold, dreary days to my liking!

Today was no exception.

So what do you do on a day like today?

Of course, bake!

I came across a recipe the other day for banana bread donut holes.

It described how you could make them in your electric cake-pop maker.

Well I didn't have one of those, but I did have one of these,

A silicone cake pop pan, plus 2 over ripe bananas just begging to be used up.

I mixed all of the ingredients together, 

and baked them in a 350.F oven for about 17 minutes.

The recipe called to roll them in cinnamon and sugar

hot out of the cake pop maker.

When they came out of the oven I popped them out of the pan and did just that.

They sure didn't look like donut holes!

More like donut acorns!

Then I remembered, I have an electric mini donut maker somewhere around here.

Lets give that a try!

In no time I had a pan of mini banana bread donuts!

They sure looked better than the other ones!

When the daughter stopped to drop little man off,

I sent a few bags full for her to share at work.

And the rain stopped long enough for me to venture out 

and pick a big vase full of lilacs!

I will pass along the recipe for the banana bread donut holes.

They are actually very moist and tastey!

I will let you decide how they will be baked!

Banana Bread Donut Holes

1/2 cup butter softened

1 cup sugar

2 lrg. very ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

Cream butter and sugar.

To the creamed mixture add the bananas, eggs and vanilla.

Then add the milk.

Fold in the flour and baking soda.

If you have an electric cake-pop machine bake for 5 minutes.

Roll hot donut holes in a mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp sugar.

Eat while hot!

Good luck!

Liz

A different kind of Mothers Day

Most of my Mothers Days, since I have become a mother, have been spent working.

For many years I worked in the restaurant business.

Mothers Day brunch was one of the best days of the year for tips!

(And you didn't dare ask for that day off!)

Later on I had my own greenhouse/ floral shop.

Again, besides Valentines Day, Mothers Day was one of the busiest days of the year.

But while working those jobs,

my kids were usually right there working beside me.

Now that my Mothers Days are work free, 

it doesn't always mean my kids are.

With the kids working this year,

the pipeliner accepted 2 tickets for the Blackhawks game!

They were from one of the businesses that does work for my hubbys company.

And these weren't just any tickets,

they were box seats in the executive level!

Free prime buffet, free snacks, and free drinks ALL night long!

This was just the dessert bar!

If you follow hockey you know that the Hawks are in the play-off series, defending their title for the Stanley Cup.

They were tied 2 games a piece with the

Minnesota Wilds.

This was a pretty important game!

We had never been to a hockey game before.

The crowd was amazing!

Everybody dressed in black and red, 

supporting the home team!

We ate, we drank and we cheered!

To say we had a blast would be an understatement!

And the Hawks won!!!

Even if I didn't get to spend the day with my kids,

this Mothers Day was extra special to me!

Happy Mothers Day!

Liz

What to do with 5 acres

The weather still wont turn the corner to full time spring.

It still gives me plenty of time to stare out the window and wonder what the heck are we going to do with 5 acres?

A small part we decided to fence in.

They came last week to set the fence posts.

It just makes sense with the grandson running around.

Plus it adds some protection for the littlest dog with coyotes roaming around.

The last owners mowed paths through the back acreage.

We will keep the paths mowed.

The grandson will love exploring these when he gets older!

But there are a lot of scrub trees that need to be eliminated.

A little creek runs through the very back of the property.

So many ideas run through my mind.

Of course I would love to have animals.

But with the pipeliners job keeping on us the road every once in awhile, that just isn't the cards for now.

I want to plant lots of native flowers for the bees.

One thing I have never had to deal with is deer.

I have to plant deer resistant plants.

This corner looks like the perfect spot for a nice get-away shed.

A place for  relaxing, have a bon-fire on a warm summer evening.

 My pinterest board for backyard ideas is full of things I would love to incorporate!

For now the only thing I have added is my new Oriole feeder.

I am hoping they find it on their spring path.

It looks like it will be a fun summer completing some of my new ideas!

Stay tuned!

Liz

My WOW

This week my Bible study group finished our time together until we resume again mid-September.

The group I belong to is called WOW,

Women of the Word.

But WOW would also describe some of the moments that I have had while in the presence of the Lord and this wonderful group of women.

One being the Women's Retreat we attended a few weeks ago.

There were over 800 women in attendance!

My Bible Study group represented 18 out of those 800.

The morning began with a buffet style breakfast which featured quiches, tasty pastries, muffins and fresh fruit.

We were called into the main event hall for singing and worship.

It still sends chills down my spine thinking back to the sound of all those voices harmonizing,

lifting up our songs to God.

After this special time,

we were introduced to the guest speaker,

Lysa TerKeurst.

She was beyond inspiring!

Her message was a very powerful one.

At some points of her sharing,

I don't think there was a dry eye anywhere!

Lysa is the founder of Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Please take a moment to check out her website.

During break time we were all given prayer request cards.

You could write down a request for yourself or for someone else.

These requests were put into big baskets.

At the end of our wonderful God inspired day,

the baskets were passed through the rows and each women took out a card.

We would begin praying for the request on the card and commit to it for 2 weeks.

We were then asked to stand and receive a special prayer for each situation that might be listed on the card.

Such a powerful moment!

This is something our group would like to add to our prayer time.

What a special and emotionally uplifting day it was.

My friend, whom I got to invite after another lady backed out, blessed me more by purchasing a book written by Lysa.

I asked my friend if she cared when I was done with it,

I passed it on to others.

She loved the idea!

So that is what I am doing today.

Please leave me a message and on Wednesday I will draw to see who gets to be the lucky reader.

All I ask is that you pass it on after you read it.

I am going to miss this special group of women over the summer!

Thursday mornings just don't feel right until we get back together.

But I feel so incredibly blessed to study God words with these amazing ladies,

WOW!

Liz

Malted Vanilla Frosting

Before Easter thoughts get to far away, 

I had to share this yummy frosting recipe!

If you like malted milk balls, 

like me, then you will LOVE this frosting!

I am a huge fan of these malted milk eggs during Easter season!

This is the last of my stash!

When I ran across this frosting recipe I knew it make a great topping for my Peeps cupcakes.

Not a fan of Peeps, 

but the pipeliner is.

He gets to eat the Peep,

and I get to eat the cupcake!

Works for me!

Malted Vanilla Frosting

In a very large bowl beat 2 cups softened butter on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in 6 cups powdered sugar and 1 cup vanilla-flavored malted milk powder.

Increase speed to medium.

Add 4 TBSP evaporated milk

1 TBSP vanilla

1/2 Tsp. salt

Beat 2 minutes or until smooth.

Add additional powdered sugar and milk to make spreadable

I cut this recipe in half, 

and it worked out just fine!

Liz

Earth Day

Spring time in northern Illinois always has its up and downs.

Last Monday was definitely a down!

I stood with my mouth open looking out the window as the ground became covered in white!

It was all gone by Tuesday afternoon.

Lets hope that was winters last hurrah!

By Sunday the temperatures had warmed nicely,

making Easter afternoon outside delightful.

The pipeliner spent most of the afternoon giving wagon rides.

We couldn't have had a nicer day!

Today it is back to chilly weather.

But in celebration of Earth Day, 

I planted 20 blue norway spruces.

They are just little things.

I ordered them from my local soil and water conservation district.

They hold a tree sale every year.

Of course I wish I would have ordered more.

Hopefully in 10 or so years these will be full, wind blocking, beauties.

Happy Earth Day!

Liz