Everyday Mom

Do you struggle to find just the perfect recipe for those overripe bananas?  Do you toss out the bananas when they turn brown?  Do you have a recipe that you just aren’t satisfied with?  Well, I am willing to share mine with you.  I realized this week when I cleared all of the old bananas out of the freezer that, while I grew up on the occasional loaf of really good banana bread, some of my friends had no clue that you could save bananas and use them in their own bread later. 

I buy bananas every week, and every week there are always one or two that get too ripe and soft to eat.  When they reach the point where they are no longer fresh, I toss them in the freezer.  Once frozen, they generally turn very dark in color and the sweet flavor intensifies.  In fact, my son thinks they smell like banana extract when you thaw them.  I have to agree that they have a little bit of a banana liquor smell.  Once thawed, you simply snip the ends, squeeze the pulp into a bowl, mash, and measure for your banana bread recipe.  I promise when you taste the bread made from these old bananas, you will have a freezer full of them!  I make this recipe every few months (generally prompted by the lack of room in the freezer!).

 Banana Bread

1 c. sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

3 T. milk

1 stick butter, melted

1 c. mashed banana (3)

Mix all of the ingredients together adding the melted butter and bananas last.  Pour the batter into a greased and floured loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. 

This recipe is easily doubled and makes great muffins as well.  I love the silicone muffin cups.  Check out a previous post by Everyday Mom to read more about the best muffin cups ever!  Enjoy!

I told you that we had a yard sale this past weekend.  It went well for the most part.  Both days combined netted me $190, and we got rid of a lot of junk.  There was one item that didn’t sell that we really thought (okay hoped) would. 

While cleaning out our closet a few weeks ago, we came across our old video camera.  When I say old, I mean it too.  It was purchased while I was pregnant with our first child more than 13 years ago.  It was a dinosaur of sorts.  It still worked and was complete with carrying case, battery pack, tapes, etc.  We only wanted $20.00 for it and assumed that someone would snatch it right up.  My 10 year old daughter looked at it several times and asked tons of questions about what it was and how it worked.  Of course, she wanted it.  I explained about 10 times that it wasn’t a toy, and she wasn’t getting it.  But, she wore me down!  I figured, “Hey, I  don’t want it.  Why would I care if she played with it?”  So, I told her that if it didn’t sell, it was hers!

That camera has become the coolest “toy” ever.  She has been walking around with it for the past two days filming everything she sees.  I am really glad now that it didn’t sell.  It will be so funny to see the films that she makes of everyday stuff and even stuff that she and her friends make up.  It will be a rare glimpse into their lives at play.  I may even have a budding film maker on my hands.  I’ll keep you posted on this little yard sale find!  My trash has definitely became her treasure.

Do you like yard sales, rummage sales, garage sales, or whatever they’re called where you live?  I don’t particularly care for them, despite the fact that I spent nearly every Saturday morning when growing up going from sale to sale.  I even enjoy going “yard saling” from time to time just for fun.  It’s having my own sale that seems like a necessary pain in the butt!  Our neighborhood has a group sale in the summer and again in the fall.  I always say that I am not going to participate because it requires hours of work for only a few bucks.  Of course, I never stand by my word and end up putting some stuff out (some of which has been out multiple times–proof that noone wants my junk).  I don’t know why I feel compelled to participate, I just do.  I also always claim that I am not dragging the sale items back into our house.  I claim that if it doesn’t sell, it’s going to the trash or charity or anything but back in here, but does that happen, no!  I drag it back in, put it in the basement, and complain the whole time. 

This year, however, has not been so bad.  Our neighborhood sale started today, Friday.  I rarely start mine on Friday because I always have to work.  Lucky for me, I was not very busy this morning and was able to put stuff out and experience the Friday traffic.  As in past years, I started with the attitude that the stuff had to go because it is not coming back in this house.  Usually, I get so mad that people want to barter over $.50 and refuse to take what they are willing to give me.  Not this year–this year, I was givin’ that crap away.  LOL!  My stuff was priced to sale.  I made $150.00 this morning and got rid of a lot of  it.  I was willing to barter and not too proud to take pennies if that’s what they were willing to give.  I am actually looking forward to tomorrow morning.  I might succeed at getting rid of all of it or at least only leave a few things to take to Goodwill.  I might even scour the house tonight for some more stuff to liquidate!  One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, right!

I’m really on the fence about this one, and I’m sure it will be the start of another heated debate on the subject.  I wonder what you think.  This week, the Indiana Supreme Court reversed a mother’s conviction of battery on her son.   Their decision states that she was exercising reasonable parental discipline when she whipped her 11-year old son with a belt or extension cord.   There 4-1 decision claimed that the mother did not cross over the boundary into criminal conduct.  The Court felt that the State did not do its part in proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the mother misused her parental discipline privilege. 

The case came to light when the boy showed bruises he received as a result of the beating to his school nurse.  The nurse then called the authorities, and the mother was arrested.  She indicated that the boy was being disciplined when he was asked to pull down his pants and have his bare bottom whipped.  He was also hit on the legs and arms as he squirmed trying to avoid being hit.   She was later convicted and sentenced to one year in jail with 357 days of the sentence suspended.  The conviction was upheld in the state Court of Appeals and recently overturned in the Indiana Supreme Court. 

The decisions to overturn the previous court ruling set a really big precedent stating that parents have a legal privilege to dicipline their children as long as punishment is reasonable and not likely to cause serious or permanent harm.    The one dissent was concerned that abusive parents often claim that they had the right to discipline their child and that such a decision would make it much more difficult to protect children in abusive situations.

I tend to agree with the dissent in this case.  However, I am very much in favor of strong discipline up to and including spanking.  I think a firm hand is sometimes required when it comes to steering your children in the right direction.  I’ve spanked both of my children and will likely have to again.  My children are fully aware of the rules and standards we have set for them and are equally aware of the consequences.  That said, I agree with the dissenting opinion in this case because I’m not confident that all parents are interested in what is right for their kids.  I’m afraid that the motive for spanking, whipping , beating , etc. is too varied to just say it’s okay as long as it isn’t serious or permanent.  I’m confident that in this case the evidence may have required the Justices to overturn the conviction, but I’m afraid the decision may truly cause more harm than good as more and more abusive parents use the decision to claim their “‘parental discipline privilege”. 

I’m just one everday mom trying to do her best to love her children and raise them to be good people.  This ruling scares me that some parents (who don’t always have what’s right for their children as a top priority) now have the okay to do whatever they want and use a court ruling to defend some special privilege that they don’t then balance with the responsibility to care for and nurture their children.  What do you think?

Okay, here’s my new favorite thing–Ziploc Zip’nSteam steam cooking bags for the microwave.  I had seen them on television and in the store, but I had not purchased any.  I don’t know why.  Steaming veggies is healthy and quick, and these bags certainly are a great idea for people on the go.  I guess sometimes we just don’t think to make a change assuming that the way we do things must be the best way.  I have a micro steamer pan that I’ve used for veggies.  I also use it for tons of other things.  Recently, I’ve been buying the frozen vegetables and vegetable blends that come microwave ready in the steam bags.  They are super convenient.  What would be even better is if you could season the vegetables prior to cooking or blend them with other things like meats for a quick recipe.  “That’s a super idea”, says Ziploc because that’s what is so great about the Zip’nSteam bags.  During a recent visit, my mother-in-law made a quick lunch using these micro-steam bags.  It was awesome.  I was so impressed with how quickly she was able to toss a few things together and make a yummy and healthy side dish.  She mixed potatoes, carrots, and broccoli with some seasonings and within minutes we had fresh veggies.  At the table, we used some spray butter to taste.  I was impressed and vowed to try the bags when I got home.  I’ve now used both the medium and large bags with various ingredients.  It has really saved time and has allowed me to cook fast and fresh.  It is wonderful to know that my kids are not always eating from a can or living on PB&J when we are in a rush.  I can get the bag ready early in the day and just toss it in the micowave when we are ready for a delicious hot meal.  Again, I like having the ability to decide which ingredients are the bag.  

Give them a try.  I know you will like them too.  To get started, try some of the recipes included in the package like Zesty Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Shrimp with Honey Mustard, Gingered Broccoli with Almonds, or even Chocolate Apples!  Yum!