one of my favorite things **and a new recipe**

One thing that I love to do is bake with my kids. Mostly Gabe since he has shown the most interest in helping me but now Nolan is starting to show that he wants a chance at stirring the spoon too.

I mostly just bake sweets with them (cookies, bread, brownies, rice crispy treats) Gabe rarely asks to help when it comes to dinner...I am going to start inviting him to though.

Some of my favorite times now are with the boys, measuring ingredients, and making something together. I love watching them pour in flour or milk into the bowl....it always ends up splashing everywhere. I love seeing their eyes as it becomes a batter of ooey gooey goodness. And I love the look on their faces when the finished product comes out of the oven.

It has come to the point where when the boys see me pull out a mixing bowl, the rush to claim a chair and scoot it on over to my side. What a blessing it is.

Here is what WebMD had to say about children cooking with adults:

Indeed, cooking with kids can be the gift that keeps on giving; it has both short-term and long term benefits.

Some of the short-term benefits:
It encourages kids to try healthy foods.
Kids feel like they are accomplishing something and contributing to the family.
Kids are more likely to sit down to a family meal when they helped prepare it.
Parents get to spend quality time with their kids.
Kids aren't spending time in front of the TV or computer while they're cooking.
Kids generally aren't eating junk food when they're cooking a meal at home.

Some long-term benefits:
Learning to cook is a skill your children can use for the rest of their lives.
Kids who learn to eat well may be more likely to eat healthfully as adults.
Positive cooking experiences can help build self-confidence.
Kids who cook with their parents may even be less likely to abuse drugs.

Also in the same article, is a list of certain things kids can do to help at their age

Under 5 years old:
Scrub, dip, tear, break, and snap (for example, snapping the ends off green beans)
Shake, spread, and cut with a cookie or biscuit cutter
Peel (some items), roll, juice, and mash
Remove husks from corn
Wash vegetables in a colander
Measure and pour some ingredients
Hand mix

8-10 years old:
Everything listed above, plus some more advanced duties, such as:
Cracking and separating eggs
Reading some recipes by themselves
Inventing their own easy-to-fix recipes
Using the electric mixer (with adult supervision if needed)
Stirring food over the stove (with adult supervision if needed)
Using and reading a candy thermometer (with adult supervision if needed)
Operating a can opener or food processor with safety features
Grating cheese
Cutting vegetables, fruits, etc. (using a plastic knife or dinner knife)

Here are some pictures of baking with the boys:

Gabe making Peanut Butter filled frozen bananas

Nolan pouring in cinnamon

Adding the eggs

Breaking up the bananas

And lastly, here is a recipe that I enjoy making with the boys. It is a great banana bread that I found about 2 years ago on Allrecipes (does that surprise you?!), and what makes it different is that that it calls for sour cream. I usually use whole wheat flour instead and it still turns out fantastic. Also to make it yummy, instead of just greasing the pans, it says to do a cinnamon sugar mixture over the PAM. It makes a sweet crunch to the bread.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

The last thing is a BIG BIG thank you to Jan, The crazy lady on road 80. She is an awesome lady and I am hooked on her blog. She hit her 300th post in just one year!! And to celebrate she had a giveaway of a Target Gift card. I of course love love love Target and was secretly hoping that I would win the giveaway. Well, I finally won something!! I have never won anything when it comes to luck.....except James :) So Jan.....I want to thank you so very very much and to say congrats on making it to 300 posts!! I will probably go try to find a new church skirt or dress. I LOVE TARGET!