Going BANANAS....Banana Split Dessert, Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake and...Easter Fun!

Hey Y'all......thought I better stop by and send a shout-out to my PEEPS:)

I hope everyone is doing well and getting ready for SPRING!!

I didn't mean to be gone so long but with a few health problems,
birthdays and busyness in general............life happens.
I promised myself that I would try to do more frequent, 
short posts but I find myself
 with a ton of stuff to share and I figure I better
 cram it all in, once again:)
So here we go..........

First up, one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE desserts,
and perfect for Easter!
Banana Split Dessert 
We've made this in our family for years and I cam across it recently in 
one of our old cookbooks.
Everything about this is pure YUM. 
 TRUST ME:)

Seriously, this is so good I think you just need to try it:)
Banana Split Dessert

2 cups graham crackers 

1/2 cup butter melted 

1/2 cup butter 

2 cups sifted powdered sugar 

2 eggs 

5 bananas 

1 15 1/2 ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained 

1 8 ounce container frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed 

semisweet chocolate, shredded 

1/3 cup chopped nuts optional 

maraschino cherries 

In a mixing bowl toss together the graham crackers and the melted 1/2 cup 

butter.  Press crumb mixture onto the bottome of a 13X9X2 inch baking 

pan.  In a small mixing bowl beat the remaining 1/2 cup butter about 

30 seconds til softened.  Add powdered sugar; beat till fluffy.  Beat in eggs. 

Spread egg mixture over crumb mixture. 

 Slice bananas lengthwise into halves 

and arrange over egg mixture.  Spoon pineapple over bananas.  Spread with 

dessert topping.  Sprinkle with chocolate and the nuts, if desired.  Cover 

refrigerate at least four hours before serving.,  Cut inot squares to serve. 

Top each square with a cherry.  Cover and chill to store.  Serves 15. 

From the Avon International Cookbook 1983 

Ready for more banana goodness?

How does Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake sound?

Pretty good if you ask me:)

So here you go........

Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake

1 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup butter, softened and cut into pieces, (divide 1/4 cup for sauce and 1/2 cup for cake)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 large bananas, yellow but firm, sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch pieces

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

Place brown sugar, 1/4 cup of the butter and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Heat over medium low heat until butter is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.

Pour into a 9-inch round cake pan or a 9" square pan.

Arrange banana slices over brown sugar mixture.

Place remaining 1/2 cup butter and sugar in a large bowl; 

beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

At low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 parts alternating with sour cream,

 beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spread batter over bananas.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 min or until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minute.

Run small knife around edge of cake; carefully invert cake onto serving plate. Serve warm.

Before we get to the fun stuff,
here's another cute idea for Easter.......Deviled Egg Chicks!

Simply make your usual recipe for deviled eggs but instead of slicing the egg
lengthwise, slice it horizontally and scoop out the filling that way.  

(Does that make sense?))

Add peppercorn eyes and a tiny carrot nose and you have the perfect brunch dish:)

Okay.......moving on to some fun stuff!
I think I am desperate for little kids again.
I know this for sure.......
if i did have a little one, I would grab some cotton balls, 

cut out bunny shapes and make a bunny photo frame of my kiddos!
Like it?

Using those plastic eggs and some pipe cleaners, make some egg bunnies to hold
a little treat.  This would be a great way to share treats with the rest of the class:)

Next is one of my favorites.......
Now you can "egg" your neighbors (without getting in trouble:)
I made this one because to me, it's the perfect combo of Easter Bunny fun
with a lesson/reminder on the TRUE meaning of Easter.
The reason we celebrate...........our risen Savior.

The obvious thing to do would be to share this with families with children.
However, I think the opposite would be a wonderful treat.
Do you have an elderly couple or someone living alone, who may like to wake up to some eggs in their lawn on Easter?
Now that would be a special treat:)

If you do a search online for "you've been egged", you'll find many variations on this.

Easter treats.........

these are so adorable!

I tried looking around for the exact instructions but came up empty.

However, it looks like these cute faces were made with pumpkin cookie cutters!

CLEVER!!

 Oh gosh, I have to share these EVERY year..........
Bunny Butt Cookies!
 
Here is the link with instructions: Bunny Butt Cookies

Kids would LOVE these straws.........
PEEPS Straws!

How about some bunny pancakes?

This is sooooo cute:)

Need a last minute favor?

These are super cute and easy...Cotton Tail donut Holes.

Follow the link for the free printable:

Bunny Tails

And who couldn't use advice on life once in awhile?

Especially if that advice is from the EASTER BUNNY?

Here's something just for fun........

What's your Easter Bunny Name?

My name is Bubbles MacDoodle!

Okay, told you I had some fun stuff:)

But now I leave you with this.

It's great to have fun............

but it's more important to remember this:

Happy Spring and may God Bless You!

XOXO Suzanne

A.K.A Bubbles MacDoodle

what a week. . . .and not in a good way

i can't get my head around the

 tragedies

 of this week.

first Boston. . . .

and now West Texas.

i'll be back tomorrow with a giveaway announcement,

but for today,

just pray.

xoxo

Suzanne

Palm Sunday. . . .

Wishing you a beautiful and blessed Palm Sunday.

Hosanna!

Lucky Charms and more from a controlling mama bear. . . .

yes, i admit it.

i can be just a wee bit controlling sometimes.
like every good mama bear,
sometimes a bit of meddling/controlling is what's needed:)

but in a good way, of course.

so what have i done now?

well, as i mentioned before, my daughter will most likely be

moving to Chicago in the next year.

and like any good mama,

i'm checking out neighborhoods, safety, weather. . . . .

and churches!

it helps that there is a good Bible college in the city,

with church recommendations.

it helps a LOT!!!!!

2 of the recommendations sound very promising. . . . .

everything i would love for her to have in a church.

but one in particular jumped out at me right away.

Willow Creek Community Church Chicago.

yesterday i received an email re: today's sermon topic, "Simplify"

here are the questions they will be asking. . . . .

Question. What's the most important thing in your life? 

Follow-up question. What would the people who know you say?

 and here is a bit of the rest of the message from Pastor John. . . . . 
"Sadly, I find in my own life that these answers can sometimes be different. I really wish they were the same. I wish that the thing I most longed to have preeminence in my life was obvious to everyone else, but that's not always true. I may be alone in that, but I doubt it. 
 So if the answer was the same, and the most important thing in your life was obvious to you and others, what would that look like? If your answer is your family, how would others know that to be true? If your answer is God, what attributes would be present to show it?
 This Sunday we will be teaching about how we simplify one key area of our lives, while also showing how important God is to us."

i love simple, biblical messages that give you something practical to take into your week.
i can't wait for us to try Willow Creek Church!
sometimes, being a meddling mama is a good thing:)

don't forget that another episode of The Bible is airing tonight!

today on CBS Sunday,
they interviewed Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, 
the creators/producers of the series.

GREAT interview if you can catch it again somewhere.
but when asked if the idea for the mini series was hers,

Roma Downey said "not mine.  God placed the idea in my heart".  

well said!
When asked why they made it,
Mark said he believed that even if someone doesn't go to church
or isn't particularly religious,
everyone should hear the stories of the Bible.
i like that too!

*********************************** and no, i haven't forgotten that today is St. Patrick's Day.
to those of you who are Irish. . . .Happy St. Patrick's Day!
we don't do anything to celebrate it, although when my girls were younger,
we might color our food green and stuff like that.
but some things even i can't resist.
like a good excuse to have a nice big bowl of
Lucky Charms.

aaaahhh. . . . . i love me some marshmallows in my cereal!!:)

the Grand Ol' Opry sent this photo out today with the message

"Hope you're wearing your John Deere green!"

(you might need to like country to get that:)

Happy Sunday!
xoxo
Suzanne

"OH HECK" . . . . . .Hocus Pocus Buns, Babies, Fat Belly Puppies and MORE!

before i start, i kinda think i may have done a post like this before.

but my head is a bit foggy with the flu, so if i have,

please forgive me.

but i got to thinking,

i may not feel like writing any major post,

but i can always share a few favorite "pins"

from Pinterest with you.

these are from a board i have named

OH HECK.

i chose this name because they are pics or ideas for things that

are very cool/beautiful/unique.

things that make you simply say

OH HECK.

here we go. . . . .

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake.

mmm-hmmmm

if this doesn't make you say oh heck, i don't know what does!

the recipe was too long for me today, so if you go to the King Arthur's Flour site,

you can see it all unfold.  YUM!!!

so Sweet. . . . .

Four-year-old Paige Bennethum really, really didn't want her daddy to go to Iraq. So much so, that when Army Reservist Staff Sgt. Brett Bennethum lined up in formation at his deployment this July, she couldn't let go. No one had the heart to pull her away. (www.nbcphiladelph...)

simply stunning!

another special story,

about a man and his best friend. . . . .

seriously, i think i might pass out if i went to a wedding reception and saw these 

mismatched, ruffled, bejeweled chairs.

OR, a little boy walking down the aisle carrying THIS sign. . . . .

this is just too stinkin cute and precious and beautiful!

and if my girls were little,

this message would be on their wall pronto.

and cause we love cute babies,

here is an oh heck picture of a baby:)

one more yummy treat for you (and me:)

HOCUS POCUS BUNS

Marshmallows dipped in melted butter, then cinnamon sugar, wrapped in crescent rolls and baked. They're called Hocus Pocus buns because the marshmallows disappear! YUM!

now, what kind of post would this be without an adorable pup?

especially one with a fat belly!!  

lastly, a thought for your day. . . . .

so. . . . .did anything make you go "oh heck"?

hope so!

what would life be like if you never saw something that made you smile, drool or just plain

be at a loss for words:)

xoxoxoxoxoxxo

Suzanne

Christmas Traditions. . . . .There's Still Time:)

JOY to the world. . . . .

it's Christmas Eve!

love came down on Christmas Eve.

TRUE love.

the birth of God's Son,

Jesus.

you know that saying "it is what it is".

well, never was that more true than on Christmas.

because we can make it about a million different things,

but it is what it is. . . . . .

a celebration of the birth of Jesus.

does that mean we can't have fun and be merry throughout the Holidays?

personally, i don't think so.

my God wants me to be joyful.

and happy.

and Christmas time makes me happy. 

as long as we never lose sight of the reason we are celebrating.

that's what i think.

i hope i'm right, at least a little bit:)

maybe you've been on top of things this Christmas season.

if so, you're my hero:)

because if you're like me,

you've been so busy,

the LAST thing you've been is on top of things.

but no worries!

there are still plenty of wonderful traditions to be done on Christmas Eve

and Christmas day.

i'm going to share a list. . . . . . .

some we have done (or still do) and some i know that others do.

so relax. . . . . .

when we're through,

you'll be right and ready with a few meaningful and joyful traditions!

in no particular order. . . . . .

1.  if you're not done wrapping, you can do something we do every year.

and it is SO much fun!

when you write on the tag the to: and from: names,

put who it is for, and for the from part, use fake names,

superhero names, favorite athletes, funny names. . . .

we do this, and it is always good for a few laughs.

plus, the person who gave the gift can always pipe up and say "it was from me".

a few examples. . . . .

my girls will be getting gifts from Tim Tebow, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, 

Pioneer Woman, Rafael Nadal (tennis player) and even Martha Stewart:)

Seriously, you can get really silly and have some fun:)

2.  if you haven't baked cookies yet, now's the time.

cause Santa gets hungry!

and you can make a "cookies for santa" plate

 with a sharpie pen if you don't already have one:)

and today is a great day to have the little ones color

a Christmas picture and take it to a neighbor, along with a few

of those yummy cookies:)

you can also grab a marked down gingerbread house kit to make today

if you haven't yet.

3.  one more thing needs to be baked.

a "Happy Birthday Jesus Cake" for tomorrow's dessert.

and the coolest thing to do, is to let the kids truly make and DECORATE it. . . . . .

their way!  no need for a professional cake with this one.

such an easy reminder of what it's all about.

4.  you can still make up some reindeer food to sprinkle on the lawn.

it's easy...uncooked oats and colored sprinkles.

trust me, if you've never done this, they're gonna LOVE it!

5.  got the new jammies all ready to go?

make them festive and matching for some great photos by the tree!

6.  read "twas the Night Before Christmas" before bed.

7.  hopefully you were able to go to church,

but if not, sing carols or watch a favorite Christmas eve movie.

ours is White Christmas, EVERY year:)

8.  you can also have game night. . . . .

anything as a family is what counts, if you ask me:)

9.  go outside and sprinkle that reindeer food on the lawn.

and if you haven't driven around and looked at lights yet,

bundle everyone up, make some hot cocoa in to-go cups and go for a ride.

my girls STILL love this!

10.  when the kiddies are all tucked in, use a bit of flour to make 

"santa's footprints" on the floor.

as long as they're still young, they'll love this!

11.  it's Christmas morning!!!!!

and they can't wait to open presents, right?

but try, try, try to read the Nativity story first.

so, so, so easy and important to do.

and then let them place baby Jesus in the manger...

signifying He is born.

12.  now this is just my opinion,

but my kids were never allowed to tear into gifts and throw them aside,

reaching for the next present right away.

a.  we took turns opening to appreciate what each other received.

b.  if the gift they open is from someone far away, 

have them hold it up and snap a picture.

makes a great thank you later on.

i just think it is so important that they learn to share in the joy 

of the rest of the family too,

and not just focus on themselves.

13.  whether you do brunch, lunch or dinner,

make something traditional.

it's so tempting to try something new every year and that's ok to a point,

but part of Holiday traditions is enjoying special dishes that you

associate with that day.

again, just my opinion:)

14.  make one of the gifts a shiny new ornament.

my daughter is turning 18 in a few weeks,

and i am gathering all of "her" ornament to give to her.

a nice start for her own tree someday or even if she doesn't use them,

some nice memories of years past:)

15.  finally, make lots of memories,

take lots of pictures,

eat TONS of food...sweets too,

play, play, play,

watch a Christmas parade from Disney World,

call family far away and spend time with those you love all day,

keep the day for your family.....

and by this i mean, TURN OFF the computer/cell phone/ipad or whatever.

and for pete's sake, don't spend the whole day on facebook, pinterest or whatever.

post a simple message and get off if you have young kids.

your family is more important than that,

and deserves your undivided attention for one day, at least.

now THAT one will get me nasty emails,

but i stand by it.

16.  and before the day is done,

have a list for thank you notes,

and when you tuck your kiddos in,

remind them of all they have to be thankful for and 

also remind them of the BEST gift they got that day,

in case they forgot.

the gift of God's Love.

Merry Christmas Eve. . . . .

from my family to yours!

xoxoxoxo

Suzanne

Hard to be Happy.........

...............when parents are still waiting for news that their child was spared.

news that most likely will not come.

these parents who sent their child off to Kindergarten.........

only to never get to hold them again,  make them breakfast, pack their lunch

tell them a bedtime story, give them a hug, tell them goodnight,

hear them say "mommy (or daddy)  i love you".

not everyone will agree with me,

but this is a broken world.

28 killed in Connecticut.

22 killed in China.

it goes on and on.

i pray for these precious children, their families, the emergency workers,

every single person impacted.......... and that should be all of us.

i pray for this world...........

a big task.

but a broken world needs it just as a broken heart needs it.

 hold those you love closely.

and pray.

"Asleep" in a Manger. . . . . . . .

do you ever feel as if you just need a soft place to rest your head?

a safe shelter?

i think we all probably take shelter for granted sometimes.

i know i do.

but this little guy knew a soft, safe place to rest his head

when he saw it.

here's the story. . . .

they say dogs are very instinctual.

and this homeless dog instinctively knew to curl up in the
 safest place he found. 

the place he found to rest was in a manger scene, 

set up in a church courtyard

in a small town in Brazil.

when he was found the next morning, 

no one had the heart to move him. 

"All creatures great and small. . . . . . .

the Lord God made them all".

i don't think you need to be as big a dog lover as i am to see the
sweetness and innocence in this.
i certainly hope i didn't offend anyone.
although, i'm not sure how i could, but if i did, i didn't mean to.
i simply think that a poor, homeless dog. . . . . . .
looking for a safe place to rest his head. . . . .
found the perfect place.

i hope and pray this Christmas season
that you will always find that soft, safe place
with our savior, Christ the Lord.

xoxo
Suzanne