Bank Shot

Bank Shot
Ball-in-hand
Nice break
Rack 'em

...These are not expressions I ever thought I'd hear my two year old say. But over the Thanksgiving holiday I did. We spent the holiday at my father-in-law's house, and she learned how to play pool down in the basement with Papa. Well as well as any two year old could play, hehe...

She had a great time and it was fun watching her learn.





And isn't this an essential part of the game of pool? But hopefully my sweet girl won't learn that part of the game until she's 30. Well maybe 45.

One Potato, Two Potato, Sweet Potato

Only three more days. Three more days until OPERATION: DON'T BREAK THE SCALE DURING THE HOLIDAYS. I concluded that duct taping my mouth shut for the next six weeks won't work. But one of the things I will try is to come up with healthier alternatives to some of my holiday favorites.

One of the things I look forward to eating most around the holidays are mashed potatoes. Red potatoes, white potatoes, garlic smashed, potatoes with gravy....it really doesn't matter. I love them all.

I saw a big display of sweet potatoes at the store this week, and I thought "hey, maybe sweet potatoes really are healthier?" I've always heard this was true, but I decided I needed to do some research of my own.

Invigorated with the thought of finding a holiday food that wouldn't bring the enormous amount of guilt that mashed potatoes brings, I hit google.

So what did I learn? Yes, sweet potatoes are indeed healthier.

Here is a brief nutritional breakdown of sweet potatoes vs. white potatoes. Now you might notice that the grams are different between the sweet and white potato, but this is due to the fact that the density per serving size isn't quite the same between the two.

Sweet Potato (baked, skin on)

White Potato (baked, skin on)


Sweet Potato (vitamins and minerals in 200 grams)


White Potato (vitamins and minerals in 299 grams)

*source: www.nutritiondata.com

Now the basic nutritional differences (calories, fat, carbs, etc.) are comaparable. Although the sweet potato is considerably higher in fiber. But as far as the vitamin and mineral differences, there are some major differences.

So while not a completely guilt-free, traditional mashed potoato and gravy substitute....move over mashed potatoes. This year you've been replaced by something sweeter.

Pass the Banana Pudding

In my opinion, there is only one legitimate use for Vanilla Wafers: Banana Pudding.

If I'm going to eat a cookie, I'm certainly not going to waste my calories on a boring and stale-from-the-minute-you-open-the-box wafer. Even the name implies gross. Wafer sounds like a way to add fiber to a geriatric diet. Not dessert.

Growing up in Virginia, I believe every summer cookout I've ever attended had at least one dish of banana pudding. But I don't think I've ever made banana pudding in November when it was 40 degrees outside. But bananas were on sale for 19 cents a pound this week, and I bought enough bananas to feed a large family of monkeys. So I've made banana bread, banana muffins, banana buckwheat cakes (all of which freeze well by the way)...and today I made banana pudding.

I'm not a cookbook-using kind of person. I have tons of them but they never get used. If I made something and followed a recipe at all, it was likely from Food Network But on the rare occasion I do use a cookbook, it is most likely this:



Banana Pudding Recipe, p. 1020.


Modified the recipe a bit. Had to try to make it at least a little healthier, right?

3 c. 2% Milk
4 Egg Yolks
3 tbs. Cornstarch
1/2 c. Splenda
1/2 c. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1-1/2 tsp. Vanilla
Vanilla Wafers
4 Bananas

Combine Splenda, Sugar, , Cornstarch, Salt and milk in saucepan. Heat on medium low until sugar is dissolved. Add egg yolks and stir. Turn heat up to medium, keep stirring until thickened. Turn heat down to low and cook another mintute or two. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent pudding from getting a skin as it cools. Line bottom of pan (I use 9x13) with single layer of Vanilla wafers. Add a layer of sliced bananas. Pour pudding mixture on top. Top with layer of wafers. Cover surface again with plastic wrap and chill for at least four hours.

Something an almost three year old just doesn't get: "We can't eat this now; we have to put it in the fridge and let it cool for a few hours."

Something tells me freezing this won't be an option. I give it two days in the fridge.

Halloween. A bit late.

I've slacked a bit with the blogging. I guess I haven't figured out how to make it a habitual part of my schedule. I will try to do better. My work schedule has changed to where I have four day weekends. (really, could it get any better?) So that will give me more time for this.

So I meant to post these pictures of my sweetie's Halloween Kimono. I'm only two weeks late...

The fabric.


After a crazy number of hours, and the last minute enlistment of my mom's help for alterations (because I don't do the sewing thing well) it was all done!