
So here in Chicagoland, it's been snowing since the middle of the night, non-stop. We've got about 4-5 inches on the ground already and it's not supposed to stop until midnight. I've shoveled twice and you can barely tell! Schools are cancelled, but the weirdest thing is that despite living in a neighborhood with lots of kids, I don't hear them out playing! What's up with that? When my own kids were young, and I was doing home daycare, there were always 6-8 kids here (4 didn't get picked up by anyone because they're mine!) On days like this they'd be running out to yell and scream, make snow angels, build snow forts, stage snow battles, and bury their sister's Barbies and their characters (NOT dolls, Mom, characters!) There would be wet snow gear everywhere when they came in from the cold, and the whole house smelled like wet boots, wet socks and sweaty kids. Plus whatever I'd have baked for them to enjoy with hot chocolate when they noticed they were cold. This recipe was always one of their favorites.
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
4 ripe bananas, mashed to make 1 1/2 cups
Add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to bananas
Cream 10 Tbsp. Crisco or other shortening (butter works also)
Add 1/2 cup sugar and mix well.
Add 2 eggs and blend well.
Add the bananas to the above mixture and blend well.
Add 1 3/4 cups flour mixed with 1 tsp. baking soda-blend well.
Add 1/2 to 3/4 cups mini chocolate chips, mix them in well.
Place about 3-4 Tbsp. mixture in each of 24 muffin baking cups.
Bake at 325 degrees for 22 minutes.
For people with diabetes, like my oldest son, each muffin is a generous 1 carb. These make a great quick breakfast or snack.
And remember, I'm wondering what you think of romance novels that involve single parents. Love Therapy has a very young child involved. The first two Reyes Romances involve single mothers with pre-teens. Do you enjoy reading about the extra complications of romance that involves children? If so, do you prefer the kids to be very young, or doesn't it matter? **Leave a comment here and sometime in the last week of March I'll choose a winner to receive an autographed paperback of Love Therapy.**
Speaking as a Mom, it was easier to schedule romance when the kids were all much younger, and went to bed earlier and stayed there. Pre-teens and teenagers are all too aware of what Mom and Dad, (or their parent and some stranger) might be doing when the bedroom door is locked. That's when you have to get creative and schedule date nights at motels. And teenagers have the ability to stay up all night, so good luck with trying to outlast them! Ah, what we do for love, eh?