Friday Favorite

Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread

Bread

--1 lg. Egg

--1/2 C. Brown Sugar

--1/4 C. Sugar

--1/4 C. Oil

--1/4 C. Sour Cream

--2 tsp. Vanilla

--1 C. Ripe Bananas, mashed

--1 C. Flour

--1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

--1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

--Pinch Salt

Filling

--1 lg. Egg

--4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

--1/4 C. Sugar

--3 Tbs. Flour

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray bread loaf pan & set aside.

2. BREAD--In large bowl, add the egg, sugars, oil, sour cream, vanilla and whisk.

3. Add bananas and stir just until incorporated.

4. Add 1 C. flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & stir gently. DO NOT OVER MIX.

5. Put 2/3 of the batter into the bread pan, set aside. 

6. CREAM CHEESE FILLING--In large bowl, add all ingredients & beat with mixer. Pour in bread pan over top the batter.

7. Top with remaining 1/3 batter. Bake 48-50 minutes. Allow 15 minutes before removing from pan. 

Friday Favorite

I have decided recently I have no life. That is, no life to speak of; nothing exciting. Just boring old school and who wants to hear about that? So the nearest thing to exciting is when I find a recipe, try it out, and it ends up being the brightest part of my drab day. Don't worry, I'm all too willing to share these recipes I find, I can't help but share what I love! (Today's favorite includes two recipes because I just couldn't decide which one I loved more...)

Asian Salad
Salad Portion:
-- 3 1/2 C. Shredded Cabbage
-- 1 pkg. Ramen Noodles
-- 3 Green Onions, chopped
-- 1/2 C. Frozen Green Peas
-- 1 Tbs. Sesame Seeds
-- 1/4 C. Slivered Almonds (Optional)
Dressing:
-- 1/4 C. Rice Vinegar
-- 1/4 C. Sugar
-- 2 Tbs. Oil
-- 1 Tbs. Sesame Seed Oil
-- Seasoning Packet from Ramen

1. Combine dressing ingredients, cover, shake well. Toss together with salad ingredients. EASIEST SALAD EVER!

Easy Breakfast Casserole 
(love throwing together for Sunday morning breakfast)
-- 1 can Cresent Rolls
-- 1 (8oz.) pkg. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
-- 1/2 C. Milk
-- 1 C. Browned Sausage
-- 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
-- 5 Eggs
-- Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Combine all ingredients (except biscuits)
3. Using scissors, cut biscuits into pieces and stir in gently
4. Put in greased 9 X 13 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Friday Favorite

I have recently started a Food Management course and every week there is a new "challenge". Even if I've already done most of these "challenges" multiple times, I realize that some ladies in the class have not. Therefore, I must be patient and just enjoy collecting new recipes. The first few included homemade/from scratch: bread, dip/sauce, chicken noodle soup, roasting vegetables, etc...This weeks was any cookie (but it had to be a recipe we had never made before). Of course, Pinterest was my go-to for this recipe. I really enjoyed making these cookies, I even made them again to pass out to my Visiting-Teaching ladies and my sister down the street. All in all, one of the best cookie recipes I've ever made AND tasted. 

Soft-batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies (SC^5):
--1/2 C. Butter, softened
--1/4 C. Cream Cheese, softened
--3/4 C. Brown Sugar
--1/4 C. Sugar
--1 lg. Egg
--2 tsp. Vanilla
--2-1/4 C. Flour
--2 tsp. Cornstarch
--1 tsp. Baking Soda
--1/4 tsp. Salt
--2 C. Chocolate Chips (I prefer semi-sweet)

1. In a large bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, vanilla & beat with electric mixer 5-7 minutes or until evenly combined. 
2. Stop, scrape down sides of bowl & add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and mix just to combine. (1-2 mins)
3. Add chocolate chips & fold into batter. 
4. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes for a firmer dough and less spreading in the oven. 
5. Preheat oven to 350 F. and spoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes.
6. Allow 7-10 minutes for cooling. 
YIELDS: 3 dozen cookies. 

Brighton Staff 2014 Christmas Party

This is the night we were all waiting for, the Brighton Christmas party. Okay, so I don't know about the "we" but I definitely couldn't wait! I made so many wonderful friends at camp, and being away from them was like someone taking away part of my oxygen. I didn't fully realize what an impact these girls have had on my life until I got to the party and my spirit was bursting and I couldn't stop hugging everyone. Ah man, I was practically in tears as I left when the party ended, some of them I won't see for a LONG time (missions, school, etc...). I just know though, that when we do get together again, it will just be picking up where we left off. I loved working at Brighton but it wouldn't have been the same without these wonderful women!

Ruby & Abu. Let's just say us three were the running commentary for the White Elephant game

Me & Scout

Buttercup, Boots, Sunny, Fives, Milla, Flip-Flop & China

Bird, Squeaky & Scout

This is Bug's party, no messing with the Bug!

Again, not everyone, but many were able to come

Paisley, Skippy & Me

In fact, this reminds me of a certain LDS Primary song:

"This is the night we've waited for,

always a treat we have in store.

We love each other, more and more,

with every [Brighton] night!"

Busy Days

Where has the time gone? I keep telling myself "today I should update the blog" and then other stuff comes up, or frankly, I am just too lazy sometimes. Well, here it is, after months of putting it off, this blog must be updated! As there are just too many things to make separate posts of, I'll just put some random photos up and put the description below. Fun stuff! Here we go....

One of the many fish Dad caught over UEA Weekend (Oct. 16-18, 2014)

Since all the boys (about 5 or so) took up all the space on Dad's boat, all the girls ended up on Grandpa's boat. It didn't matter in the end, because we creamed them at fishing! And we only listened to Grandpa's Johnny Cash CD on loop about 20 or 30 times....

Every time we cast out, we didn't even have time to sit down before another fish was on the line! J ended up being the designated "bucket holder/rinser"; oh yeah, it was my pole that became popular, not to toot my own horn....but this girl knows how to catch fish!

C was in her high school play, The Sound of Music. She played one of the nuns, the play was fantastic!

One of our very good friends (practically sisters), C, was getting married so naturally we threw her a bridal shower. It was good to get together with old friends and mingle, especially with delicious tea-party food! Everyone put on your best hat!

C (the bride-to-be, front in teal) looked so happy, her and her fiance (now husband) are so cute together!

It was Lagoon day for Mom's side of the family. Because of work and other things, only a few were able to come, but it was a blast! We closed the park that night, having ridden almost every ride there. It was so much fun and the weather could not have been more perfect. 

Aunt T, M, Me, and Cousin N