Banana Crumb Muffins

Well, the kitchen has gotten a little out of hand lately and it is time to get back on track. Anyone else had a problem with bananas lasting these days? I guess it depends on how you prefer them, I prefer them more green than ripe - my boys want no color changes or mushy 'nanners and so with that I have got 4 dieting bananas on my counter - so today's  recipe to try are these Banana Crumb Muffins since I have no nuts available for Banana Nut Bread and those look tasty. I like to make things to have in the freezer ready for when the boys need a snack, a little something extra for breakfast, guest come to visit, etc. After they back I place them in freezer proof bags and refrigerate all but enough a day or so. I usually prefer to do minis for the kids....This should be a hit with my boys! I have been on a honey kick lately - so I am altering the recipe I found and adding honey. Did you know that honey is a natural energy booster along with other benefits ... look for a blog to come on the benefits of honey!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups or mini cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, honey, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Time has flown again!

Well, what can I say - with all the different forms of social media these days and the things that keep life busy I AGAIN have failed at blogging - just like scrapbooking and well finishing anything it seems - - - BUT  I'MMMMM BACK! I have decided that as we have yet moved again there are lots of fun places I have been that have had no real organization as to sharing with others. The only info I have are the over 6,000 digital photos on my computer that I have never printed or done anything with. Anyone else know what I mean? So, I am going to add fun info from day trips and more as well as get on a ball with my kitchen. Yep - recipes, canning, gardening, monthly meal preparation, menu planning and the such - maybe even a few savings tips as I find them. So, come on back over to the Mihalik Jungle and check us out - I hope to share stuff that isn't just about my personal life but can maybe give others ideas. Love to all!

And for a little family update - here are our 3 little monkeys all ready for school - Tyler was there for moral support of course and he will start a small MDO program next week. Landon is in 1st grade and Zachary is in Kindergarten! Pray blessings over their school year with me as I pray for your kids or grandkids!

And here is a step back in time to the first day of school last year at Clovis Christian School with some amazing teachers! Doesn't look like the personalities have changed, but some growing for sure - the pants Landon wears here are looking too big, although today they fit him perfect, Zachary has passed his entire outfit on to Tyler and well Tyler pretty much to wears what they wear :) Thankful for healthy, growing, starving kids - no worries we don't starve them, but they do eat us out of house and home - hence the plan behind some of my soon to come recipes...Good Day!

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

This is a different rendition than my mom use to make, but the kids love it and it is very nutritious. Hope you may enjoy it. It is really easy once you have all the ingredients on hand and they keep for a while. My kids are always asking to make and eat them. You can also do variations - such as adding choco. chips, nuts, dried fruit, dip in chocolate, the ideas are endless...

Ingredients:
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:
You can put all the ingredients in a food processor or if you don't have one like me, I just put everything in the mixer. I have also added oatmeal at times. Just add honey til it is the consistency you like. Mix all ingredients and form into balls. Store in the fridge or on the counter if you do not expect them to last long. This makes 10 or less balls so you may want to double after you try them. ENJOY~~






Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/healthy-peanut-butter-balls-143170#ixzz1O8DCa0ks

Weekly Menu

I have friends that do this and keep wanting to do it myself so we can exchange ideas and recipes. This week I have other things I plan to accomplish and so going to the grocery store is low on my priorities, so some things may look a little odd in combination - but it's a clean out the refrigerator, freezer and pantry kinda week...Would love any suggestions or menu planning ideas you would like to share!

MONDAY - Baked Tilapia with a lime, assorted seasoning

Homemade Mashed Potatoes with a white mushroom, onion gravy

Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions on the side

Canned Green Peas

TUESDAY - Grill Extra Chicken to be used later in the week

BBQ Chicken

Fresh Cut Veggies

Seasoned Brown Rice

Smoothie Drinks

WEDNESDAY - AWANAS Night no cooking required :)

THURSDAY - TBall Practice = Frozen Pizza Night

Fresh Veggies

FRIDAY - First TBall GAME! Snack Supper Before and Grab Burgers and Dogs at Field

SATURDAY - TBall Game Again - Meatballs that I made previously and froze uncook

Meatballs in Crockpot on Sub Rolls

Chips

Apple Slices

SUPPER - Leftovers

SUNDAY - Chicken Fried Rice One Dish Meal - Make before church and keep warm in Crockpot

Use some chicken that was grilled earlier - marinade in Terriyaki for Grilling

SUPPER - Fend for Yourself, Possibly Chicken Salad from leftover grilled chicken

MONDAY - (Because Commissary doesn't open til Tuesday)

Grilled Steaks

Grilled Squash if can find some

Homemade Guacamole/Salsa and Chips

(will have to buy squash, avocado, tomatoes, chips on next milk run)

...and that my friends is the initial week in review :)

Consistently Inconsistent

So, it's been 8 months AGAIN and I haven't typed a single word. This is the second base that I have joined a bowling league just for the heck of it and to get to know people - I always tell them I am consistently inconsitent - I think that saying applies to my everyday life, so today after reading a friends post I thought I would do a quick update in hopes that I will be better about keeping up with my blog . . . So, what's new with us?

AUGUST - Moved to Clovis, New Mexico - enjoyed reuniting with Mike and watching my boys gleam with happiness, Unpacked into our first-time buyer home which we do love even though we downsized a bit to stay in budget and started the trek of Kindergarten for Landon.

SEPTEMBER - still unpacking and enjoying the HIGH of making the most of a new place even without meeting many people as of yet.

OCTOBER - Fall is here and we loved pumpkin patches, having our first gathering at the house for pumpkin carving. Reality hit as we dealt with changes at Landon's school from overcrowding resulting in a change of his class which majorly stressed him and our two largest pumpkins were stolen right off our porch. But, we were able to really enjoy Halloween as our first visitors arrived - it was our 4 year anniversary of meeting the Porter Family on Halloween back at Tyndall. Unfortunately, we handed over the stomach virus.

NOVEMBER - We are still diligently looking for a connection, a church home . . . not skipping a single Sunday, yet gaining a lesson in patience and trusting in God's will not our picky wants. I managed to get more pics on the wall than I think any of our previous 6 houses have had. Thanksgiving was much anticipated as my parents, brother Josh and his family came to visit us. We enjoyed a great week together as well as a day trip to Carlsbad Caverns - a true beauty of nature and God's wonderful hand.

DECEMBER - Wow, Christmas is here already . . . we were still pooped from all the traveling and moving of the previous year so we chose to stay home and enjoy a quiet Christmas. Landon has started riding without training wheels at this point and got a big boy bike from Santa which he took off on the first try much to his momma's uneasiness. The week between Christmas and New Year's was quiet and a time to breath.

JANUARY - Here's to a New Year that who knows what will hold. Michael is working on his Master's and realized he needed to bump up his class load in order to meet a deadline for turning in all needed items for his Major's board coming up next year - it's going to be a busy 1/2 to the new year. The boys are still asking when they will get to go back to Florida, but are adjusting well. In January we started attending Central Baptist Church after much searching - there is a peace in knowing we have a church family though relationships are still to be made. Here comes winter in the west - we got our first snow and were amazed to watch how it just blew around and was to powdery to do anything more than look at it and bundle up!

FEBRUARY - Let the celebrating begin - it's Birthday Season at the Mihalik home - Landon turned 6 and it is fun to watch him mature and grow though he is still an energetic little kiddo for sure. He asked questions and was saved back in December. In celebration of his birthday we chose a weekend getaway instead of a traditional party. We all had a blast in Ruidoso going snow tubing. We also started our garden - though still a little early, we planted our cold weather veggies, onions, garlic and potatoes - of course we also made a plastic cover as winter is still here and it is COLD! we still have snow and were able to finally make snowmen - in fact a whole family of 5 on our 3rd snow of the season.

MARCH - It's still party season as Zachary turned 4 and Tyler 2! Love these boys and watching them grow though they definately run my energy low sometimes! The weather is warming and so my Vitamin D is rising. I have to say that the last year has been trying for me in many ways and it is a daily process of ups and downs, but after a little needed "break down" conversation with my sweet hubby I feel I am on the ups and it is only through Christ that I live and breath! Satan has a way of trying to take down those who delight in serving the Lord - and that is why my radio is tuned to uplifting music, I try to go to church as much as I can, and get down when I leave the great support groups of friends I make at each new station....because alone I am not always the nicest person and so thankful that when I fall the Lord picks me up and that I have a loving husband that works through it all!

APRIL - WOW so we are already in APRIL! what is to come - Mike has gotten unofficial word that he will deploy come June, just as he finishes up his masters and has time to spare :) We are enjoying our garden and looking forward to planting more veggies once the "windy season" passes - I would call it hurricane season myself, yet there is no hurricane or moisture to be found :) I have started working out again which really makes me a better person and find joy in the little things like hanging clothes out to dry to save money on the electric bill and turn it around to provide for a high water bill in order to enjoy some pretty grass. The garden we work hard to bottle the boys bath water for grey water. A few neighbors have made friendships to which we are thankful and so we live life realizing nothing of it is about us! See you sooner than later!

WOW where I mean WHERE does time go!

I am being spontaneous - yes, I have been working on that over the past several years and starting to really like it :) So, as I read a dear friends blog it made me miss mine so I thought - hmmm, can I actually accomplish a quick update that doesn't consist of 1,000's of words. So, here I try ----- Where are the Mihalik's and What in the world has consumed them for the last well many months and days???? For those who many not know - Michael left in November and returned in July after a deployment in Afghanistan - a huge time of growth for both of us in many different ways. The last 3 1/2 years we have been in Panama City, FL --- our time is coming to an end here and we head further west again -- in all of it I look back and can thankfully say that these years and this journey have been a pruning season in my life - not that the pruning was enjoyable but the growth that is promised is exciting! I have been married 8 years - of which have flown at jet speeds, 3 children with 2 of our boys born here in Florida and at 5 years of being a mom I am finally finding joy in my children and not the day to day mundaness. In Ecc. it says there is a time for all things - When I think of our time in Florida I will remember that God has pruned me down to my roots and I am so excited that I am promised a blessing and have been blessed through all of ---oh to think of what the next season of my life and my family has in store. July and now August has been non-stop with a sweet visit from our Kayla who lived with us 5 years ago, Michael returning, parents visiting, packers packing and a great crew they were, cleaning and slaving over our rental house, taking things to our storage unit, packing up for a roadtrip, returning for a few nights at the beach and now at our last days til we head excitedly to our new home - yes, we have bought our first house and we couldn't be more excited - the most exciting is that as we look to the calendar we have guest in August, October, November and then seeing family in December and April without really planning. I do love family and so excited to be able to welcome them into our home and to areas of our country that none of them have visited. We have some great friends here in Panama City, most who have moved on themselves and others who are here for now. It is through all the people I meet that I have been pruned. So, here I have typed my many words - but hopefully I will be typing more and putting pics up. God Bless and check back soon - say the end of August!

A few more pics