Sugar Free Frozen Bananas

The Matsiko World Orphan Choir visited our church recently.  To protect their vocal chords, they are not allowed to have milk products or sugar.  We had to develop desserts that were milk free and sugar free.  Here is one of the recipes I created.






 Peel bananas.
Cut bananas in half.
Insert Popsicle sticks in the cut end.
Place in freezer until frozen.
Heat about 1/4 cup of peanut butter for 15-20 seconds in microwave.
Dip frozen bananas in peanut butter.
Immediately roll in finely chopped peanuts.
Serve immediately or place back in freezer for another day.

Sauteed New Potatoes

First let me apologize to my followers for not posting much lately.  There have been several family issues.  If you would like to know about them, please click on http://theresa-lifesjourney.blogspot.com. 

Now, my husband planted new potatoes.  We didn't get as many as we hoped, but he did get enough for us and some friends.  He wanted some of the potatoes boiled so he could put butter on each one and eat them.  I had a better idea.  Here's what I did:

• Boiled new potatoes until the skin cracked.  Then poured off the water and put clean water in the pot--I have a hard time cleaning new potatoes, so this is how I do it.  You will be surprised when you pour off the water at how dirty it is.
• Finished boiling new potatoes until fork tender.  Remove from water and allow to cool for a few minutes for easier handling.
• Meanwhile, saute chopped onion in hot, dry skillet.  (I used two onions and 5 large new potatoes because my husband loves onion.  You measure to your taste.)
• While onions saute, slice potatoes into about 1/4 inch pieces.
• Add about 1/2 cup butter to the onion.
• When butter melts, add potatoes.
• Add about a cup of beef broth.
• Allow broth to reduce.
• Taste before adding salt and pepper due to the saltiness of beef broth.

Tablecloth Fix

Birthday Party Woes

Okay this is not a recipe, but it does have to do with serving food.

My friend is planning a birthday party for her husband.  The plans are to set up tables outside, next to the lake.  She wanted to cover the tables with vinyl tablecloths.  Problem?  Tablecloths blow off tables outdoors.  What do we do?  We put the food on top to hold it down.  Then the edges blow until the people sit down and hold it.

(A) Vinyl tablecloth out of package.

My friend decided to use double stick tape to prevent the tablecloths from blowing.  I suggested we buy tablecloths with elastic to fit around the table.  We couldn't find any, so I suggested that we put the elastic on ourselves.  Here is what we did.

We bought cheap vinyl tablecloths ($4.00) at Wal-mart.  Then we bought cheap elastic from Dollar General. Illustration (A)

(B) Elastic sewn around the edge of tablecloth.

I turned the tablecloth wrong side on top and sewed the elastic close to the edge with a zigzag stitch.  As I sewed, I pulled the elastic as tight as possible.  The packages of elastic we bought had different widths in them.  I used each one and found each work well.  The only one that did not work  very well was the knit elastic.  Illustration (B)

(C) Tablecloth after elastic is sewn on.

Illustration (C) shows the tablecloth underside up after the elastic has been sewn completely around the edge.  It will look a lot like a fitted sheet.

(D)  Completed tablecloth covering table.

Illustration (D) shows the tablecloth covering the table.  You can see the tablecloth tucked under the table.  The elastic is holding the cloth on the table like a fitted sheet tucks under the mattress.  Each tablecloth ended up costing $6.00.