Simple Bag Drying

 

-Wash plastic bags as you do dishes or...

-Open them up widely in the top rack of your dishwasher and press start. ;)

-Hang to dry on a mug rack!

-Store, and reuse, again and again!

In Guinea last year, the missionary family we were with washed their bags out each night in dishtubs outside and hung them to dry on little metal wands attached to the side of their house. Inspired, I decided to commit to washing out ours as well. I was frustrated with them not drying well though in our little rack in the sink. Then, we tried this little mug rack - voila! Works just dandy. Nice for drying bibs out, too. I just leave on the shelf above our washer, so it's not a big deal if they drip a lot.

Hope this helps somebody out there...:)

Check out Tammy's Recipes for great kitchen tips on Tuesdays!

Frozen Bananas & Banana Milkshakes

Oh the yummy possibilities with frozen bananas! I've been blessed to hit our grocery store twice in the last few months when bananas were on sale for 39c/lb...with a whole bunch of bunches on the reduced rack for 29c/lb! That adds up in a hurry with bananas! This time I purchased ~7 large bunches for around $4.50.

I used to just throw whole bananas in the freezer with peels on. My current, favorite way of preserving them is to peel, chunk, throw on a cookie sheet and flash freezer overnight. I first read about trying this on moneysavingmom. Next morning, just throw in a ziploc bag and they'll last a couple months in the freezer.

Here are great things to do with these yummy chunks-o-nana:
-Throw into smoothies - so sweet, we don't add sweetener to our smoothies anymore.
-Thaw and mash as baby food.
-Thaw and use in banana bread.
-Banana Milkshakes: Yumm-o! Our current favorite...




~8 Banana chunks (enough to fill your blender 1/2-2/3 full)
Milk (we use whole)
Vanilla extract (I don't use pure for this)



-Fill blender 1/2-2/3 full by loosely tossing in frozen banana chunks.
-Pour milk in 'til one inch below top of bananas.
-Blend until really thick and smooth. Add more milk if not creamy enough.
-Add vanilla and blend a bit longer.
-Drizzle with chocolate syrup if desired and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Waffles

A recipe with love for Valentine's Day...

5 1/4 C whole wheat flour (freshly ground or frozen if available)
3 Tb baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 C applesauce
1/2 C oil
5 eggs
1 tsp real vanilla
5 1/4 C milk

-Mix dry ingreds. in large bowl (16C+).
-Mix applesauce and oil in large bowl.. Stir in eggs until well blended.
-Add vanilla and milk to wet ingreds. and stir.
-Add wet ingreds to dry ingreds. Mix until blended well. Do not overmix.
-Heat waffle iron and spray. We use a hotel-style waffle iron we got from my parents. It is the type that you have to flip. We LOVE it. Highly recommended if you make a lot of waffles (which obviously we do - ha!).
-Add 2/3 C batter (for our size w.maker).
-Heat 'til nicely browned.
-Serve with maple syrup, fresh/frozen fruit, whipped cream, peanut butter...oh the possibilities!
-Allow extra waffles to cool, then freeze in a bag or tupperware for up to 3-4 months. I like to freeze in quarters rather than big round waffles.
-Thaw in toaster oven.

Y:~18 large round waffles (I honestly don't know! Have to count next time!)