February 17- hard winter phase and bananas

First,  here is how the bananas are faring 

The bananas are pretty much fully ripe now.  The one I ate yesterday was a little riper than I prefer but it was still firm and not mushy like ripe bananas can be.

My unscientific results seem to say that bananas bought while green will keep a week and still be edible using this Rubbermaid box. 

I’ll keep using it and let y’all know it goes.  

In weather news,  it’s been so cold and we have about a foot of snow on the ground.

We’re having energy problems too. 

Our area has had to have electrical rolling blackouts and we’ve been asked to conserve all energy.

So we are keeping our heat turned lower than we prefer and we aren’t using any appliances like stove, washers, dryers, sewing machines, vacuum cleaners, etc: 

Some friends of ours that live just south of the Dallas area live in a town with a failed water plant, caused by the weather.  

First in their house, some water lines froze and then all water has stopped coming to their home.

To at least keep toilets flushed,  they are thawing buckets of snow for flush water. 

Above is part of what he posted on Facebook.  

Thankfully their 10 year old son is helping and thinks it’s all a big adventure.  


I’m ready for this winter adventure to end.  Thankfully above freezing temperatures are coming this weekend and maybe things will start getting back to normal.  

❤️ Rhonda 

February 14- White Valentine’s Day

First an update on the bananas 

I ate the ripest one at breakfast and it was perfect.  The bananas from the greenest bunch still have a little green to them but they are ripening too. 

Kim,  you are funny! But I couldn’t go buy bananas right now even if our roads were driveable.  

I didn’t need to buy much of anything though- just milk, eggs and onions.  

We’re getting the snow that was predicted.  It’s very fine and blowing so it’s drifting in places and bare in others.  

And it’s just getting started!  We won’t be done with snowfall until Wednesday I think. 

All holidays have been different since the pandemic started.  

We had a mini Thanksgiving meal for our Valentines lunch.  

  

It was delicious and there are leftovers for maybe 2 more meals. 

I had wanted to make some homemade pimento cheese to put in celery sticks but my husband was napping and I couldn’t get that tiny pimento jar open so I’ll make it  later this week.  

One of our grandsons made this Valentine for his mom.  

Sweet as can be, right? 

Happy Valentine’s Day

❤️ Rhonda 

February 13 - just bananas

Day 3 of the bananas in the Rubbermaid keeper

The bananas are ripening.  I ate the ripest one today and it was delicious 

But about the experiment.  I am not doing it right.  

I should have 2 equal banana bunches with one in the keeper and one on the counter to really tell how the box affects the ripening speed.  

Maybe after this snowstorm is over,  I’ll try it that way for a more scientific result.  

In case your wondering,  this box is different from an ordinary plastic food storage box.  

The lid is thick and kind of like a honeycomb 

❤️ Rhonda 

February 12 - just waiting on Snowmegaden

Hello everyone 

Our weather forecasts are just frightening-and it doesn’t matter which network I look at, they all say about the same. 

Maybe 15 inches of snow and very cold for a long time - this seems like a forecast for northern Alaska, not Oklahoma. 

Lejmom asked if I still keep a stocked pantry and yes I do. 

About the Great Value green beans,  the ones I’ve bought seem fine.  I’m sorry you had bad ones.  

 My husband had an early dr appointment today and I didn’t go with him.  He’s been scheduled for a knee replacement in March so will need to do a few things to get ready for that.  

Breakfast was some of the nut bread baked yesterday, toasted.  It was so good with my hot tea! 

Lunch was leftover soups and jalapeño cornbread.

For the cornbread,  I used our very favorite recipe and added a drained can of Mexican corn,  about 1/3 cup of diced canned jalapeños and some sliced jalapeños on top.

The jalapeños grew in our backyard yard and I canned them.  For jalapeños,  they are NOT hot,  they just have a really nice pepper flavor.  

Day 2 of bananas in the Rubbermaid keeper 

They’ve ripened a bit but even the yellowest ones are not yet ready to eat.  

🤷🏻‍♀️ I don’t know how they will do- we will see! 

❤️ Rhonda 

February 11 - food stuff and that new banana box

Hello 

It’s crazy cold so I’ve been home all day with plenty of time to cook 

Breakfast was one of our favorites 

Hash browns with an egg on top 

 

I sauté diced onions and bell peppers in a little olive oil spray and then add frozen hash browns (or leftover grated baked potatoes when I have them)

When they’re done,  push them to the side and cook your egg.  

Lunch was meatloaf (that was not photo worthy but did taste good) okra and nut bread 

  

This is the recipe for the nut bread.  It’s low sugar and has no added fat (besides the fat in the eggs and nuts) 

If you make this,  grease the loaf pan well so it will release after baking.  

Nut Bread 

I used pecans instead of walnuts and put in a good sprinkle of cinnamon sugar between 1/2 of the batter 

It’s very good,  just a little sweet and very nice toasted and with a mug of hot beverage of your choice - I like black tea ☕️ 

Lana asked about the Rubbermaid banana keeper.  It’s new so I’m not sure how well it works.  

My husband went to the grocery store and I asked him to get a few yellow and green bananas 

None of these bananas are ripe enough to eat and the ones on the right are much greener than the bananas on the left

I plan to check them and take photos daily and we will see how well it works.  

I understand it is “supposed” to keep fruit fresh longer  - we will see! 

I heard about these a couple years ago but it was about $32 on Amazon.  I did put it on my Amazon wish list. 

I checked my list last week and the banana box was $13 then so I thought I’d give it a shot.  

And putting things in your cart or wish list (but not purchasing them immediately) at many online sellers can be a money saver.  The sellers want to sell and if you check the price after a few days,  it’s quite possible the price may drop.  

❤️Rhonda