Easy Banana Bread

Easy Banana Bread

Again not my recipe but one of my favourites that I got from Kraft Canada.
I will post MY pic of the Banana Bread after I make it.

Ingredients:

1 egg

1/2 cup Miracle Whip Dressing / Mayonnaise

1-1/3 cups mashed fully ripe bananas (about 3)

1-1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BEAT egg, dressing and bananas in large bowl with whisk until well blended. Mix remaining ingredients in separate bowl. Add to banana mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips into batter before pouring into pan.

POUR into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

BAKE 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min.; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

100 Things to Do with a Banana

I have so many bananas to be used right now so when I came across this website,

I just had to share it.
100 things to do with a BANANA.
(In a cooking manner) ;-)
Enjoy these Banana Recipes.
Hugs, Bonnie

Real Estate Game: CrackShackOrMansion.com

Real Estate Game: CrackShackOrMansion.com

Vancouver's version of Crack Shack or Mansion...lol..
Good Luck!!

hugs, Bonnie

Some kids won't be kids when HST kicks in

Some kids won't be kids when HST kicks in

Ok when I read this article I just HAD to share it!!
I have children who wear larger shoe sizes. My 11 year old son wears a men's size 7 and my 7 year old wears a size 6, and under this new HST Tax... I will have to pay 12% tax on my children's foot wear even though they are NOT at a taxable age!! I call BULLSHIT on This stupid Tax!!!
Shame on you Gordon Campbell for taxing children......

You say you have a 14-year-old “child” at home who’s part teenager, part refrigerator-raiding eating machine? You say this rapidly growing “child” is tougher to buy clothes for than Dustin Byfuglien, back when he was the biggest net-blocker in peewee hockey history?

Then you may be one of many B.C. parents who buys adult-sized clothes and shoes for their kids.

And I’m not just talking about big-boned boys who make the football team. I talked to a mom the other day who’s been buying adult-sized clothes and shoes for her daughter since she was 11.

If you’re a parent who falls into this category, I have two things to say to you: I think I’ll be joining you in a few years, because my own five-year-old, real-life version of Bam Bam is growing faster than an HST petition.

And you’d better get your lovable teenage Gigantor down to the mall and buy some new clothes before July 1 — the day the government slaps that HST on your kid’s clothes.

That’s right: The harmonized sales tax will apply to adult-sized clothes and shoes, even if you buy those clothes or shoes for a kid who’s under age 15. The price you pay will rise by seven per cent.

It’s just one more sneaky way this brutal consumer tax is going to hurt B.C. families. Here’s how it’s being done:

Currently, adult-sized clothes are taxed with both the five-per-cent GST and the seven-per-cent provincial sales tax. But buyers of adult-sized clothes for kids can fill out a form called the “Certificate of Exemption for Children’s Clothing and Footwear” and they won’t be charged the PST. Copies of these forms are usually kept on hand by the store, and the consumer receives the PST rebate right at the cash register.

Those forms — and those seven-per-cent, point-of-sale rebates — are being eliminated when the combined HST comes in.

Under the HST, only clothing in child sizes up to Size 16 for girls and Size 20 for boys will receive a seven-per-cent rebate. Ditto for children’s shoes up to kids’ Size 6, and non-numerical-sized clothing and footwear marked “small,” “medium” or “large.”

If you need “extra large” clothes or shoes for a child — or you need to buy adult-sized clothes or footwear for that kid — get set to cough up the entire 12-per-cent HST.

No more form to fill out. No more rebate. Just shut up and pay up. Even if you’re buying those clothes or shoes for a child.

In other words, the government is changing the definition of a “child” under its tax laws. No longer will a child be defined according to age, but according to size.

How much more will this cost B.C. parents? The government won’t say, and told me it doesn’t keep records of how much PST is rebated now.

But, on Monday, I heard Finance Minister Colin Hansen brag once again that children’s clothing and footwear will be exempted from the provincial portion of the HST. What he always fails to mention is that big kids who don’t meet his new definition of “children” will be taxed extra.

Hey, Mr. Hansen: A child is a child, no matter what size. You are going to tax clothes and shoes purchased for kids that were not taxed before. Your new tax is unfair.

Even a child — even a great big one — could understand that.

© Copyright (c) The Province

Mexican Tortellini Soup

Mexican Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

2 x 900 mL Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
796mL diced tomatoes
2 large Carrots sliced
2 large Celery stalks sliced
1/4 Zucchini diced
3-4 mushrooms sliced
1 large onion diced
2-3 gloves of garlic minced/grated
1 small can of black beans
1 small can of nibblet corn
1 small pack of tortellini
1/2 red pepper diced
1/2 green pepper diced
1 small jalapeno pepper sliced
2-3 links of Chorizzo Sausage Cooked, & chopped (optional for Vegetarians)
3-4 Tbsp of Watkins Mexican Soup Base or 1- 2 Packets of Sodium reduced Taco Seasoning Packets.

Directions:

1. Saute onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery, red & green peppers, carrots, zucchini &
jalapenos in a bit of olive oil until softened.
2.Then add sausage and saute until sausage is completely cooked.
Drain the grease.
3.Add canned tomatoes, corn & beans.
4. Add both cartons of chicken broth , add Mexican Soup Base or Taco Seasoning & simmer for about 20-30 minutes.
5. Add Tortellini & cook until ready.

This makes alot of servings. You will definately have leftover to freeze after.
You may add or remove any of these veggies/meat ingredients. I don't always use zucchini.
Enjoy.

Please let me know if you've tried my recipe.
Enjoy!
Hugs, Bonnie

CBC News - British Columbia - Vancouver's living wage hits $18 an hour

CBC News - British Columbia - Vancouver's living wage hits $18 an hour

Working people in Metro Vancouver need to earn more than $18 an hour in order to meet the most basic costs of raising a family, a new report says.

The study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives focused on two-parent families raising two children in Metro Vancouver to determine what they would need to earn a so-called living wage.

It found that in order to pay for the essentials of food, rent, childcare and transportation, two people working full-time need to earn $18.17 an hour apiece.

One of the report's authors, Seth Klein, told CBC News the figure is based on a very conservative budget.

"There is no money for savings or retirement. There is no money for savings for a child's post secondary education. The family rents a home, they don't own. There is no money for debt or credit card interest," Klein said.

"It is a basic budget. I've had the experience of walking many employers and CEOs through the calculation, and I've never once had one tell me they think it's unreasonable," he said.

Since the first CCPA study two years ago, the living wage has risen nearly a $1.50 an hour.

Klein says rent for a three-bedroom apartment has risen nearly eight per cent since then and the cost of food, and child-care has outstripped inflation.

The report urges employers to raise wages up to the living wage level. Currently the minimum wage for adults in B.C. is $8 an hour.

Klein said employers who can't afford to pay people $18 an hour should lobby government for universal childcare and improved public services.

He pointed out that the City of New Westminster, located east of Vancouver, voted last week to become the first municipality in the region to adopt a living-wage policy for all staff and contract employees.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ginger Molasses Cookies
This is NOT my recipe. I got this recipe from Recipe Center.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 c Butter softened
3/4 c Granulated Sugar
1/2 c Dark Molasses
1 Egg
1/2 c Granulated Sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg & cloves.
In a large bowl beat butter for 30 seconds, add 3/4 c of granulated sugar, beat until combined .
Scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in Molasses & egg until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Cover & refrigerate 3 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls into the 1/2 cup of raw or granulated sugar. Place balls on parchment -lined cookie sheet or on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are firm and tops are puffed. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer cookies to wire racks. Cool. Makes 4 dozen.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 68, Total Fat (g) 2, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1, Choloesterol (mg)9, Sodium (mg) 130, Carbohydrate(g) 12, Total Sugar (g) 7, Protein (g) 1, Calcium (DV%) 3,
Iron (DV%) 3, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Hugs, Bonnie