JELLO Jigglers & Frosted Banana Bars

Mondays are usually a little challenging. Moving from "weekend mode" to "weekday mode" usually takes us half a day. I can't imagine what I'll do next year when Morgan actually has to be somewhere on Monday morning. I usually try to do something fun with the kids on Mondays to keep the house somewhat tidy before our small group arrives at 6. In order to stick to my "keeping it real" campaign I thought I'd show y'all my miserably failed attempt at a fun Monday project: J-E-L-L-O JIGGLERS.

I will preface my picture show of events by saying that I talked this up big time! The girls watched me make the jello on Sunday night as I carefully followed the "jiggler" instructions. I told them of all the fun we would have, of how we would use cookie cutters to cut out fun jello shapes. They were ecstatic {and I secretly was too!}.

So yesterday afternoon with firmly set jello we gathered up the cookie cutters & lined the counters with wax paper.

I sat the baking sheets on the counter and because my sink was full of dirty dishes I couldn't sit them in lukewarm water so I placed our jello-laden baking sheets on warm towels so the jello would separate from the pan. I believe this step caused the whole thing to go drastically down hill. I melted the jello. When you're dealing with a 4 & 2-year old telling them "Mommy has to put it back in the fridge for a couple hours" doesn't fly. So we pressed on with our jello.

And attempted to cut shapes out.

That wouldn't "cut out".

It was more like trying to cut shapes out of grape jelly. There was no, "Morgan hold up your shape so Mommy can get a picture!"

It was more like, "Morgan if you want to eat your jello, hold your hair back and slurp it off the counter!"

Then something happened that set the Raiger off. I can't even remember what it was. Something small. Something not worthy of meltdown. But when you're two... jello is a HUGE deal. Especially when Mommy ruins it!

Oh well... you win some you lose some! This one we lost but at least the toys in the playroom stayed picked up!

On Monday nights I serve coffee from a percolator. While I'm getting that percolator ready, JM is usually busy tidying the cabinets. The percolator is old and nothing fancy, but I love it! I'm actually permanently borrowing it from my mother-in-law. I've never used one before. I'm not sure if I just like it, it's name, or how you can simply press down the little tab and piping hot coffee comes out. Or maybe I like the idea of making a LOT of coffee and having others to drink it with. No matter the reason... I love a percolator.

When the percolator comes out... it also means dessert will be served. The majority of the time it's "slice 'n bake" cookies but occasionally I get a wild hair and fix up something a little more.... ummm, involved.

Last night it was Frosted Banana Bars.

When we were 14, Erika and I both worked as servers. Is that even legal? We rode our bikes to get there. Anyway, it was a little cafe in our small town which was tucked inside a much larger town. It was called the Herb Garden Tea Room. Unfortunately it only survived for about 5 years. It was in Anchorage, KY, a tiny little neighborhood town tucked inside Louisville, KY. So, for several years every Saturday and all summer long I spent my time at the Herb Garden. We had a fairly angry chef named Bo, who I eventually got used to. Occassionally he'd drop the "f-bomb" in a sentence that was directed towards me, at first I would feel the tears well up and my throat would tighten, it only took a few weeks and I could just cut my eyes at him and think, "Oh please, I know your not ticked off because they don't want mayo and you put mayo on there because you didn't read the order right!". I wasn't too fond of him but I loved all the other employees, all 4 of them. The Herb Garden was only opened for lunch and they had a WONDERFUL menu. Sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts.... oh, and of course, they had at least 100 different teas to choose from, which we served in beautiful tea pots. If I had to place my order right now, I'd have a Ginger Peach iced tea, a cucumber & dill sandwich with pasta on the side, and I'd have a hard time deciding between Granny's Chocolate Cake & Frosted Banana Bars.

Sometimes I hope no one will eat our bananas so they will overripen and I'll be forced to make these delicious little gems. They melt in your mouth. The bar is similar in consistency to banana bread, but not quite as dense, and it is smothered in a cream cheese frosting. I can guarantee this recipe. If you don't like it, call me and I'll come pick it up from your house.

The recipe makes a LOAD. You use the same "jelly roll" pan you use for the Texas Sheet Cake and mine has a handy little cover... if you're going to go buy one... make sure it has a cover! The bars are thin, bake really quick and your whole house will smell delightful.

Once again, I very selflessly tested the bars before I served them to our small group. If you ever come to my house to eat and a small part of what I serve is missing, you can go ahead and thank me for testing it for you. :)

I posted a printable version of the recipe: HERE. Bookmark it, print it off, save it... you'll want to make it! I PROMISE. I'm off to have some now!