Ian's Bad Day busters :)

My husband had an absolutely awful day at work.  He is a very patient, fun wonderful man so for him to have about had it at work I knew I needed to make the homefront warm, welcoming & yummy looking & smelling.  My husband loves my cheeseball.  It makes him smile.  He also loves desserts.  He has such a sweet tooth and has passed that to our 5 year old son Dakota as well.  They would eat sweets before anything else.... so I thought what can I make that would welcome him home, and bring a little smile to his face.  Hmmmm.... got me thinking... Dessert....  I looked around and had some bananas that needed using up... not wanting the typical banana bread or muffins, I thought peanut butter banana cake.. with peanut butter icing on top (who doesn't love peanut butter & bananas.... Then was looking around in the fridge & forgot that I bought stuff to make a cheeseball.  Now's the perfect time.....so here is a tribute to my wonderful husband and yes it did make him smile, and a few hours after being home he was laughing & playing with the boys with a full stomach.... mission accomplished :)


Joelle's Cheeseball


2 packages Cream cheese, softened
1 small bunch green onions, washed & thinly sliced
1 package (about 1 cup) ham, thinly slivered
1/2 cup green olives w/pimentos finely chopped
1/4 cup nuts, chopped
2-3 Tbls.  green olive juice
1 Tbls. Worchester sauce
1/2 tsp. each garlic & onion powder
crackers of your choice


In bowl, place all ingredients mixing well.  Shape into ball.  (can roll in additional nuts or chopped olives) if desired.  Sometimes I place a few olives or nuts on top of ball to garnish as well.  Cover & place in fridge for a couple of hours to let flavors combine.  Serve with crackers of your choice.  Refridgerate any leftovers.  Enjoy




Peanut Butter Banana Cake


1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter, melted for 30 seconds in microwave
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup applesauce
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp each vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 bananas, peeled & mashed with fork

Peanut Butter icing/glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2-3 Tbls peanut butter (melted in microwave for 30 seconds)
1 Tbls milk

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon & salt. In another bowl whisk eggs, add oil, applesauce, milk vanilla & peanut butter.  Mix well.  Add bananas to wet mixture.  Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients mixing just until blended.  Pour into greased one layer pan (I used a 10 inch pyrex glass pan).  Bake at 350 about 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

When cake comes out of oven, mix peanut butter icing ingredients, (mixture should be thin but not too thin (might have to add additional powdered sugar to make the icing however you like it) spread over warm cake (that has cooled around 10 minutes).  Serve while warm.  Store leftovers in fridge. 

Enjoy