Can never have too many naners'

We always have some bananas hangin' around, be it the ones I let go extra ripe so we can freeze them, or ones we eat for morning snacks. We usually have some of the frozen ones in a blueberry smoothie, but I found a new recipe that sounded like a tasty morning snack today.

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie is a thick creamy drink topped with a sprinkling of sweet crunchy honey graham cracker crumbs. The frozen ripe banana adds body to this, while some ice cubes help to thicken it. Vanilla yogurt keeps it smooth and while there are some additional graham cracker crumbs added into the mix, they didn't seem to add much flavor. This was a nice alternative from our typical smoothie and since it comes together in a snap, it would be great for a portable quick snack.

Tonight's dinner is possibly one of the best sandwiches we have had lately! Mozzarella, Ham, and Basil Panini had so much going for it, you just can't go wrong. Chewy ciabatta bread is sliced in half, with the bottom being coated with some tangy Dijon mustard and the top with balsamic vinegar. The layering begins with thin slices of fresh delicate mozzarella, large fragrant basil leaves, deli ham, hot peppers and garden fresh (thanks new neighbor!) tomatoes. Once the top half is placed back on, the heavy loaf went into the panini maker to warm up the insides and crisp up the crunchy ciabatta crust. This sandwich is fresh, cheesy, filling and I think I could could eat this morning, noon and night! The only change I might make would be to substitute the ham with some rich prosciutto.

Recipes
Banana Cream Pie Smoothie
Mozzarella, Ham, and Basil Panini