* We’re sharing our favorite links from last week’s party at the beginning of today’s party.  Check them out and then keep scrolling down for the link party.  Hope you’ve had a happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for participating in the Best Recipes and DIY Projects Party last week!  We’re thrilled to share some of our favorite links from last week’s link party with you.

You may still be enjoying leftovers from your Thanksgiving feast.  What was your favorite part?  There are some parts of Thanksgiving that are just too yummy to give up after dinner’s over, and we can’t help but try to enjoy them as long as we can.  One of those would be cranberries.  Oh, how we love those tangy berries of perfect red!  We spotted some cranberry recipes that were linked up, and we can’t wait to try them!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake Bars from Simply Stacie

Fresh Cranberry Jam from This Simple Silly Girl’s Life

Cranberry Pecan Kale Salad from Practical Stewardship

Cranberry and Orange Hand Pies from Annie’s Noms

Holiday Mulled Cranberry Tea from The Kitchen Is My Playground

Now, let’s get this party started!

 Happy Weekend, everyone! We’re delighted that you came to our party. The link-up is live and ready for you to share your recipes, DIY projects and crafts, just make sure you follow these guidelines:

1. When you link up, you are giving us permission to feature your project and pictures on our blogs and social media with a link back to you.
2. We’ll feature our favorite projects from this weekend’s party at the beginning of next week’s link party.
3. Weekly favorites will also be pinned to our Link Party Favorites Board on Pinterest!
4. Add a text link back to the host blog.
5. You can link up any post you’ve created during this past week.
6. We’re excited about your handmade items, but this link party is limited to blog posts only. Please don’t linkup your Etsy shop.
7. Share the love and comment on two or more of the other projects that are linked up. We all love comments!

This party starts every Friday at 5 P.M. MST, and keeps going until the following Tuesday evening. Feel free to invite others to join in the fun!

Thanks for participating! Your Hosts,

Ruthie from Cooking With Ruthie, Jeni from Bakerette, Mandy from Mandy’s Recipe Box, Dan and Chris from Live Dan 330, and Deb, Tracy, and Sheri from Made From Pinterest

The post Best Recipes & DIY Project Link Party #72 appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

There were a few links this week that inspired our patriotic spirits.  Whether you use them to celebrate America’s independence next month, or just to celebrate the freedom of summer, we think you’ll enjoy these red, white, and blue recipes and projects.

4th of July Bookpage Wreath from Meegan Makes

Candied Almond Triple Berry Parfait from This Silly Girl’s Life

No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake from Kleinworth & Co.

No-Cook Strawberry Blender Jam from Practical Stewardship

Blue Rice Crispy Treats from More Than a Mom of Three

Patriotic Pom-Pom Wreath from  Krafty Cards Etc.

Caprese Salad from All She Cooks

Rhubarb & Custard Cupcakes from Baking in Pyjamas

Blueberry Crumble Bars from Love Bakes Good Cakes

Firecracker Cupcakes from Tastes of Lizzy T

 Thanks again for sharing your projects and recipes with us during Super Saturday #47!  We hope you were as inspired by these featured links as we were.   Please come back  for our next Super Saturday Link Party, starting at 7 P.M. EST on Friday night!  And keep an eye on your social media over the weekend, too.  We like to showcase links that catch our eye during the party via Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.  You might see your link featured there!

The post Share It Thursday from Link Party #47 appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Amazing Monkey Butter Recipe To Try Right Now!

Monkey butter is a combination of natural, tropical fruits such as bananas, pineapples, and coconut. As a result, it is safe for everyone to eat. It is also fun to make. The primary ingredient in monkey butter is bananas!

In addition to being highly nutritious, bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B6, soluble fibers, and contain moderate amounts of vitamin C, manganese, and potassium, as seen here. Consumption of bananas is proven to be associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and renal cell carcinoma.

Okay, on to the recipe!  With only five ingredients, this was simple to make and even better to eat.

Before we go over the steps in preparing a homemade monkey butter recipe, here is a list of everything you will need to prepare delicious homemade monkey butter.

Monkey Butter Ingredients

• Five (5) medium-size perfectly ripe bananas (no brown spots)
• 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple – not drained
• 1/4 cup coconut
• 3 cups of white sugar
• 3 Tbsp bottled lemon juice

The original recipe for this Monkey Butter stated that the author preferred ground coconut over the flaked coconut and that she purchased it at Winco in the bulk food section.

We are lucky enough to have a Winco close by so I ran by and picked some up.  I have never used ground coconut before and have just always used the flaked coconut. So if you haven’t seen ground coconut, here is what it looks like:

It is much better than the flaked coconut.

Step 1. Prepare The Banana, Coconut, and Other Ingredients

To start, peel and slice the bananas and then put them into a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add the rest of the ingredients – pineapple, coconut, sugar, and lemon juice, and put on the stove to bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Step 2. Cook Until The Mixture Thickens

After bringing to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until thickened, still stirring constantly.

I was worried that maybe the bananas were going to stay in huge slices but after cooking, they were reduced down into a jam texture.

Mmm……

Step 3. Get Monkey Butter Ready

Your monkey banana mixture is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. At this point, it has properly thickened.

When properly thickened, spoon the mixture into sterilized glass jars and let cool.

Step 4. Serve Monkey Butter/Jam

There are so many ways you can serve Monkey butter! Try it on:

• ice cream
• yogurt smoothies
• pancakes
• or spread it on English muffins
• toast (it is a great companion for peanut butter)
• crepe filling (with Nutella)

Step 5. Refrigerate Or Can Your Monkey Butter Mixture If You Wish

At this point in the recipe, this jam can just be refrigerated and will keep for approx. 4-6 weeks. The lemon juice in the recipe will keep the bananas fresh. But once your family tries it, it might not last that long.

Or after putting the jam in the jars, you can seal the jars with sealing lids and rings and process them in a water bath for 15 minutes. Just a note that if you process your Monkey Butter in this method, it will turn out to be a little pink instead of the mellow yellow color like this:

What You Can Serve With Monkey Butter 

Monkey butter is a great add-on to your breakfast. They also taste very good with pancakes, waffles, or even biscuits. You can also spread it on English muffins. 

It is also very amazing on toast, where it is a great companion for peanut butter. You can use it as a crepe filling with Nutella. You can serve your monkey butter over ice cream or yogurt smoothies by adding a couple of spoonfuls. Better still, you can just eat it by the spoonful straight from the jar.

How To Store And Preserve Your Monkey Butter

One of the easy ways to store monkey butter is to store them in a water bath. This is okay if you want to serve it all at once. But if you wish to keep it to use at another time, it’s best to store them in a fridge. This way they can last for four to six weeks without getting bad. This is an even better way to preserve them since you don’t get to throw them away.

It’s so nice just knowing that you can preserve them in the fridge. This way you can make a double batch at once especially when you have a full house. This way you get to eat from it before the grandkids get it all.

How To Keep Bananas From Going Brown 

The main ingredient in the monkey butter mixture is banana. The recipe calls for bananas that do not have brown spots.  If you live in a humid region, it becomes more difficult to prevent this. 

The easiest method is to purchase green, under-ripe bananas and wait for them to ripen. However, this requires close attention as they could turn brown under your nose.

As soon as they turn yellow, use them immediately before they turn brown. Brown bananas just don’t work well with this recipe. So make sure you’re using bananas without brown spots. Yellow bananas precisely.

Making Monkey Butter Without Sugar

If your Dietician does not recommend sugar as part of your diet, you can also enjoy monkey butter by following this recipe am about to show you. You may try it out on your own.

List of supplies you will need

• 5 ripe bananas sliced (yellow banana not brown)
• 1 fresh pineapple trimmed and chopped or crushed
• 2 cups shredded or crushed sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1 Tablespoon gelatin 

Instructions

1. Prepare The Water Bath Can

Fill your water bath canner with water, and place it over a burner with the lid on to bring it to a boil. Lower the empty canning jars down into the water to keep them clean and sterilized while you prepare the monkey butter. In a small saucepan, place the lids and rings to the jars in water over low heat to keep them hot while you work.

2. Heat Crushed Pineapple And Shredded Coconut

Add one can of crushed pineapple to a large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in ¼ cup of shredded coconut. 

3. Add Lemon Juice And Gelatin

Add three tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir the mixture to combine everything well. The lemon juice will help the recipe keep in your fridge for a while. Also, add the gelatin to the mixture.

4. Add Banana

Slice 5 ripe bananas, cutting off any brown spots they might have. Mix the sliced bananas into the pineapple mixture on the stove.

Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes so that the mixture can thicken. While the mix cooks down, mash the bananas using a potato masher until it is a consistency that you would like for your jam. 

5. Store Your Jam

Once the monkey butter mixture is ready, remove the hot jars from the water bath canner with a jar lifter, be sure to pour out the water that was inside them. Fill the jars with the monkey butter, leaving ¼ inch of headspace at the top of each jar. 

Wipe the rim of each jar clean with a damp paper towel, and place the lids and rings on the jars.  Place the jars into the water bath canner and process underwater for 15 minutes. 

Remove the jars and leave them undisturbed on the counter to seal. When the button in the center of each lid pops down and does not come back up, the lids are sealed correctly and can be stored. 

6. Preferably Refrigerate Monkey Butter

To ensure they last for a longer period say 4-6 weeks, you could store them in the fridge. It’s easier, safer, and lasts longer. If not you could water bath can it as noted above.

Of course, I couldn’t wait until this completely cooled before tasting and,

Oh.

My.

Word.

Monkey butter is crazy good! Like monkeys swinging from the rafters good. Like Gorilla pounding on their chest well. Like, okay. I know, that’s enough!

Just a warning that it is on the sweet side. But it’s crazy good. I’m thinkin’ I’m putting this on PB&J’s, English muffins, and even over ice cream.

I know that your family will go “Ape” over this Monkey Butter because, This Pin Rocks!

We have a recipe on our blog that is been pinned over 38,000 times!  What is, you ask? Lipton Onion Potatoes! Check it out here.  {{shameful plug!}}

If you loved this monkey butter recipe, check out these other amazing recipes!

• Paula Deen’s Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
• Roasted Chickpeas Recipe
• Polyjuice Potion Recipe
• Soy Sauce Brown Sugar Salmon Marinade
• Strawberry Filled Angel Food Cake Recipe

***Update Jan 19, 2014 – Whether or not you cook this jam or use the 15-minute water bath process, this jam should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer***

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