Banana pudding Robert Irvine would be proud of!

From an 11 year old, anyway! Cade quickly pushed me out of the way to make the pudding entirely on his own. No recipe, just a minor change to the Jell-o instant (fat-free sugar-free) banana pudding box directions.

Cade's banana pudding

1 box jell-o banana pudding (we use fat/sugar free)

1 cup skim milk

1 small container cool whip lite

nilla wafers (as many as desired)

1 banana sliced

Mix pudding and 1 c (not 2 as instructed on box) milk. Fold in thawed cool whip. Layer

nilla wafers, banana in bottom and top with 1/2 of pudding/cool whip mix. Repeat layers.

Since Cade has seen just about every episode of Cake Boss, Sweet Genius, Restaurant Impossible and Chopped, he has become quite savvy in the kitchen. He even asked if we had raspberries for a colorful garnish! :) A scrumptious comfort dessert to follow Seth's meatloaf!

Breakfast - It's what's for dinner!

Eggs. My boys LOVE eggs! Seth especially. Hard-boiled, fried, scrambled, in a burrito, you name it, they love them! So, I thought Seth would be delighted to make a Breakfast Casserole recipe I got from my dear friend Margo. Silly me, he is a teenager after all, and the stars must align for him to be "in the mood" to cook regardless of the recipe. So, Cade willingly volunteered to make it. There was no way I was going to let Seth eat another Costco Angus burger!

Cade was doubly thrilled to make "bumpy stuff" for dessert, (aka "Strawberry Delight") which comes from a fund-raiser cook book from our old neighborhood. An almost healthy dessert I might add, were it not for the cool whip! Not the most well-balanced meal I'll admit, but protein rich and tasty too. At least there were strawberries!

Breakfast Casserole (whenever possible we used "light" ingredients)

preheat oven 400-425 degrees, bake 30-40 min.

1 can crescent rolls

1 pkg little smokies

2 c grated cheese

3/4 c milk

6-8 eggs

pepper to taste

Spread crescent rolls on bottom of buttered or "pam-ed" 9x13 baking dish, making sure

all seams are sealed. Sprinkle rolls with sliced sausages followed by 1/2 the cheese. Combine

milk, eggs & pepper & mix well. Pour over sausage and cheese. Add remaining cheese. Bake as directed or until slightly browned and center set. Serve with picante if desired.

"Bumpy Stuff" -Strawberry Delight

1 (1 lb.) container of fat-free cottage cheese

1 (12 oz) cool whip light (NOT fat free)

1 (6 oz.) pkg sugar-free strawberry jello

2 lg. containers (16 oz) strawberries cut up

Combine cottage cheese, cool whip, jello, strawberries. Serve chilled & store in refrigerator.

* Photo reflects Cade's "delight" in licking the spoon after making Bumpy Stuff!