Nine out of ten sock monkeys prefer the taste of banana walnut chocolate chip cookies over real bananas.

This weekend, you could tell that I was feeling myself again because I had the overwhelming desire to cook something. That and the fact that I couldn't have come up with the sock monkey photo a couple of weeks ago. A photo like that is born out of my happy place. Oh, the Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip cookie recipe is another one from the Martha Stewart cookie book. Although I used very ripe bananas, I didn't feel they had a very noticeable banana taste. You had to know beforehand that they had banana in them to really pick up on it. Still, the bananas made the cookies very moist.



Mark made fun of me because I made enough pancakes on Sunday morning to feed the Waltons. So I took a picture of them. Come 'n git, John Boy!



Mmmm...this is my new favorite recipe - One Pot Chicken and Brown Rice from Everyday Food Magazine. It takes a about a hour and a half to make, but almost all of that is cooking time because it's otherwise very easy to assemble. I've really learned to enjoy dark meat lately. I'm the only one who will eat the turkey leg at Thanksgiving!

***Begin American Idol blabbering***

By now, it's old news that Season 9 will probably go down in history as one of the worst, if not THE worst season of American Idol ever. I have been holding out hope week after week that it's going to get better. After all, each season starts out rough until the less than stellar contestants are weeded out and the cream rises to the top. There's also a tendency to think that the current season's crop will never compare to your favorites from the last season, but then you discover a new favorite and suddenly, it's the Best! Season! Ever! I even pushed through the disappointment when my potential favorites like Tyler Grady and the boy with the unfortunate name and even more unfortunately haircut, Alex Lambert, were untimely eliminated.

But after last night's catastrophe, hope is no more. I've resigned myself to the fact that there is truly little, if any, cream available, and since I don't drink coffee anyway, I shouldn't let it get me down. So here are my thoughts on a few of this season's group:

Siobhan Magnus: I am a couch cougar no more because, YES! I! CAN! ROOT! FOR! A! FEMALE! (By the way, I myself coined the term "couch cougar," which is defined as a middle aged woman who would never actually go out and score a younger man but instead sits at home and crushes on them while watching television. Please feel free to use it in casual conversation so that it catches on. For example, "That Tim Urban - he turns me into such a couch cougar!")

Back to Siobhan. I just find her absolutely adorable and want to adopt her as the little sister that I never had. On top of that, she's interesting, fun, works the stage and can sing, all qualities that are sorely lacking in this season's contestants.

Crystal Bowersox: It's no secret that she's the favorite (Cause Simon says so!). I can't deny that Crystal is probably the best this season has to offer, but I also can't help but resent the fact that she's standing still playing guitar week after week and not getting called out for it like Jason Castro. Crystal is also a lot like Brad Pitt to me. I can tell Brad is a good looking guy, but I much rather look at Josh Holloway. I can tell Crystal is a talented singer, but I much rather listen to someone else. Maybe it's because I don't like Janice Joplin (I know, SACRILEGE!).

Casey James: Speaking of the poor man's Josh Holloway, Casey is golden...in theory. He's got the look, the name and the locks. He sounds pretty nice too. However, there's just something off about him. I think it's the vapid smile that he wears every time he performs. He could be singing about how on the way to the studio the limo he was riding in accidentally ran over his dog, and he would smile his way through it. Plus he picks songs like "The Power of Love." Step away from the Huey, Casey!

Andrew Garcia: I don't really understand why the judges rip him to shreds each week because, to me, he's doing exactly what he did in his auditions. I like Andrew's voice, but there's something about him that turns me off. The combination of neck tattoo and Danny Gokey glasses doesn't help.

Didi Benami: Megan Joy 2.0 with improved singing.

Katie Stevens: Poor Katie. A few seasons ago, the judges would be drooling all over her. She's a smaller scale Katherine McFee.

And lastly, Tim Urban. I thought that he had nerve when he stole a page out of Jason Castro's playbook and sang "Hallelujah" during week three of the semi-finals.



Then I realized Tim stole my father's haircut.



You're dead to me, Tim. DEAD.