Stole this from junky, who stole it from somewhere else. Thanks, to our friend from the blogdom.

Top 10 Foods for a Good Night's Sleep

What is the secret to getting a solid 7 to 8 hours of sleep? Head for the kitchen and enjoy one or two of these 10 foods. They relax tense muscles, quiet buzzing minds, and/or get calming, sleep-inducing hormones - serotonin and melatonin - flowing. Yawning yet?

Bananas. They're practically a sleeping pill in a peel. In addition to a bit of soothing melatonin and serotonin, bananas contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.

Chamomile tea. The reason chamomile is such a staple of bedtime tea blends is its mild sedating effect - it's the perfect natural antidote for restless minds/bodies.

Warm milk. It's not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedative - like effect - and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. Plus there's the psychological throw-back to infancy, when a warm bottle meant "relax, everything's fine."

Honey. Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. Lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.

Potatoes. A small baked spud won't overwhelm your GI tract, and it clears away acids that can interfere with yawn-inducing tryptophan. To up the soothing effects, mash it with warm milk.

Oatmeal. Oats are a rich source of sleep - inviting melatonin, and a small bowl of warm cereal with a splash of maple syrup is cozy - plus if you've got the munchies, it's filling too.

Almonds. A handful of these heart-healthy nuts can be snooze-inducing, as they contain both tryptophan and a nice dose of muscle-relaxing magnesium.

Flaxseeds. When life goes awry and feeling down is keeping you up, try sprinkling 2 tablespoons of these healthy little seeds on your bedtime oatmeal. They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter.

Whole-wheat bread. A slice of toast with your tea and honey will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it's converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep."

Turkey. It's the most famous source of tryptophan, credited with all those Thanksgiving naps. But that's actually modern folklore. Tryptophan works when your stomach's basically empty, not overstuffed, and when there are some carbs around, not tons of protein. But put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread mid-evening, and you've got one of the best sleep inducers in your kitchen.

What if none of these foods help you get your zzz's? Check out your sleep habits with this quick RealAge test to find out what?s keeping you up at night. http://www.realage.com/health_guides/RLS/intro.aspx

For an extra treat, here's the ultimate sleep-inducing snack...

Lullaby Muffins
Makes 12 low-fat muffins
Between the bananas, the whole wheat, and the honeyed touch of sweetness, these muffins are practically an edible lullaby.
· 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1 tablespoon baking powder
· 2 large, very ripe bananas
· 1/3 cup applesauce
· 1/4 cup honey
· 1/2 cup milk or soymilk

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine the flour (make sure it's whole-wheat pastry flour or you'll produce golf balls, not muffins), salt, and baking powder. In a blender, puree the bananas; add the applesauce, honey, and milk. Blend well. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups, pour in batter, and bake 30 minutes or until tops are lightly brown and slightly springy.

Dad's Omelettes

(I googled this picture because, unfortunately, I don't make omelettes anymore. My kids won't have anything to do with eggs now so I rarely buy them. And, when I do, I buy the Born3 free range ones, they're so good, much better than the other ones.)

Anyhow, Dad made omeletttes a lot at home. We'd often do the "breakfast for dinner" thing and I loved when we did that. They were so damned tasty that I must share the recipe (or as much of it as I remember...we tend to "wing" it when cooking. Therefore, as is usually the case with me, amounts are variable and you decide how much you want!).

INGREDIENTS:

EGGS (duh)
MILK
S & P
COOKING OIL

BACON
MUSHROOMS
ONION
TOMATOES
CHILI POWDER
CHEESE

Very simple...cut the bacon into little pieces and begin to fry it, preferably in a non stick frypan. Drain grease out of the pan as you go along if necessary. If you're not using nonstick, make sure you leave a little in there. Cut mushrooms into little pieces and dice some onion and throw it in with the bacon. When the onion's nearly transparent, add some tomato (I use a bit of canned, chopped tomato) and a good shot of chili powder. Set aside.

Heat another non stick frypan with a little oil in it. Swirl the oil around to coat entire pan bottom then dump out excess. In a bowl whisk up eggs with a bit of milk (just a touch!). Add S & P. Dump in hot pan and, again, swirl around gently to cover the bottom with egg. If you don't do this the outer edge of the omelette will be too thin/overcooked and the middle won't be done properly...so, it's important. I keep running the egg over into the outside edge until it's a nice even layer in the pan. When egg is nearly done, put some grated cheese on one side of it then add some of the "filling" mix. Gently lift the other side of the egg and fold over the top. Carefully remove to a plate and enjoy!

Know what?....I'm gonna' go make one right now, damn it!

(Chicken) Fajitas

Several years ago there was a really great local restaurant here called PJ Burger & Sons. As a matter of fact, when I was in labour and about to deliver Tyler, my hubby and my cousin snuck over there to have a milkshake and a bite to eat. It was across the street from the hospital and I was furious...they came back into the delivery room smelling of the delicious stuff and I hadn't eaten in over 24 hours!!

Anyhow, one of our favorites dishes there was the chicken fajitas...they'd bring them to the table still crackling away in the cast iron frying pan. Although they wouldn't reveal their "secret" recipe, I managed to figure it out and, to this day, it's Tyler's absolute favorite meal. I don't use measured amounts, so just "wing it", according to your taste. But the cumin and lime are the key ingredients...be generous with these two.

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you can substitute beef/pork)

peppers - I use orange, yellow & red (you may want green also)
a cooking onion
cooking oil

3-4 limes (we sometimes use 5 if they're small. More lime juice = tastier, moister fajitas)
half a dozen or so cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
a very liberal shake of cumin
good shake of chili powder
another of paprika
pinch of salt & a bit of (preferably freshly) ground black pepper

cheese (whatever kinds you like)
lettuce (again, whatever your preference is)
green onion
tomatoes
sour cream
salsa
guacamole
(and any other toppings you want to include...my kids put hot sauce on. Some like olives)

tortillas

* * * * *

Preheat oven to 275.

Chop chicken into bite size pieces or strips. Wash hands well afterward and don't reuse utensils that have been used for the chicken (duh). Cover and put in fridge while prepping other stuff.

Wrap tortillas tightly in tin foil and place in oven.

Mix together in a small bowl - fresh squeezed lime juice, garlic, cumin (we use tons) and a good shake or two of chili powder, paprika, & ground black pepper. (I don't add salt here, as I season the chicken as it cooks).

Prep other "toppings" - grate cheese; chop lettuce, green onion and tomatoes. Cover and place on a serving platter in the fridge until ready to serve.

Heat oil in skillet - cast iron is best but, in all honesty, I don't have one so I use a non stick frying pan. Fry peppers and white onion until done...remove from skillet, set aside. Add a bit more oil to the pan and wait a few seconds until it heats up over med/high heat. Put chicken in the pan and fry until nearly done (I season it a bit as it's frying - a little salt, pepper, paprika and, again, quite a bit of cumin - it has a nice flavor). When chicken's nearly done, add the peppers/onion back into pan, then dump the marinade in from the fridge and crank the heat up high for a minute or two (until it's bubbling away). While this is happening, take toppings you've prepped from the fridge and set out. Also set out a bowl of sour cream & guac. Spoon chicken mixture into a large bowl and set out with other ingredients when done.

Remove tortilla package from fridge and set on table. Have guests each take one out, then rewrap to keep warm.

Fill tortillas with desired filling and wrap up tightly, folding in one end as you do so.

Enjoy!

(*Note - any meat can be substituted for the chicken.)