JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8/themes/dot-luv/jquery-ui.css">
<div>Test - Uses Live</div>
<br />
<div>Test - Uses Bind</div>

JavaScript

jQuery.fn.sb_animateMenuItem = function() {
  var mousehoverColor = '#0089F7';
  var duration = 250;
  var method = this.selector ? jQuery.fn.live : jQuery.fn.bind;
  method.apply(this, ['mouseover', function() {
     if(!jQuery.data(this, 'oColor'))
         jQuery.data(this, 'oColor', jQuery(this).css('background-color'));
     jQuery(this).stop(true).animate({ backgroundColor:mousehoverColor }, duration);
  }]);
  method.apply(this, ['mouseout', function() {
    jQuery(this).animate({ backgroundColor:jQuery.data(this, 'oColor') }, duration);
  }]);
  return this.css('cursor', 'pointer');
};
$('div:first').sb_animateMenuItem();
$($('div')[1]).sb_animateMenuItem();