Snickers Dip

I found this recipe online... and made it..  AND IT WAS A HIT!  I got tired of regular pot luck food so I made a dessert.  Snicker's Dip.  Ready?  Its super easy.

2 8oz packs of Cream Cheese
1 8oz tube of Cool whip
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 chopped up Snickers Bars.

 Get it?  Mix it all together..  that's it!   I took a Hershey bar and grated it on the top.

let it chill for a couple of hours and serve with Graham crackers... YUM!!!

We're not killing Bambi

Me: Erin, can I ask you a question?  What do think about hunting?

Erin: I'd like to go.

Me: Really?

Erin: Yeah.  I really want to go hunting. It would be fun.  

Me: So you are OK with killing animals for meat?

Erin: Yeah.  Killing them for no reason is wrong.  For food is ok.  I'd really like some deer meat.

Me:  You know, some people may tell you that you are killing  Bambi

Erin:  Moooommm.. you don't kill the babies.  There's no meat on them.  That's just wrong.

No Tofu Fun

I tried the fried Tofu today.  It was ok. Not great, but ok.  But one hour after eating, I was itchy.  My cheeks were red and itching.  Then my neck and scalp.  Then my legs.  DAMN!

Can you say allergy?

So now I am on benadryl.  There are no hives, just warm and itchy.  I'm going to go whine in a corner and try to not scratch my legs raw.

Tofu Fun!

First and foremost, No.  I am not any type of Vegetarian.  Nope.  Never.  I love bacon and steak and meat wayyyyyy to much to give that up.  But I am bored with some of the standard sides I have been making.  Potatoes or plain rice are boring. Not to mention meat can be crazy expensive.  So can a metric ton of veggies during the off season.

Today I try Tofu.  Its something I have wanted to try for a long time and I'm willing to NOT SUBJECT the Husband and Kid to it for a full meal.  Some of my friends say stay away from it.  Others offered some wonderful ideas.  I've only had Tofu cleverly disguised as Chocolate Cheesecake and I ate it.  I completely understand the magical properties of Tofu where its all about the flavor.   There is a brick of the Wegmans Extra Firm tofu sitting in my fridge.  I will fry some and bake some.  An open mind is what I really need right now.  I had tried Quinoa and it was ok.  I love Hummus and some veggie spring rolls are really good.  So my taste pallet is going to expand damn it.  I will learn to like More food.

Veggie Yumminess

I don't care if Yumminess isn't a word.  It is now.  I made myself lunch today consisting of veggies.

Carrots. Red and Green Pepper. Potato. Zucchini.  Toss it in a bit a olive oil and add Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle (it has everything I love so its my go to).  Roast for about 20 min at 425 degrees.

YUM! Freaking YUM!  The carrots were way sweeter than I thought they would be nothing was over or undercooked.   I'd say this was about 2 cups of veggies.

See Mom! I Ate my Veggies!!

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Lent

Lent is a time of sacrifice and reflection.  We give up something that we probably shouldn't be doing in the first place.   For me, it's Sugar.  Mostly chocolate and candy.  But I'm giving up excess sugar in my coffee and limiting what I eat that has sugar in it.   Do I need it? no.  Do I really want it?  yes... Its an addiction.  Time to break the habit and go cold turkey.

No if you will excuse me, I need throw out a piece of cake and some ice cream that is just way too freaking tempting.  Damn temptation...  

Buh Bye Sugar

We (Tim and I) always give up Chocolate and candy like snack things for Lent.  We do it too.  Now, its not been an issue the last few years as I don't tend to keep Candy in the house - except for the bucket of sweets Erin gets from parties, Halloween, Valentine's Day, Easter..  we are usually munching on Halloween candy well into the fall.

Well this year I'm taking it one step further.  No Sugar (Working on refined white sugar first).  So no sugar in Coffee. No Candy. No Chocolate.  The issue is with coffee creamer.  I use various ones that tend to have the sweeteners in it (come on, its Hazelnut).  Nope.. they must go.  I need keep on hand 2% milk.. Skim doesn't cut it for coffee.  

The other issue issue is with all the High Fructose additive that gets added to just about everything.  I started reading labels over the last few months and I was floored.  No wonder good high quality natural food taste "different".  

I've taken some steps already. I've decreased the amount of sugar in my coffee (some days I don't put any in).  Tea is being made and I'm working to use no sugar at all - the German Rock Sugar is used but just a smidge to sweeten it a bit.  I found a wonderful Acai Blueberry Green tea at RiteAid of all places.  and I drink it Hot too!! I know!! ODD!!

I know some of you are asking why (Mom, I know.. I know).  The reason - just cause. Sure, there are all the reports of how Sugar should be regulated like alcohol, but that won't happen.  I just want to see if I can do it.   Tim and Erin's birthday will be interesting but I'll manage.  

Birthday Cake Attempt = HELL YA!

It's Tim's  birthday today.  So as a treat, I made him his favorite dinner - Irish Chicken.  Cooked Chicken over noodles with a Mushroom Bailey's sauce.  

I found the recipe a few years back and I make it for special occasions.  Not to mention it is SUPER easy to make.  If you like mushrooms and Irish Cream, its a hit.

Erin on the other hand didn't like it at all so she had plain chicken. 

But the kicker of the day was the Cake.  BOSTON CREAM CAKE.  Yes, you read that right.   

Again.  Easy to do.  All you need is a boxed Yellow cake mix. When its done and cool, cut it in half to do a layer cake. 

Then, make Vanilla pudding.  When its good and chilled, use that as your filling.  Be careful to not go overboard or it will spill out the sides when  you put the top layer on.  

The Chocolate Glaze is last.  Its butter, vanilla, chocolate chips and Corn Syrup.  Melted it in the Micro and poured it over the cake.  Chilled for a bit and WHAM!!  Cake!!  So freaking good. 

Happy Birthday My Love..   enjoy the Cake!!!

taste test Oat Revolution

I love to try new products.. especially food.  Well, anything really.

Better Oats has a line of oatmeal out that is cool.  I have tried the Maple and Brown Sugar Oat Revolution...  and its yummy. Sweet, which is what I like.  Its not so much the taste I love but the packaging.

The oatmeal bag itself is is measured to 2/3 cup.  THE BAG!!  Pour the oats into a bowl.  Measure the water in the oat bag.  Nuke for 90 seconds.  DONE!  NO MEASURING CUP NEEDED!

How neat is this for the office?  I took a measuring cup in specifically because during the winter I'll bring in oatmeal.

Lets review the taste now.  I just finished my bowl and it was good.  Its better oats and... heartier.  The odd texture to me was the addition of the Flax seed.  You get used to it.    Overall, I'd get this again.  Thank you Better Oats...

Food

We tried the Angel Food Network program at a local church and all I can say is WOW. The amount of food we got for $30 was incredible - tater tots, chicken tenders, steak, riblets, frozen veggies, pizza, Italian sausage, burgers, eggs and more! I also got a pack of 10 lbs of Chicken tenders for $16... We have enough to last us in meat for a month or more!

With the cost of food these days, I may be able to get away with $150 a month on groceries (or, maybe a little more if I want ice cream).

I'll let you know how things taste...

Chicken soup and Croup

We were planning on taking a sick day for Erin - she's got that croupy cough going on again. She's had this a few times in the past and its not as bad as you think. The first time is horrific. Now, she just sounds like a seal.

So the sick day was replaced with a snow day. Its 6 degrees with a -15 windchill. Yesterday night is was -1 degrees with a windchill of -23 there abouts.

In our early morning talks (typical of a 4 year old who can't sleep), I ask her if she wanted Chicken soup today. Silly me. Of course she does. The pot is on the stove and I'm just waiting for the chicken to boil before I throw some veggies in.

I love home made chicken soup. Especially on days like today.

dinner

The kid is strange. Last weekend, Tim took us out to lunch. When we got to Friendly's, Erin pipes up saying she wanted to go to the place with the Waterfall where you get your own food.

I love this kid. She wanted to go to the Chinese buffet.

What 4 year old wants to go the Chinese buffet? I don't know of any.

So all week, the deal was that if she was Green (aka no problems) all week, we'd go on Friday for dinner. So far so good. I SO WANT CHINESE!!!

Is it 5 pm yet? Crab legs, here I come! I'll be good, I just need a couple....