You're Welcome

You're on Pinterest, right?  If not, where on earth have you been?  Check it out.  I like to get on there and just browse the "Humor" category if I need a laugh.  I also like to check out the "Popular" category to see what's trending all over.  And, of course, you can just take a look and see what your friends are into lately.  Recipes are a big part of it.  I love getting new recipes!  But I don't just pin wildly - I always click the picture to get to the actual recipe so that I can determine whether or not I will realistically ever make the recipe.  If it has 42 ingredients - no.  If I have to pre-cook something before it goes into the crockpot - no (seriously?  eliminates the purpose!).  Since there's no professional requirement for putting a recipe on there, some of them don't work out so well.  I've pinned tons of recipes and have had the chance to put a few of them to the test this holiday season.  I thought I would share with you all the ones that I've tried so you don't have to experiment as much:

http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/03/crock-pot-chicken-dumplings-recipe/

 

This was pretty good to me, but Alan is the chicken & dumplings expert around here and it wasn't his favorite.  I think when you add the biscuits, if you don't mix them in so that they cook a little more on top, it could be better. 

 

Crock Pot Cinnamon Almonds

http://richestoragsbydori.blogspot.jp/2012/09/crock-pot-cinnamon-almonds.html

 

DELICIOUS!  I gave them as gifts to some of the people who work for Alan.  YUM.  I did find that it made enough of the sugar mixture to cover twice the amount of almonds it calls for, so double the egg white and the almonds, but keep the sugars and cinnamon the same. 

 

Chubby Hubby Truffles

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/12/chubby-hubby-buckeye-peanut-butter.html

 

These are yummy if you like crunchy peanut butter.  They are a little tough to roll and dip because the pretzel pieces in the mix tend to make it fall apart easier.  Might be easier if the pretzels are crushed to pretty tiny pieces.  Taste great as a finished product, though!

 

 

Pumpkin Muffins

http://sweet-verbena.blogspot.jp/2011/08/pumpkin-muffins.html

 

EASY!  I added some pumpkin pie spice to the cake mix and pumpkin.  When I put them in the muffin pan, I thought there was no way they would turn out well, but they did!  I took them to Life Group and everyone thought they were fantastic.  You can substitute Spice Cake, which I'll try next, as well.  But I highly recommend this recipe!  Yummy and easy.

 

Spinach Feta Rolls

http://clairebidwellsmith.com/2010/01/22/windy-city-crescent-rolls/

 

Eh.  Just OK.  Mine did not turn out like the photos, first of all.  Second, I used three tubes of crescent rolls instead of two and still had enough of the stuffing mixture to make at least two more tubes.  I was ticked that it was so off.  I ended up eating it as a salad, but still...You can only pile so much of the mixture onto the tiny triangle and by the time it bakes up and the cheese inside melts and the spinace wilts, I felt like the inside was pretty empty except for a few olive pieces.  Just so-so.  Maybe you can figure out how to make it turn out well and let me know.  I like the idea of them.

 

Bacon-wrapped Smokies

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/bacon-wrapped-smokies-with-brown-sugar-and-butter/

 

MAKE THESE NOW!  They are so good.  I do think you can change a couple of things:  First, I think you can do less brown sugar, like maybe only 1 1/2 cups total, or even less.  Second, I think if you only slightly cooked the bacon to get some of that fat off it would allow for less liquid in the pan in the end and maybe crispier bacon (who doesn't like that).  Even after turning up the heat and then broiling them, my bacon was a little soggy.  But they still all disappeared, so that's a good sign!  Loved them!

 

http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/03/parmesan-roasted-zucchini-recipe/

 

So, so good.  My favorite way to make zucchini now.  Exactly like the recipe, no changes. 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

 

Yes.  Do it.  These are chocolate covered heaven - and no salmonella (not that it ever stopped me before)!  Alan's favorite.

 

You're welcome.

 

Merry Christmas!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Do You Know The Laws?

A friend shared this video on Facebook the other day and it really affected me.  I can't stop thinking about it and how right he is.  Sorry, I had trouble embedding it, so you'll have to click on the link to watch.  It's Mike Huckabee talking about where God was when the horrific tragedy occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Watch it, then come back to me.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/2038135300001/

 

 

What a revelation!  Here we have been, cutting God out of school, out of politics...out of society.  But in a time of crisis, what do we do?  We run to Him.  We run to church.  We beg of Him to help us understand "Why?"  I love this monologue.  Especially the end, where he reminds us that laws are already in place to prevent these sort of tragedies.  WE ARE JUST FAILING TO TEACH THEM.  We should all feel responsible a little bit for tolerating the direction our society has gone in.  Bratz and Monster High dolls?  Is that the sort of trash you want your daughter looking up to?  And video games - Halo, Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto...all glorifying guns and making kids think it's cool to be really good at shooting.  What about the top TV shows?  Dexter, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy...all glorification of crimes.  People automatically think something is mentally wrong with people who commit these crimes.  What if they are perfectly normal people, just doing what they think is OK to do - what they are taught to do?

 

As a child, I grew up around guns.  Daddy was a hunter.  The guns weren't even locked up!  The rifles were propped in a corner, easily accessible for defense (never necessary) or a good buck that wondered close enough to the house (we lived on 11 acres).  You know what?  My sister and I never touched those guns.  Friends who came over never touched them.  You know why?  Because our parents taught us two things: 1) The Ten Commandments and 2) Guns were not toys and can hurt people.  Because we knew #1, we didn't want to hurt anyone.  Do you think the kids who have mastered the above mentioned video games understand #1 or #2?  Doubtful...

 

I don't completely disagree with stricter gun control guidelines.  I do agree that no civilian has any business owning a semi-automatic weapon.  And I do know that any gun in the wrong hands can be disastrous.  But I also know that there are far more people who legally and safely own and operate guns.  And I also know that the people who use them to be disastrous are not going to follow any law put in to place.

 

Guns don't kill people.  People kill people.  Teach your people the original Laws and they will live a respectable, rich life.  I don't like to blame the parents when things like this happen because it's not my place to judge, but I think parents do hold a lot of responsibility for how our children turn out.  Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, some kids stray and I get that.  But if you're a parent, pay attention to what your children are being exposed to!  You are not responsible for their actions - individuals are solely responsible for their own actions, but you are responsible for setting them up to live the best way possible as adults.  It's your job.  Try to do it right.  If you need an instruction manual, there has always been one.  It's a little long, but it's effective.

 

 

Mike Huckabee had more comments here:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/mike-huckabee-news?ID=70415326-e438-41e4-9972-467097d2029f    

In My Head

1.  I love my kids, but sometimes I think about how useful duct tape could be...especially with the girl.

2.  I think schools could collect a lot more Box Tops for Education if they were on: coffee, wine, OTC pain relievers and band-aids.  And maybe Mott's Natural Apple Sauce.  And did I already say wine?

3.  I can't remember a time in our life when Alan and I have gone through as many pain relievers (Tylenol, Advil, Excedrin, Aleve...) as we do right now.  See #1.

4.  Did I tell you we're going to Australia in a couple of weeks?  I'm super-excited, but I hope I don't forget to pack pain relievers and band-aids...and maybe duct tape...and maybe wine.

That is all.

Squatty Logic

If you were excited about me blogging again, then you'll probably be disappointed.  This hardly qualifies...

When we first moved here, I was appalled to find these:

 

We call them "squatty potties" because...well, you understand, right?  I remember thinking "Why on earth would they have these?!"  They do have normal potties, as well.  In fact, they have very fancy potties with warm seats and a white noise function and bidets.  Then, sometimes they have squatty potties and I just don't get it.  Seems barbaric, almost, except that there's plumbing, which means it's not any less intrusive to install.  Baffled.

 

Until last week, when I was reading Real Simple magazine and there was an advertisement for a "Squatty Potty toilet stool."  Seriously.  That's what it's called.  They've taken your everyday stool, which most of us have around, especially if we have kids, and they have marketed it as a supposed health tool that they sell for $35.  You prop your feet up while you potty.  So you potty like this:

 

Because, apparently:

 

Here is their claim: 

 

"The modern day toilet is convenient, but definitely not perfect. While sitting to do our business may be sold as civilized, this position has brought on a number of health problems that plague us today. Squatty Potty changes your anorectal angle for faster, cleaner, more effective elimination."
~source here
 

Huh.  I guess these Japanese people are smarter than me.  I still don't think I'll be installing a squatty potty any time soon.