His, Mine, and Ours

What are you most grateful for in this new year? What happily followed you from years past?

I’m really grateful for this guy. We celebrated our third anniversary just before New Year’s Eve.

I can’t believe I’ve gotten to spend all this time with my amazing guy. This picture was taken Christmas Eve, at my Mama’s house, and even though he was sick as a dog, he is still so handsome!

 

It’s true, what they say about finding love when you are not looking. I met C. through my best friend’s then boyfriend, who he worked with, and he was my roommate before he was my boyfriend. I get a lot of weird looks when I tell people about how we met, but really, I would almost recommend it. Why?

Well, there was no lying on our ‘first date’ (first date is quoted because we never left our apartment). People tell little lies on the traditional first date, they stretch the truth about their interests and accomplishments in an effort to impress this stranger, who doesn’t know you from Adam or Eve. I could have tried, once we got together, to create a glamorous persona, but he probably wouldn’t have believed me. He watched me, and I him, for over a month. The things I truly enjoyed we had all ready discussed, at length, to fill the empty air as we sat across from each other in the living room.
We were, at times, both like ‘About Me’ tracks on fast forward, because when you live with someone you’ve only barely met, there is always something to talk about. This is another plus, to me, because it was an in-depth crash-course on the true values and beliefs we held. I have seen many relationships fold after an unexpected opinion has been revealed, because in the initial infatuation period you aren’t really thinking about what you want in a possible LIFE partner; everything’s happy and new and perfect, you hide the controversial things, and when you have to take a step together and find you don’t agree, it’s a huge issue. In living together, the controversial points were unavoidable and they came quick: Religion, political standings, world views, etc. were all discussed within a month.
Looking back now, I imagine a relationship like ours is the result of many arranged marriages throughout history. I have always believed the actual practice of arranged marriage to be archaic and stale, despite it’s good intentions, but have heard many stories of relationships that were set-up and end in loving bliss. I can see now, how, with relatively little prior screening, we manage to make good romantic matches, either through a high level of human compatibility or an immediate chemical recognition or something. After three years, we aren’t married, but we are committed, and we do love one another, and to imagine it growing from two strangers in a month’s time is amazing.  In that time of knowing him I was in on his daily schedule, his habits, how he cared for himself, and how he grew up. By the time he kissed me I had fallen for him!

Let me clarify that we do not have a ‘perfect’ relationship, nor one free of conflict. We do a lot of things differently, from money management to chores, and it causes ruffled feathers and irritation. We don’t fight, per say, we just disagree whom’s way is ‘right’, even if they both work.

I think we have to perfect blend of shared and separate personality traits, there are so many similarities and the other issues, we play Devil’s Advocate for each other, and it forces us to look at things differently. Being with C. has (lovingly) forced me to become stronger, more sure, and even more patient. I have to push aside my own insecurities to see his point of view, and I need to see that point of view to avoid resting on my laurels.

We have something many of my friends envy, they’ve told me so, and while I blush and ‘Aw, shucks’ those comments away, when I look around and see so many broken hearts, I feel so lucky and proud of the relationship we’ve built and maintained. Many of our individual friends have come and gone, some with more hurt than others, but we stay together… It has to be one of my favorite things in my life, to have a man so awesome to share it with. And it happened so randomly! It’s a beautiful, tangled web we weave and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Have you ever had such a happy accident? Are you grateful for it?

Ring In the New Year

Why is everyone ‘grading’ our previous year, 2011?
Don’t speak ill about the dead.

Why do we want to pass such critical, one-time judgement on something you’re not really thinking objectively on?

I can’t remember most of the everyday events of 2011, I doubt most of you can either (If you can, teach me your tricks!).

In my world, the last WEEK of 2011 really sucked, almost enough for me to make a grand generalization about how 2011 was the worst year in the entirety of my life, and 2012 just HAS to be better ’cause that was just awful… But not quite.

The last week of the year should, in my opinion, should be a really special one for me (and C. and our families and friends), because we have Christmas, C. and I’s anniversary, adorable little guy’s (my closest cousin’s son) birthday, and New Year’s, all BAM-BAM-BAM one right after the other… And I must say that this year, if I could return it, I would. And I usually keep the worst gifts for years.

We’ll completely ‘forget’ about the pre-holiday drama, I’m sure it would bore you, but I will at least explain how we ended up where, when: Apparently, one of my very favorite aunts, and the only one who still lives in Ohio with us, decided that she was going to travel for Christmas, to see my other favorite aunt in Arizona. Now, to most normal people, this isn’t a big awful deal, but we are a close-knit group, and since 2 of our sub-families are already out of town every day, the loss of another kind of shook the foundation. We always gather at my Mamaw’s house, about 70 miles from Columbus, but the trek on Christmas is pretty terrible, and Little Brother announced that he wouldn’t be able to make it Christmas Day (he’s another 120 miles away) with his new wife and my adorable niece. So it was decided that the family would gather on Christmas Eve at my Mama’s house, we would have a cold-cut Christmas dinner (ham and turkey sandwiches), open presents, and it would free up Christmas Day for everyone; C. and I would only have to go out to visit his parents, and stop by and see my Daddio.

I think lots of people (including my boyfriend) were really looking forward to the low-key holiday weekend… I hated it.
I’m a family girl! Christmas isn’t Christmas if we aren’t all pressed together in a little-too-small house with yummy food smells floating through all day and no one can hear anything… It sounds crazy, but that’s what I want!! Christmas this year was just kind of another day, like the day after where Christmas was supposed to be.  Our Christmas Eve gathering was fun, but it was more like everybody’s birthday party, once presents we opened and dinner was had, everybody split. I didn’t get to see my niece open the cool Play-Dough set I picked out for her, and C. was so incredibly sick, my poor man, he put on a pretty good face but I don’t think he had much fun at all. The next day, we went out to see his Mom and stepdad, and it was fun too, but very, very low-key. Quiet, quiet, quiet, they didn’t even put up a tree this year! We had dinner at the Waffle House, and spent a couple of hours with my dad, before turning in early.
Fun stuff, right? Did you get excited just reading about it?? Well hold on to your britches, it goes on!

The 28th is our anniversary, and my cousin’s eldest’s birthday, but even with both events coinciding, not much went on. C. brought me some beautiful roses, I made some yummy Beer Beef Stew and Perogies (Romantic, huh?), and we vegged on the couch. We had my Sugi-Boo’s birthday party here on New Year’s Eve, and somehow drama and meanness invaded the whole thing, so everyone was tense and sad, not celebratory. All week I’d been saying that I wanted to party-hearty for New Year’s, but after the week I’d had, I didn’t even want to go to our friend’s house for a get together – We had dinner at Applebee’s, grabbed a Redbox movie, and didn’t even watch the ball drop.

Do you see why I squirm thinking about my holiday week? Nothing really bad happened, save the birthday party fiasco, but it didn’t really feel like the holidays at all. Here’s the real kicker, too: I have been so bummed that it’s all progressed this way, that I stopped being my almost elfish self. I tore down all my decorations on Monday the 26th. I joined C.’s Scrooginess. Then got upset about it.

But something magical happened this morning, I woke up with the overwhelming urge to write, which I obviously haven’t done in at least two months. And I started thinking, about all kinds of things, really, but especially about the New Year; how some people think it’s magic or something, capable of turning them into the people they want to be by wishing; how others really embrace it as a ‘new beginning’ of sorts, a time to drop last year’s baggage and strive for better things in the coming days; how some think that ‘what happened in 2011 will stay in 2011′, it is a new day; and still others just move through, no renewal at all. Which of these am I?

Well, yesterday, I did think I would be changing with the calendar, but I guess some holiday magic finally found me. 2012 is positively glowing with potential, and I’m going to take my part in it.

I Want To-

• Be a Better Person. I know that sounds super general and non-committal, but it’s just the best phrase to sum it up. I realized, over this holiday week, that there are some people I would not associate with if they weren’t blood related; they’re fabulous relatives, but not nice people, and when I step outside my family viewing box, I don’t at all like what I see. I think I have some relatives or dear friends who could say the same thing about me, and in total disclosure, I’m not a huge fan of myself on paper, so I am going to change it. Why don’t I donate more things? Why don’t I recycle, really? Why don’t I give more of my wasted time to things that would better my heart and mind and body? Why don’t I visit the museum anymore? Why not stop asking?
• Launch Share. Love. Food. into CyberSpace and Beyond! Share.Love.Food. is my dream come true. I started making cupcakes for C.’s co-workers, and those sweet fellas encouraged me to start offering them to the world! C. is constructing a beautiful website, and I want to expand my offerings as soon as it’s finished! In addition to my traditional(-esque) sweet cakes, I want to offer some savory things, and some special variants that set me apart from any other bakery/cupcakery you’ve ever seen!
• Grow Stronger. Both mentally and physically. I’m super sensitive, to a fault, and can (not always, but can) be wounded by the smallest off-hand remark or the slightest reference to my inadequacies. I NEED the approval and support of my loved ones, even when I know completely that what I’m doing is a good thing; a doubtful comment kills my enthusiasm. How is that okay? Even as my nearest and dearest, they will not always agree, and I willingly drop things right away, first hinderence? No wonder I’m such a frakking push-over. I can draw support through my inspirations, and the results will be revered! The negatives become less once the positive evidence builds. And, I don’t want to lose weight, I just want to move more! Though I cannot figure out WHY, I received a pamphlet for participation in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Triathlon in Dublin in June, and I can’t stop looking at it. I run, but I’m not very good at it, I used to hate it (In fact, I used to say you would only find me running if something was chasing me), but now I’m captivated, it’s fabulous in its simplicity, challenging in its requirements, and soothing in its release, unlike anything else I’ve done. I know it’s possible for me to train and complete a marathon, but currently I can’t do 1/4 mile straight without dropping pace yet! I want to be able to run for at least a mile!
• Keep Going. I want need to keep writing, keep baking, keep running, keep thinking, keep crafting, keep loving, keep Pinning, keep playing, keep singing, and keep being the type of person I want to be!

My first ever New Year’s Resolutions!! Do you have your own resolutions? Are any of them like mine?

Does this song inspire you like it does me?

Happy Birthday To Me

Tomorrow is my birthday

I have always loved my birthday, and I can blame my family for my ardent love of birthdays and holidays, as they have always made them super special days.

When I was a kid, my birthday meant MY DAY. My mom would let me call off school, sometimes pausing her multiple jobs to stay home with me, or take me out for the day, I picked what we had for dinner, and of course we had birthday parties! I can’t even tell you how many times my Mama had to listen to a dozen young girls yammering and giggling until the wee hours of the morning.

I remember for that one year I was supposed to have a Meg cake, from the Disney movie Hercules, but when my mom sent my grandpa to Dairy Queen he brought back a blue, boys’ Hercules cake. That was probably one of my very favorite birthdays. I remember that’s the year that I got my Barbie Polaroid camera; and late that night as all my friends and I lay in the front room doing whatever pre-teen girls did, talking and playing fighting probably, we became convinced that someone was breaking in. Weird sounds came from outside, and suddenly my back door slammed. All of us that were awake jumped behind our giant, yellow chair and hid as we listened to someone climb the stairs…

Turns out that it was my mom’s boyfriend coming home from work at almost 5am, and the man still woke up early to make us eggs, bacon, refried beans and tortillas for breakfast. Definitely one of my absolute favorite memories.

What happens to us as we get older?
I know that after 21 we pretty much stop celebrating age-related milestones, short of reminding ourselves of the rapid aging process by jokingly refer to those over 30 as ‘over the hill’, but doesn’t that seem wrong?

Why don’t we use these days to really celebrate the individual, since we so often forget to every single day? Why did we lose that absolute joy of having our own special day when we left childhood?

I don’t know about you, but I still want my special day! I don’t care about gifts, but I want people to remind me how much they love me in remembrance of my birth!

IT’S A GREAT IDEA!

I am going to pledge here and now that I will personally try to make all of my loved ones’ birthdays special from here on out, to make sure they have one special day each year when they will be surrounded by positive energy and love. C.’s birthday is Friday, and while I always like spoiling him, he will have a super special day.

I want to make people a little bit happier, make everyone feel a little more special… Do you go out of your way to make others’ birthdays or other special days REALLY special?

Guess Who’s Back… Back Again…

Oh hai!

I’ve missed you, anonymous, probably-make-believe readers. I’m working on a narrative for you, but I’ve created something fabulous and I need to share it with you. You know we love Mexican food, but I’ve had a recent obsession with stuffed muffins. This is a combo of those passions.

Cheesy Taco Dinner Bites

Bountiful Beer Bread Mix (Or other instant bread mix)
12 oz beer (Or required ingredients for bread mix)
1 lb lean ground beef/sirloin
2 tbsp seasoned salt
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp garlic pepper seasoning
Splash of beef broth
Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare bread mix.

Brown and drain ground beef, add seasoned salt and chili powder, add broth to dissolve seasonings. Take off heat.

Plop approx. 2 tbsp of bread mix into each muffin well, just enough to cover the bottom, then carefully ‘swirl’ pan to inch batter up sides. Add a spoonful of ground beef mixture and cheese, topping with more bread mix to 3/4 fullness. Sprinkle with more cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Please forgive the vague amounts, but after sharing this recipe I found that the amounts were variant. I also didn’t realize how delicious they would be so I didn’t take any pictures of the process. But don’t fret, my dears, for I am making them again tonight and shall photo-document the process.

Until the update,
<3 L.

*EDIT: Like the pictures? They aren’t the best, I had to use my cell phone camera because my digi was out of batteries… Still, they’re deliciously yummy.

Welp…

Oh, welp, right after I told you I was going to be a more reliable, diligent blogger, the webs went out of our house again and the air blew right out of that.

I would love to stick to that schedule, but with a new job I can’t really promise that I’ll hoof it every Mon/Weds/Fri the next couple of weeks!

Try to gimme some slack!

Super Savings #5

Had a pretty good weekend shopping experience at Aldi and Dollar General, my two favorite stores to hit hard while I’m on a crunched budget.

Saturday, 8/6/2011 Shopping – Aldi

(1) 2.1 lbs package of Chicken Breast @ $6.27
(2) Frozen 85/15 Ground Beef 1 lb. @$2.69
(1) Quart of Half & Half @ $1.69
(1) pound of sliced Honey Smoked Turkey @ $3.29
(1) package of American Cheese Singles @ $1.99
(1) Seasoned French Fries @ $1.89
(1) bag of Buffalo Chicken Tenders @ $6.49
(1) 6-pack box of Twix Ice Cream Bar @ $2.79
(1) 24-pack box of 20 oz. Sports Cap Water Bottles @ $3.99
(1) 5 lbs bag of Sugar @ $3.15 (Up $0.46 from 2 weeks ago)
(1) loaf of White Bread @ $0.79
(1) Apple Rounds Cereal @ $1.49
(1) bag of Baked BBQ Potato Crisps @ $1.99
(1) bag of Baked Potato Crisps @ $1.99
(1) bag of White Corn Tortilla Rounds @ $1.19
(1) box of Taco Shells @ $0.99
(2) packet of Taco Seasoning @ $0.39

(19) Total Items
Grand Total: $46.15 

{Once again, NO SALES TAX!}

Saturday, 8/6/2011 Shopping – Dollar General

(1) Medium bag Pedigree Large Breed Dog Food @ $10.00
-$1.00 print-off coupon from Pedigree.com
(1) can Alpo Tenderloin Dog Food @ $0.75
-(1) FREE Alpo can coupon, mailer
(1) 6-pack Scott Paper Towels @ $6.00
(1) 9-pack Scott Bath Tissue @ $7.25
(1) 25-pack Finish Powerball Tabs @ $4.50
-$0.75 clipped coupon
(1) large tub of DG Disinfecting Wipes @ $3.25
(1) tube Lotrimin AF Cream @ $7.00
(1) bottle Herbal Essences Color Me Happy Shampoo @ $2.50
-(1) FREE Herbal Essences Product coupon, mailer
(1) bottle Aussie Moist Conditioner @ $3.00
-(1) FREE Aussie Product coupon, mailer
(1) can of Pantene Medium/Thick Hairspray @ $3.50
-(1) FREE Pantene Product coupon, mailer

(10) Total Items
Sales Tax: $3.22
Grand Total: $39.47 
Saved: $11.50 

So, not too shabby over all, except my lack of photos this week {batteries weren’t in the budget}, but hopefully soon I’ll be gaining even MORE tricks to save on my health/beauty/cleaning/pet needs. Those are the things that always crash my ‘grocery’ budget into smithereens, because even with coupons and sales and trips to the Dollar Store, that stuff is expensive!

Now, what I really, really need is for y’all to give me some feedback and let me know what you think about Savings and how I make our little budget work, so I can make it better/pick up the best tips from you.

Please???

Top Three #1

Yup, another serious of lists. But this one will be fun! And I’ve got new and exciting stuff to tell you about before we get to it!

First, I have gotten a part-time job!!
I don’t think I told you, but that loooong gap in my writing was during a serious downturn in my circle of life; right after I injured my thumb and told you about Jeni’s, I went and had a mental breakdown and almost puked on my new boss’s shoes… I’m sure you can imagine how much after that longer I stuck around.
Since then it has been a series of doctors and trial-and-error situations to test my capacity to be a real-live adult, rather than a cowering child in an adult’s body. More on this subject later, I really will talk about it one day. Promise.
Anyway, after I left Jeni’s, my only real ‘jobs’ have been as Independent Consultant for Thirty-One Gifts, and as a Jane-of-All-Trades doing the odd cleaning, babysitting, dog walking/sitting, and/or private delivery project for small chunk change. These have helped, certainly, to relieve the financial strain of being a one income household during a depression {and yes, I consider the current economic situation a depression, our dollar isn’t worth the linen it’s printed on, but once again, not what I want to talk about right now}, but we NEEDED even just a little more stable income to keep growing and thriving as people, a couple, a household, and to be more comfortable from day-to-day.
Finally, after 5 long, grueling months, I feel like I’m up to it and am so very excited about the position I’m taking on: Photo Assistant for School Portraits. It’s not too much, 20-25 hours per week, so I won’t feel constricted; it offers a varied schedule but stays within the guidelines of what I feel a proper DAY job should have.
Being away from my home and little family many an evening is not something I would like, and when I don’t like something, resentment begins to fester, and unless some really good payoff comes out of it, that resentment will turn into an excuse to drop it faster than a hot piece of hot iron.
Also, it involves kids {who have always been great stress relievers for me: I’ve always had a strong ‘maternal instinct’, and caring for others actually makes me feel better when I’m upset, and kids offer that all  the time}, strong organization {A skill-set I enjoy enough to develop a marketable system, I think Although you wouldn’t know it by the looks of my office right now! But it also keeps me busy and focused, a real issue at some previous jobs; just like in school, I get done and bored quickly and easily.}, and requires a sunny disposition {Which when I don’t have naturally, I can fake with relative ease. Not to mention, have you heard that smiling and laughing, even if you’re forcing it, can actually make you feel happier? It’s true, I read about it here.}. I am optimistic, and I am hoping and imploring every reader to send some positive thoughts into the universe for me, because I could really use all the loving support I can get!

So, that is a really good thing. We’re really happy, so happy I had a glass of champagne and C. had a beer. We are really not drinkers, social at the very best, except a couple of weeks ago when we had a TON of Bud Light in the fridge from 4th of July, then we each had like, a beer a night, which was weird, haha!

Another Life note – I am still painting my office, but tomorrow morning I am going to update this post with pictures, because the pink is AWESOME! 

In other  news -
I have decided that I want to be a more dedicated writer/blogger. I really love writing, it is a great outlet for me; and especially as I take on new responsibilities and need to depend on some new routines to balance my various, run-around days. So, you can expect to see 3 posts a week from Lauree OhOhOh; Super Savings on Mondays, Fab Fives, Top Threes, or other randomness on Wednesdays, and food or how-tos on Fridays. Are you as EXCITED as I am??

Ok, on to my newest List feature, the Top Threes. Our subject for #1 is…

Top Three Scary Movies

1. They – Wes Cravens is a creepy dude, and writes some incredibly creepy movies. They is one of them. Having suffered from night terrors myself as a child I know that the utter terror your mind can produce really can feel like demons coming after you… To imagine it as real is completely chilling to me!

2. Darkness Falls – I don’t know why, but the scary Tooth Fairy that terrorizes this small town makes me really uncomfortable. Like, really, really, I’m-going-to-have-bad-dreams-tonight uncomfortable. Too freaky to be true, but my teeny-tiny superstitious voice says not to lose any more teeth.

3. Dead Silence – Last but certainly not least, my LEAST favorite scary movie: Dead Silence combines all the things I’m afraid of and then put it on a huge screen with surround sound. Let’s just say, I’m surprised I stayed through the whole thing… If you count keeping my face buried half the time as still staying.

Fab Five #6

1. Have you read The Pioneer Woman‘s book, From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels yet?
   You should. It was FANTASTIC!
   I laughed. I cried. I cried from laughing so hard I made my stomach hurt. This occurred after reading the recount of her stay in a hospital after the birth of her first child, and refusing to answer the nurse’s question of ‘Have you been able to pass gas today?’ because her husband was in the room, because I can COMPLETELY relate/agree. Ohmagoodnessgracious, I was just discussing current lady manners with some other home party gals at an event, and the etiquette between couples came into the subject; almost all of us agreed that while you may call us old-fashioned, we’re pretty sure our significant others are happy with the ‘mystery’ we keep between us, and mostly understand/tolerate our reluctance and discomfort to reveal very personal information in their presence, given our otherwise fantastic intimacy and trust. Agree or disagree?
   I’m not saying girls who are more open with their partners are rude or anything, but do you think that keeping some things {like bathroom habits, weight, etc…} private is important/noticed/appreciated/offensive to your partner? I know both ‘types’ of people, and now you know my thoughts, so I want yours.  And be sure to note:
   Ree Drummond, if you ever read this, I’m pretty sure I am your modern, {only slightly} younger self. Love me!
2. Did you know that Sunday marked 50 years of newspaper/magazine syndication for Hints From Heloise? I have loved Heloise’s column in our local paper for as long as I can remember; even when I was younger I remember absorbing the tips and tricks she sent out, she {and when I say ‘she’ I refer to both the original Heloise and her daughter who proudly and wonderfully carries on her mother’s work} has always been so sharp and crafty; she’s another inspiration and role model for the way I believe and feel real, proper women behave, act, and conduct themselves: To be smart, savvy, and willing to share your own tips and tricks with your fellow women and families to benefit from.
   Apparently I should have called this post “My Lovely Ladies”,  and written about all my female influences… Soon, my dears
3. I’m an 81 year-old woman in a 21 year-old body- I like to watch The View, along with my Court TV obsession, I go to bed at 9:30pm, my hips and knees are conspiring against me, and I take more pills in a day than my mother.
   It’s good stuff! I have always told people I want to start having children around 25 because I still want to feel ‘young’ enough to play with my kids and the non-sleep wouldn’t be such an issue {because who sleeps when they’re young?}, but now I’m afraid I am all ready too old!
   Not really; I know I could keep up with a kid if I needed to, maybe I’m just at an awkward in-between life-cycles phase now where my teenage laziness is dominating my young adult strength, haha! Maybe it’s just part of this section of my life? I guess we shall see.
4. I’m painting my office {Bright Pink } but the fumes are frickin’ killin’ me.
   I don’t know if it’s because we’ve got all our stuff in the house now, but it definitely didn’t smell this bad when we painted pre-move. Or maybe it’s because I’m in the basement, so the ventilation sucks.
   In any event, I am going to pass out working down here alone one day; it’s seriously overpowering.
   And my legs have been SO ANGRY about getting up and down, up and down the chair to get to the ceiling. And my shoulders feel kind of like my arms are trying to run away.
   Anyone is C-Bus willing to give me a massage in exchange for, say, cupcakes? How about cookies? What about a full-blown cake? With milk?
5. As much as I love to have long, pretty fingernails, they refuse to cooperate. When I grow them out naturally they peel, bend, and break, add polish and they chip, smoosh, and smudge. The 2 times I’ve had acrylics were great! Until I have to take them off.
   I cringe at the very thoughtof that torture technique where they pull your fingernails out with pliers or whatever; I imagine the practice was founded by the victim of a bad fake-nail-remover-technician, because unless I’m willing to walk around with only 7 pretty fingernails for a week until they all fall off naturally, when one gets lost the rest gotta go, and OH MY EFFING GOD IT HURTS!!
   Am I doing it wrong?? Someone help me out here. I really want medium length, naturally grown nails, done like this. 
   I’m realizing now that this post ended up being much more random and scrambled than I intended, but that’s what makes Fab Fives so fabulous!
   Question of the day: Ever start a day great, and have it TANK? Tell me about it! ‘Cause that’s coming next!

S’mores Sundaes

Last night was taco night, which is like, our favorite night of the week.

We love Mexican food so very much. In fact, my very first post was about a Mexican dish and how much we love Mexican food.

But somehow, yesterday, I wasn’t satisfied.

Maybe it’s because we were out of taco sauce, even the little Taco Bell packets! But I added a little extra oomph and sauciness to the meat and beans to make up for it and they were incredibly delicious, so that couldn’t be it…

I think it was because I had this idea rolling around in my head for about, oh, the entire day…
This idea about S’mores… As a sundae.
I couldn’t stop imagining  warm, gooey marshmallows and crispy {cinnamon, always cinnamon} graham crackers and the chocolate ice cream all in one fire&ice/crispy&smushy bite.

So, I started here-

Put a couple marshmallows atop some graham cracker halves on a cookie sheet, and fire up your broiler.

After all, what is a broiler but an indoor campfire?

This was apparently an important step because I took lots of shots of these. Awwwww… Fluffy, sugary couples embarking on a journey!

After you put the pan under the broiler…True to my s’mores traditions: They’re a little over-browned.

But totally molten inside, see the way they collapse?
The grahams got a little toast too, it seems, but it wasn’t noticeable in the end product at all.

Anyway, let’s get yummy.

Oooh, this is so much prettier than I originally thought when I saw it in-camera. I am a fan.
Check out the textures… And the nice clean bowl

As pretty as that is, this is even better-

Now, I know I’ve gotten you all excited, but I need to tell you now that I am OUT of chocolate sauce and without ingredients to make some liquid-y chocolate goodness {Don’t ask me how I “ran out” of chocolate, I have nooo idea who kept eating chunks of the Ghirardelli bars out of the butter box in the fridge   >.>   I bet it was this guy 

Who could say no to that face??? And he LOVES chocolate and it matters not at all that he hasn’t been to my house in weeks.

If I say it was him, everyone will let it go. Like you.

Doesn’t even matter that it needs lacks some fudgy drizzle.
No, really, it didn’t.

Turned out that creamy chocolate ice cream was the perfect amount of sweet to complement the ooey-gooey-ness of the toasted ‘mallows; and the grahams stayed good ‘n crispy even when submerged in some melted chocolate creaminess.

C. and I agreed that next time {and there will definitely be a next time} I will use mini marshmallows, the big ones were a little difficult to break through with your spoon edge.
I wish I could get some of the teeny-tiny ones like you get in Swiss Miss hot chocolate packets.
I’ve heard tale that there’s some tiny, almost meringue-like, square cut marshmallows out in Amish Country somewhere… But I haven’t been to Amish Country since I was a kid, so, I guess I’ll have to plan a trip to go look, I’m pretty sure they’re not putting up a website soon.

So, basically, you should try out some variation of this, even if you don’t want to go oven-broiled bases. I know soon I’ll also be trying chocolate ice cream topped with graham cracker crumbs and some small, more golden-toasty marshmallows, and probably some melted semisweet chocolate sauce. I think I’m going to try fork toasting some minis over a range ring or pre-cut the big ones. Or maybe I’ll sandwich a toasted marshmallow and chocolate ice cream between the grahams…

Do you love s’mores? Or ice cream? How about super easy but fancy looking sweets?
Me too, so just try it, it’s freakin’ delicious.

I thought nothing could replace Fried Ice Cream as my after taco dinner dessert, but I’m considering this a real challenger.

You tell me if you think so too!

You’ve never heard of Fried Ice Cream? Go here immediately, follow the super simple recipe, and tell me it doesn’t change your life.

I dare you. 

Super Savings #4

Oh my goodness, internet peoples, I am in love!

With cheap, delicious food.

You won’t see coupons or sales in my results this week, because that’s not how Aldi, my new favorite grocery store, works. They’re friggin’ geniuses.

Walk into in Aldi store and the first thing you’ll notice is: There are barely any shelves. There are very basic, standard display structures throughout the building, but rows and rows of designer shelving with revolving end caps and pin-point lighting are nowhere to be found.
Go a little further, they barely unpack their shipping boxes and crates, you pull goods straight out of the open packaging, and when they’re empty you nab them and use them to carry your groceries home. They don’t hire bag boys, the cashiers toss your groceries into an empty cart by their register station, and you walk over to a counter to load up your boxes/bags.
That’s another big difference within an Aldi store: They don’t buy up thousands of paper and plastic shopping bags and give them to you as you leave, they have a few stacked at the register if you need them, but you have to buy them {Of course I don’t need them, I have fabulous Thirty-One totes }.

You have to rent your shopping carts if you don’t use your own carrying baskets; you stick a quarter in a slot to release the lock, on your way out you click the lock back into the cart corral and get your quarter back.  I imagine this has to save their company thousands of dollars every year in cart replacement.

All of this boils down to lower prices. They have stripped a grocery store down as far as possible and their savings transfer directly to their customers instead of into greedy pockets. It’s not all brand names, although there are some kind of random products strewn throughout, but Aldi has a Double Money Back guarantee on almost all of their brand’s comparable products for satisfaction and value.
The Aldi brand is GOOD, too! From snacks, meats, sauces, beverages, etc., I have been more than pleasantly surprised with the taste and quality, it’s been fantastic.

So, without further ado, look at what I got with a budget of $60; and let me know how quickly you jump into your car and check out your nearest Aldi store if you’ve never been to one.

My Goodies!!

Monday, 07/25/2011 Shopping – Aldi

(1) 2.3 lbs package of Chicken Breast @ $6.67
(1) 2.6 lbs package of 80/20 Ground Beef @ $6.47
(1) gallon of Whole Milk @ $2.45
(1) pound of Salted Butter Sticks @ $2.79
(1) dozen Large Grade A Eggs
(2) boxes of Perogies @ $1.79
(1) bag of Buffalo Chicken Tenders @ $6.49
(1) 56 oz box of Chocolate Ice Cream @ $1.99
(1) box of Sorbet Swirl popcicles @ $1.99
(1) 5 lbs bag of Sugar @ $2.68
(1) Kookie Cereal @ $1.99
(1) Honey Nut Oats Cereal @ $1.59
(1) Fruit Rounds Cereal @ $1.49
(1) bag of BBQ Potato Chips @ $1.39
(1) bag of Kettle Chips @ $1.99
(1) bag of Baked Potato Crisps @ $1.99
(1) bag of Vegetable Chips @ $1.69
(4) boxes of Mashed/Sliced Potatoes @ $0.99
(4) cans of Corn @ $0.49
(4) cans of Tuna @ $0.55
(1) can of Refried Beans @ $0.79
(1) box of Taco Shells @ $0.99
(1) packet of Taco Seasoning @ $0.39
(1) 24 oz jar of Meat Sauce @ $1.19

(34) Total Items
Grand Total: $59.91

I am noticing now that there is absolutely NO sales tax, which is normally 6.75% where I live on certain ‘luxury’ items, which is pretty surprising to me! No wonder my in-store calculations were off, I had over-guestimated by around $3.50.

What do you think about these results compared to Super Savings #1, #2, and #3?

I can say, personally, this is much more simple; prices are reliably low and consistent, and with very few brand names in the store I don’t have to collect and organize coupons to generate savings on my bill.

Leave me your comments if you shop/have shopped/are interested in shopping at stores like Aldi, and you thoughts of a system like this versus one of couponing, ’cause I like to know what y’all think about this kind of stuff.