Really?

This just makes me laugh.   Yep..........    This is the silver lining of the day.

Basic BROWNIES!!!

For several years  I have purchased  a box of Duncan Hines Fudgy Brownies and added a half cup of chocolate chips to the recipe.  It is delicious.   I have iced it with peanut butter frosting, layered them up and made them even better with oreos and cookie dough, a sprinkling of powdered sugar.  Whatever, your heart desires.   There are dozens of ways to accessorize a brownie.   

 This recipe is way more cost effective.  A box of brownies is about 2.00. Even though that isn't a lot of money........it does cost more  if I drive to Target and try to only purchase the mix.  We all know what happens when a girl goes to Target for one thing!

Just mix up the dry stuff and keep it in a ziploc for emergencies.  Keep a few mixes on hand for an emergency..............the occasional dinner guest or dessert night at church.  This is good thing.  I will never buy that box again.  I promise.

** (p.s....  I occasionally put about a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon in the mix. )

**Don't forget to date the ziploc and write down the needed wet ingredients & cooking instructions on the bag.

WAL-MART SHOPPING & K.B.

As a former resident of Arkansas,  I grew up with Walmart.  I understand the place.  I understand it's philosophy.

But that being said, there are ways to shop at Walmart and save even more money.   The above grocery list was made by my friend, K.B.  I consider her the local queen of saving a buck or two around town.  The list is store specific and each number represents an aisle.  I simply print off the sheet and write down what I need.   Easy Peasy.   This list gives no man an excuse for not being able to find what is written down.  Again, easy peasy.  I will even tell him to look for "Great Value" brands.  It takes the guess work out of finding that name brand stuff.

Each week,  K.B.  compiles a list of where the best local price is and sends it out via email to all her local peeps.   WalMart has a price match guarantee and will always honor the lowest price.  After that, grab those coupons and watch the savings begin.  It is always magical to see that price drop.

http://corporate.walmart.com/ad-match-guarantee    Read this.  Know your stuff.  Print it off and be prepared to educate your local store.

Wal-Mart policy states that the original sales ad does not need to be shown.  All you need to do is tell them the price & corresponding store.   K.B. has it down to an art.  She uses colored stickers where she writes the new price on the sticker followed by store initials.  To help the cashier out.....she places all the stickered items face up on the belt at the end.  She also looks for her favorite cashier.    Rumor has it she has been known to bring them a treat during the holidays.   (NOTE THIS PLEASE:  it is important to make friends with the people who work at your favorite stores.  They will appreciate you & give you better service.  Retail workers are like that.)  

K.B. also recommends getting on the email list from your favorite restaurants.   Many of them send out special savings weekly.  Some of the ones I recommend are  Cinemark,  RedBox, Chili's,  Pei Wei & Starbucks.   If you don't like all those emails cluttering your inbox...grab yourself a specific email account just for this purpose.

I love getting her email.  She even throws in a scripture or two.   It brightens my week.  Thanks, K.B.!!

If you are one of my local friends and want a copy of the WalMart store list or on K.B.'s list........  you know how to contact me.

Saturday night.

While driving home late Saturday evening we saw this posted on the side of the road.  It was somewhere on the west side of Ft. Worth.

I am not sure about the rest of the world....   But I am picky about where I pay my bill.

Integrity & the Mean GIRLS

We have been discussing integrity at our house this week.   Mean girls lack integrity.

I was reminded of a couple of girls from high school.     I can't call them ladies....so I will refer to them as D&B.   They constantly gave me their "stink-eye" and were always rude.   They were never nice nor did they treat me like a human in the same room.  To this day.........  I've tried to forgive and add them on FB as a friend.   We live in different parts of the United States.  They never accepted my request.   Forgiveness is their loss now.  Am I hurt?  NO.  Do I care?  NO.     D&B don't have integrity.   STILL.

Did I mention there were only 13 girls in my graduating class?  Maybe it was 12.  I can't remember.

I find people like that amusing.  Why do they bother?  What makes them tick?   I think it stems from a lack of self-esteem and jealousy.   We could blame their parents  for giving them too much attention and never punishing for their misbehavior.  Maybe they haven't gotten enough positive attention or guidance.  Again, the parents fault.  Either way, the world continually suffers from their issues.

I  (hopefully!) have raised my girls to have integrity.  I want them to ignore the "mean girls" and not give them any glory or attention to the given behavior.    Yes, be as nice as you possibly can.    Keep it honest, real & upfront.  Keep yourself away from their useless drama.  


My moral of this story......  Mean girls will always be that.  MEAN.  The rest of us grow up.

Gaming.. my thoughts.

Someone asked me recently how I felt about video games.   I have been known to play a few of them.  I love playing Candy Crush.  It gives me a minute of brain-crushing distraction.     

Video games can be fun.  They can be somewhat entertaining.  The complexity of what can be done with a digital format is mind-boggling & I  enjoy seeing the graphics.

I don't, however, support gaming to the point of doing anything else.   There are so many other things we can be doing....reading, exercising,  praying,  seeking God's word,  finding a new hobby......   maybe cooking a fancy new dish?,  quality time with the family or friends.    Gaming can be a huge distraction to our regular lives.   Gaming shouldn't ever be our lives.   It is in the same category as continuous texting........ learn to communicate verbally.  It is a good thing.

Gaming shouldn't take precedence over the real world.  EVER.  Enough said.  

Black Eyed Dip….A new year with a new tradition.

Typically, every New Years I have to make Texas Cavier.  It is delicious and I crave it often.   It contains black eyed peas.  Those little guys are a must on New Years Day.   I have to thank the lovely M.M. for getting me hooked on making it.  (Hey…M.M.  I have missed talking to you!!)

I had every intention of making it this year…… until I saw this recipe on Ree's site.  I noticed that cheese was involved.  She had me at "cheese" friends.   You can count me in for just about anything that involves cheese.   Cheese is like bacon…….it just makes the world a better place.

Black-Eyed Dip

1 can of Black-eyed peas, drained and mushed a little bit
1/4  onion, diced
1/4 cup sour cream
8 slices of jalapeños, or more if you love them like I do
1 cup  cheddar cheese, shredded
3 Tablespoons salsa
hot sauce to taste

Mix together & bake @ 350 for about 25 minutes.  Serve with scoop chips.


Note: if you are planning on feeding a crowd…..double this.


And one last thought…. smear the cold remains on a cracker the next day for breakfast.  Delish!