TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY

I have a friend....her name is Lisa. She is co-host, along with her sister Lana, to their blog carnival called TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY.


This carnival is a lot of fun and I hope you will join us. We share recipes, kitchen tips and other kitchen related posts.


Today, I'm going to share a low fat, low cholesterol dessert.


I don't have a name for it and though you can get some ideas for this online (and I'm certain this has been done to DEATH, I didn't really use anyone for this.)


Well, let me just show you, first, what it looks like, then I'll tell you what I did.

Doesn't THIS look yummy....



First, I sugared the berries...as you can see, I have blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. I actually sugared these with Truvia...an ALL-NATURAL, no calorie sweetener. I used about 2 packets, 1 tsp water and the berries to make this light syrup. (For the record, I don't use Splenda at all...don't allow it in my kitchen...after some of my own research, I do NOT think this is a healthy alternative.)

I also made mini-angel food cakes. You can use store bought, but a bag of cotton may be cheaper and just as tasty. If you have the time, make your own...it is well worth it. Where as this recipe can be made in regular muffin tins, I grabbed the opportunity to "need" the special Wilton mini-angel cakes pan. I mean...wouldn't you?

So, I took this muffin and split it. I put a few berries and syrup over the cake. I put the cake top on and topped it with a few more berries. Then, (because I was really wanting this NOW, I didn't whip the cream, I poured a little bit over it.)

Angel food cake has zero-fat and zero-cholesterol because there are no egg yolks. The only fat in this dessert is in the cream.

Enjoy.

FAVORITE THING FRIDAY

OK, I need to get some housekeeping things done.

First, a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to my friend Lisa over at One Hip Mom (see sidebar) for creating this widget for me. TOO CUTE, don't you think?

Secondly, Mr Linky was causing issues. So, I will no longer use it. If there is anything you want to share, you will simply have to leave a comment. I will continue with MHHM just without the link up.

If you have had trouble getting onto my blog, it is because of Mr Linky. I have, since, removed to problem coding and all should be working well. This past Monday, I had posted on how I was going Six Flags with my hubby and older 3 boys. We had a blast. It was a much-needed and well-deserved day off.

I had posted a teaser about a give-away. I hope to get that up and running SOON...as in the next few days. I *plan* to kick off the actual give-away during Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

OK.....Today is Friday....time for my Favorite Thing.

This is anything that is a favorite...maybe a life-long favorite or maybe just my favorite for the day. Either way, if you have a favorite anything you want to share, leave a comment, please.

THIS favorite will be of NO SURPRISE TO ANYONE who reads at all.

MY FAVORITE SEASON IS.....

wait for it.....

wait for it.....

4th of July.

ROFLMBOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I'm so lying!

My favorite season is CHRISTMAS. A countdown can be found to the right. Memorial Day marks 7 months until THE day. We are only 4 months from the start of the season. I pulled out my holiday binder yesterday. I'll start work on it, soon. :)

FARM TOWN

Are you a farmer?

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I am. BUT, I take heart that there are many I know who seem to be more addicted to it than I am.

I have been careful to make sure all my work is done. I don't want my hubby to come home only to find my house in horrible shape...but my cyber-farm growing daily.

And it is.....I've made enough to buy bigger 3 times now.

All thanks to my friend Les.

I don't know how I even got going. It ticked me off at first. Everyone was telling me little things to do. I thought it was stupid....heh....I still do. :)

But my friend, my mentor, called me last Saturday to harvest her grapes. (No...there is no underlying, inappropriate innuendo in that). When I did, and I saw my coins roll in....well, it was like heroin. No, hardly like heroin. But, I had to do more. Had to plant more. Had to buy things. Had to send gifts. Had to earn trophies. Had to plant more trees. Had to harvest more mangoes. Had to pen more critters. Had to (FINALLY AND JUST TODAY) get a dog. (I now have about 5 of them. LOL)

Since last Saturday, I have increased the size of my farm 3 different times. I have earned, with one crop, over 50,000 coins. (Small potatoes, compared to my addicted counterparts.)

My friend begs to harvest people's crops. You earn good coinage that way. She calls herself a "cropstitute." That makes me laugh!!! She is a great friend. She and I have justified ourselves and this habit in that we still (for the most part) get our housework done. (Actually, that hasn't changed....I've always had trouble getting it done, despite my latest whims.)

Our farming habit isn't hurting anyone, it is not illegal and it is fun.....even though it causes me to stay up late, at times, to harvest corn.

If my phone rings before 9 in the morning, I know she needs me to harvest something. It is funny. Conversations often sound like this:

*phone rings*

Hey.

My cabbage is ready.

On my way.

*click*

Right now she is laughing.....and figuring out the next time to call me. :)

I love my farming pal. I love her for staying up with me the other night....instant messaging back and forth as we waited for my potatoes to slowly creep from 98% to "ready to harvest." I love that she stuck around to see my ranking roll up to make my first "bigger farm" purchase. I love that we can laugh at ourselves and see this idiot game for what it is....and still have fun playing it.

I think I'm going to send her a dog!

FAVORITE THING FRIDAY

Hey, y'all. New idea....don't know if it will be a good one, but giving it a try.

I'm going to post a favorite on Friday. I'm sure there is some meme out there doing this, but since I don't know of anyone in particular, I will take credit for this myself. LOL.

Anything goes on this...I might post a favorite recipe, article of clothing, color....whatever. Today, I'm going to repost my favorite post. This is from November of 2007. Some of my older readers will remember this. The rest of you? Well...just another peek into how I think.

If you have a favorite you want to share, put it in my comment section.

Peace!


OK....we have a mouse.

That alone is enough for a full post, but I feel you might get some sick enjoyment from my suffering, so here I go talking about trauma.

We first suspected a mouse....heck, we KNEW there was a mouse when my hubby saw it. It ran from the hallway into the boys' bathroom into a gap between the baseboard and tile. I immediately jumped into action and scoured the bathroom. I mean...EWWWW! My babies are in there. I needed the hard stuff. So I started to reach for the Clorox.

Alas, my tried and true cleaning friend is not allowed in my house because we have a septic system. It seems that Clorox eats whatever does not need to be eaten in a septic system. Next cleaning buddy on my list...Lysol!

SO, with tons of liquid Lysol, hot water and soap, I scrubbed every surface of that bathroom. I then wiped down every surface with Clorox wipes :)

I had pushed red pepper into the crack, in hopes that the critter would go away. He did...right into MY bathroom. Now that, my friends, is SERIOUS!!!! My hubby left just hours after seeing this fanged monster run into and disappear from my bathroom. He, being the great white hunter, had to go sight in his guns for his trip to hunt REAL game. Meanwhile, I was contemplating moving!

I had a phone call to make. When we have to make phone calls, and we are the only parent in the house, we have to go through a little ritual that allows us to hear and speak clearly on the phone. We make sure the door to the outside is locked (with the chain), then we lock ourselves in the master bedroom. Since kids follow that far and bang on the door, whilst yelling "OPEN THE DOOOOOOOOR!" we go into the back bathroom and shut THAT door. We sit on the throne (lid down) and have our conversation.

SO, here I go. I begin dialing. I get through the first 3 numbers, check the chain, dial and walk, lock the door, dial and walk, shut the door, finish dialing, sit down, something catches my eye......

Now keep in mind that there is NO WAY you can understand how I feel, or my surprise, to see this furry beast spring into a spasmodic fury to jump over the edge of the tub, that he somehow got himself trapped in. My first reaction, naturally, was to scream and run out. It wasn't a dainty little squeak that some might mistake for a small, ladylike sneeze. It was a scream! The words "blood" and "curdle" can come into play here. The audience that is outside the door yelling "OPEN THE DOOOOOOOOR!" starts yelling "WHA'S WRONG, MOM MOM? OPEN THE DOOOOOOOOR!"

I hang up on whomever might have been on the phone and call my hubby. Remember, he is at a gun range...about 1 hour away.

"YOU HAVE TO COME HOME!"

"I can't. I just got here. What's wrong?"

"YOU HAVE TO COME HOME!" (tears were added...not for sympathy, but from hysterics.)

Needless to say, he did NOT come home. It was now up to me to defend my home and my family from this small, yet potent killer carrying goodness knows what kind of disease and germs. AND...HE POOPED IN MY TUB!

First....plug the drain. I don't know how the vermin got into my tub. Can it come up the pipes? Well, it can get down. I grabbed the toilet brush to knock it closed. This caused further craziness from "Mickey" as he tried to jump over...no doubt to run up my leg and head straight for my jugular! I could see the menacing look of a cold-blooded killer.

I briefly thought of burning down the house. Not a good idea.

I did think of turning the trashcan over in hopes of trapping him, but I was afraid that in that fraction of a second, in which I correct my aim, that he would catapult up my arm and claw my eyeballs out...sucking out the juice, thus rendering me blind, and as I'm crying out and bumping into walls blindly, this murderous infestation runs after my innocent babies...hoping to gnaw off their pinkie toes and taking it to his nest for some sort of sacrifice that they consume, all the while thanking their big-eared gods for allowing such a successful coup!

Using hubby's piece of advice, I managed to toss the trap in the tub, obviously hoping he would get hungry with all of the physical exertion he was suffering from. With tear-streaked cheeks and trembling fingers, I lock the door. (STOP LAUGHING! I'm not stupid. I know that the snake bait can't get out the door....I had to lock out the boys.)

A few hours later, I'm calm. The boys keep excitedly asking about the mouse. My hubby finally makes it home. He gives me a little peck, says, "Hello" and is immediately sent to the holding center for this monster with fleas. He comes out and says, "No mouse" to which I calmly reply, "We have to move."

DH was nice enough to clean out my tub and reset the trap. That night, I am awakened by a loud SNAP! I wake up hubby. (How can he be sleeping, anyway? This thing knows where we live. He has probably studied us and knows where we sleep, as well as the best time to rid us of life and limb.) NOTHING! Ooooooo, the sly little devil!

We finally got one. However, my hubby has informed me that where there is one, there are probably others. SO, you won't mind if I get the bleach, right? I tried to get him to get the traps up while he's gone. He left them out. He told me to get some gloves and a bag and just go from floor to sack, throwing away the trap which contains the victim. WHATEVER!

I think it will be worth a couple of bucks for one of my kids, dressed in a body condom, of course, to dispose of it properly.

If "Mickey" does have a family...they are going DOWN!!!!!!

COMING SOON

OK, y'all. Sometime soon...not sure when...I'll be having a drawing/give away.

Now considering I only have about 6 readers, you should ALL get something.

Just doing a quick count, I have 8 cook books, 8 Cooks Illustrated magazines and 6 Cooks Country magazines. (The magazines will be given away 1/2 each per bundle...does that make sense?)

Anyway, I haven't even crawled under the bed, through my stacks of "to go throughs" or in the bedside table.

So first, I need help from my friends tollesons4him or Lisa to tell me how they did their give away. I'm new at this.

Please don't start commenting wanting on the list yet. (You can comment and tell me if you like the idea (or not)). I will post when I'm ready and also post pictures of what, exactly, is going to be up for grabs. The area of my kitchen that is dedicated to my cookbooks is a mess....cleaning it out will still not allow me to fit everything. I love cookbooks, but I have to start cutting back. I'm analyzing what I simply "must have" (ridiculous sounding, huh?)

I always have the best intentions. I get a new cookbook, feel badly about my habit and decide that next time, I will JUST SAY, "NO!" But, then? I get a new promo...you know the ones? Review the book for 30 days. Keep it and pay 10% less than the "normal man." Or return it with no obligation.

Well, the conversation is always the same. My sweet hubby sees the box, which obviously contains a book, and asks, "Is this one of your cookbooks?"

Me - "Probably."

Hubby - "Did you want this one?"

Me - "I always want a new cookbook, but if you tell me, "No" then I will send it back." (As I am ripping open the box with the excitement of a starved lion disemboweling an antelope.)

I'm so sorry for this picture. My first impression was that it was too gross and graphic...then I just started laughing out loud! Sorry for my sick humor! ROFLMBO!!!

Hubby - (being the delightful soul he is) "OK."

*sigh*

(This is a side note to my sweet darlin'! Please don't see this as my desire to have you "cut me off." PRETTY PLEASE? I will try to cut back. You know the books I absolutely want...we've talked about it. The problem is that I have to open them to see if it is part of that group. Then, well if it weren't just so stinkin' beautiful....I can hardly stand it. But, I'm working on it!)

WOW!!! That was a tangent, wasn't it?

The point of this post is to say that I will soon be giving away some wonderful cooking literature. If you like the idea, let me know and stay tuned for the whens and the hows to be entered for the drawing!

BAKAWA

I need to put a little history down.

My hubby and I, if you remember, have known each other for MORE THAN 30 years....and have been married for almost 18 of those year. A lot of our personality is the same. Our sense of humor....even more so. Usually, he only has to say one word (or start to) and I start laughing because I get the joke.

One time, I didn't.

One day, many years ago, this horse fly was buzzin' around me. I asked, "Dang! Is that a horse fly?"

My hubby's reply...."No....it's a baf."

Me - "A what?"

Hubby - "A baf."

Me - "There is no such thing."

Hubby - "Of course there is....look it up!"

Me - "OK....how do you spell it?" as I grab the dictionary.

Hubby - " B - A - F."

I start flipping. Stop. Look at him and start laughing and said, "Is it a big-a$$ fly?"

It was. Isn't that funny?

So now, anytime there is something funny or impressive to us, we will name it a "BA-", the last letter actually being the first letter of the object. So a pimple might be a BAP.

OK....now you know about the first 2 letters of Bakawa's name.

You can figure out the next 2 quite easily.....what is the gadget I have so fondly named?

The final 2 letters? Heeee heeee...this makes me laugh, still...."With Attachments!" ROFLMBO!!!!

SO...Bakawa means "Big A$$ Kitchen Aid With Attachments."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY

Hey, y'all. Being that it's Tuesday, it's time for my cyber-friend....you know what? I'm going to drop the "cyber" and just call her friend. We keep in touch. We pray for each other. It ain't just a blog "thang." Anyway, my friend Lisa...and her sister Lana, host this fun blog carnival. In this carnival, other bloggers post recipes, kitchen ideas and/or questions. It's a lot of fun and I hope you will join her.

While you are obviously involved in carnivals and memes......please join me on Mondays for my Making a Happy Home and Memorization Monday.

OK...I have no recipe. No, that isn't quite right. I have TONS of recipes....even more, thanks to 3 new cookbooks and several magazines from my mother. Yeah....it's time for me to give some of those away....perhaps a drawing?

Anyway, I just wanted to talk "kitchen" and "food."

First, I just bought a new fluted pan and a pan with 12 mini-fluted wells. They are by Wilton, which IMHO, is the best you can get in a "regular" store. I got mine at WalMart and together, they were about $20.

Secondly....scroll down. That is my newest toy. WOOHOO!!! The name of this beloved pet is "BAKAWA." (Post explaining that is coming soon.)

Thirdly....WHEN did WalMart change the aisle name from Mexican food to Hispanic food. Really? We can't even call it Mexican food anymore? Whatever! I wonder what the people at the plants in MEXICO think.

Next....I'm currently working on desserts that are low-fat and low-cholesterol. Why? I ask myself that a LOT! LOL! I am actually doing this for 2 reasons. First, and most importantly, for my husband. Actually, he didn't really care if I made them or not....he just doesn't want me making the "really good" stuff. However, my cooking outlet was my home team in church. Now there are a few that no longer want to eat the "really good" stuff. *sigh* What to do......what to do? I like being known as a good cook. So I guess I will work out something so that I may maintain my "Martha-esque" status. ;)

I'll let y'all know how it goes.

That's all....have a great day!

This is totally an aside....off the subject. I just saw a commercial for the Scooter Store and their power chair. It just showed this "granny" doing donuts in the living room, in her chair, while her family looked on with and seeming to "wax" excitement for her. ROFLMBO!!! Gotta try to find it on youtube! (sorry....couldn't find it.)

MAKING A HAPPY HOME AND MEMORIZATION MONDAY

Hey, y'all. It's that time again...time for Making a Happy Home and Memorization.

First, let me explain what all this is about, then what I want....no, what I NEED to do in the next few weeks (months).

OK...WHAT IS MAKING A HAPPY HOME MONDAY?

Making a Happy Home Monday is a blog carnival that I do to help inspire and encourage others to do something around their homes to make it happy. You can choose big projects or small. You can clean it, organize it or make it pretty. Either way, if you feel good by having done it, then you made your home happier. I have a few who participate who are very good...they inspire me.

WHAT IS THE MEMORIZATION COMPONENT?

This is something new I did to help ME....I need to start memorizing parts of the Bible (roll your eyes, if you must, but some of you know the importance of this)....."I have hidden your words in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11. "Hiding" His word in your heart is memorizing. Sometimes, you might be faced with an issue and you just don't have time to sit down and research the Word for an applicable scripture. However, if you KNOW the Word, then He will bring it to your mind when you need it.

I have been working on it and will continue.

HOW CAN I JOIN IN?

You can read. You can comment. You can link up. You can link up on Mr. Linky (down at the bottom) and share with me and the other 3 readers some things you are working on. I would love to see them. You are an inspiration to me.

So for my part of Making a Happy Home Monday, I wanted to share what my hubby did for me. For Mother's Day. He truly made my home happy by purchasing for me an item that I have coveted for YEARS!

A RED KITCHEN AID MIXER!

It's name is "BAKAWA" (pronounced /bah-kuh-wah/ (I'll explain the origin of that name in a later post....Only spendidimperfections and my DH know what this stands for.)

Anyway, I don't think I need to say anything more, TBH. Just HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!!!

For the scripture memorization, I will memorize John 1:1-5. (John 1:1 is my FAVORITE verse. WHY? Because it is saying that Jesus (the Word) was with God and was God....AND that what His role (as part of the Trinity) in creation. Powerful stuff, my friend. When I taught my kids this verse, I always followed up with, "And WHO is the Word?" and they tell me, "JESUS!"

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Now, for other stuff....

I have a notebook (household) but I don't keep it like I would like to. I always have an excuse to NOT sit an do it...it is usually because I have too much to do. Hmmmmm.....what do you think?

Exactly.

You see, I consistently run 2 days behind. I'm going crazy. I mean, I can get done what HAS to be done when it has to be done....and I am busy. Some days are busier than others. So, I guess what I know and have to work with is that I CAN get it all done, but I have to catch up and get it all done in a timely fashion. Is that it?

So, what do I do now? I haven't a clue. I mean...I'm 2 days behind...I need to start working on time now instead of 2 days ago. BUT, I can't just shut down for 2 days to get caught up, you know?

UGH! THE INSANITY!

My hubby goes canoing (is that how it is spelled? the spell-check caught it.....he is traveling by canoe) during his next amount of time off. I'm *hoping* that the next time off that my DH will be able to take the kids for 2 days and let me get caught up. No, wait....next time off, is the week of Memorial Day. I have at least 3 end of school parties to plan/attend....a 2nd grade poetry reading....awards for 2 kids....

OK, so NEXT time....hmmmm...my mother is having hip replacement surgery on the 6th. I have to take 4 kids to swimming lessons for an entire week (and only 2 of them are together so between travel and waiting for lessons I'll be "out-of-pocket" for about 3 hours that day...then have to feed the minions and do my regular stuff.

Do you see what I mean? It's not just school time that is busy for us. After my mother's surgery and the boys' swimming lessons, I will be preparing a trip to west Texas for a class reunion. we will be going to Boston in July. Two kids will be going to church camp soon after...they come back, and about 2 weeks later, we will have 3 kids going to school....(not to mention little 1-day/2-day trips to see grandparents and do important "WE ARE OUT OF SCHOOL" stuff.

Nope....I don't see getting caught up until school starts....I guess I'll just hang tight until mid-August. Then I'll have to hurry because shortly after school starts, The Great State Fair of Texas starts....and you know what that means!!! HOLIDAYS!

SO...I guess it would be prudent to go ahead and get my holiday notebook out, instead of my household notebook and work on that.

TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY

Hey, y'all. It's Tuesday!

Well, no....not really. It's Monday night, but by the time most of you read this it WILL be Tuesday, which means that it is "TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY!"

This is a fun blog carnival hosted by my cyber-friends, Lisa and Lana. In this carnival, a lot of bloggers get together and post recipes, tips and other kitchen ideas. I hope you will join us!

For today's entry, I'm going to post a recipe for....

well, it has no name that I know of. SO, I will name it right now.

Let's call it OREO BLIZZARD PIE

ingredients:

2 packages Oreo cookies (crushed)

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream (of course Blue Bell is the best)....softened

1 tub Cool Whip

roasted pecans (optional)

In a 9 x 13, put one package of crushed oreos.

In a large bowl, mix the ice cream, cool whip and 2nd package of crushed Oreo cookies. (throw in the pecans if you want).

Spread over the oreo "crust"

Freeze until ready to eat.

Then slap somebody!

MAKING A HAPPY HOME AND MEMORIZATION MONDAY

Hey, y'all! It's Monday. It is time to start the week. I'm looking forward to it. Sunday's are difficult for me...especially when DH is gone. I'm learning to let go and just say that that is how Sunday's are going to be and then I will regroup on Monday. Do you know how hard it is for me? Hard.....I promise.

Anyway, I host this carnival, Making a Happy Home, and have started adding a memorization component to it. I have a feeling that the memorization will be even less popular than the former, but that is OK. Join me or not (and I would love it if you would), but I need this to help me. I need this to be held accountable.

The point of this carnival is simple. I hope to encourage and inspire others (as well as be made accountable) to improve their homes. If there is a big project you have been putting off....or a small project that you are saving....please, just put in the time and do it. I'm not necessarily talking about the day to day swishing of the toilet or wiping down the counters. I'm talking about that closet that is easily hidden behind the door, but every time you open it, you regret it. You know how you feel when you do finally get it cleaned up. You are happy....and that filters throughout your home. So find a project, big or small, to clean, organize or beautify.

While you are at it...spend a few minutes in the Word. Psalm 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." My kids know more than I do, thanks to JBQ....that is something that I have determined to change. I'm going to work on the memorization of some verses. Some have a specific application and importance for me....some are just too beautiful not to know.

I will continue to put up Mr. Linky for the ones who do participate. I love seeing what you are doing. So, link up and also go check out the other links. Speaking of Mr. Linky, I would love to see your homemaking projects, but also, if you are memorizing, please link up for that, too. Tell me some things that you have memorized...or that you want to memorize. Maybe we can do it together. I think I will put it in my sidebar. (I will list it as I memorize it....then, as I have time, I will list some others that I have known for awhile.)

For this week's "Making a Happy Home Monday" my hubby cleaned out (or began to) his closet. He still has LOTS to do, but as you can see by the before pictures

and the after pictures

he has done a great job, don't you think? That makes me totally happy!

For the memorization:

Last week, I memorized Philipians 4:4-8.

This week I have chosen Psalm 100. I know most of it (used to sing it during song service when I was growing up.) The reason I chose this is because with all the junk going on....a lot of bad news, I wanted something to remind myself that God is in control and I should rejoice.

Here is Psalm 100:1-5 (KJV)

1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.