Fear the Souvenir

Ever travel and bring someone back a souvenir? 

Ever travel and not bring back a souvenir? 

Ever had a souvenir strike fear in your heart? I never had, until just a few weeks ago.

Souvenirs are known for being a waste of money. The recipient is often challenged with trying to mask their dismay while simultaneously weighing their options . . . trash or re-gift.

But I have many souvenir gifts I love. I have shot glasses from many trips, some mine and some others'. When Hubs went into Tijuana to buy the medication I needed for IVF, he was pestered into purchasing a paper mache doll from a young boy who followed him around. I look at it and it reminds me of all we went through to have children.

And then there's the cone College Boy recently brought me.

College Boy had gone to Indiana to help his brother move in to his frat. He was only gone for a few days, but I really missed him. We talk a lot, especially during this election cycle as we both have similar views. College Boy and I are liberal. And we live with two other family members who are conservative.

It's interesting to talk politics with someone who thinks differently from you. They have points worth consideration whether I agree with them or not. I hate that we all, in our house, basically cancel out each others' votes, but that's how it works. As of yet I've never spiked anyone's food the night before an election, just for the record.

But it's fun to watch the national news with College Boy, to hear his point of view about all that's been going on. He's very intelligent and passionate. Although we're both liberal, the degree of our commitment to different issues, candidates and the party itself makes for interesting conversation. I do know who I'll vote for in the up0coming election. College Boy is still struggling and his thought process is a clear window into the thoughtful young man he's become. 

We talked here and there while he was gone, but more just to touch base about the trip than serious discussions. He was on his way home, about half way through the 10 hour drive when he let me know he'd stopped at a place I just wouldn't believe without proof. Just that, no further info. Oh, except that he'd bought me a souvenir.

Oooh, he'd been in Amish country, was it fudge? 

White Chocolate Toffee Fudge

Nope, not fudge. 

My son brought me . . . a traffic cone?

I'd say "just shoot me now", but considering the situation that could be dangerous.

White Chocolate Toffee Fudge

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
3 cups white chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk chocolate toffee baking chips, divided
1/4 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:
*Line an 8 inch square baking dish with plastic wrap. Use a large enough piece of plastic wrap that it hangs over the ends of the dish a bit.
*Heat the sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate chips and salt in a microwave safe bowl for 40 seconds and 60% power. Stir well. Continue to microwave at 20 second intervals until all of the white chocolate chips are completely melted..
*Mix in 1/2 cup of the toffee baking chips.
*Add the butterscotch chips and mix just briefly so they barely start to melt.
*Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining toffee chips.
*Refrigerate until completely set, about 2 hours.
*Run a knife carefully around the edge of the dish, turn the fudge out of the dish, discard plastic wrap, turn back over, slice and serve.
*Cover the leftover fudge and store in the fridge. 

Funny Friday: Mud Pies and Kissing Booths

Today’s post is this month’s Funny Friday, a regular feature published on the last Friday of every month. Funny Friday is a collaborative project. Each month one of the participants submits a picture, then we all write 5 captions or thoughts inspired by that month’s picture. Links to the other bloggers’ posts are below, click on them and see what they’ve come up with. I hope we bring a smile to your face as you start your weekend.

Here’s today’s picture. It was submitted by The Bergham Chronicles 

1. Girls to the line of people waiting: Mud Pies are ready, come and get 'em.

2. Girls to the kids at the park: Sand for sale, come and get your sand here!

3. Girls to their moms: Store's open, we emptied out the car, come buy your stuff back. And none of that monopoly stuff, you better bring your real money.

4. One girl's mom to the other: You realize that from now on when we tell them we're going to the store they're going to expect to come here, right?

5. Girls to their moms: General Store? What do you mean General Store? Can't you read? That sign says Kissing Booth.


And now for something yummy. No mud or sand involved. It's the end of August, time to get the slow cooker back out.

 

Slow Cooker Red Wine Sour Cream Roast 

 

Click on the links below and let some other bloggers make you smile:

 Spatulas on Parade 
The Bergham Chronicles  
Measurements of Merriment 
 Dinosaur Superhero Mommy
Southern Belle Charm 
 

Slow Cooker Red Wine Sour Cream Roast

                                                                        ©www.BakingInATornado.com

 

Printable Recipe

 

Ingredients:

3 - 4# sirloin tip roast
salt
pepper
garlic powder 
paprika
1 onion, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 tsp dried rosemary
3/4 cup sour cream
8 oz mushrooms, quartered
4 new potatoes, quartered
1/2# baby carrots

Directions:
*Rinse roast and pat dry. Season the beef on all sides by sprinkling with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
*Mix the onion soup mix, beef broth, red wine and rosemary together in the crockpot. Add the onions and red pepper.
*Cook 1 hour. Turn meat and cook 1 more hour. Turn the crockpot down to low.
*Cook 2 more hours. Remove the meat and slice, against the grain. Mix the sour cream into the crockpot. 
*Place the sliced meat back into the crockpot. Add the mushrooms, carrots and potatoes. Submerge as much of the beef, mushrooms, potatoes and carrots in the sauce as possible. Cook 1 1/2 more hours or until the potatoes are fork tender. 

Timing is Everything

Just before PurDude went off to college for the first time, he started calling me "Karen". College Boy does now and then, but PurDude does it pretty consistently.

I don't have a problem with it. It's my name, after all. Although I don't object to being called "Karen", I miss being called "Mom". I do acknowledge that he's not doing it to be disrespectful, I see it as his establishing himself as an adult. Semi-adult anyway. Either way, I get his timing.

Every year before PurDude goes back to school we take his car to be checked out and have any repairs done. Since I had been unexpectedly in Boston for 2 weeks and arrived back in the Midwest just a week before he was to leave, the automobile check-up wasn't as well planned as usual.

Hubs and I dropped the car off at the mechanic's which was near our house but nowhere near Hubs' work. I was going to take Hubs all the way to work in his car, then drive back home and use Hubs' car for the day. PurDude would take my car to work, then after work, he was going to have to go all the way down to Hubs' work in rush hour traffic to pick him up so they could go get the car. Yikes.

I decided instead to have Hubs drop me off at home and take his own car to work. I'd have to drop PurDude off at work, then drop College Boy off at work, then pick PurDude up at work and go get his car. A pain in the ass but it inconvenienced the least number of people (ie: me).

We dropped the car off, Hubs took me home and drove to work, and at 10 am, an hour before PurDude had to be at the pool, I got a text that his car had been worked on early and was done.

PurDude and I picked the car up. It took us 10 minutes. We came back home, he showered and dressed and drove his own car to work. College Boy took mine and no one was inconvenienced (well, other than my credit card . . . but I digress). Gotta love timing.

Around here, in fact, pretty much everywhere, I am known as the laptop jinx. So, of course, the day before PurDude left for college my laptop died (yes, again). It would not come up at all. It took PurDude a couple of hours but he fixed it. One more day and I would have been out of commission. For bad luck, it was pretty great timing.

Three Step Grilled Italian Chicken

About a week ago that dreaded day finally came. I cooked my youngest his last homemade dinner of the summer vacation, We ate together as a family for the final time until I get him home again (98 days, but who's counting?). And as PurDude left for college the next morning, the last thing he said to me was "I love you, Mom".

He called me "Mom."

And his timing?

It was perfect.

Three Step Grilled Italian Chicken

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes 

Directions:
*Mix together the salad dressing, olive oil, Italian seasoning, oregano and red pepper flakes. 
*Place in a gallon bag with the chicken pieces. Refrigerate overnight.
*Spray your cold grill with nonstick spray and heat to medium. Grill the chicken, turning once, until juices run clear. Should take about 10 minutes per side.

Fly on the Wall: All About the Hubs

Welcome to a monthly Fly on the Wall group post. Today 10 bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes. Come on in and buzz around my house. At the end of my post you’ll find links to this month’s other participants’ posts.

Hubs got a new tv for downstairs in the man cave. I really didn't want to mount it on the wall so we spent a lot of time looking for a stand we liked. We finally found one and ordered it. It's one of those pieces of furniture that you have to assemble yourself, always a disaster around here.

At about 10:00 am on a weekend morning, Hubs went downstairs saying that he was going to open the make box and just make sure all the parts were there.

At about 6:00 pm I called him for dinner and he came upstairs.

Hubs: OK, I just finished, I have all the pieces.
Me: Just finished? It's been like 8 hours.
Hubs: There were lots of parts and pieces I had to find and count.

So I'm taking bets. If it takes him an entire day just to identify all the pieces, how long do you think it's going to take him to put that sucker together? I'm thinking 6 months if he works at it full time . . . 

Hubs was driving me nuts. Absolutely crazy. Don't pretend you don't have days like that, I know you do. I'm hardly alone here.

I'm one of those people who just wouldn't do well in jail. It's not even about going to the bathroom in front of others, I mean, I've got kids . . . been there done that. It's all that other stuff. So I knew I couldn't just shoot him or something, I'd never get away with it.

Then I remembered what happened when we bought that tv stand. I grabbed my purse and headed for the door.

Hubs: Where are you going?
Me: The store.
Hubs: What store?
Me: Any store that has furniture that you have to assemble yourself. When I get home I'll need you to make sure all the parts are there . . .

Hubs comes home from work and there's a platter of cupcakes on the counter.

Hubs: Are these edible?
Me: Edible?
Hubs: Yeah, are they edible?
Me: Like, are they made of mud, edible?
Hubs: No, like have you already taken a picture for your blog, edible.
Me: Oh, you mean is it OK to eat them?
Hubs: Yeah, are they edible?

Guess he and I have different ideas of what that word means.

I've talked about this before but I swear it's getting worse. Hubs cannot go anywhere without calling me with questions.

We were having dinner and I had mowed the lawn that day. I told Hubs we needed more gas for the lawn mower. He said he should check the propane for the grill since he can get both at the same gas station. PurDude said that he needed gas in his car so I suggested that after dinner Hubs and PurDude take the gas can and the propane tank in his car up to the gas station. 

Hubs: I need to go get my wallet before we go to the gas station.
Me: No you don't.
Hubs: I have to pay.
Me: PurDude has a gas card.
Hubs: I don't want him paying for our gas and propane.
Me: His card is on our account. I pay for his gas, I have since he went away to school 2 years ago. This is not news. You know this. I sent him off with a card on our gas account and a card on our Kohl's account.

So Hubs and PurDude head out. Surprise, surprise within 2 minutes the phone rang.

Hubs: I think I was supposed to get 3 things but I can only think of 2.
Me: Did you guys take PurDude's car?
Hubs: Yes.
Me: Do you have the propane tank?
Hubs: Yes.
Me: Do you have the gas can for the lawn mower?
Hubs: {{silence}}.
Me: I'm gonna take that as a "no".

So he came home, got the gas can and went back out to the gas station to fill it.

If you're wondering what my husband looks like, look up the old saying "he'd lose his head if it wasn't attached", I'm sure you'll find his picture there.

In Hubs' defense, he'd been crazed at work. His division of the company he worked for had been sold. He was still in his offices working with the same coworkers, but everything else had changed. He was trying to continue to do his job while spending hours getting new log-ins and learning new systems. He was exhausted.

So a few days after the whole gas can incident, I went out to put gas in the lawn mower. The can was empty. 

Me: Ummm, I'm a little confused here. You forgot the gas can, came home and got it, went out to the gas station again and the gas can is still empty?
Hubs: Oh, I took the wrong gas can, I filled the one for the snow blower.
Me: But I can't use that one for the lawnmower, it's mixed with oil.
Hubs: No, don't use that in the lawnmower.
Me: So . . .
Hubs: Oh, OK, I'll go to the gas station now.
Me: I think I'll go with you . . .

I know he's exhausted and under a lot of pressure, but someone just shoot me. Please.

Toffee Butterfinger Banana Bread

I had the Red Sox on TV. I don't get to see them often and was excited that ESPN was covering the game. You know how you can tell when someone's behind you? Yeah, I got that feeling. I look behind me to see Hubs standing behind the couch looking at his phone.

Me: What are you doing?
Hubs: Checking the score of the game.
Me: On your phone?
Hubs: Yes.
Me: What game? 
Hubs: The Red Sox.
Me: You are aware that the game is on right now. Right in front of you. I'm watching it.
Hubs: Yes, but they're not showing the score.
Me: I know the score.
Hubs (looking up from his phone): and now so do I.

I think he needs a cell phone 12 step program. 

Me: I win.
Hubs: Huh?
Me: I win.
Hubs: Mega Millions?
Me: No, the game you're playing.
Hubs: I'm playing?
Me: Yes. Hide and Go Find Your Dirty Laundry. I found it.
Hubs: Huh?
Me: Personally I'm disappointed. You didn't really put a lot of thought into the hiding place. It's unexpected but it's pretty easy to see.
Hubs: I have no idea what you're talking about.
Me: You're not fooling me. I have proof:

Me: The toilet in the master bathroom seems to be constantly running, we better call the plumber.
Hubs: No, I know what needs to be replaced in the tank, I can do it.
Me: Are you sure? You know you're not known for being handy. We can just call a plumber.
Hubs: No, I've done it before, I can do it.

And that's how I came to be sitting on the toilet on the main level (one floor directly below the toilet in the master bathroom), peeing while water dripped on my head.

 

Everyone was going to be home for dinner. Even though we were all home for 2 months this summer, we were all on different schedules so we didn't actually sit down together for a meal that often. I wanted to make it special so I planned a big meal, thought that after dinner maybe we'd play cards or just sit around and talk. I really planned to take advantage of the time together.

I bought gigantic Rib Eyes to cook on the grill, made fresh Squash Casserole, Hot and Spicy Potato Casserole, and Angel Food Trifle for dessert. Dinner was very pleasant and a big success since I'd made everyone's favorites.

After dinner, everyone scattered.

Me: WAIT! Where are you all going? I thought we'd spend some time together.
College Boy: I'm stuffed, I think I'm going to download a movie and take a nap.
PurDude: I'm stuffed, I need to change and go to the gym.
Hubs: I'm stuffed, I'm going to the man cave to lay down and pop my top button,

Yeah, cancel that "dinner was a big success" thing. That sure bit me in the ass.

 

I mentioned last week that the entire time PurDude was home I couldn't get him to unpack, pick up his room or make his bed. Just before he left to go back to school last week {{sob}}, he made his bed. Sort of.

Obviously I needed to specify that he should pull up the sheet first. My bad.

Now click on the links below for a peek into some other homes:

Menopausal Mother 
 Spatulas on Parade 
Searching for Sanity 
Never Ever Give Up Hope 

Dinosaur Superhero Mommy
Southern Belle Charm
Eileen's Perpetually Busy 
Molly Ritterbeck 
Go Mama O 
 

 

 

 

Toffee Butterfinger Banana Bread

                                                                         ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
6 TBSP butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 over ripe bananas
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup milk chocolate toffee bits, divided
1 cup Butterfinger baking bits

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans.
*Cream the butter,sugar and eggs until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla and bananas.
*Starting on the lowest speed until incorporated, beat in the flour, salt and baking soda.
*Mix in 1 cup of the toffee bits and all of the butterfinger baking bits.
*Divide evenly into the 2 prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle the top with the remaining toffee bits.
*Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the center of the top springs back to the touch.
*Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then run a knife around the edges and remove to cool completely.

My Boys Cook

I recently developed a new recipe, my Blueberry Lemon Crunch Cake.

Blueberry Lemon Crunch Cake

For me, brainstorming something new to try is not always a solitary thing. Often I bounce ideas off of both of my boys. Since they're the ones who are going to eat the end results, they have no problem discussing options before I get started in the kitchen. And I often call College Boy my muse. He's great at coming up with that last ingredient I needed to bring a recipe all together.

Although the boys do agree to be my taste testers, they need to know more than just the eating part. It's important for young adults, all young adults, to be able to put a few meals together. They don't have to find the same enjoyment in recipe development that I do. They don't have to know how to bake, but they do need to be able to feed themselves. Not only will they live in an apartment or a house (other than mine, G-d willing) once they graduate, but they need to be able to participate in all the household chores after they marry some (far far far in the future) day.

And my boys do cook. Sort of. Well, they call it cooking. I call it pushing my buttons, a skill they've been perfecting all of their lives. But that's a story for my therapist.

So today I'm going to share with you the recipes and the preparation tips of College Boy's and PurDude's kitchen masterpieces. 

Peanut Butter Krispie Breakfast

Ingredients:
Chocolate Krispie Breakfast Cereal
Crunch Peanut Butter
Milk

Directions:
*Fill a large bowl with cereal. 
*Pour in milk until it spills onto the counter.
*Scoop some peanut butter onto a spoon, dip into the bowl to scoop up some cereal and milk and eat.
*Scoop more peanut butter onto the spoon and repeat. 

Hint:

*If your mom is watching, you may need to use a separate spoon for scooping the peanut butter. 

Both boys have a recipe to share for lunch.

 College Boy's Lettuce Jalapeno Chip Sandwich

Ingredients: 

1/2 of a Italian Loaf

1/4 of a deli turkey slice

1/2 of a small bag of shredded lettuce

1 bag of Jalapeno Chips

Directions:

*Slice the bread in half and toast.
*Rip the turkey slice into pieces and place on bread. Top with the lettuce.
*Pour the bag of chips over the sandwich. Not all will fit in the sandwich, but that's OK.

*Put top slice of the Italian Loaf onto the chips, smash and eat.

Hints:

*If your mom is not watching, you do not have to include the deli meat.

*If you make this sandwich on an extra large piece of tin foil to collect your crumbs, you won't have to clean the table.

PurDude's Drowning in Sriracha Wraps

Ingredients:
1 soft tortilla
1 slice deli roast beef
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
5 slices pepperoni
1 bottle of sriracha (your choice of size)

Directions:
*Place the tortilla on a paper towel. 
*Place the slice of roast beef in the center of the tortilla. 
*Top with the cheese, then the pepperoni.
*Drown in sriracha.
*Microwave or 30 seconds. 
*Roll up and serve.
  

Hint: 

*If you use the paper towel to heat your sandwich and then use it as your plate, you won't have any dishes to clean when you're done.

And don't forget dinner:

Me: What do you know how to make for dinner.

College Boy: Pizza.

Me: Really, you know how to make pizza. I'm impressed. 

College Boy's Pizza

Ingredients:

1 frozen pizza

Directions:

*Remove any frozen toppings that came on the pizza that you don't like by digging them out with the tines of a fork. This will bend the fork tines and send the toppings flying across the room, this is to be expected.

*Place the pizza on a piece of tin foil and put in the oven.

*Close the oven and turn on to 450 degrees. 

*When you smell burning, the pizza is done.

Hints:

*If you forget to take the pizza off of the round piece of cardboard under it the house gets really smoky.

*When putting the pizza on a piece of tin foil, make sure the tin foil piece is actually larger than the pizza or your mother will make you clean the oven. And this is not fun.

(Jalapeno) Chips off the old block, those boys of mine. Oy.

Blueberry Lemon Crunch Cake

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
4 TBSP sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 (5.3 oz) blueberry yogurt
1 (5.3 oz) lemon yogurt
1 tsp lemon extract
3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP baking powder
1 box (6 oz) lemonhead candies, finely crushed
6 oz blueberries, rinsed and dried
1 cup powdered sugar
3 TBSP lemon juice 

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray. Mix 4 TBSP sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle on the bottom and up the inside of the bundt pan.
*Cream the butter with the 2 cups sugar. Beat in the eggs, then the yogurts and lemon extract. Mix in the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Last, mix in the crushed candies then gently fold in the blueberries.
*Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the center springs back to the touch. 
*Allow the cake to sit for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and remove to a serving plate. Cool completely.
*Mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice and 1 TBSP water. Drizzle over the top of the cake.