I Had Plans: Fly on the Wall

 

 

 Welcome to a monthly Fly on the Wall group post. Today 3 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.

We'd had both snow and sleet. Hubs wasn't working, but I saw that he was putting on his coat.

 

Me: I bet the roads are dangerous, maybe you shouldn't go out there.

Hubs: Well, Mega Millions is up to 1.3 billion and the drawing is tonight, I was going to go get us a few tickets.
Me: I bet the roads are dangerous, be careful out there.

 

He did play a ticket for himself, and my numbers for me. 

 

I didn't win. 

 

Damn. 

 

I felt obliged to share the news with my Facebook friends.

I shot off a quick status, but when I checked the page later, I found that the post had 257 likes, 77 comments, and had been shared 59 times.

I guess I'm not the only one who had plans . . .

 

Same day. Hubs decided he was going out to clear off the sidewalk. Since he'd already easily driven up and down the driveway, he decided not to bother with the snowblower and just shovel the sidewalk and front walkway.

I was concerned, there was ice mixed in with the snow, which is heavy, and I didn't want him to overdo it. He did the sidewalk and the front walk, then I saw him shoveling part of the driveway.

Me (yelling from the front door): You said you weren't going to do the driveway. It's too heavy, stop and come in.

Hubs (yelling back to me): I'm just making a path from the walkway to the sidewalk.

Me (still yelling): Yeah, well if you drop dead from a heart attack, who's going to do my taxes?

Hubs texted me from work:

Hubs: What are you up to? You busy?

Me: Just multitasking. Need something?

Hubs: Not important, you sound busy, don't want disturb you.

Me: ttyl. If it's not important, I'll get back to what I was doing.

Don't tell him I was listening to the news, checking on a new book to read, and playing a word game, OK?

 

It's been a long time since I had little kids from whom I had to hide baking supplies so they couldn't get into them. Recently, I bought some Andes mints, and I did notice the family looking at them in a way that made me feel like they wouldn't be around long enough to make it to the recipe. So instead of putting them on my baking shelf in the pantry, I slipped them into the desk drawer.

Hubs: What are you doing?
Me: I'm hiding the Andes from you guys.

Hubs: You realize we're standing right here, don't you?

OK, so I guess hiding treats is no longer my superpower.

Mint Blondies

 

PurDude and I text every day. Usually just a quick check in, but if he has time we chat a bit. This day, I was exasperated.

Me: You have lived in Boulder for 3 years, but your mail still comes here, I have an insurance EOB here from when you were home over Thanksgiving and were sick.

PurDude: I don't need it though, it's just an insurance form.

Me: But it, and everything else, shouldn't still be coming here.

PurDude: But Mom, you're my sorting station.

Me: Huh?

PurDude: You throw away the junk, handle what you can, and send me the few things I actually have to deal with. Isn't it great to feel needed?
Me: Well, I need you too. I need you to change your address . . .

 

Most days I just pour my coffee into a mug like a normal person. But on certain days, I'll use my theme mugs. When Purdue plays a basketball or football game, I'll use my Purdue Mom mug that day. Same with my Patriots mug, and I use my Halloween mug all through October.

As you know, last weekend was the Super Bowl. There was also a Purdue basketball game that day.

Me: I don't know whether to use my Purdue mug or my Patriots mug.

Hubs: The Patriots aren't playing today, they've been out of it for a long time.

Me (clearly bristling): And your point is . . .

Hubs (understanding his agregious error): Gooo, Patriots!

Later that day we were about to turn on the Super Bowl. I knew a guy who had played for Purdue was in the game, but I didn't know which team.

Me: Which team is Karlaftis on?
Hubs: KC.

Me: I won't be watching much of the game, but after watching him play for Purdue, I'm interested in seeing how he does.

Hubs: Yeah, let's see if he gets any sex.

Me: Sex, on the field? In the middle of the Super Bowl? I doubt it.

Hubs: Sacks. Sacks. Not sex, sacks.

Hey, I heard what I heard.

Getting old is tough. I may have mentioned that one or two or a thousand times before. 

They say it helps if you can laugh about it.

There are 6 stairs from my main floor, then a landing, then 9 more steps (yes, I went and counted) to the top floor.

Hubs had been showering, and I was heading up to shower. We met up on the landing.

Me: Well, it's about time!

Hubs: Hey, I don't move as fast as I used to.

Me: Tell me about it, I headed up these stairs 20 minutes ago.

And then there's this (another popular FB status):

 

 

 

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

Menopausal Mother 

The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver

Mint Blondies

                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

13 Andes mints

3 eggs

1/2 tsp mint extract

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 baking pan.

*In a medium sized bowl, microwave the butter with the brown sugar, just until all of the butter is melted and it's smooth when stirred. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

*Unwrap the mints. Finely chop 8 of them and set aside. Place the remaining mints in a small bowl and microwave until smooth when stirred. Set aside.

*Whisk the eggs and mint extract into the butter and brown sugar. Once incorporated, mix in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Gently fold in the chopped mints.

*Pour into the prepared pan, drizzle with the remaining melted mints, and swirl gently into the top of the batter with a toothpick.

*Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting.

The Odds: Word Counters

 

 

 

Counting my words again. 

Today my fellow Word Counters and I are sharing our monthly group post. Each month one group member picks  a number between 12 and 50. All participating bloggers are then challenged to write something (or a few somethings, as the case may be) using that exact number of words. Today we all share what we came up with. 

 This month's number is 22. 
It was chosen by Me.

As I've been doing in these Word Counters posts, I've chosen a theme and am using my word count multiple times in keeping with the theme. This month I've chosen the theme, The Odds. You'll see why.

 

~ Defying the odds can be a lot of things. Often shocking, frequently fun, and it always makes for an interesting story.

 

~ I've written about beating the odds before. Remember I said they make interesting stories, well, I've got one to tell today.

 

~ We're not talking even odds here, like if your recipe will come out. Understand the flavors, and you've got a fair chance.

Sweet Hot Orange Sauce

~ With IVF, I was the Luckiest. It took a village, took guts, and it took luck. But I've also been inordinately unlucky.

 

~ Like in Lightening Strikes, I talk about that old adage about lightening never striking (in the same place) twice. Defied that one.

 

~ And who'd have guessed that I'd ever say that TEN YEARS AGO today I published my first blog post, Can I Blog?

 

~ Here's the latest story. First let me remind you that College Boy, after many years of not skating, got a new board.

 

 

 

~ He often buys, sells, and trades albums (remember those?). In a grocery store, 3/4 of a mile away, there's a post office.

~ When he's here in the evening and has something to mail, he'll skate to the store carrying the package (ah, youthful balance).

 

~ The store is partway up a hill, so he turns off into the store parking lot, not pushing the whole way up.

~ But coming home, he cuts through a bank parking lot, taking him out to a sidewalk at the top of the hill. 

 

~ From there he takes the ride home, straight downhill. And that's exactly what he was intending to do when sidetracked by luck.

~ It was evening, the parking lot empty, when he saw something on the ground. Kinda mangled but looked like someone's credit card.

~ He skated to where he'd caught a glimpse of it, hoping to do the right thing and return it to its owner.

~ It was a license. I wish I'd been there when he picked it up and realized . . . it was his. What're the odds?

 

Here are links to the other Word Counters posts:

On the Border 

Messymimi’s Meanderings 

 

Sweet Hot Orange Sauce         
                                   ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

2 TBSP pepper jelly

2 tsp minced garlic

2 TBSP orange juice

2 TBSP soy sauce 

Directions:

*Whisk all the ingredients together.

*Microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk again.

*Microwave for another 30 seconds. Whisk.

*You can use this sauce to coat cooked beef or chicken nuggets, or serve as a dipping sauce with my Air Fryer Coconut Chicken Fingers.

Everywhere the Signs

We, well most of us anyway, try to be optimistic. We look for ways to believe. When things are going well for us, we hope that it will continue. And when things are not going all that great, we hope that they will change, and soon. We even look for signs. 

This is especially true as we head towards a new year, as we did just a week ago. We have come to think, especially through all of the new year cliches, that the first of January is a clean slate, a chance to start over. Whatever had been going on in our lives would miraculously end at 11:59 pm on December 31st and just a minute later, at midnight as the calendar changes from one year to the next, so would our lives change. There is good ahead. Believe it.

This is where I found myself as December was reaching its end. I'd had a tough 3 months. Most of you know that I had a bad (is there a good one?) case of the shingles all through October and November. After one week's break, the first week of December, I went right into 2 weeks of the flu followed by a week of a lasting cough and wheezing. Through it all I put on my traditional Thanksgiving dinner, Chanukah dinner and Christmas dinner. As we headed towards our traditional New Year's Eve appetizer buffet, I looked for everything and anything to call a sign that things were looking up.

Orange Pecan Caramel Corn

Like when, on the day before New Year's Eve when I dared to venture into the grocery store. It was not just the day before New Year's Eve, but the day after a weekend, meaning there was a good chance I'd find many empty shelves, a packed store and long lines.

Yeah, it was busy in there, but they had everything on my list. And they opened a new lane as I got ready to check out. There they were, signs that things were going to be looking up for me.

And then, all the appetizer prep work, cooking and baking I needed to get done on Monday and Tuesday, since the shopping went so quickly, I actually completed on Monday. Another sign.

On Tuesday, although I hadn't thought I'd have time, I made a big batch of Orange Pecan Caramel Corn. It was a risk because we all love my Caramel Corn, and like having it around to snack on while we're watching football on New Year's Day or just sitting by the fire on any cold weekend afternoon in the winter. But I had this idea for an Orange Pecan version that I wanted to try. Not only did I find the time to make it, but it came out great. Another sign. Yes, 2020 is definitely going to be my year. The grocery store, the New Year's Eve prep and the Orange Pecan Caramel Corn all say so. Everywhere the signs.

On New Year's Day I slept in a bit, woke up to have a leisurely cup of coffee and found myself smiling. It's here. This is my year. I've survived the 3 months of illness, the hustle and stress of multiple holidays, and all just a little worse for the wear (OK, completely worn down and exhausted) but I had an event free month ahead of me that would allow me to regain my strength. Starting today. I'd go from a few cups of coffee to Brunch Cocktails to sitting by the fire with a bowl of Orange Pecan Caramel Corn, and finally ending this first day of the rest of my life with a lazy dinner of leftover appetizers. 

So, all signs in my favor as I went to sit down on the couch Wednesday afternoon with my warm fluffy Red Sox throw and a bowl of caramel corn, I was happy. I was confident. I was hopeful and optimistic. 

And then, my butt halfway to the couch, I bumped the bowl . . .

Well hello Karma, didn't see you skulking there in the corner. Caught me counting my chickens, didn't ya?

Orange Pecan Caramel Corn

                                                              ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
3 bags microwave popcorn
1 stick butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp orange zest
3 TBSP orange juice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup pecan halves

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spray a large tin foil roasting pan and a heat resistant spatula or large metal spoon.
*Pop the popcorn and carefully remove any unpopped seeds before placing the popcorn in the roasting pan. Move to the oven.
*In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Cook, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Allow to boil for 3 minutes without stirring, then move from the heat.
*Remove the popcorn from the oven and mix in the pecans.
*To the sauce, add the vanilla, orange zest and orange juice, mix quickly. Add the baking soda and mix until it's fully incorporated.
*Pour the orange caramel sauce over the popcorn and pecans and mix well. Put in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, mix well and return to the oven for 20 more minutes. Repeat for a third time and then remove from oven.

Shamrock Breakfast Treats: Rainbows Blog With Friends

Today’s post is the next in our series of Blog With Friends theme collaborations. Each month a group  of bloggers get together and each publish a project based on a theme. What I love about this partnership is that it’s not bloggers with similar interests or strengths but a diverse group coming up with a variety of posts. In any given month we may have a recipe, sewing tutorial, crafts projects, book review and/or a technology post all related to the theme of the month.

This month's theme is Rainbows.

There will be individual project pictures and links to what everyone else has to offer at the end of my post, but here’s a peek at what we all came up with:

I made Shamrock Breakfast Treats.

Shamrock Breakfast Treats

I actually had a bit of a hard time with this post. First, I had already published four years ago, my Lucky Rainbow Cookies. 

I even wrote a funny story in that post about a Leprechaun who found my cookies and used them for . . . well . . . pants.

So a cookie was out for this project. Plan B, I'll do a cake. Nope. Tamara had already signed up for a Rainbow Cake. 

Good thing there are a lot of letters in the alphabet, I may need them for this project. OK, Plan C. Thinking it through again, focusing on the fact that St. Patrick's Day is just a few days away, I decided to go with the shamrock. 

Turns out it's good I'm not making a cake after all, as, a year after the Rainbow Cookies post, I continued the story of Lucky Leprechaun and included the recipe for a Creme de Menthe Shamrock Cake. BTW, I realized when looking at shamrock pictures for this project that shamrocks actually only have three leaves. I'd made a Creme de Menthe Four Leaf Clover Cake, not shamrock cake. Oops, my bad.

In order to keep with the theme here, I need to be able to incorporate rainbows. Desserts (and pants) pretty much covered, I decided to go in a completely different direction, breakfast. I'd make Shamrock shaped cinnamon roll treats and I'd use colored sugar to make them the colors of the rainbow.

This is a really simple recipe, using packaged cinnamon rolls both for quick baking since they're a breakfast, and for the ease of starting with a "cheat".

I rolled out the dough between waxed paper to between 1/4 inch and 1/3 inch thickness and cut out small hearts to use to make the shamrock leaves.

 
On parchment paper already placed on the baking sheet, I formed the dough shamrocks using the hearts and then rolling scraps for the stem.

I brushed with butter, added colored sugar and a small candy pearl to the center of each shamrock. I used five different colors and made one multicolored.

They puff and rise when they bake. I let them cool for a few minutes, then thinned the icing provided and drizzled over the cooked treats. If you use a long spatula and remove from the baking sheet carefully, they will stay together. If not, just reshape on the plate. Enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Wishing you luck that's more of the "end of the rainbow" type (which I'm actively aspiring to, myself) and less of the "Murphy's Law" type (which is, sadly, my current streak).

As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!

Be sure to visit all of this month's other Blog With Friends projects:

Tamara of Part-Time Working Hockey Mom shares how to make a Rainbow Sheet Cake. 

Jules of The Bergham Chronicles shares Rainbow Colored Glasses, affordable rainbow items that can be bought to add color to your life. 

Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shared Rainbow Muffins and Sprinkled Treats. 

Melissa of Heartfelt Sentiments shares how to Color Your World with handmade cards.

Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares how to find the beauty in the midst of chaos, Finding the Gold.

Be sure to stop by again next month for more theme based projects.

Shamrock Breakfast Treats

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

NOTE: I use a small heart shaped cookie cutter to form a shamrock for St. Patrick's Day but you can make them any shape and incorporate any colors for other occasions.

Ingredients:

1 tube refrigerated cinnamon rolls
2 TBSP butter, melted
1/2 tsp each of 6 different colored sugars (can use multicolored also)
6 candy pearls or mini M&Ms

1 TBSP milk

Directions:
*Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set aside the icing packet that comes with the rolls.
*Roll all of the dough into a ball. About 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll between 2 sheets of wax paper to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thickness.
*Using a small heart shaped cookie cutter, cut hearts out of the dough until you have 18 hearts.
*On the parchment paper, use the hearts in threes to form shamrocks, attaching at the points. Repeat until you have 6 shamrocks. 
*Roll the remaining scraps into a thin log. Cut 6 pieces and curl below shamrock, attaching at the tip of the hearts to form a stem.
*Using a pastry brush brush all of the shamrocks with melted butter. Sprinkle each with a different color of baking sugar. Place a candy pearl or mini M&M into each where the stem meets the hearts.
*Bake for about 12 minutes or until they puff and barely start to brown. Allow to sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes.
*Place the icing into a bowl. Whisk in a TBSP milk to thin it a bit. Drizzle over the shamrocks. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. 
*Remove from the baking sheet with a large flat spatula and they should stay together. If not, reassemble on plates.