Product Review - Edy's Thin Mint Ice Cream

When I first heard about this Special Edition ice cream last year, I was so excited. Thin Mints have always been my favorite Girl Scout cookies, and I especially love them when they're cold. Sounds like this ice cream would be perfect for me, right? Well, it's not.

After I first heard about the Special Edition flavor, I searched online to see if this ice cream was available in my area, but it wasn't. Then, last month, I just happened to see it in my local Homeland. Of course, I had to get some. After we got home from the store, I opened the container, and was surprised to see that it was chocolate ice cream. I'm not sure why I was so surprised, as the picture on the front clearly shows that it is chocolate, but I was expecting vanilla ice cream with thin mint pieces.

I tried my first bite, and was not impressed. The texture was very grainy and the chocolate ice cream did not have a good flavor. That was odd, because Edy's is usually a very good ice cream. Their vanilla is wonderful.

Long story short, I will not be having this Thin Mint ice cream again. It was not good - not even for a Thin Mint and Chocolate lover like me.

After looking at the website today, I notice that this flavor is only supposed to be available from January through April. That worries me a little, as I bought mine in July. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe mine was just old. I also notice, that the website describes the ice cream as follows: "A refreshing and original flavor that combines white mint light ice cream and Thin Mint cookies. Be sure to get as much of this deLightful Limited Edition flavor as you can now, while supplies last."

Edy's Thin Mint Cookie

What the hell? Mine was chocolate. Now I'm just confused. Maybe I'll put a note in my calendar, to keep an eye out for Thin Mint ice cream meeting THIS description, next January.

Recipe Review - 7 Minute Frosting

"No Cook" 7 Minute Frosting

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 unbeaten egg whites
food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla and egg whites.
2. Add boiling water.
3. Beat on high til mixture forms peaks (like meringue) approx 5-7 minutes.

http://www.recipezaar.com/No-Cook-7-Minute-Frosting-107841

I really thought this was going to be the first recipe review that I wouldn't have any complaints about. Unfortunately, that's not exactly the case.

At the last minute on Saturday evening, I decided to make a birthday cake for a family get together - Happy Birthday, Becky & Amy! That morning, I had seen a recipe for a 7 Minute Frosting on America's Test Kitchen. Apparently it's a pretty old recipe, but I'd never heard of it. However, it's a very pretty frosting, and I knew I wanted to try it. The problem is, I've never had a double boiler, and don't even really have the right pots for a makeshift one, and this recipe called for a double boiler.

I searched online, to try to find a recipe that was simpler than the one I'd seen that morning. As luck would have it, I came across this "No Cook" recipe. It was a breeze to make, and really turned out beautifully. If was very white and fluffy looking, and very light tasting.

To make it a little more festive, since it was a birthday cake, I decided to add some yellow gel food coloring. Well, it worked, and the icing took the color really well, but it actually ended up looking like whipped butter. I wish I had gotten a photo of it. It was so funny. It looked like we slathered the cake in Country Crock.

Thankfully, the butter-look didn't phase anyone. Even the frosting-haters of the family, agreed that this frosting was tasty. For the birthday party, I made a Fun-fetti cake and frosted it with the butter-yellow "No Cook" 7 Minute Frosting. And it was delicious.

Late that night, I was still in the baking mood, so I decided to try it again. I made a double batch this time, because I wanted to make a layer cake and use the frosting between the layers. I also mixed it up a little, and used almond extract instead of vanilla. It was a success.

This almond frosting had a very good flavor. I actually preferred it to the vanilla. And let me tell you, this chocolate layer cake turned out to be almost too pretty to eat.

But as you can see, we really didn't have a problem digging right in. It was heavenly. The almond flavoring added such a nice touch to it. And the texture of this frosting is just nearly perfect.

So, all in all, for a cake that's going to be eaten in one day, this recipe it a complete success. I give it an A+ for same day enjoyment.

The problem comes after the cake sits for a while. I made the chocolate cake late at night; I probably finished it around midnight. The next morning, approximately 12 hours later, this is what we were welcomed with when we got down to the kitchen.

As you can see, the layers basically disappeared. I didn't expect the cake to keep it's shape completely, because the frosting was so light, but I never figured something like this would happen. The frosting on the outside was much thicker than the layers, and didn't disappear, but got all foamy. It was so strange. We went ahead and tried a bit, and it still tasted really great. The frosting sort of just absorbed into the cake and made it really moist, and again that almond flavor was really wonderful. But it was still so weird. I can't figure out if it's just this recipe, or if any 7 Minute Frosting will do this. Like I said, this is the first time I'd ever heard of it.

My other idea, is that maybe it's supposed to be refrigerated? I just don't know.

So, in conclusion, this recipe fails in the long run, but only in looks. The flavor is still wonderful, even after the frosting disappears.

Overall, I give it a C, and suggest you consume the frosted cake within 6 hours of preparation.

If any of you make this, or have ever made a traditional 7 Minute Frosting, please let me know if this is the standard, of if I've done something wrong.

As always, if you have any suggestions for recipes you'd like me to review, please leave a comment. Stay tuned!

Kennedy

I was born in February 1977, almost 14 years after John Kennedy was assassinated and 9 years after his brother Bobby met the same fate. I doubt my parents are even old enough to remember where they were when JFK was shot. I wonder then, why I still manage to get choked up at the old news footage of the assassinations, the funerals, and all of it. You'd think, by not having my own personal remembrances of those events, and by the shear amount of times I've seen the footage, that it wouldn't affect me. I should be desensitized to it. Besides the general tragedy of it all, it just shouldn't affect me like it does. But it does. Every time. I always get that lump in my throat and make a little squeak, trying to hold back the emotion.

I guess it must have something to do with the mystique and the legend of it all, right? For all of my life, the fascination with the Kennedy family has been there, and it's made them our Royal family, for lack of a better term. We care about them.

When we all mourned the death of JFK Jr. in 1999, I was 22. I remember it vividly. Saturday morning, sitting in the living room on NW 34th St, by myself. I cried. And of course, when you think of JFK Jr., you think of that image of a little child, saluting his father's casket as it passed, so many years ago. And that's what chokes me up, to this day. That old footage, from a time when change might have really mattered. I wonder where we'd be now, if it had all happened differently.

A few months ago, I watched a documentary on the Kennedy family, on OETA. It was so interesting. There's so much about the family that I didn't know. Before watching this 2 hour show, I knew about the tragedy and a little about the family secrets. Rosemary's story, for example, is very sad. The competition between the siblings was so intense when they were growing up. I read a while ago, that some believe Rosemary was actually a normal child, who basically just broke from the pressure of not being at the high level that her siblings were at, intellectually. The theory is that in a "regular/normal" family, she wouldn't have had any mental issues at all. It's an interesting, though disturbing, thought.

That same documentary also shed a lot of light on who JFK really was. You always think of him as The Good Guy. But he was so shrewd. Of course, in his position, he had to be. But it was shocking to hear just how cunning he was. He seemed so underhanded in a lot of ways. It was unsettling to think about. But why was it unsettling? He's long since dead and has no more influence, good or bad. However, hearing something that makes him seem so much less than perfect, is sort of like hearing that your Grandma spent a night in jail when she was 16. You have to remind yourself that she wasn't always the person you knew. And JFK definitely wasn't always the person that you hear about now. The dead are almost always saints, especially when surrounded by so much tragedy.

Now, with the death of Ted Kennedy on Wednesday, it's sort of the end of it all, isn't it? Do we care about the rest of them? Of course, we care because they are human beings, but do we still care, because they are Kennedys? I don't think so, honestly. I think it's all over. That legend is officially dead and will soon be buried.

Will it matter? Will this nation be any different now that our Royal family is gone? Time will tell.

As a side note, I also wonder how Mary Jo Kopechne's family feels today? I'm sure for them, the mystique a lot of us feel, was dead a long time ago.

Picture Pages - Summer Lovin'

In this play, Danny will be played by a watermelon, and Sandy will be played by Jaz.

Summer loving had me a blast

Summer loving happened so fast

I met a girl crazy for me

I met a boy cute as can be

Summer days drifting away, to oh oh the summer nights



She swam by me, she got a cramp

He ran by me, got my suit damp

I saved her life, she nearly drowned

He showed off, splashing around

Summer sun, something's begun, but oh oh the summer nights



Took her bowling in the arcade

We went strolling, drank lemonade

We made out under the dock

We stayed up 'till ten o'clock

Summer fling, don't mean a thing, but oh oh the summer nights



He got friendly, holding my hand

She got friendly down in the sand

He was sweet just turned eighteen

Well she was good you know what I mean

Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but oh oh the summer nights



It turned colder - that's where it ends

So I told her we'd still be friends

Then we made our true love vow

Wonder what she's doing now

Summer dreams ripped at the seams, but oh those summer nights

Perhaps She'll Die

On my way to mail Mary's prize from this month's prize giveaway, I swallowed a fly. Yeah, it was gross.

It was morning, and I hadn't had my caffeine yet, so I fixed a cup of Diet Coke and ice before I headed toward the Post Office. As soon as I got in the car, I realized I had company. A fly had decided to hitch a ride. I rolled the window down and tried to shoo him out several times. He wasn't the brightest fly in the jar, so of course he continued to fly around inside the car. Eventually, I thought he was gone. Then, I took a big gulp of my drink. Let's just say that I had a little extra protein in my diet that day. Yuck!

Anyway, since that day, I've had a song stuck in my head. When I was in 5th grade, I had Miss Dinkle as a music teacher. This is a song she had us sing quite a bit.

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly.
I don't know why she swallowed a fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

There was an old woman who swallowed a spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed a fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

There was an old woman who swallowed a bird.
How absurd to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed a fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

There was an old woman who swallowed a cat.
Imagine that to swallow a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
How absurd to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed a fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

There was an old woman who swallowed a dog.
What a hog to swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
Imagine that to swallow a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
How absurd to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed a fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

There was an old woman who swallowed a goat.
Just opened her throat to swallow a goat.
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog.
What a hog to swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
Imagine that to swallow a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
How absurd to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed a fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

There was an old woman who swallowed a cow.
I don't know how she swallowed a cow!
She swallowed the cow to catch the goat.
Just opened her throat to swallow a goat.
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog.
What a hog to swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
Imagine that to swallow a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
How absurd to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
I don't know why she swallowed a fly.
Perhaps she'll die.

There was an old woman who swallowed a horse.
She's dead of course!

So, I've just got a few questions. First of all, who thinks of this stuff? I guess someone with more imagination than me. My second question is, a cow to catch a goat and a goat to catch a dog? What in the world? I'm right there with the song, until the goat, then it loses me. Heh.

I remember a lot of random songs like this from childhood. Very few of them make any sort of sense. A lot of them are just so ingrained in your mind, that you don't even think about the words. Then one day, you're in your 30s and you get an old song stuck in our head and you really hear the words for the first time. Then you say to yourself, "What in the hell?"

It's funny. I wonder what kinds of songs my kids will get stuck in their heads someday?

Random Review - Bricktown Candy Co.

Bricktown Candy Co.
100 E. California Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK
(405) 600-9009

Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday - Saturday: 11am to 10pm
Sunday: 12pm to 6pm

Last weekend, Keith and I took a trip on the motorcycle. We had planned on going to Red Rock Canyon, but only got as far as El Reno. The temperature was in the high 90s that day, and we ran out of steam on the idea pretty quickly. We took a little detour on our way home, and ended up in Bricktown.

Since there is motorcycle parking in Bricktown now, we were able to park and take a walk around to see a few new things the area has to offer. We spent about an hour in the new Coyote Ugly bar, and then ventured back out into the heat. Heading toward California, I noticed a sign advertising a place selling gelato. Keith and I turned the corner, and there it was; The Bricktown Candy Co. was open for business, so we headed inside.

When you walk in, you can tell the place is new. It's only been open since June of this year, so it still seems like a work in progress. However, the lack of decor or general theme, doesn't take away from the fun experience. They sell bulk candy by the ounce. You can find M&Ms and Sixlets in every color, Swedish Fish, Chocolate Covered Peanuts, Spree, and almost anything else you can think of. I also noticed that they have old fashioned candy bars at the counter. They sell Big Hunk, Charleston Chew, and Clark bars, to name a few.

Besides the bulk candy and candy bars, the Bricktown Candy Co. has a couple of other items they specialize in. They boast over 100 flavors of bottled soda pop. You can even mix and match your own six pack. It's not quite as many flavors as Pops on Route 66, but it's enough to keep your attention for while.

In the back room, they keep the best part of the entire store; That's where the gelato bar is. For those who don't know, gelato is basically Italy's version of ice cream. I must say, Italy is definitely doing something right in that respect.

The price of the gelato seemed a little high - $3.50 for the smallest size and $5.00 for a large - but we tried a it anyway. After sampling the White Chocolate and the Banana Caramel Praline, I decided on the latter. It did not disappoint. It was excellent and reminded me of banana pudding with pecans. Keith sampled a few other flavors, but opted for the Tiramisu. It was wonderful and was very true to flavor.

Though we were wary of the price at first, the amount we got was plenty. We both got the small size. The flavors were very rich and satisfying, and I did not feel cheated in any way. I guess you get what you pay for, when it comes to gelato.

In closing, I can't recommend this place enough. I think it was an excellent idea, to put a candy shop in Bricktown. It will be great for tourists, as well as locals. So, go and enjoy it. It's a great little piece of downtown OKC.

Side note: The Bricktown Candy Co. doesn't seem to have a website of their own yet, but I did find this story from the Oklahoman.

Bricktown area gets sweeter for visitors NewsOK.com
Shared via AddThis

Edited to correct gelato price, and add a note from the proprietor: "Bricktown Candy has Sugar Free Candy and Soda. An error in ordering the Gelato has put us in a place of not having a sugar free gelato at this time. Our next order will have sugar free flavors."

Recipe Review - Whole Wheat Biscuits

FLUFFY WHOLE WHEAT BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt; mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk just until moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8 to 10 times. Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fluffy-Whole-Wheat-Biscuits/Detail.aspx

These biscuits were not fluffy. They were actually pretty heavy, and didn't really have a biscuit-like texture at all. And as you can see, if you compare my photo to the photo in the link, they didn't look at all like fluffy biscuits either. Instead of eating a biscuit, it was more like chowing down on a big hunk of wheat bread. I'm all for homemade wheat bread, and might actually end up making these again, to have with dinner one night. However, they did not go very well with our breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage.

Please take into consideration, that it's entirely possible that I did something wrong when making these biscuits. Other than cakes and sweets, I've not done a lot of baking. I don't have a lot of bread making experience, and unfortunately, Keith likes canned biscuits, so I've been lazy about perfecting that particular craft. I'm able to make my Grandma's biscuit recipe turn out a lot better than these though.

The recipe specifies that these biscuits should be baked on an ungreased baking sheet. In my opinion, they might need a little grease to give them the right outer texture - that little bit of a layer of bite that good biscuits need. If I ever were to try them again, I'd brush hot oil on them before baking, and see if that helps.

Also, I baked these biscuits 3 minutes longer than recipe called for. I was trying to get them to "lightly brown" but it didn't seem to help. They didn't brown at all.

As Keith was not at all impressed with these biscuits, I had a lot of leftovers. I decided to bag them up and take them to work with me. They've made for a good breakfast snack, after bring microwaved and slathered in peanut butter. I'll be having the last of them later this morning. Peanut butter makes anything better.

So, in closing, you might want to give them a try if you're a better baker than me. But if you want a sure thing, skip this recipe. If I ever try baking these biscuits again, I'll be sure to update you on the outcome.

Stay tuned for more reviews, and please leave a comment if you have any suggestions for me. Well, actually, you can feel free to leave a comment even if you don't have a suggestion.

Doctor Who?

When I was little, Dr. Yates' office was a comforting place. While most kids don't enjoy going to the doctor, I always did, in a way. I think it's because I knew that shortly after I left there, I'd probably be feeling better. And I knew that because... he gave me medicine when I needed it, he did blood work to try to find out what was wrong, his nurse put a band-aid on my butt after I got a shot, or whatever. Basically, he just did his job. He was old-school. He was kind, but he told it like it was. He smoked a pipe in the exam room and it didn't even seem strange back then. Oh lord, imagine if that was to take place in this day and age. The lawsuits! The newspaper articles! It would be pandemonium.

You see, when I was little, there were two things "wrong" with me. First, I developed what Dr. Yates called "nervous stomach" when I started the first grade. I complained of an upset stomach so many mornings, that eventually I had to go see the doctor. He said it was most likely my nerves, and gave me this horrible tasting green medicine. To this day, I still sometimes wonder if the medicine was real, or made up to make me think it was helping a stomach ache. Don't get me wrong, my stomach really did hurt, but I mostly just didn't want to go to school. Man, that stuff was really awful. I can't even describe it. But if I think about it, I can still taste it. Actually, you know what it tasted like? It tasted the way heartburn feels... all the way down.

The other issue I had, was with my ears. I got a lot of ear infections and my eardrums were apparently inferior in some way, because they burst, twice. That's another thing I can remember vividly; that pain is the worst pain I've ever felt. I can remember laying on the living room couch, just wanting it to go away. My dad had stayed up with me that night, which was strange. I begged to go see Dr. Yates, so he would make it better. Unfortunately it was the middle of the night, so there wasn't much that could be done. Sometime later, after another ear infection, I heard Dr. Yates tell whoever was there with me - I'm sure it was either my mom or my Grandma - that if I got another one, I'd have to get tubes in my ears. I had no idea what that meant, but I knew it didn't sound fun. Thankfully, I either grew out of getting ear infections, or talked myself out of another one. It was about 22 years before I had one again. And let me tell you, the ear infection I had as an adult was just as miserable as all the ones from my childhood.

Anyway, the point is, I lived through it all. I was never afraid to get a shot or have my temperature taken, and I think that means something. I wish I could thank Dr. Yates now, for giving me that sense of security when I was young. I have a feeling he'd just tell me he was doing his job.

Dr. Yates retired when I was a teenager. I didn't go to a doctor again for probably 5 or so years. Since then, I've been through four or five other doctors. Each time I've swtiched, it was beacuse they moved, or retired, or started only doctoring commercial pilots, or something random like that. I didn't stop seeing them because I didn't like them. Well, except the one in The Village. He was just awful. But overall, I've been basically satisfied.

I like the doctor I go to now. He's a nice enough guy, and he seems to care. But I still long for the comfort I felt when I was young. Nowadays I'm not always convinced that I'll really be feeling better soon after I see him. I don't know if it's the health care system, if it's the fault of insurance agencies, or if it's just the fact that we live in a much more fast paced society, but things just aren't the way they used to be. Getting us in and out, as fast as possible, seems to be the policy these days. And that's if you can even get an appointment in the first place.

I have no idea what might work to improve the medical situation in this country, but I know a lot of people have a lot of different ideas. I also know that I'm one of the lucky ones, because I do have really good insurance that I don't have to pay a lot for. However, I guess I still need to go read the newspaper or something, and try to educate myself on the whole situation. I'm 32 now, and Dr. Yates isn't going to start practicing again anytime soon. I might has well learn to live with that.

Picture Pages - 26 Years Ago Yesterday

Happy Birthday, Ames.

I love you, little cousin! I can't believe you're a grown-up. Let's go to Burger King!

P.S. Why can't I have hair and skin like that now? I was so blonde, and so tan!

Mr. Brownstone

If you had told me 20 years ago, that Slash and Steven Adler would be the two members of Guns N' Roses that would have a special spot in my heart in 2009, I would have called you a filthy liar. Adler just wasn't tough enough for my 12 year old fake bad-ass self, and Slash was just ugly. Yes, I can admit that I was that shallow in 1989. However, after my 32 year old self read Stephen Davis' Watch You Bleed, and watched a gut-wrenching season of Steven Alder on Celebrity Rehab, I think I know why you're not the filthy liar I would have accused you of being.

Steven Adler, now, is just like a sad, lonely stray dog. He was so young when it all started. If ever there was a victim of 80's metal, it's him. Young, dumb, and wanting to fit in - His body and mind have been through so much, that he seems to be the same, still to this day. The first episode of Celebrity Rehab started with him crying, high, on his couch. There was a fist-sized hole in the wall behind him, and he sobbed about wanting to talk to his friend Slash. It was such a sad scene. I hope that in a moment of sobriety, he sees it all, and it helps him. But, I doubt his mind has the capacity for that sort of clarity now. Any semblance of an adult mind is long gone. He's still a child, who just wants his friend; His friend who has long since moved on. His friend who very likely helped to make him this way. His friend who was just luckier in the long run, and could have easily ended up in the same state.

I can remember watching, gleefully, as Slash cursed and sloshed around on stage at the American Music Awards in 1990. I never liked him anyway, and he was making a fool of himself, but I thought it was great. At almost 13, it seemed so cool to me. He was making a stand against all the old fogeys (and Tipper Gore) and I loved it. In Stephen Davis' book, I got to read all the real truths, that I always knew about, but never knew the depths of. The amount of drugs and sex and harmful things these young men put themselves through is truly astounding. Somehow though, Slash seems to be the one who made it out alive. He became whatever likeness of a grown-up a rock star can become. He got his shit together, and made something of himself as a person.

Today, Slash keeps alive just a tiny bit of the feelings I had for that moment in time - My innocence to think that these guys were truly wonderful and that their existence was something great. I think a lot of us felt that Guns N' Roses might be akin to the Beatles, for our time. The Great Band that we'd all look back on with pride. I don't think we'll ever really have anything like that though, ever again. I know my generation doesn't. And, I'm pretty sure The Jonas Brothers aren't going to be remembered all that fondly in 40 years.

I was naive and so young then. Being born at the end of the generation, meant that I had no idea of the reality of what was going on. I couldn't even begin to imagine the amount of torture these people put their minds, bodies, and souls through. It honestly makes me sick to think about now. I may still get goosebumps when the opening cords of "Sweet Child o' Mine" come on the radio, but then I remember reading that Slash hated playing that part of the song. It ruins it for me a little, because it reminds me that they are real people, and not Idols. But then, I remember how it made me feel when I was young, and it just takes me back.

Timetable Amendments

I spoke about the basic schedule I had in mind for this blog in this post. With the constraints of time, resources, and ideas I've decided to amend this schedule, just slightly.

Prize Drawing Product Reviews will now be posted on the 1st Monday of the month. The winner of that prize drawing will be announced the 2nd Monday of the month. With that, there will not be a review posted on the 2nd Monday of the month. However, all other Mondays in any given month will include some sort of review. It might be a restaurant review, a book review, a movie review, or any other product review. Starting next Monday, things should be on a regular schedule.

I plan to stay on task, with the weekly Friday recipe reviews, as well as the Wednesday picture pages. If you have any products or recipes you think I might like to review, please leave a comment and let me know. I'm open to almost any suggestions.

Thanks, and stay tuned!

Recipe Review - Chocolate Strawberry Dump Cake

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY DUMP CAKE

INGREDIENTS
1 package Jiffy Devil's Food Cake Mix
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
1lb fresh strawberries
1.5 tbsp water
1 stick butter - melted

DIRECTIONS
Filling:
Chop strawberries into large chunks
In a mixing bowl, combine strawberry pieces with sugar and water, and stir until all sugar is dissolved

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°
Spray a small baking dish with Pam (you can use almost any small baking dish - 8X8 square, 8" round, loaf pan, etc)
Melt 1 stick of butter in a microwave safe dish, or on the stove top
Dump strawberry mixture into baking dish
Dump Jiffy cake mix evenly on top of strawberry mixture
DO NOT STIR
Spoon melted butter, as evenly as possible, on top of cake mix
Again, DO NOT STIR
Sprinkle 1tbsp of sugar on top of butter

Bake for 55 mins @ 350°
Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving
Enjoy!

My usual dump cake recipe uses canned apple pie filling and Jiffy brand yellow cake mix. I've always wanted to switch it up a little, and try it with a chocolate cake mix. I gave it a go once, using canned strawberry pie filling and a Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix, and it did not cook properly. The cake mix stayed powdery, so I assume the Jiffy cake mix is the trick to this recipe. I noticed that the Homeland near our house carries the Jiffy Devil's Food Cake mix, so I had to give it a try.

I don't particularly care for strawberry pie filling, and I don't like cherries at all, so I experimented a little further. I decided to make my own sort of filling. I think it turned out pretty good. I found the dessert very rich and sweet, with a tart bite to it at the end. I can see how it would not be for everyone. However, I am very fond of rich desserts, so I thought it was wonderful.

Keith enjoyed the cake part, which when cooked in this way, turns out to be a sort of brownie consistency. It's really very good. He was not fond of the strawberry filling, and I can understand how some wouldn't be. Keith actually thinks it might be tasty using the chocolate cake mix, and the apple pie filling. I'm not sure that's something I will ever be brave enough to try, but if I do, I'll be sure to let you know the outcome.

If you'd like to try this recipe yourself, and don't mind the taste of canned strawberry pie filling, feel free to use that. You would need an approximately 20oz can. For those who like cherry pie filling, that might be a good thing to try with this Devil's Food cake mix as well.

Just remember, using the Jiffy brand cake mix seems to be what makes this recipe a success.

If you have a recipe or product you'd like me to review, please let me know. Just leave a comment - I'm open to almost any suggestions.

We Have a Winner!

Congratulations, Mary!

You are soon to be the proud new owner of a starter kit of Purex 3-in-1 Pure & Clean laundry sheets. I will attempt to contact you on Facebook and through E-mail. If I can get in touch with you before noon (Central time) tomorrow, I will be sending your lovely prize to you then. If not, it will be sometime next week.

Congratulations!!!

And, a special thanks to EVERYONE who participated in my first prize drawing. I'm going to attempt to do 1 per month, so please stay tuned!

Now, let's just hope that it's legal to send Purex to Germany.

P.S. Mary, go watch the video link that I added to the bottom of the original post, if you haven't already.

Friday's Recipe Review - Coming Soon

I'm sorry everyone, but Friday's Recipe Review will have to be put off until Saturday. I didn't finish writing it up last night, and it's 5:30am right now, and there's just no way it's getting done this early in the morning.

But, Keith is working tomorrow morning, so I will finish it up either tonight or tomorrow morning, and I promise it will be posted by noon tomorrow.

Now, in about 2 1/2 hours, I'll be choosing the random winner of the Prize Drawing. I'll post the results at around 1pm this afternoon.

Until then...

Operation Find Don

Please see the link below.

http://tomatonation.com/?p=1592

I've been reading Tomato Nation for years. Sars has provided me with a lot of good laughs, so I figured I owed her at least this much, to post a link to her search for Don.

Don was her 9/11 buddy that day in NYC. And it was his birthday. She feels that she owes him a cold beer.

It's a long shot, since most of us are in Oklahoma, but it's worth a try, right?

21 - 3 - 17

A lot of you are aware of my unnatural (yes, I admit it) hatred for the Sonic guys. You know, those really annoying guys from the Sonic Drive-in commercials? Yeah, I dislike them. A lot. They're not funny. Anyway, I'm even more annoyed with them after the new commercial I saw early yesterday morning.

The really stupid guy, the one who usually sits in the passenger seat, remembers his high school locker combination. So do I! And now I'm ashamed of that fact. Thanks, Sonic!

Yes, yes, I realize these guys are just playing characters in commerials, and that they're not real. That somehow makes my hatred even more heated. I don't know why. That's just the way it is.

At least now I know that I'm not the only person in the world who remembers her locker combination 15 years later. Even if the Sonic guy isn't real, I know someone writes those commercials, and I have to believe that person also remembers their locker combination.

So, anyone else remember theirs? Come on, people. Please tell me it's not just me and the stupid Sonic guy.

Picture Pages - My Earliest Memory

Just a few notes of interest for this photo:

1. This photo possibly represents my earliest conscious memory. I remember them shoving cake into each other's mouths. I'm pretty sure that's a true memory.

2. I was 3 in 1980, which is the year this photo was taken. My Aunt Becky (left) was around 19 or 20. I'm not sure how old Brian (right) was, but I'd guess maybe 22 at most.

3. That's my Grandma in the middle. This photo was taken in her kitchen, during Brian and Becky's wedding reception.

4. I remember that wallpaper and those curtains. I even remember the curtains in the enclosed back porch - through the door, behind Grandma. And, I just have to mention it again - that wallpaper!!! - that wallpaper is epic.

5. I still know the number that would make that big black phone on the wall ring. I've called it a few times in the past 12 years. Someone else answers it now.

6. One of the other, most vivid memories of my life, was in that same room. It was a Saturday in the mid 90s, and my parents and I were there for our Saturday visit. The phone rang, and we found out that Brian had died. He was my uncle by marriage, and that marriage had ended a few years before, but he was still a part of our family. He was my cousin Kristen's dad, and we all loved him. RIP Brian.

We Have a Cuddler

As most of you probably already know, Keith and I brought a kitten home from Altus this past March. Her name is Cami and she is now about 10 months old. She keeps us on our toes and I honestly think we've both been in better moods since she's arrived. There's never a dull moment. She's Keith's first true indoor-only cat, and it's a lot of fun watching him with her. I'm definitely a cat person, I always have been; I'm starting to suspect he is as well.

Cami weighs about 6lbs now. I must say, if she doesn't get to growing, she will be the smallest cat I've ever had, by at least half. We usually tend to grow them pretty big on my side of the family. However, even at her small size, she's still able to take up approximately 3/4 of the king sized bed at night. I do love that she sleeps with us though. I've missed that presence in my life for the past 10 years. I had to go and purchase some lighter colored sheets, as I am constantly afraid I'm going to come back to bed in the middle of the night and squish her. I'm not completely confident that she's smart enough to get out of the way. I'm kidding; well, I'm half kidding.

She is an excellent snuggler, when she's in the mood. And she is usually in the mood. I've actually got a kitty lap-blanket happening as I type this. Almost every day, when I get home from work, Cami and Keith are snuggled up on the couch. It's pretty adorable.*

Anyway, I know that not all of you are into cats, and that's fine... even if I do think it's a little weird. But no matter what, you have to admit that there's nothing like the love and snuggles of a four-legged friend.

So, even though our day is now full of special** cat food, flushable cat litter, and a little bit of feline acne, it's also full of laughs and I'm very happy about that.

* see the photo at the top of this post
** or in other words, ridiculously overpriced

Product Review - Purex 3-in-1

I typically use liquid Tide laundry soap, liquid Downy fabric softener, and Bounce dryer sheets. After seeing commercials for a month or more, I decided to give the new Purex 3-in-1 product a try. I had never used Purex detergent before, but a good friend does, so I trusted that they would at least have a chance of working. I also considered that if they did the job, they might save me a few bucks a month, and hopefully this product is a little better for the environment. I mean, at the very least, there is less packaging involved. So, let's get down to it.

The 3-in-1 sheets come in 3 scents right now. They are described on the Purex website as follows:

Spring Oasis - a nature-inspired fragrance with fresh citrus and flowers, like a clean morning breeze

Tropical Escape - Island-inspired watery clean scent with a hint of exotic fruit freshness

Pure & Clean - 100% hypoallergenic with a subtle fresh, clean scent. Perfect for people with sensitive skin

I wanted to try Tropical Escape, but my local Target only carries Pure & Clean and Spring Oasis. So, I went with Spring Oasis. Keith said the Pure & Clean smells like Dial soap, and I have to agree. That's not a bad thing; it's just an observation.

From the photos on the website, it appears that the Spring Oasis and the Pure & Clean sheets look exactly the same. They both have a blue detergent section with a blue fabric softener strip. However, the Tropical Breeze appears to have an orange fabric softener strip. The storage containers don't have the scents anywhere on them, so I was a bit worried as to how you could easily remember which scent you prefered, when it's time to buy the refills. I guess the different colored strips will help with that.

You have two options of how to buy these sheets. The first is a starter kit that comes with 20 sheets and the plastic container to keep them in. Since they obviously can't get wet before use, this is your safest bet on how to store them. The starter kit costs around $5.50 at my local Target store. The second option you have, is to buy a refill pack. The refill pack includes 4 more sheets, for a total of 24 sheets. The refill pack is the same price as the starter kit. On the Purex website, they explain why they have packaged them in this manner. The 4 extra sheets in the refill pack make up for the lack of storage container.

For an all-in-one sheet, I say that the Purex brand does a great job. When doing a typical load of laundry, I have no complaints at all. The fabric softener and dryer sheet portions of the 3-in-1 sheets seem to do an excellent job. My clothes always come out smelling great and are just as soft as they were when I was using Downy and Bounce. As far as stain fighting goes, it doesn't score quite as high. It just doesn't cut it as stain fighter. But, I guess that's why it's not a 4-in-1. I will stick with my liquid Tide as a pre-treater for tough stains.

On the website, they do state that some spotting from the fabric softener strip of the 3-in-1 sheet can occur if the dryer is overloaded or has a bulky load, such as bed sheets or blankets. I have not tried washing sheets or blankets with this product yet, so I can't comment on this. I have washed a large load of bath towels, and did not have any issue at all with this. As for the spotting, the website goes on to say that it is not permanent and would simply require another washing to remove.

These sheets can be used with an HE or standard washing machine. They are not reclyclable yet, but the company is supposed to be working on finding a material they can use, that can be recycled. The container and packaging are recyclable.

I read somewhere else online, that you could use the used sheets to wash windows and other glass in your house. I tried cleaning a mirror in the bathroom with Windex, using one of the spent sheets instead of a paper towel. This did not work well at all. The sheets aren't absorbant, and so they just smeared everything around. I haven't tried using them to clean with soap and water, but I really can't see that working any better. They might work well as a scrubber, using Comet or something similar. I haven't tried that yet, but I can see it working quite well. The only other suggestion I have for using the depleted sheets, would be to use them as closet fresheners, or drawer fresheners. Our upstairs hall closet tends to get musty pretty easily. I've got one of the used sheets in there now, to see how long it will freshen that space. It's been about a week, and I can still smell the nice fragrance when I open that door.

In summary, I've been using this product for approximately 3 weeks as of this writing. These sheets are not highly effective as a stain fighter, but do a good job of cleaning, freshening, and softening a standard load of laundry. I will continue to use the Purex 3-in-1 sheets for average loads of laundry. For deep set stains, I will use Tide liquid detergent as a pre-treater.

For more information, you can click on the following link to get to the Purex 3-in-1 website. You can also click a link at that website, to get a $1 off coupon. The coupons really do work. I used one at my local Target store, to purchase my starter kit.

Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

Now on to the fun part. Leave a comment in this post before 8:00am on Friday, August 14, 2009, and I will choose a winner at random, using Random.org. The winner will receive a free starter kit of the Pure & Clean 3-in-1 sheets.

Updated to add: Just to clarify for everyone, the deadline to leave your comment is FRIDAY, 8/14/09 before 8am. Today is Monday. That gives you 4 whole days! YAY! And I will post the winner around lunchtime on Friday afternoon.

Updated again, to add this awesome video, for Mary: http://www.purex.com/thissheetworks/

All About Scheduling

I procrastinate, a lot. I'm pretty lazy, and though I believe my ideas are always good ones, I don't usually have a ton of faith that they will truly come to fruition. I've just come to realize over the past 20+ years, that this is just going to have to be how it is in my life. It hasn't changed so far, and I don't really see it changing in the future.

However, I have decided to try going with a certain timetable for this blog. I need some sort of formula to strive for, even if I know it probably won't always work out how I plan.

So, here's what I've come up with:

~ I've decided that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'll post about my random thoughts and feelings on all the weird little things that enter into my mind throughout each and every day. It gets pretty weird inside my head sometimes, y'all. This will also include all the things going on in my life, or in the lives of my loved ones.

~ On Mondays, I'll try to post product reviews. If you have any ideas for things you'd like for me to review, just let me know. I'm open to (well, almost) anything.

~ Wednesdays will be set aside for Picture Pages (Bill Cosby will likely not be included.) Old family photos will abound. It will be tons of fun, and is possibly my favorite idea for the blog so far. Of course I'll also include recent photos and just to warn you, a lot of them will probably be of Cami. Oooh and the State Fair, when it starts!

~ I almost forgot about Fridays! Recipe reviews are planned for Fridays. Yay! Yes, yes, I know today is Friday. Yes, I know I posted a recipe review yesterday. But, I didn't have this plan in place yesterday, so you'll have to forgive me.

Well, that's about it. If you have any ideas or feedback for me, leave a comment. I need some traffic through this place so that I don't get bored, people!

Recipe Review - Pot Roast #1

AWESOME SLOW COOKER POT ROAST

INGREDIENTS
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 cups water
5 1/2 pounds pot roast

DIRECTIONS
In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Awesome-Slow-Cooker-Pot-Roast/Detail.aspx

I was very disappointed with my first attempt at this recipe. The soup didn't thicken, so it was basically watery juice. It also had an odd flavor, but that may have been from my addition of potatoes and carrots to the dish. Now that I've had time to read the reviews from Allrecipes.com, I plan to try it again, with a few alterations.

I did change just a few things on my first attempt, but I really can't see how the changes I made would have had much effect on the outcome. I didn't have a 5.5lb roast, so I used a 2.5lb roast, and cut the rest of the ingredients in half. I also made the soup mixture up the night before, and marinated the roast in it for about 8 hours in the refrigerator. That way, when I got up the next morning, I was able to dump it directly into the crock-pot and turn it on as I headed out the door. After reading the reviews, I'm thinking my biggest mistake might have been adding carrots and potatoes to the bottom of the crock. It looks like that might be this recipes' downfall. Now I know better.

When I try this recipe again, I know I will do at least 3 things differently:

~ I will try using beef broth instead of water, which I would have done this time, but I was out of beef broth.

~ I will coat the meat with flour and other seasonings, and sear it slightly before cooking.

~ I will not add potatoes or carrots to the crock to cook along with the roast.

I'm hoping that with these adjustments, this will be a good go-to recipe for a quick and easy pot roast.

Using a slow cooker is such a nice thing to do when it's hot outside. I think most people only consider using them for winter cooking, but using them in the summer helps to keep the house cool, and makes meals a snap. When you've just come in from 100 degree weather and don't feel like doing much cooking, less time in the kitchen is a great selling point.

I leave the house before 7:30am most mornings, and get home at around 5:30pm. When I use my crock-pot to make our entrée for dinner, we're usually sitting down to eat by 6:00pm. It works out nicely for us. With Keith eating lunch at 11am most days, he's typically starving by the time I get home.

So, if you don't have a crock-pot/slow cooker, go out and buy yourself one. They are a great investment for your family. Less time in a hot kitchen = More time bonding with the people you've been missing all day long.

I'll be sure to keep you posted on my 2nd outcome of this recipe.

Stay tuned for more recipe reviews, as well as other miscellaneous product reviews. Please feel free to post comments and let me know if you have any products you'd like for me to review.

Picture Pages - Me and Kari

Just a few notes of interest for this photo:

1. This photo was taken in either 1980 or 1981, in my Grandmomma and Granddaddy's dining room.

2. What's up with my death grip on Kari?

3. Also, why do I have that Village of the Damned look on my face?

4. Maybe the face I'm making is from the smell of raw onions and Miracle Whip wafting up from the table.

5. My Grandmomma had fantastic and mesmerizing eyebrows.

6. I remember that top Grandmomma's wearing. It was very soft.

7. My cousin Kari is one of my favorite people in the world. I once called her freckle-face, and it hurt her feelings. I have always felt bad about that, because I didn't mean it as anything but a weird-5-year-old compliment. I think her freckles are fabulous! I was always totally jealous of them and of her curly red hair.

Sex and Candy and Blood and Soup

True Blood is getting REALLY good. I'll start by saying that this is probably the first show I've ever been loyal to, that I've stayed completely un-spoiled on. I haven't read any of the books, I haven't looked to TWoP for speculation or spoilers, and I haven't even read any of the plots of the rest of the season's episodes. I'm even trying to steer clear of the TWoP forums for a few days after each episode, so that my own thoughts don't get muddled by other people's ideas, before I can get them all in order. So, these thoughts on the subject are spoiler-free and haven't been tampered with by others.

Right now, we're up to Season 2, Episode 7 (Release Me). So, if you're not up to date and don't want to be spoiled on anything, stop reading now.


-----------------------------------


I'm sick of Maryann. I hope this story has a damn good ending, because if it doesn't just surprise the shit out of me, I'm going to be VERY disappointed that we had to waste so much time on it. We've known for 2 or 3 episodes now, that Maryann was the creature that attacked Sookie at the start of the season. Was this past episode's opening supposed to be a big surprise? I'm also sick of Eggs, but I'm worried about Karl. Where was he this episode? And why do I care?

Anyway, I am glad that Tara finally seems to be starting to wake the hell up about all the weirdness going on in Bon Temps. Her conversation with Arlene about how Arlene has possibly date-raped Terry, was some funny business (never thought I'd be saying possible-date-rape = LMAO). However, now I'm even more worried about Terry than I am about Karl. I hope he hasn't gotten into any trouble stemming from the orgy-arm-breaking of Andy. And by the way, POOR Andy. I know he's just the town drunk at this point, but he's finally right about something for once. And now that the PIIIIIIGGGGGGG is gone, he won't have any evidence to prove himself right. I hope that Sam speaks up for him soon.

Speaking of Sam, I'm glad we finally got to see him shift into something other than the Collie. Don't get me wrong, the dog is fabulous and adorable, but that owl shift was pretty neat. I can't figure out where this will go with him. Of course I hope he is around for further seasons, but I can't see how this will be a good ending for him. Can Maryann even be destroyed, or will she seek him out forever? And, the fact that Daphne basically said that even if Sam sacrifices himself, Maryann will still keep Bon Temps as her own personal project, doesn't bode well for the town. I know they'll wrap the Maryann story up sometime soon, but I can't even imagine how it will be done.

Moving on to Lorena and Bill... they are an interesting couple. I know few others agree with me on that , but I find their relationship fascinating. I'm glad that it seems Lorena might be around for a while. I want to hear more about their first 70-ish years together. I also REALLY want to see Sookie's reaction to Lorena. However, I am terrified to see Lorena's reaction to Jessica. There's no way Lorena will be happy to have that particular competition. Kudos to Bill for not bringing Jessica up to her yet.

Speaking of Jessica, I LOVE Jessica. She's my favorite character of the whole series. I would watch a cheesy sitcom of her and Hoyt all Dick Van Dyke-style. Seriously. It would be precious. Oh, Hoyt! But, you know the pessimist in me thinks things will likely end badly for poor virgin Hoyt. Either Lorena will not approve and will dispose of him herself, or Jessica will get going and not be able to stop before she drains him. I truly hope they can live happy ever after, but I know they won't.

All of my other favorites were kind of boring this episode. Not much happened with Eric. And by the way, I didn't like Eric at all last season, but as soon as he said, "Do I have blood in my hair?" I was smitten. Lafayette still isn't back either. He was playing the role of Lafayette, but that wasn't the real deal. He's a broken bitch and I'm ready to have him back. I don't think we'll ever truly get him back though, and that makes me so sad.

I am glad to see that the stuff with Jason is finally getting less dull... just as it's coming to an end. I don't think Sarah shot him with a real gun. I think it looked like one of those paintball guns that Jason and creepy-rev were using a few episodes back. Either that, or Jason was dreaming. I don't know, but I'm anxious to find out. The rest of the Fellowship of the Sun stuff is going to get crazy, I'm sure. I can't figure out how Bill or Eric or whoever will save Sookie. But, I kinda hope it's Jason that does instead. I have a feeling he'll be locked up down there with her soon. Also, poor Hugo... he's never going to get turned now.

So, to sum things up, I think that was possibly the best last 10 seconds of an episode of anything ever on TV (the last 10 seconds of The Sopranos finale being the worst!)

I am pretty sure that Godric just Glamoured me.