Super Sunday

I bought this stuff to have to bake when it snowed.  We haven't had much snow, yet.  There is still a chance.  But, I thougth I would bake these to take as our offering at a Super Bowl party.  The Ghiradelli Turtle brownies are from a box mix.  All you add is one egg, water and oil.  I bought it at Aldi's, so I know it didn't cost much.  They are really good.  You mix up the brownies, then squeeze the butterscotch from a packet and then drag a knife back and forth. 

Ghiradelli Turtle Brownie Mix

Made from scratch blondies

The Blondies are a move over, Paula, recipe.  Lots of butter!  But these blondies are to die for!

Blondies

3 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 lb unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 T vanilla

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Butter & flour a 9x13 baking pan.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder & salt until well combined; set aside.  In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, & brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed- continue beating until light brown & thick, about 7 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to be thoroughly incorporated before adding the next.  After beating in the fourth egg for one minute, beat in the vanilla.  Stir in the chocolate chips, then the flour mixture just until incorporated.  Do not beat, although the batter will be very thick.  Spoon the batter in to the prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the top is light brown & a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Set the pan on a wire rack to coll for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Serves  24. 

 (Unless everyone eats two or three!)

I watch the Super Bowl for the half-time show and the commercials!  Enjoy!  Have a SUPER Sunday!

Saturday night confessional

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned

In high school, I went with a guy for two and a half years, whose family was Catholic.  I loved his family.  More often than not, I was at his house for dinner.  Before eating, the four of them would make the sign of the cross.  I grew up in the Foursquare Pentecostal Church.  Quite a difference from Catholicism.  My boyfriend's parents would attend service on Saturday evenings.  Afterwards, they would play cards with friends.  David and I would be at his parent's house, listening to our favorite radio program, The King Biscuit Flour Hour.  This was in the late 70's.  To avoid going to church on Saturday evening with his family, David would go to confession on his own.  This seemed to appease his parents.  This troubled me greatly.  What did he tell the Priest?  Did he tell him we were parked at Baker Park and got caught by the police?  (We did.)  Did he tell him we were at David's house when his family was gone?  (Something both of our families would have frowned upon.)  Did he tell him that David peer pressured me into sipping my first liquor?  (Grape Vodka- it was hideous.)  I worried and worried about what David told his Priest.
Well, it is Saturday night and I have a confession of my own.

My name is Cheryl and I like nice clothes.

Some might even say that I am a clothes horse.
In years past, I wore some right fancy dudes.  I would shop and shop and lay that plastic down.  Lordy, I nearly wore out some of that plastic.  Back in the day they would lay the card down and sweep, sweep back and forth over it.  Do some of you remember what I'm talking about?  I shopped and charged.  Well, it is quite likely that I am still working to pay off some of said charges.  Now a days I get just as much of a thrill from saving money as I used to get from spending money.  

We have a Vintage Vogue in our town.  If you are a regular reader, I've written about this store before.  It is by Goodwill.  But this is upscale Goodwill.  They carry brand new shoes.  They carry high end purses.  You never know what you will find.  But I have become a Goodwill Vintage Vogue snob.  You see, on the first Saturday of the month, everything is HALF off. 

I started dragging Doug in there with me.  We found a pair of Cole Haan shoes for him in there.  Again, brand new.  Doug wears a size thirteen shoe.  These were a moccasin style with a tassel.  He was quite taken with the tassel.  "I've never had a pair of shoes with a tassel, before."  They have a soft sole- perfect for dancing.  Ever so often we go out dancing.  They can be worn for dress with socks or casual without socks with bluejeans.  He loves them.
Last month on the first Saturday we went to Vintage Vogue and I spent $30.00.  Today we went back and I spent something like $54.00.  This is all half-price.  And Doug spent $24.00.  He found a dress shirt, two pair of pants and a brand new pair of Levis.  I found grey lounge pants for $4.50.  Crisp, beautiful paisley Talbot's capris for $7.00.  (I'm thinking Paris.) I found a sunflowers shirt for $4.50.  You know, the kind they sell at Cracker Barrel that normally run $20 or $30?  I found a wonderful blue flowered three quarter length sleeve t-top by Take Two with butterflies on it.  At first Doug wrinkled his nose and I said "you don't like it."  He said "if you like it, I like it."  (He is good to say that because he knows if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.) I found another pair of Talbot's capris for $6.50 and lots of other items.

For Christmas, I bought Doug a soft blue flannel shirt.  Then I started stealing it to wear with my pajamas when I was chilly in the evening or early morning.  I found a soft flannel man's shirt for $4.50.  (I paid $15.00 for the one I bought for him at TJ Maxx.) I found an adorable pink and green Lilly Pulitzer looking bag for $4.00 that I will carry in the spring/summer.

We have two other Goodwill stores in our town.  We were in the vicinity of another as we did our errands today.  I had a trash bag of clothes to donate and I wanted to take them through the drive-through donation.  After we dropped it off, Doug said "do you want to go in?"  I said "we may as well."  I found a pair of pajama pants for $1.50.  And Doug found a pair of Eddie Bauer hiking shorts for $4.00, Adidas work out shorts, NBA warm-up pants, another pair of warm up pants and a pair of LL Bean zip off hiking pants.  (He turned to me and said "do you know how much those would have cost, new?") I've turned him into a bargain hunter, too! (At this Goodwill location, our purchases totaled $14.00.)  When we left the house this afternoon he said to me "do you think I could find some pants for work, there?"  He found the pants for work, too. 

I love the Vintage Vogue, and so does the fashinista, Jessica Quirk, author of What I Wore.  Hope over to her blog to see her photos and what she has to say.

This is my confession.  I feel so much better, now.

Rolling over in goodness

Good. 

 Life is just good right now. 

It has been insanely busy, but good. 

I started a new job last Monday. 

In my previous job, I worked for a person who is very well known.

  An expert in his field.  Someone who is respected and revered by all. 

 It was a good move to go to work for him. 

This new position, is an excellent opportunity, too. 

Another good move.

 All part of the journey.

My new job is busy, busy, busy.

  That is how I like it. 

 The day flies by, you look up and all of the sudden think

how can it be time to go home?

In my new job one of the things I do is go to the mail room once a day.

I like going to the mail room.

Even my new boss said "oh good!"

(Different administrative people have different duties,

so my new boss didn't assign the mail room to me.)

But, it gets me out of our suite.

It is in the next building

and down in the basement.

I get to greet others in the halls.

I get to be in the midst of the students as they hustle and bustle between classes.

Some university employees complain about students-

but not me.

I love them.

Heck, I was a student not so long ago and they were wonderful to me.

(Just earned my B.S. in 2007.)

My children were students.

Those students are the reason we are there.

The reason we have jobs and get a pay check.

I get to walk on the bridge hallway

that crosses over the road

to the other building

and see the cars and people, down below.

And, I get to see the free stuff on the shelves outside of the mail room.

I just scored a new, never used rolodex.

I am over-joyed!

Have you ever seen an altered rolodex?

Some people call them altered "rolos." 

This won't be something that I sit down and complete all at once.

But something that will be a work in progress.

Already I'm dreaming of papers with apples listed under A

Or a piece of purple under P

Kisses under K

Oh the fun

part of the journey

just like my life.

I am feeling

blessed

happy

content

hopeful

rested

loved.