Crone Cronies - It's Hard to Save Money When Food Is Always Flirting With Me. 7/31

[Laura S.]

The cleaners came today and our house feels so, well, clean! They did a great job other than a couple of missed corners. But given how bad it all was, it looks and feels great! DH left Polly's food out on the porch this morning since we were going to have people in the house. She ignored us entirely until he went out to bring her food in (after the cleaners left) and she saw that he was stealing HER food! Now, i need to go pick up an order at Publix so I can cook some stuff for DH. I tried a new crockpot chicken dish for DH yesterday and didn't believe the time they said it took to cook and I totally overcooked it. He insists that it's not too bad and since he doesn't usually like about the food he's eating, I'll believe him, but be ready to cook something else...

Anita - It sounds like you have a low-key week going. I've enjoyed sitting and resting today. I'm pretty tired today. We're the reverse of you. We live on the downstairs level and rarely go upstairs. But, we store stuff upstairs and that's what we have to carry up.

Vantreesta - Yeah, I can understand both your positions - him not wanting the temptation and you wanting the activity. Back when we did it, I was the baker originally but DH wanted the cookies to give away. I told him that I wouldn't do it by myself, so he had to help. I was the main cook though. Good luck with all your stuff. That's truly impressive.

Paula - I'm glad you got a nice day to fly. It's great you all can take a day to do that stuff. I'm pretty impressed you can name a plant that fits Anita's and my criteria. You obviously know a lot. Gardening and plants are not my things.

[Paula]

Vantreestra, Here is the peanut butter fudge recipe I've made over and over with my notes. I cut the recipe out of a Taste of Home magazine years ago.

Preanut Butter Fudge:

2 cups sugar (I use brown sugar as it gives a richer flavor)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/3 cups peanut butter (I always use a full jar of Skippy Natural)
1 jar (7 oz) Marshmallow creme

In a saucepan, bring sugar and milk to a boil; boil for 3 minutes. Add peanut butter and marshmallow creme and mix well. Quickly pour into a buttered 8 in square pan; chill until set. Cut into squares.


** Above are the directions from the orginal recipe. I've made some changes. If you boil the sugar and milk and then try to scoop out the peanut butter jar and the marshmallow creme jar, it takes too long - things start to cool and it doesn't mix together well. I put all the peanut butter and the marshmallow creme into a stainless steel bowl, then pour the hot mixture over the top and start mixing quickly. You'll find it doesn't take long or a lot of mixing to bring it together. Another thing I do is to line the pan with tin foil and butter the tin foil. Pour the fudge into the pan as directed and chill. Once it has set you can lift the fudge out and peel away the foil and you can cut neat squares. Cutting it in the pan makes it hard to get the pieces out.

Let me know if you give this a try and how it comes out for you.

[Paula]

Good evening. Workout this morning was Pahla B Body Shaping Day 24 Met Con and a neighborhood walk with DH.

DH went to the hangar and I stayed home and finally got a chance to work on my latest quilt. Still have a long way to go but at least progress was made.

Anita, are you missing the work at the WRC, is that why you're considering increasing your hours. Yes, when we fly to local airports we mostly see other people interested in aviation. But often an airport cafe with have lots of locals who don't fly but just either like the food or like to come and watch the planes. Another heavy wind day for you it seems. This this summer unusual? I don't remember you talking about having this much wind in prior summers. I didn't know you could eat Johnny JumpUps. They are pretty though, aren't they. I need to do what you do and just carry my wallet into stores. Wish I wasn't changing glasses all the time.

Vantreestra, you are the workout queen of the group for sure! I LOVED the halloween pictures. Reminded me of how my MIL used to decorate for Christmas - man she had stuff everywhere including a delightful village under the tree. I like to bake too and DH doesn't want me to make cookies and cakes for the same reason your husband doesn't want them around. He does like quick bread for breakfast so I make that for him. During the lockdown I got into baking bread. I've kept up with making sourdough bread, we both love the taste of homemade sourdough. I've gone back to buying sliced multigrain bread simply because it's easier for making sandwiches. Back when I was working and having more people over during the holidays I'd try out potential desserts on my coworkers - they loved it.

Laura, glad your home is feeling clean and squared away - always a good feeling. Not really that much of a gardener those just came to mind. I guess all of us live on one level - my home doesn't have an upstairs or a basement, my washer and dryer are in the garage so have to go out there for that.

[sciencelady]

Good morning!

This will be another hot and humid day here - we're setting records on days over 90 this year! I'm planning on working at the WRC this morning. Then going for a walk before it's too hot out there and maybe stopping by a grocery store. More putzing around today.

Vantreesta, you're a busy exerciser getting all of that in! Sounds like you're quite the baker and fudge maker also!

Laura, poor Polly thinking her food was being taken away - sounds like she let you know how she was feeling! I might hire cleaners when I move to get the house completely cleaned out, but it's not something I have ever hired before. Sorry your crockpot chicken was overcooked, but DH is handling it well.

Paula, I'm just a bit over putzing around the house - I want a bit more productive work to do. This summer is unusual due to drought and hot temps - hope it's not a coming trend. I've pretty much given up on eyeglasses these days - if I need something, I do the magnifiers from the drug store. I'm not trying to read school boards from far away these days - my normal eyes see pretty well without any correction.

Waves to all!

Anita

[Laura S.]

It's Friday, right? I've been confused all day. I went to the YMCA and had a strength workout (because some guy was on MY seated elliptical! ). Then I took DH to a medical appointment. By the time we got home and had lunch, the afternoon was half over and DH took a nap. I had a reading session and some sweet time with Polly. She was out on the porch and I brushed her and petted her. Then, she came inside and let me pet her some more and then we hung out for a while. I cooked a quick dinner for DH since my overcooked meal is now inedible. This evening, I need to make an ice cream cake and we'll take some of it over to Mom and Dad's tomorrow as a late Father's Day celebration (since we were in WV on Father's Day). Coincidentally, tomorrow is Mom and Dad's 62nd anniversary, so they're ready for a celebration anyway. And it has been so long since we all got together.


Anita - Around here, cleaning companies offer move in / move out cleaning services. It might be worth it during what might be a crazy time. Or you might be so organized, you have time to do it yourself. But I'd be surprised if cleaning services didn't offer that service there as well.

Paula - It's good you got to work on your quilt. I hope that trend continues. The fudge looks good!

[Paula]

Vantreesa, I just noticed I spelled "Peanut" wrong on the Peanut Butter Fudge recipe. Don't know why I put an "r" in it.

[Paula]

Good evening. Workout this morning was Pahla B Body Shaping Day 25 Moderate Strength followed by Tamilee Standing Stretch. We went to Seal Beach to catch some sea breeze and had a long walk there.

Anita, I understand about wanting to do something outside the home. I get stir crazy too. I've never hired one of those companies that clean your house after you've moved out. But a friend of mine bought a home where the prior owners had done that. I went to help her move in and set up her kitchen - every cupboard and closet was immaculate. The cleaners had done a through job which made it much easier for us just to put some shelving paper down and get her stuff put away. Hopefully other companies are just as good, it was a nice thing not to have to wash done all those shelves.

Laura, yes, my friend it is Friday. Glad you got some time at the gym and some time to relax with Polly this afternoon. Belated Father's Day and early anniversary celebration sounds good - any excuse for a yummy dessert is a good one. I've never tried to make an ice cream cake - I've never owned a refridgerator with a freezer large enough - well maybe that's not true, I used to get a full size turkey in the freezer. Not for long though as then there isn't space for much else. Anyway - what flavor did you make?

[sciencelady]

Good morning!

Today will be a busy and rainy day! I've already started laundry for today, if not raining, may do a walk, will go with friends for a Circus Juventas show at 1:00, then out for an early dinner afterwards. Right now it looks like 9 pm with all the rain clouds overhead, but not a drop on the ground yet. We need rain!!!!

Laura, glad it's not just my retired mind that can't remember what day of the week it is! Sorry that your overcooked meal ended up in the trash - no hope for it, eh? Have fun celebrating with your parents today! When it comes down to the move in about a year and a half, I'll look into the cleaning services. So far the units aren't selling very quickly - just 10 down so far... Need 36 before they'll break ground. Prices did go up with this economy, so it's a bit of a shock with the new costs. Sounds like Polly got lots of love today.

Paula, glad you enjoyed a lovely beach walk! I find it funny that I'll look for some sort of project or work outside the house, but won't spend the time inside cleaning it up . I do admit I set up my basement apartment for my friends coming in three weeks . I love ice cream cakes - as a kid we would get a chocolate cake rolled with ice cream - . Haven't seen that in the grocery store a long time...

Waves to all!

Anita

[Vantreesta]

I'll hopefully be back again later to check in but just wanted to thank Paula for the recipe. I just made it and what I licked out of the bowl was delicious! I really appreciate the recipe as well as your tips. We're getting together with friends tmrw and one requested mint fudge so I made that but one friend is allergic to chocolate so I made the peanut butter in case he wants some. I'll let you know how it goes over!

[Laura S.]

Today just sort of melted away. We had a lazyish morning. After lunch, we went over to Mom and Dad's and had ice cream cake (well, DH had his own ice cream). It was really good and it had been so long since we got together that we all enjoyed it.

To make the ice cream cake:

1. Take one 1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream, softened and put in bowl. (Cheaper, rather than more expensive, ice cream works better.)

2. Take a container of Cool Whip, softened, and add to bowl.

3. Dump crumbs of chocolate sandwich cookies, like Oreos, in the bowl. I get store brand cookies, put them in a plastic bag, and break them up with a potato masher. Recently, I've been using double stuff.

4. Mix all this up and put in pans to put into freezer. I tend to look for pans that will give me smaller units than a big cake. I put some in a loaf pan, some in a pan with big cupcake openings, small pie pans, etc. Every time it's different and depends on what I can lay my hands on quiickly.

5. I freeze the mixture for a while. Then, I put some "magic shell" topping on the different pieces. You can take them out of the pans first or put it on while the mixture is still in the pan.

6. Keep in freezer until ready to serve.


Paula - So, you can put it in smaller containers and spread it around your freezer. It sounds like you had a nice day!

Anita - I hope that other people hear about this place and put in orders for a unit. And I hope you got rain! It sounds like you really need it.

Vantreesta - It was nice of you to account for everyone to have fudge. Hopefully, the time with your friends is/was nice.