Project Pinterest: Chocolate Caramel Cookies

I remember the wrapped square Kraft Caramels from when I was a kid.  My mom used to purchase them (upon occasion) as a special snack.  I remember that there were only three or four chocolate caramels in the bag, and we used to scramble to find those first.  Aaaah, memories.

Anyways, I digress.  Here's the new generation of baking caramels:

I decided to go the chocolate route for Valentines Day rather than pink and fluffy.  So, I went in search of a recipe using these caramel bits.  In my search, I came across this recipe from Rookie Cookie, and pinned it, just in time for the occasion.

original pin

I got up on Valentines morning, and after sending my hubby and son out the door, I got to work.  My daughter was getting ready to start her homeschool day, and I was busy in the kitchen -- still in my jammies.  What can I say?  I was on a mission.

Wouldn't you know that one cookie fell apart when I was taking it off the baking stone.  So, I tested it to make sure it was ummm... safe for my family.

Two words:

Oh. My.

This is a super-easy recipe to put together, and oh-so-delicious!
Head on over to Rookie Cookie to get all of the details.

Here are the rules:

1. Decide which pin on Pinterest you’d like to recreate.
2. Create it!
3. Flop or success, create a blog post about your re-do and include the original pin’s url.
4. Add the Project Pinterest button to your post so others can join in too!
5. Link up and check out other bloggers’ posts!

I'm also joining the Rural Thursday Blog Hop

over at A Rural Journal.

Come join the fun!

Come on over to Somewhat Simple

and link up

for the "Strut Your Stuff" Link Party!

I'm also linking up over at Fireflies and Jellybeans

for the "Show Off Your Stuff" Party.

Happy Valentines Day!

Take a look at the world

through rose-colored glasses,

and have a lovely day!

Clipping and Saving

Do you cut out coupons?  Are you a mega-couponer?

I cut out coupons, but no - I'm not a mega-couponer.  I don't even know if that's the correct term they're using nowadays.  But you know who I mean.  The people who use two coupons on a product when it's on sale, and end up getting paid to buy the product... in multiples... and have their shelves stocked... sometimes with items they don't even use... because they got them free or sometimes, just really cheap.  Personally, I don't have room in my house to stock up on items that I don't even USE.  But, that's just me.  If you do it -- good for you.  I salute you.  Because... FREE is FREE.

On the other end of the spectrum, I've heard people say they don't even have TIME to clip coupons.  It's never struck me as too-big-a-deal to sit in front of Sunday night TV shows clipping and alphabetizing coupons.  Then, I'm ready to go for another week.  My little coupon wallet goes in my purse, and is with me wherever I shop.  I put every coupon I clip in this wallet.  Groceries.  Craft stores.  Entertainment book.  If I put EVERYthing in my coupon wallet, and then there is no doubt where I will find ANY coupon.

Oops!  Do I see an expired coupon?

My mom always taught us that every little bit helps -- so I've always been a coupon-clipper. I confess though, I go through stages in my effectiveness.  I don't always watch the sales to use my coupons on sale items, getting the best price.  There are weeks when I just buy what we need, and never look back.  But, admittedly, I need to get better about that.  Grocery bills could strangle you these days!

Through the years, I've watched my mom's shopping patterns.  After reading the ads and making a list, she would (still does) visit multiple stores to get the best deals.

I, on the other hand, did not want to spend that much time driving around town.  I've always had a favorite grocery store that I visit.  Upon occasion, people have asked me how I can shop there because they're so expensive.  However, I've compared prices through the years on the items we buy, and have come up cheaper at our store.  So, I've stuck with it.

My sweet hubby has a totally different "favorite" store, and if he shops for me, that's where he likes to go.  I  wrestle with that because, they don't always have the brands, sizes, varieties, or flavors that I'm used to purchasing at MY favorite store.

Also, we have one of those small grocery stores nearby -- you know the ones... You bring your own bags, you pack your own groceries.  You don't see a lot of name brands.  But, you DO see a lot of inexpensive products.

Lately, I've been thinking that I need to change my approach to grocery shopping.  So, last week, I went:

1. to the small un-branded store, and bought items that we regularly use, but that we don't favor brands for.
2. then to the thrift bakery, where I stocked up on breads.  We take a loaf out of the freezer as we need it.  (I only buy bread at the grocery store when I'm on a desperate mission and the thrift store is closed!)
3. then to my hubby's favorite store, where they were having a mega-sale on canned veggies and beans -- as well as other items.  I got a lot there.  It struck me that for about the same amount that I'd pay at my favorite store, I took home a lot more groceries. A good feeling.
4. then to my favorite store.  I confess to favoring their meat.  So, I bought meat and a few other items that I couldn't find at my other stops.

Times are changing, and I'm learning to roll with it.  (Better late than never, right?)

So, what are you doing in this crazy economy

to cut your grocery bill?

Do you clip coupons?

Do you shop at multiple stores?

Are you brand conscious?

Have you changed any brands?

(In a shocking move, I bought a store-brand ketchup last week!  I've purchased the SAME BRAND OF KETCHUP for all of my almost-twenty married years!  That's ONE brand I've been conscious of.

Don't forget to organize your coupons this week!

There are a lot of good tips over at

Home Storage Solutions.

ALSO, check out this WEEK OF GIVEAWAYS!

Organize Coupons

Are You Dying to Say Something???

It occurred to me that sometimes people don't comment on a blog post (mine or others) because they're not certain how to go about it.  They're worried that they have to be "signed up" or be some kind of "member" in order to comment.  No, no, no!  Not at all.  

I just signed out of my blog, and paid a visit like... well, like a visitor.  Like YOU.  Know what I found out? 

It is super-easy to comment on my blog!!!

Super easy, I tell you.

You don't have to be "hooked up" to my blog, or your blog, or Google, or Facebook, or Twitter.  You don't even have to have an e-mail account!  Really!

Just be yourself!

Some people comment anonymously, but you know what THAT means.  I don't know who you are!!!  That makes me sad.  I want to know who my readers are!!

So, here's whatcha do!

Click on "comments" at the end of the post that you'd like to comment on.  It may have a number next to it.  Not a problem!  That just means somebody commented before you.

Type your comment in the white box that appears.  It can be short like "Hey, Sally!!! Where did you find that dehydrated orange peel so cheap?" -- or it can be lengthy like you want to straighten me out about a bad recipe. Whatever.  Type it.

Click on the arrow next to "Select profile."

Click on "Name/URL"

Type your name in the appropriate box.

IGNORE the URL - because you're just YOU, and you don't care about linking to anything.

Click "Publish"  Your comment will post, and your name will show up in black at the top. Black is a dead end, and cannot be linked back to anything.  Rest assured.

THE END.  See?  Easy.

And now... I know who you are.  Because... we're all friends, right?

There's no better way to make bloggy-friendships than to leave a comment!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sally

Fancy Friday Five ~ Red

Five Fancy Valentine Reds

A plate in wait... for just the right occasion.

Cookie cutters leftover from Christmas.  Red.  Home.  (see it?)

A poinsettia leftover from Thanksgiving.  Still going strong in a sunny spot.

A favorite tea towel from a departed friend.  Never used.  Never washed.

Why you ask?  I'm afraid of the red bleeding.  I know I would cry.

Family ~ oh, how blessed I am.

Join the party over at the Love Feast Table.

Stop by The Charm of Home too!

(and don't forget to enter the giveaway!)

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED.

Project Pinterest: Lemon Bars

2-ingredient Lemon Bars to be exact.

My daughter did some baking today for a big homecoming celebration.  My parents are home from a lengthy vacation, and we're gathering for a pizza party this afternoon.  We offered to bring dessert, knowing that there was one dessert from Pinterest that we wanted to try, and a recent success that we wanted to try again.

These Lemon Bars are as easy as can be.  Our angel food cake mix had two envelopes: cake flour mixture, and egg white mixture.  We mixed the flour mixture with the lemon pie filling first, and then added the egg white mixture, beating well.

There were a lot of comments on the original blog about how differently these turned out for people.  We followed the instructions exactly, using a 9x13 pan (not a jelly-roll pan). We did not add additional baking time to the suggested 20 minutes.

When we removed them from the oven after 20 minutes, the edges were just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, the top had a glossy meringue-like texture, and was firm to the touch.

After they were out of the oven for several minutes they looked like this:

But, shrunken doesn't necessarily mean failure, right?  So, full speed ahead.  When we cut into them, they looked like this:

And after a taste test?  The consensus was... well... they are interesting.  They are not your mama's lemon bar, that's for sure. -- or even your mama's lemon cake.  The lemon flavor is very lite, and not citrus-y.  They taste like angel food cake, but have a dense, foamy texture.  Even though our bars are baked all the way through consistently, I feel like we did something wrong.  The texture appears totally different than in the pictures on the original blog.  I'm not sure if I'd call it a "fail" so much as just not our thing.

I did go back to check comments at the blog.  Jessie, the blogger at Practically Living commented that she only mixes until the dry ingredients are incorporated.  So, perhaps we over-mixed.  Oh well.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Lemon Bar PIN.

Link to BLOG with recipe!

Here are the rules:

1. Decide which pin on Pinterest you’d like to recreate.
2. Create it!
3. Flop or success, create a blog post about your re-do and include the original pin’s url.
4. Add the Project Pinterest button to your post so others can join in too!
5. Link up and check out other bloggers’ posts!

I'm Thankful for YOUR Gifts!

I am so thankful for the gifts that God gave you.  Yes.  YOU.  God has uniquely outfitted each one of us with talents and interests that make us able to serve and help one another in different ways.

For example, our week started with daughter doing laundry on Monday morning.  (She rocks at it, by the way.)

However, when she arrived downstairs to start the laundry, she found that the salt tank for the water softener was leaking.  Not dripping.  Water was pouring out of the overflow valve, and into the corner of the basement.  Yuck.

Called hubby at work.  I wouldn't say I was hysterical, as much as FrUsTrAtEd.  I hate it when things break that I do not have the expertise to fix, AND I hate it when water is pouring into my house.  Call me crazy.  {Deepest and sincerest apologies to those of you who have experienced real floods.  I cannot even imagine...  Our worst experience with water "pouring in" was the result of a broken sump-pump, and that was enough.  I've never moved a basement of stuff and carpet so quickly.}

Anyway, Hubby called our brother-in-law who is gifted beyond measure in figuring out how anything works.  He was on his way in minutes, and soon arrived to check out the situation.

After analyzing all of the pieces-parts, he was able to determine that some little piece had slipped, and was not where it should be -- thus, not allowing the shut-off valve (like in your toilet - yes, thank you - I put that together all by myself) to function properly.  Like, as in... SHUTTING OFF, rather than overflowing.

He slipped the little piece back into position, and taa-daa.  Problem solved.

I would never have figured that out.  Yeah, not my gift.

Romans 12:4-6a

"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."