Silly (Cryptic?) Messages and Other Insanity...
First:
Dear Charlie Brown,
People keep stealing the football away either because you have too much faith in them or because you let them get away with it.
Love,
Lucy
Dear Lucy,
People that charge a nickel for psychological advice need to remember that their clients are getting what they pay for.
Love,
Charlie Brown
Dear Linus,
You can keep the blanket, but it needs washing.
Love,
Sally
Dear Lucy,
Quit stealing the damn football.
Love,
Linus
Second: This picture was pointed out by voodoolimbo.
Now, maybe a lot of IQs have slipped around the world, but mine hasn't. My memory slips a bit, but not THAT much. Pristine, unused ammunition couldn't have been fired at anyone. Yes, yes, it says.. HIT her house, but the natural assumption is that they were fired and that just hain't so.
I'm supposed to be doing a lot of things today, but I feel like crap. Maybe it's because I forgot to take my vitamins again. Maybe it's because I just need to manage time better. Right.. that's a pipe dream and a half.
The running back and forth to do the housework helps, but it's the other projects that get shuffled.
Current audio book is Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass.
I'm on Border's mailing list. They have a show they sponsor called "Advice for Living." This episode with Mandy Moore was good. It's a pleasant change to see a young woman in the entertainment industry that's not constantly in the spotlight for bad reasons.
Recipes:
Nacho Pinwheels
Prep Time: 15 min ; Start to Finish: 30 min
Makes: 24 appetizers
Classic Mexican snack flavors are rolled up in a flaky crescent appetizer that's sure to please guests young and old.
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1.25-oz package)
1/3 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Green Giant® Mexicorn® whole kernel corn with red and green peppers (from 11-oz can), drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions (2 medium)
Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa, if desired
1 . Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal.
2 . In small bowl, mix cream cheese and taco seasoning mix. Stir in Cheddar cheese, corn and green onions. Spread 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture over each rectangle to within 1/4 inch of edges.
3 . Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 6 slices; place cut side down on cookie sheet.
4 . Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Serve warm with salsa.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):No change.
Green Giant® Niblets® frozen corn, thawed and drained, can be substituted for the Mexicorn® corn.
Mini Pizzas
Prep Time: 20 min ; Start to Finish: 30 min
Makes: 20 pizzas
Invidividual pizzas make a scrumptious snack or appetizer. Unroll the pizza dough, cut with a round cutter and add toppings.
1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated pizza crust
1/3 cup purchased pesto
20 slices Italian plum tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
1 . Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Unroll dough onto work surface. Press dough out with fingers to 12x8-inch rectangle. With round cutter, cut dough into rounds; place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet.
2 . Bake at 425°F. for 5 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown.
3 . Remove partially baked crusts from oven. Spread each crust with pesto. Top each with 1 tomato slice. Sprinkle with cheese.
4 . Return to oven; bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve a variety of mini pizzas with your favorite pizza toppings, such as cooked Italian sausage, pepperoni or simply cheese.Happy Trails Mix
Prep Time: 5 min ; Start to Finish: 5 min
Makes: 2 cups
Looking for a no-cook, 5-minute snack? Kids will gobble up these nibbles, container and all!
1 cup Chex Mix® snack mix (any flavor)
1/2 cup frosted animal cookies
1/4 cup candy-coated chocolate-covered peanut candies
1/4 cup raisins
Flat-bottom ice cream cones, if desired
1 . In 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag, combine all ingredients; shake to mix.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):No change.
Use sweetened dried cranberries instead of raisins for more color.Three-Cheese Pinwheels
Prep Time: 15 min ; Start to Finish: 35 min
Makes: 16 pinwheels
Calling all cheese lovers! Flaky Pillsbury® Place 'n Bake™ crescent rounds are the perfect base for a sassy, cheesy topping.
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 oz)
1/4 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese (1 oz)
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Place 'n Bake™ refrigerated crescent rounds
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 . Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Mix cheeses and mayonnaise until well blended and soft.
2 . Unroll dough on work surface. Spread cheese mixture evenly over dough. Starting with 1 short side, roll up rectangle; pinch edges to seal. Cut roll into 16 slices. Place cut side down on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with parsley.
3 . Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool 3 minutes. Serve warm.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):No change.
If you're trying to tempt tiny taste buds, steer clear of French Roquefort, and choose a milder blue cheese such as Danablu, Gorgonzola, Stilton or Maytag Blue. Mexican Vegetable Roll-Ups
Prep Time: 20 min ; Start to Finish: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: 24 appetizers
Roll fresh veggies up with a creamy filling in a make-ahead appetizer that gets a kick from taco seasoning.
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1.25-oz package)
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels or Green Giant® Niblets® frozen corn, thawed, drained
1/2 cup black beans (from 15-oz can), drained, rinsed
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 plum (Roma) tomato, seeded, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
3 garden spinach and vegetable, tomato or plain flour tortillas (10 inch)
1 . In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning mix until well blended. Stir in corn, beans, cilantro, tomato and salsa.
2 . Spread cream cheese mixture over each tortilla to edges. Roll up each; cut off tapered ends. Wrap each tortilla roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 8 hours before serving. To serve, cut each roll into 1-inch slices.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):No change.
Use a flavored cream cheese, such as onion or herb, to get a flavor boost.
Fruit and Cheese Kabobs
Prep Time: 30 min
Makes: 8 kabobs
Speaking heart-to-heart, these colorful kabobs are welcome appetizers.
1 (1-lb.) brick Cheddar cheese, cut into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices
1/2 honeydew melon
8 (10-inch) bamboo skewers
16 fresh strawberries, washed
1 . With 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped canape or cookie cutter, cut 16 hearts from cheese slices.
2 . Remove seeds and rind from half melon. Place melon, cut side down, on work surface. With heart-shaped cutter, cut 16 hearts from melon. If necessary, use small knife to cut around hearts following imprints made by cutter.
3 . For each skewer, alternate 2 cheese hearts and 2 melon hearts. Add strawberries to each end of skewer.
Note:
For an interesting centerpiece, leave off the strawberries on the sharp end of the skewer. Place reserved melon half on a serving platter and stick the heart throb-bobs into it. For toddlers, arrange fruit and cheese on a tray. Crunchy Banana-Strawberry Parfaits
Prep Time: 15 min
Makes: 4 servings
Here's a layered breakfast treat that combines sweet, smooth and crunchy in every bite!
3 (6-oz.) containers Yoplait® Original 99% Fat-Free Strawberry Yogurt
2 cups Cocoa Puffs® Cereal
1/3 cup unsalted shelled sunflower seeds
2 bananas, sliced
4 strawberries
1 . For each serving, spoon 1/4 cup yogurt into bottom of tall glass. Add 1/4 cup cereal. Top with 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, several banana slices and 2 tablespoons yogurt.
2 . Repeat with cereal, banana slices and 2 tablespoons yogurt. Sprinkle with remaining sunflower seeds. Top each with strawberry. Giant School Bus Cookie
Prep Time: 40 min ; Start to Finish: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: 16 servings
Beep, beep! Refrigerated cookie dough drives kitchen fun!
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create 'n Bake® refrigerated sugar cookies
1 container (1 lb) vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
1/4 teaspoon yellow food color
3 drops red food color
2 chocolate-dipped marshmallow creme-filled sandwich cookies
5 gummy fruit rings
Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® chewy fruit snack rolls (blue and red varieties)
Wafer cookies
Black decorating gel
2 licorice twists
Assorted candies (mini fruit-shaped candies and gumdrops)
1 . Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil. Cut cookie dough in half crosswise. Cut each section in half lengthwise. With floured fingers, press in bottom of pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely in pan, about 15 minutes.
2 . Remove cookie from pan by lifting foil; remove foil. Place cookie on large serving tray or foil-covered 14x10-inch sheet of cardboard. With long side facing you, cut 3 1/2x3-inch rectangle from upper right corner of cookie. (See photo.) Cut rectangle in half lengthwise; reserve for bus door.
3 . Reserve about 1/4 cup frosting. In small bowl, mix remaining frosting and food colors until well blended; spread frosting over cookie.
4 . Place sandwich cookies on bottom for wheels; use some of reserved frosting to attach gummy rings for hub caps. Cut blue chewy fruit snack roll to fit, and place on cookie for passenger window, windows on door, and driver's window; cut red and place for stop sign. Attach wafer cookies for driver and students' faces. Use remaining ingredients to decorate as shown in photo. Color very small amounts of reserved frosting for smiles, eyes and hair as desired.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):No change.
Success
Use a small plastic sandwich bag to color and pipe 2 tiny amounts of frosting in different colors. Add a dab of frosting and 1 drop of a different food color to 2 different corners of the bag, and knead 1 corner at a time until color is even. Snip off a tiny corner so you can pipe a smile or other design!Bugs in a Blanket
Prep Time: 30 min ; Start to Finish: 45 min
Makes: 24 snacks
Little hands can help transform sausages and breadstick dough into bugs almost too cute to eat!
1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated breadsticks
24 cocktail-size smoked link sausages (from 14-oz package)
3/4 cup shoestring potatoes (from 1 3/4-oz can)
Ketchup, barbecue sauce or mustard
1 . Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough; separate at perforations into 12 breadsticks. With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each breadstick in half crosswise, making 24 pieces.
2 . Wrap each piece of dough around center of each sausage, pinching to seal and leaving each end of sausage showing. Place seam side down and 1/2 inch apart on ungreased large cookie sheet.
3 . Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; place on serving plate or tray. Cool 2 minutes.
4 . Insert shoestring potatoes into baked dough to resemble legs and antennae. Decorate "bugs" with dots or stripes of ketchup.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):No change.
To make decorating easier, spoon the ketchup, barbecue sauce and mustard into separate small food-storage plastic bags. Seal the bags and cut a tiny hole in one bottom corner of each bag. Squeeze the bags to decorate the "bugs."Pretzel Butterflies
Prep Time: 35 min ; Start to Finish: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: 20 snacks
Pretzel Butterflies are not only a tasty treat, but also a terrific project to bring out the creativity in kids of all ages.
2 cups small pretzel twists (about 45)
1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips or 2 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup small round candy-coated fruit-flavored chewy candies (from 4-oz bag)
1 . Line large cookie sheet with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper. To make 20 butterflies, arrange pretzel twists on cookie sheet in groups of 2 with single-hole sides of pretzels touching to form butterfly wings (see diagram). Break remaining 5 pretzels into pieces for antennae; place 2 pieces at top of each butterfly between wings.
2 . In 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bag, place vanilla chips and oil. Microwave on High 1 minute 20 seconds or until melted, squeezing bag to mix. Seal bag; cut small hole in 1 corner of bag.
3 . Squeeze bag to pipe thin zigzag of melted chips between pretzels to look like bodies of butterflies. Press pretzel pieces firmly into melted chips. Pipe melted chips into each hole in wings; top each with 1 candy. Let stand until set, about 30 minutes. Remove from waxed paper; store in tightly covered container.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):No change.
White vanilla baking chips can be melted in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Use a spoon to apply the melted chips.