H L Topic of Week Nov. 1-7 ~ Foods That Boost Brainpower!~

Debi, oops, must have been typing at the same time! Sorry about the tummy virus. :( Yucko! Get plenty of liquids- even have some ginger ale-root beer and coke will do if that is all you can stomach.  I use a ton of longhorn style colby cheese in my mac-n-cheese - makes it really stringy when you cut it and we like it better than cheddar. I toss the cooked macs (16 oz dry-cook for minumum cooking time since they are going to bake as well.)in some real butter then... I layer the macs, top with thick slices of cheese, more macs, more cheese slices in a glass 9x13 (spray with pam first) inch pan, pour a little milk over it(not much-maybe half an inch-you can see it in a clear pan), top with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and it bubbly then take foil off so it can get a nice look on top. It takes about 45 minutes at 350 to bake. Let it sit a few minutes for the cheese to set up.  The trick is not getting too much milk in it, but enough- don't want it too dry. The other important thing is don't be stingy with the cheese- no time for watching calories with this recipe!  I did an egg recipe once (same as the normal but had a couple of eggs beat up with the milk ) and never heard the end of it from our oldest son-  "MOM, why did you do that!?" :)  It wasn't quite the same. LOL After saying that, K&W cafeteria makes theirs with eggs and I think it is really good-different but good. Play around and have fun creating your own recipe! Oh yeah, if you can find the Creamette brand- we like that brand of macs better.

Get well Debi!

Have a good evening Healthy Ones! 

PS How are you doing today Rebecca? :)

Having a bad afternoon. Hubby told me when he got home that he got a $118 speeding ticket for going 10 over. I asked "Why were you in a hurry?" He said he wasnt. So there was no stinkin excuse. It pisses me off beyond belief. We dont speed. I dont have money to just throw away for God sakes. Im so mad. It wasnt like he was in a hurry to get home for any reason. My gosh. Now our insurance will go up and all. Its just pathetic. Waste of money. Waste of more than a full day of work. Looks like my next 2 days of work will all be going to his stupid ticket. Im so mad. I cant believe what a waste, how irresponsible. Im simply not speaking with him, because I know Ill say something I will really regret. If I had a friend close by, I would leave for the rest of the afternoon.

The only time I use instant is when I go out to eat and their coffee is weak as dish water, add a little to that. Learned that from my DM.LOL

Fell asleep and don't know how long I slept over an hour. I think Mel did too, I was on the sun porch and he was in his bed. That's what he calls that chair he sleeps in.

Debi I use American cheese.

Two LOVE boxes packed and ready to mail tomorrow.  Three drafts typed.  Thank goodness for computers these days!  LOL! 

I posted our Everyday Mac & Cheese, Mac & Cheese Loaf (for holidays), and cranberry jelly mold recipes under the Thanksgiving Post.

I'm ordering a book for myself so I called my niece to see what she wanted for Christmas.  She wants the 2nd book in Nora Robert's wedding quartet and Gossip Girl Season 2 DVD's.  I'm also getting her and DM some Hidato and Sudoku puzzles - pocket size with a closing band to place in their purses.

I'll try to stop by this week.  Monday I have PEO, Tuesday a dr. appt. in another city, Wednesday I tutor, Thursday I get to see "Wicked", Friday I tutor in the evening, and Saturday K-State plays KU!  Is it Sunday yet?!?

Closing down for the evening and off to a fantastic week!

 Kris thanks for posting up the recipes. they look yummy!

So sweet of you to make those Love Boxes... never heard of such a thing. Very nice of you.

Natasha - Sorry that your DH got a speeding ticket.  Good for you to express your exasperation to us.  We can take it.  I remember my first speeding ticket.  I was taking a night class in another town and had finished a large drink.  I HAD to go to the bathroom SO bad and we live off the interstate so I "hurried up" to make it home in time.  Red Lights, Sirens, COP, pulled over adding additional time to the restroom stop.  By the time I embarressingly got the ticket, I didn't need to go immediately anymore.  More upset at the cost, insurance increase, etc.  Now adays I think family and friends get tired of me always taking advantage of the restrooms at each stop we have.  LOL! 

My niece's contains 3 dozen cookies and a large bag of Reece's Pieces (her favorite) and my nephew's contains 3 dozen cookies and a large bag of Peanut M&M's (his favorite).  I like to send enough for them and extra for their friends so they seem special sharing!  :-)

Im over it now, just had to vent to my ladies here :)

Kris, I LOVE reeses pieces. They are the greatest. I could eat a whole bag in one sitting.... *blushes* Youre such a darling aunt though.

Wondering... how you have the patience to cook so many cookies? I can only fit 12 per pan... thats 6 pans of cookies for 6 dozen! And youre supposed to let the pan cool between batches... I dunno. I just give up and eat the dough Hahaha

Went off the deep end and bought Panda Express for dinner. We gorged ourselves.... on chow mein, fried rice, orange chicken, bejing beef, their new sweet fire chicken, and some honey walnut shrimp (also new)... OMG Im stuffed. Im gonna swell tomorrow from the sodium, but it was good and with the mood I was in, I wasnt gonna cook.

sean tried to make it up to me by cleaning the coffee maker and getting it ready for tomorrow mornings auto start, putting in grounds and water. He was gonna "surprise" me, but ended up having to ask how much water and coffee grounds because hes never made it in his life. LOL

I do love him, thats just the maddest Ive been at him in... ever. Ive never been that upset with him, but I sat down and prayed and realized... being upset isnt gonna change anything. So Im done with that. Moving on :)

Have a great night ladies!


Oh... someone asked which comics I read. I dont read em. I just give em to Sean. I usta have a Dilbert calander for each day though, and enjoyed that.

Hi Everyone!

Kris, thanks for posting the recipes! They look great! We are getting a nice collection. Those love boxes sound so sweet! What a nice Auntie you are! What type of cookie sheets do you have? I have two large air bake pans that I can bake about 18 cookies at a time on, I have one ready to put in the oven when I take a pan out and I always use parchment paper. I used to always have trouble with the cookies either burning or sticking but they never do with the parchment paper and it is reusable too. I enjoy baking cookies way more than the burning and/or sticking days. LOL 

(((Natasha))), sorry about the ticket. :( Tomorrow will be a better day. Feel free to vent to us anytime. That's what friends are for! :) I totally understand the gorge eating- tomorrow is another day and you can drink lots of water to flush the sodium out!

Dusta, lol on the dishwater. :) Your Mom and Ms Nancy would be a hoot together.  I never drink instant regular coffee- just the decaf. I have to have my columbian coffee in the morning and after reading today's topic, I had three cups this morning instead of two. LOL

Night Healthy Ones!

It takes a couple of hours to make/bake cookies.  The recipe I use has the mixer beat the shortening, sugars & eggs for 15 minutes before I add the flour mixture.  I use two air bake cookie sheets.  One is in the oven cooking for 12 minutes.  The other one cools for 4 minutes, remove the cookies, clean it with cold water then add the next 16 cookies per sheet.  I make medium/large cookies otherwise I would be there all day.  I use the small melon scoop ball to measure them out.  My DSis called and wants me to make another entire batch to take to the K-State game next weekend!

I agreed to "walk" a half marathon in April with my DSis thinking it would be a family affair and my niece was either going to walk it with us or run the full marathon.  April could be a perfect day or rain and I'm a fair weather fan.  It's also on a Sunday morning at 7am.  After the race we will have lunch and then I have a 7 1/2 to 8 hour drive home.  Later I learned DSis invited one of her friends along.  Tonight I learned she invited another friend as well, and it costs $60 to enter plus motel and food.  Ok, I need the PEP talk for I don't know about this.  I found the training schedule and I have surpassed the prerequisite when I do get to the workout center.  I'm lucky to devote an hour a day to the d/treadmill and lately I haven't done that.  If you saw my schedule posted earlier I'm not sure I can make it this week at all.  Maybe it's because I'm tired.  I should suck it up and I know I will enjoy the weekend.   Hopefully next week I can get back to the exercise center.

Good night.  It will look and sound better tomorrow!

 Good Morning Healthy Ones!

 Kris, I bake 16 at a time too, don't know why I said 18- just 4 more than a regular cookie sheet. You can save a lot time if you take the plunge and start using parchment paper on your airbake cookie sheets! While one pan and parchment is cooling(no cleaning at all), you are baking the next batch- and you can reuse the parchment paper on each pan until you finish baking all your cookies- nothing sticks to the paper- it is wonderful. Just be careful taking the cookies out of the oven- once the entire batch almost slid out with the parchment paper. LOL  I love my airbake pans- a great investment.

Re: walking the half marathon- that is great! Do the best you can. I am sure Jeannie can give you lots of tips. By it being in April, you have time to make a plan for exercising regularly and you will be ready! :)

I am planning on getting in a pilate workout this morning and see what else I can get done today around here. :)

Good morning.

Natasha sorry about the ticket and glad you are better. Several years ago I got a aticket and my where we had our insurance told me I could go to this school and my insurance wouldn't go up. It was on a Saturday for 8 hours. I ask him how much my insurance was going up, what ever it was I told him I would just let it go up. I can't remember if it was 1 Sat or 2, all I remember it wasn't worth it to sit up there for 8 hours and be bored.

No plans for today. Might go to WM out of yogurt.

Hi to everyone.

 Good Morning everyone~!!

I'll be back in a little bit to catch up with everyone - I've read the posts plus the end of last weeks (woohoo on the 112 posts!!!)  but I have to get moving around here...

real quick funny story about speeding tickets.  As ya'll know dh is a cop and I have a lead foot. Which is why I drive a pep-less saturn & nothing fun like a charger or mustang. I"m not allowed     So about 2 years ago I'm cruisin' down the road and see the blue lights flasing behind me.

Dang. I pull over and it's a Trooper.

Double Dang.

Cause we all know if a trooper pulls you over, you're getting a signed copy!!    He tells me he clocked me at 67 in a 45. Totally my fault and I wasn't paying attention, I deserve a ticket but I know dh is going to kill me!!!  

So I say to the trooper "will it help me or hurt me if I tell you my husband is a cop?"

Trooper gives me "the look".  You know what I'm talking about - the totally expressionless & hard stare that doesn't give away anything.

Trooper - it's going to hurt. you should know better if your husband is a cop.

me - you're right. (big sigh)

Trooper -  who is your husband? Where does he work & what's his number?

me - (give him the info)

Trooper goes back to his car, comes back a few minutes later with a WARNING~!!! 

me - Seriously? You're only giving me a warning?

Trooper (gives me the look again) - yes. Don't let me catch you speeding on this stretch again.

Me - yes sir.

and I'm off. About 10 minutes later my mobil rings. Dang.

It's dh.

double dang.

dh - hey. does the name Trooper XYZ ring a bell?

me - yep. Nice guy.

dh - he is. I just got off the phone with him. 

me - (my most innocent voice) really?

dh - WTH is the matter with you!??!? 67 in a 45?!?!? and you WONDER why I won't get you a faster car?!?!?!

me - um, yeah. I wasn't paying attention

dh - wasn't paying attention??????

(I think I heard his head implode).

me - correct. I will now, though

dh - I told Trooper XYZ he should have given you the ticket anyway. You better remember he did this because I'm law enforcement, it's the only reason you got off. I do NOT want a call like this again, do you understand me?

 Honestly ya'll, I seriously expected to hear "young lady" at the end of that LOL!!!!!!!!  boy dh was hopping mad 

see? I've told ya'll before I'm a huge PITA to live with - I test dh on a regular basis 

ok I seriously have to get to work. I'll be back.

Dusta, I went to the Saturday school to get my stop light ticket dismissed. It wasn't too bad. I learned a few things too. :) It was just one Saturday. I had a perfect record and didn't want it to show on our insurance.

Dawn, that is way too funny about your reckless driving "Little Lady!"  Hee Hee! You were really lucky that the trouper let you off! The one that pulled me over acted like a robot. :(

 LOL Dawn! I wish he coulda got off with a warning :( 70+ in a 60... I tell ya. Now today I actually feel bad for giving him the silent treatment yesterday... How is that fair that he did something wrong, and I feel bad? But, I know he feels bad enough about himself about it (because he knows we REALLY cant afford it, we needed groceries for gosh sakes) So... hes beating himself up bad enough. Then Im mean to him on topof it. Now I feel bad. Im such a dork. Today he texted me when he got to work "I drove the speed limit all the way to work, but did go 4 oven doing down the hill" Hahaha. Like he is checking in. We already pay a good amount for insurance, but itll just hafta go up *shrugs* Thats how it goes.

And let me tell you... the coffee maker he got ready last night for my coffee this morning... well he is definitely not a good coffee maker! Hahahaha its as thick as tar and black as it too! Im drinking it, cause I love him. But seriously, he will not be a Barista anytime soon Hahaha.

Kris, good luck with the half marathon! April is a long ways away and youll have plenty of time do prepare, and just do as well as you can! Good for you!

All this talk of cookies really makes me want to make those neimen marcus cookies (or however theyre spelled). I might make em on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Tomorrow morning my work is FINALLY having our AC installed in our apartment. A little late, yes. But I figure... when it starts getting hot next year, I wont have nay more red tape to get through if management changes. Ill already have it :)

Today is open enrollment for my insurance through my work. I dunno if I told yall but now I gotta switch because Seans insurance (even though we pay a ton for me to be on it) has decided to do audits, and they will only be secondary insurance to a spouse that has the option of insurance through their job. SO Im changing insurance, I will have to change my doctor (whom Ive had since I was a small child, and whom is the doctor of everyone in my family) so I am not looking forward to this. Ive never had to change docs.... so Im worried. Will they want to change my med Im already on? Or will they just know its worked for me and Ive been on it so long they should continue me on it? I just dont want them to say no... I dont like that med (or whatever). Eck Im afraid to change!

Muril, youre right about the water. I drank 2 entire bottles last night just with dinner. I am however eating leftovers for breakfast this morning... so... will have at least 2 bottles this morning with this again.

Lunch I have no plans for. Something easy, strawberries and an apple probably.

Dinner, Sean and I will probably get somethin quick when we hafta run to walmart.