I know what you're thinking: "Awesome! She's tried a new homemade recipe for this classic!" or, "Sweet! She's going to share a tried-and-true recipe for this classic!"
Nope.
This may disappoint some, but there are meals where you just don't feel like cooking. For me, there are whole days! Don't feel guilty - I never do! That just means you need to whip out...
Yes. The boxed kind. Haha. This is my blog! I can do what I want!
I have always been a boxed Mac 'n Cheese lover, and I'm kinda picky. I've always loved Kraft, but it's kinda expensive! Over the years, I've tried all sorts of off-brands and on-brands and whatever-brands and I stuck with Kraft because all the other boxed kinds still had an almost powdery texture when all was said and done.
Until I tried the Betty Crocker version. Guys, this stuff is seriously tasty, and I believe it's better than the Kraft. When I first tried this brand, it was even better because you only had to dirty the sauce pan you made it in - no draining! They have since made the preparation more like the Kraft version, which really is a shame, but it still tastes good.
And the best parts? 1. It's super-easy for those days where chopping/cooking/baking/sauteing anything just sounds awful. 2. It's a lot cheaper than the Kraft brand. Last time I bought it, it was 88¢. 3. I have two little boys, and at least one of them will eat it! Hey! That is success in my book.
(And now you're wondering what little kid doesn't like mac 'n cheese. I have no idea how my love of mac 'n cheese didn't get passed on, but it didn't.*shrug*)
So next time you don't want to make anything energy consuming/you have to feed a picky kid/you need to save some money, grab the Betty Crocker Mac 'n Cheese. You'll see what I'm talking about!
Ok. I am a 27-year-old mother of two young boys, but I have something to admit: I am a giggling teenybopper at heart. In the late 90s I LOVED NSync and learned all their dance moves with my sisters and their friends. I also liked Backstreet Boys, 98°, and I listened to all the related pop music.
Now that about 15 years has passed, I haven't changed that much, and when I discovered One Direction about a year and a half ago, my heart just became so happy... *sigh* I even have no qualms about getting excited when I talk about them with the teenage girls I help out at church. Haha.
If that means you won't look at my blog again, your loss! :)
Anyway, One Direction came out with a new album a little over a week ago, and I wanted to break it down for you. Because I want to.
The new album is called Midnight Memories.
Released November 25, 2013, it's become the fastest-selling album of 2013!
I'll go over each song, including the bonus songs since I have the deluxe album.
1. Best Song Ever - This song came out as a single several months ago, as part of the promotion of their movie This Is Us. It's along the same vein as their first two albums, really upbeat and heavy on the bass. I really enjoy this song, and my boys' favorite part is when they say, "Ow!" 5 stars. Take a look at the music video (it's pretty hysterical, by the way):
2. Story of My Life - This is the song that really sets the tone for the rest of the album. The guys have shared that they had more of a hand in writing the songs this go around, and you can tell because the album has more of a gritty, guitar-based sound. (Most likely thanks to Niall being an excellent guitarist.) Story of My Life is a sad song though mid-tempo, and though the lyrics don't tell a clear story, you get the general gist. 5 stars. The music video has nothing to do with the lyrics, but it's really cute because they ran with the phrase "story of my life" and made it about their families. Take a look:
3. Diana - This song almost has an 80s feel to it, because of the sound of the drum beat. The guitar in the chorus reminds me a bit of Don Henley's Boys of Summer. I don't really understand the story behind the lyrics, but I like the song in general. 5 stars.
4. Midnight Memories - The song that lends it's name to the title of the album is all about the life they're living, and the memories they make late at night - album parties, and singing with friends, etc. It's definitely their anthem song for the album and would be fun to dance to. It's not my favorite song from the album, but I like it. 4 stars.
5. You & I - Let me just say that Niall's voice sounds amazing on this song! It's a slower song, and I like the sentiment of it - that things might be hard in a relationship, but you figure things out along the way and work hard to never let things come between you. And the music is great. This is one of the songs from the album that gets stuck in my head, especially the chorus because of Harry's pretty voice... 5 stars.
6. Don't Forget Where You Belong - This song has a nice sentiment, reminding us (and them) that no matter where you go, you will always belong with your family and friends back home. The music is really good too. 5 stars.
7. Strong - This is another song that gets stuck in my head! The music is so catchy, lots of guitars and good lyrics. It talks about being with the girl he's with makes him a stronger person. When I hear the chorus, it makes me want to dance! 5 stars.
8. Happily - With the star trend being mostly 5s, you might be surprised to learn this one only gets 3. (And this won't be the last one either.) The music is really good, but the second verse isn't exactly clean, talking about wondering if the girl's new boyfriend knows that he's had her, and not really caring about the consequences of the new boyfriend finding out. Lovely, no? I just wish that the repeated phrase "we're on fire" wasn't so catchy! Like I said, 3 stars.
9. Right Now - One of my favorite songs from the album! It's another slower song, where it talks about how he's gone so much and everything's so new, he just wishes his love was with him to experience it all and bring something familiar. Zayn really outdoes himself on the chorus in this one. He almost sounds like the lead singer from One Republic. Seriously. Definitely 5 stars.
10. Little Black Dress - Ah, shucks. This is another 3-star-er. The music has a 70s/80s feel, which is fun, but again, it's the lyrics that do it in for me. I'm all about clean lyrics, and this one isn't great. It wouldn't be bad if it was just about dancing, but it's more about what a girl dancing in her little black dress makes him feel. So that's a no-no for me. Again, fun music, not fun lyrics. 3 stars.
11. Through The Dark - Good one! Especially for Niall, who I feel really grew with this album. The lyrics are really sweet too, saying he'd do all these things for the love of this girl he loves. Another dance-y chorus. 5 stars.
12. Something Great - Well, poo. I liked this song until I looked up the lyrics. Don't you hate it when that happens? But this song definitely channels Phillip Phillip's song Home. You know the "oooohh" parts of that song that keep getting used for commercials? This song has a part that's really similar to that! It's too bad it isn't clean. 3 stars.
13. Little White Lies - Yeah. Most of the good songs, both in quality and clean-ness, are at the beginning. This is a skipper. 2 stars. (I think instead of mentioning what's bad for the rest of the songs, I'll just say it's not clean, and give the star rating.)
14. Better Than Words- Man. This one isn't as bad as the others, but not wonderful. Still 3 stars. Really too bad, because the "ooh"'s in the background are fun and really steal the show.
15. Why Don't We Go There - Title is self-explanatory. Skip this one! 1 star.
16. Does He Know? - Sitting between two not-great songs, it's nice to have another listenable song in here! The verses have guitar cords that really resemble the song Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield, which is kinda fun. Not my favorite song because it talks about how he's gonna steal this girl from her boyfriend, but I still like it. 4 stars.
17. Alive - Ugh. Not clean. 1-2 stars.
18. Half a Heart - They hid this gem all the way at the end! And a gem it really is! A ballad that talks about half of himself being missing since he and his girlfriend broke up, it pulls on the heartstrings. I love it! Too bad it had to come after all those other bad songs, or I might not have bothered to listen to it at all. 5 stars.
Ta daaa! If you're still here with me, congratulations... you must really like One Direction too! If you're really curious about the songs, all of them are available on YouTube with lyrics there for you to check for yourself. A person that calls themselves Harry Styles has some of my favorite not-official lyric videos, and you can watch them all by clicking HERE. (Though, I have to say, some of the lyrics are wrong...)
I read this book over a period of about 2 weeks, which is an uncommonly long time for me. I don't know why, but I haven't been in much of a reading mood lately. Pair that with the fact that this book, especially at the beginning, is fabulously creeptastic, and you've got the makings of an interesting novel.
A horrific family tragedy sends Jacob, 16, to a remote island off Wales, to the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, where he finds unusual old photographs.The children, one his grandfather, were more than peculiar, perhaps dangerous, quarantined for good reason - and maybe still alive.
I think what makes this novel so unique (and scary!) is the pairing of the written words with the pictures that are found throughout the novel. If it were just the words and my imagination, it wouldn't seem so real, but the pictures really just up the "realness" factor about 5 notches. Let me give you a couple examples, outside of the floating girl on the cover:
A little too flexible, no?
Ahhh! The reflection, my friends! The reflection!
Even still, I suspended some belief because I get royally goosebump-y and nervous with horror-ish things and didn't want to think about the possibility that the pictures hadn't been doctored. The craziest thing is that they hadn't been touched! These were pictures from private collectors, everyone, and that seriously freaks me out.
Outside of that part of the book, I thought the writing was great, and the story was interesting, even if it took me so long to get through it. All of us have felt like Jacob at one point, where we feel like our lives really have no point or meaning. Unfortunately for Jacob, through awful experiences, he realizes that his life will never be the same and that he was always extraordinary, if not in the ways he thought he could be. And the peculiar children had pretty awesome "peculiarities" that I loved reading about, like conjuring fire in your hands, being invisible, and having super-strength. (I know, at this point, it sounds like X-Men, but it's really not like that!)
Cleanness: It's been a week since I finished, so I don't remember much. There were probably a couple swear words, but if there were, it was at the beginning before all the action happened. If you read it, please let me know about the language. There were no inappropriate scenes, but there were allusions to an idea of someone cheating in marriage and also some innocent kissing.
Stars: I give this book 3 1/2 - 4 out of 5 stars. I know I complained about how creepy it was, but I have a really low tolerance for anything that can scare me! Haha. Go me. Anyway, it was a pretty darn good book and the first in a series (the next book is scheduled to come out sometime next year), though I'm not sure I could handle the ensuing jumpiness I would have if I read the next one... we shall see.
Anyway, I made this yesterday for dinner. I really liked it! I'm not sure my husband was a huge fan, but I liked it, and my kids both liked it, so it's going to be made again, for sure.
I did NOT take this picture. Lol. I am not that amazing.
As a side note, I used minced garlic since I already had it on hand, and I thought it tasted just fine. Also, I put in more than a half cup of Alfredo sauce because I used up what was left in a bottle I already had, and I liked how it turned out. The only thing I would do differently next time is to add a little more salt. I didn't measure it out, and so I probably just didn't add enough initially. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I mean, my younger son even asked for the leftovers for lunch today. Can it get much better than that? I think not!
1. Cook pasta following package directions. Drain; keep warm. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, about 30 seconds or until lightly browned.
2. Increase heat to high. Stir in zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes or until tender. Add cheese and Alfredo sauce; heat through. Transfer to large bowl; toss with pasta. If desired, garnish with basil.
Before you find out how their story ends, remember how it began....
When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . .
The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect.
Here was my initial reaction to the book, which you can also see on Goodreads:
Gah! The ending for this book was just as abrupt as the first, but at least it told you what happened. Good grief, I almost had a heart attack, waiting until the VERY LAST PAGE to find out! Ahh!
It was interesting to get everything from Willem's point of view, hearing what all he did during that year. I can see now why Gayle didn't write what happens after he opened the door in Just One Day, because you have to know his story to know why what he does is important.
But honestly? It wasn't fleshed out at all! I wish that we could've had more than just that last page to help us see that everything works out in the end.
It was frustrating.
But it was definitely a good book! There were a couple things I didn't like: more swearing, and Willem definitely was a promiscuous guy, especially in his past. Yikes! But I really think he was a good guy at heart and was a perfect fit for Allyson.
I'm so glad I was able to read the two books so close together! I would've gone insane waiting for this companion novel.
4 1/2 stars.
Since a few days have passed and I've conversed with my book-savvy reading sister about the book, I've come to a sort of peace about the ending. It's pretty much alluded to what Willem's going to do after the book is over, and everything will work out to everyone's happiness if he ends up doing what he plans. Anyway, there's that.
But one thing that really irks me is Willem's sleeping around. This might not bother other people, but it does for me. It might not have irritated me so much, but even as he was looking for Allyson, he was with a girl that he had dated previously. I know he was trying to move on, but still. Annoying.
Cleanness: Like I said before, there's more swearing in this one than in the companion book, Just One Day, which I reviewed HERE. Also, multiple mentions of those he's been intimate with in the past, as well as who he's currently intimate with.
Stars: I gave it 4 1/2 stars on Goodreads, but I think I'm putting it down to 4 here. It's still fun to read, just not as good as the first one.
I have a confession to make: I am not a creative cook. I cannot, for the life of me, look in my pantry and fridge, see some ingredients, and figure out how to make something new out of it all. I can follow a recipe pretty well, though, so pretty much every food (and by "pretty much every food" I really mean "every food") I post will be a recipe I've found somewhere else and wanted to share.
Phew! I feel so much better! Who else out there is with me on the non-creative cookery? I cannot be alone!
Anyway, I love Pinterest. It has provided me with many a recipe, especially desserts and treats. I wanted to share one with you. This is so simple and easy, which is part of the reason I liked it so much. It only has four ingredients, and you can't go wrong with that!
It's called Christmas Crack. (Although the original blogger called it Terribly Terrific Toffee...) I think it was renamed on Pinterest because, dude... this stuff is as addictive as the drug. I couldn't stop eating it! I had to hide it in my pantry so that my boys and I would stop thinking about it and grabbing a piece every time we passed it. Seriously.
First, I lined up all the crackers on a smaller cookie sheet. It calls for 40 saltines, but I halved a couple to make it extend all the way to the end of the baking sheet.
Gotta love the iPhone pictures... Notice the half-crackers on the right side.
Then I put the brown sugar and butter in a saucepan and let them simmer for a little bit. As a side note, make sure that if you use a spatula, you use one that's made for hot temperatures... I ended up melting the tip of mine a little bit! Evidence #1 of my amazing cooking prowess!
When it was all nice and thick, I poured it on top of the crackers. Another tip: don't pour it all in the middle, like I did. It will push the crackers around and it makes it a lot more difficult to spread around. Evidence of my cooking prowess #2! And this is for an easy recipe! Haha! Then I baked it in the oven until it was all bubbly and yummy.
And now I'm ashamed to say that I don't have any other pictures, except for the ending product. After baking the crackers and the brown sugar/butter mixture and letting it sit a few minutes, you top it with chocolate chips. The original blog said to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I used milk chocolate because I like milk chocolate better. After the chocolate chips began to melt, I spread the chocolate all over the crackers. Then I let it cool and harden.
Ok, I'm kidding. I put it in the fridge to hurry it up! I wanted some in my belly!
Not the best pictures, and they don't do the deliciousness justice, but honestly. Just give it a try. You'll thank me later!
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan or a 12x17-inch cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay a flat layer of crackers out on the foil. Melt the sugar and butter until a boil is reached. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved. Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread to coat evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the toffee becomes bubbly. After removing the pan from the oven, let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, let them soften and melt, and then spread them into an even layer. (You can add nuts, cracker crumbs, or whatever else floats your boat at this point.) Let cool and, if desired for expediting purposes, refrigerate until hardened. Break into pieces the size of your choice. I personally prefer a hand-sized chunk.
Ok, a couple things. 1. I am not a great photographer, and you'll just have to deal with my iPhone pictures. Haha! 2. I know it's awful, but I'm not a huge fan of BBQ sauce.
"WHAT?" I know you're saying. "How could you not like BBQ sauce?" I don't know, guys! I just don't.
Well, I found one that I love. Yes, I love it. Weird. But great!
Here it is:
Stubb's Honey Pecan
Wow, guys. This stuff is good! I made pulled pork a few days ago (I'll have to talk about that in another post eventually), and this sauce tasted so good with it! I'm sure that it tastes good with a variety of meats, and I'm excited to have some again. I got my bottle at Giant Eagle, but you can buy it online as well. If you want to learn more about the makers of this BBQ sauce or see their products, click HERE.
