Friday, January 30, 2009

GUILTY PLEASURES

by Jo Robertson

There’s a wonderful scene in the movie “Parenthood” where the wife of a very focused, rules-oriented man rebels against her husband’s structure by sneaking into the closet, opening a plastic box of goodies, and chomping down on a Hostess cream-filled cupcake.

She has this wonderfully defiant look on her face.

Guilty pleasures.

We all have them, right? Those things we adore, but feel a teensy bit guilty about doing? Let me share some of mine with you.


Guilty Pleasure Number One: When I was a young mother with seven kiddies ranging from 18 to 7, I often sneaked off to a movie by myself. I had a “movie purse,” just the right width and depth to fit an icy 7-11 Big Gulp, along with various snacks -- Skittles, M&M’s, maybe even a sandwich and chips. I loved the quiet, nearly empty matinee theater and the intriguing anonymity of sitting in a darkened movie by myself, chomping on my goodies.
Hint: a diaper bag like the one above works best! Oh, and be careful not to tip the bag!

I learned not to tell my friends of this penchant because, well, they thought only weirdos went to a movie alone. Ha! Not so. I’ve found that many people like to do this. Or only maybe people with large families who want to escape. By the way, I always saw lots of working-class men there, especially if the movie playing was an action flick.

Guilty Pleasure Number Two: Pepsis. See GP#1 above. Fully-loaded with sugar and caffeine, none of that diet stuff for me. Sigh. This is more an addition than a guilty pleasure. I wonder if they’ve invented a patch that would help me kick the habit?

Guilty Pleasure Number Three: Dexter. This wickedly funny and brilliantly witty and macabre drama show about a serial killer who targets only bad people aired on Showtime network. It's in its third season, but you can buy seasons one and two on DVD. The writing is superb!

Guilty Pleasure Number Four: Romance books with covers of sexy men. Damn it! Why should this be a “guilty” pleasure?
I read Anna Campbell’s Tempt the Devil on my recent trip to New York and felt compelled to hide the cover of this gorgeous man on the front. But I wanted to stand up in the aisle and shout, “Yes, I’m reading one of THOSE books and I LOVE the cover, damn you all!”

I didn’t. So those books remain my guilty pleasures.
Here are some fellows I'd love to see on the cover of a romance novel. I persuaded each of them to take his shirt off just for this photo session! Enjoy!

What about you?
What are your guilty pleasures?
Reading in a hot, scented bath with candles and your favorite book?
Shopping – can anyone spell S-H-O-E-S?
Sunbathing even though you know it’s bad, bad, bad for your skin?
Chocolate? Ice cream?
And don't forget today's the last day of the Bandita Invasion at RNTV. Join us there for lots of fun, good company, and a chance at prizes.

153 comments:

Gannon Carr said...

Could it be me?

Gannon Carr said...

Guilty pleasures are one of life's greatest treats!

I used to go to early matinees when we lived in CA. The kids were in school, my hubby was deployed and it was total me time. I could watch whatever I wanted and indulge in movie snacks.

Other guilty pleasures: chocolate (of course!), romance novels (always--but they shouldn't be considered guilty), reading said novels in the tub, caramel macchiatos from Starbucks, reality TV.....

No doubt, there are many more, but I'm off to sleep. Maybe I'll dream up a few more. *g*

Nighty night, all!

Nancy said...

Gannon, you nabbed the bird! Way to go.

Jo, my guilty pleasure used to be the tv show Silk Stalkings with Mitzi Kapture and Rob Estes (the later cast didn't do it for me). It was so sensationalistic and little far-fetched, but with great chemistry between the leads and gorgeous locations, and I was suckered into it.

I saw The Fellowship of the Ring in a theater all by myself at the end of its run (except for two women who came in with shopping bags rustling while the nine riders were invading Bree, talked through the whole scene and--finally!--left as Strider and the hobbits gathered. It felt sort of strange, I have to admit, seeing it without other people's reactions. I think I could get to like it, though--a big screen all to myself!

You know I still read comic books, so I suppose Superman and Wonder Woman would count as guilty pleasures.

I used to read in the bathtub, sometimes with a glass of wine, but I've kind of gotten out of the habit.

Helen said...

Well done Gannon

Jo I love guilty pleasures you really had me with that picture of Hugh Jackman man he is so everything LOL

When my kids were young I used to lock my self in the bathroom with a good book and soak in the bath and leave the kids to hubby then there were times when Mum and I would leave the kids with hubby and poppy and just go for a drive or out to the club for a few hours one thing I have never done is go to the movies on my own but lots of my friends do that not that I wouldn't but everytime I mention goimg to the movies hubby wants to come as well.

This is going to good learning everyones guilty pleasures and getting ideas for more of my own.

Have Fun
Helen

Nancy said...

Gannon, I used to love the caramel frappuccino at Starbucks--it was my celebratory beverage!

Nancy said...

Hi, Helen!

So far, we have a trend toward bathtub reading.

The dh and I are on the same schedule, roughly, so we usually go to movies together, too. He's not much on repeat viewing, so if I want to see something again, I go alone or with a friend.

His tolerance for Fellowship ended after two viewings! I, however, saw it at least 5 times.

jo robertson said...

Yay, Gannon, the rooster is yours for the day and good riddance. He's been flying after the squirrels in my back yard.

I agree that GP's are life's treats. I wouldn't get through some days without them LOL!

Ah, a movie compadre. With seven kids I could never pay the movie prices for candy so I always had to sneak it in. BUT, I never left a mess. Trying to salve my conscience.

jo robertson said...

The retired teacher is screeching, "Any kind of reading is never a GP!" Playboy, romance novels, skateboarding magazine -- it's all good!

Why does reading seem frivilous to us? That's just plain wrong. But I do feel guilty if I lie down and read for an hour or so. Like I should be doing something "constructive." Bah!

jo robertson said...

Now, I have to admit that I could never quite get the appeal of reality TV. I watched some bachelor show I'd accidentally taped. Girls who stayed in the running got a rose? Know the show?

I kept thinking how mean and snarky the girls were and the handsome bachelor was eliminating them like they were piece of meat at the butcher! Shudder.

jo robertson said...

Nancy, I remember that show Silk Stalkings! I wondered if a younger generation would get the idea of stalkings/stockings because women rarely wear nylons anymore.

My mom said they used to draw lines on the back of their legs for "pretend" stockings since the nylon was in short demand because of the war (parachutes).

jo robertson said...

It is a little strange to see a comedy by yourself, Nancy, because much of the humor of the movie lies in the shared experience, I think. Here you are LOL and your laughter is bouncing around a nearly empty room. Weird.

jo robertson said...

Oh, yes, Helen, Hugh Jackman! I had to search a bit to get him without the Wolverine claws from X-Men and without a shirt on!

Hey good that your husband wants to go to a movie with you. Dr. Big keeps saying for me to save Gran Torino to see with him, but by the time he gets around to it, it'll be on DVD!

jo robertson said...

When I listen to Nancy and Gannon talk about Starbuck's goodies, I sooo want to be a coffee drinker! Sounds so yummy! We were tea drinkers growing up and I never quite got the hang of coffee.

jo robertson said...

I love bubble baths and reading in the tub with candles lit everywhere, but I always get the water too hot, so I'm only good for about 15 minutes!

Anna Campbell said...

Gannon, wow! Congratulations! Hey, and congratulations on winning Jeanne's prize too. A rooster and some booty? It's obviously your day!

Jo, what a lovely post. I love the idea of you sneaking away, clutching your big cloth bag to have you some YOU time. I don't even think you should have felt guilty about it.

OK, I have an enormous number of guilty pleasures. Smiths Barbecue Chips. YUM, YUM, YUM!!! And soooooo bad for me. French fries - I don't like the chunky chips nearly as much. Although they're actually better for you because the lower ratio of skin to mass means they soak up less fat. Nah, give me the french fries. Again, sooooooo bad for me. Getting out of the realms of food (I could stay there all day, sadly), I love Judge Judy! Yeah, I know, I shouldn't. But I DOOOOOOOO! And a show on Australian TV called Border Security which is about customs at the airport. I love watching those drug dealers get found out, even though they've concealed their cocaine in a bottle of Chanel Number 5 inside a big block of chocolate inside their stuffed dog... You get the picture. For some reason, I find this absolutely compelling TV. No intellectual value in it at all!

And gladiator movies. I've always loved those, the cheesier the better. They're like operas except the tenors have better builds!

OK, I think that's enough. Judge Judy is about to start!

jo robertson said...

Oh, Anna, I KNOW!!! I keep thinking Judge Judy is so low brow but I love the way she takes on some of the idiots that come on the show. Tee hee, guilty pleasure indeed.

Let me see if I get this. If the chips are dry, they're called "chips," but if they hot and greasy and completely unhealthy, they're "french fries"?

Damn those Frenchmen!

Anna Campbell said...

I get a bit confused because of the years in the UK. What they call a crisp, I call a chip. But in Oz, we also call the hot greasy ones chips too (we clearly went for the simple solution - if it's made of potato and it's delicious, it's a chip, that's all you need to know!). French fries are the skinny ones and the best FFs are the ones where they double fry them so they're extra crisp. Absolutely TERRIBLE for me. But so delicious!

Hey, Jo, you're the last person I would have tagged as a Judge Judy fan. But I love the way that all human passions are on display there - and generally without too much gloss on them. And as you say, she's great the way she just tells them straight they're idiots. When generally they ARE idiots!

Fedora said...

Jo, it's always more books! And chocolate! And sometimes ice cream, and potato chips... Mmm... Now I think I've got a craving ;)

Congrats on the GR, Gannon!

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

OOOOOOO! Fun post, Jo-Mama!

What would we do without our guilty pleasures?!?!

Yes, I have some of the same ones as you. Oddly, I prefer to go to the movies WITH someone. I really don't have a preference, my BFF, my CP, my DH. I just like to share the experience... Okay, I'm one of those annoying people who likes to make snarky comments.

That's how I KNEW I was gonna keep seeing the DH. On our second date, we went to see a VERY SERIOUS movie, Dead Poets Society. During one VERY SERIOUS moment, he leaned over and whispered a snarky comment and I knew then, I LIKED THIS GUY!

Ah and PEPSI!!!! Unfortunately, I have to drink the diet varieties, but a TRUE guilty pleasure of mine is to sneak a big scoop of vanilla ice cream in the glass and make it a Pepsi Float. YUM!!!!!!!!

Oh, and your choice of shirtless men -- Johnny, Hugh, and Clive -- SUPERB m'dear! Simply SUPERB!!

AC
P.S. Congrats on getting the GR, Gannon! Watch out for his guilty pleasures.

limecello said...

Congrats on the GR, Gannon! For me... guilty pleasures? Hanging out with friends when I know I have way too much to do. A long soak in the tub. Reading, eating cake... :) Buying a new book. Or browsing electronics. :P [Apparently I like nontraditional shopping, as I think of it.]
Also - sleeping in. [Which maybe I deserve since normally I go to bed/fall asleep anywhere between 3-4 AM?]

Helen said...

How did I forget to mention my Tim Tams as a guilty pleasure and any type of chocolate and I am with you Anna I love chips just plain ones the thin style yummo.

Have Fun
Helen

Jane said...

Congrats on the GR, Gannon.

My guilty pleasures include Coke with ice, Doritos, barbecue chips, milk and cookies, cheesecake, books, comics and stupid comedies(Porky's, Old School, Wedding Crashers.)

Anna Sugden said...

Congratulations, Gannon - hope the GR doesn't spoil any guilty pleasures!

Let's see what guilty pleasures do I have? Computer games (especially the adventure games, like the old King's Quest), Japanese Hanjie puzzles (one on from the number puzzles - you get a picture aif you solve the puzzle - very addictive!), hockey memorabilia - okay movie and TV memorabilia too, Cadbury's Cream Eggs, peanut butter and cream cheese omelettes, Trick my Truck (but only with the Chrome Shop Mafia - can't stand the new guys!), Victoria's Secret, shoes *g* and the internet.

I'm not much of one for reality TV (except Trick my Truck), but I do like shows like Project Runway, Top Chef and Step it Up and Dance. If they'd do away with the b*tchiness, I'd enjoy them even more - I love all the talent.

Oh and I adore the Food Network - I miss it so much over here.

Beth Andrews said...

Guilty pleasures are one of life's greatest treats!

I couldn't agree more, Gannon! And caramel macchiatos are one of my guilty pleasures as well *g*

Have fun with the GR today! Maybe he'd enjoy seeing a movie?

Other guilty pleasures are Top Chef, Project Runway and VH1 (but only when there are actual videos playing *g*)

One of my biggest guilty pleasures is teen movies. I can't wait for Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist to be released on DVD :-)

pjpuppymom said...

Have fun with the GR, Gannon! Better keep an eye on him. I've heard he's into all kinds of guilty pleasures.

pjpuppymom said...

Guilty pleasures are one of life's greatest treats!

How very true and, yes, I do have a few. I don't count books among them though. I consider books one of life's necessities. A few of my guilty pleasures...

Internet play - Who knew it would be so addictive?

Reality Shows - Yes, Jo I do watch them, even the Bachelor. Every season I say I won't get sucked in and every doggone season that's exactly what I do. :)

Earrings - Love 'em! I probably have enough to open my own earring store. :)

Guilty food pleasures that I have to now limit to a few times a year but probably should eliminate completely. Aaarrrrghhh.

Mayfield's Moose Tracks ice cream - Creamy vanilla ice cream, Denali fudge, mini peanut butter cups...how can you not love it?

Cheetos - fried, not puffed

French fries - hot from the fryer

Tiger's Butter - blend of white chocolate, milk chocolate, peanut butter - when it's still melted in the bowl - even better when scooped out with pretzels.

Fritos dipped in hot chili cheese dip.

Homemade Bleu Cheese dressing - made with the incredibly delicious bleu cheese crumbles I buy at the Ag Dept. at Clemson University. Orgasmically good!

Chex Mix - the made from scratch kind. I just can't walk away from it.

Deb Marlowe said...

Go Gannon!

Jo, I refuse to feel guilty about my little moments of pleasure! But I have to say that the most frivolous thirty minutes of my week is The Soup. Joel McHale cracks me up. Who knew any of these shows were even on TV? It doesn't tempt me to watch any of it, but I snarkily enjoy watching Joel make fun of it. :-)

We're also about to enter the season of my greatest temptation: Cadbury mini eggs. My friends used to buy me bags for my birthday. I'm totally addicted. Last year I was so good though, and didn't have a one!

Marisa O'Neill said...

JO, Oohh, guilty pleasures, I have an abundance of them and yes, I share your love of Dexter, wickedly brilliant.

I recently added to my list of guilty pleasures - thanks to Anna Campbell- Tim Tams, oh yes, I've now joined the ranks of TT addicts throughout the world.

Other guilty pleasures consist of turning the phone and computer off and sitting alone in a quiet room with a can of coke and a good book and telling everyone I'm working all day - YES you heard it here first. I sneak off and make sure no one disturbs me.

One other favorite guilty pleasure, bubble baths. Oh, how I love those.

Louisa Cornell said...

Way to go, Gannon! Watch that bird. He is getting a bit full of himself lately!

There are days I LIVE for guilty pleasures!!

Things like a long hot bubble bath with candles, music and a great old favorite romance novel.

Another is my movie day in bed. A Sunday, never get out of pjs, a stack of DVDs, a great romance novel, lots of covers and the house dogs and cats piled up in the bed with me ALL DAY!! Speaking of Hugh Jackman, I have done a movie day in bed with nothing by Hugh Jackman movies. YUM!! And I've also done one with The Lord of the Rings trilogy.


Dexter is another guilty pleasure when I can see it. Great show!

Cadbury's chocolate of any kind!! Ooooh the Cadbury eggs! Love 'em!

Coca Cola. I am a tea lady for the most part, but every now and then I will indulge in a tall glass full of ice and Coca Cola. Love it!

Gannon Carr said...

Well, the GR and I are watching it snow right now. My dogs are keeping him in line :-D

Maybe I should clarify my comment on reading being a guilty pleasure. For me it's a necessity, but when I blow off all the things that "need" to get done, I feel a little guilty. But it passes, and I dive right back into the book. *g*

Nancy, my husband and I used to watch Silk Stalkings--we have the first season on DVD. It was a fun show.

As far as reality tv goes, when there are rude and snarky women on TV, I love to "talk" to the TV and tell them to get a grip. Crazy, but it makes me feel better.

YES on the french fries. They are my favorite junk food!

Shoes, purses, earrings--I have so many, but I can't stop myself. In one of Nora's books, the heroine says, "Earrings are like orgasms, you can never have too many." Amen!

Nancy said...

Anna, I used to love this show TLC imported from the UK, "Police, Camera, Action," presented by Alastair Stuart. They used police video of terrible drivers being apprehended. There was a lot of helicopter footage. Now, however, they've opted for US police video, which just isn't the same. Maybe because it lacks that cultured narrative. *g*

Seeing horrible drivers in some other country was somehow reassuring.

Nancy said...

Jo, I saw a piece about stockings and the war on History Channel the other night. They showed the drawing lines bit. I think it was a piece on underwear, of all things.

Nancy said...

Jo, our tub is cast iron, which leeches the heat from the water. Our first dog used to like to come in when one of us was in the tub during the winter (we had no shower when we were first married) and lie up against it. I almost always have to run in more hot.

So you could last longer at our house. :-)

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Oooooh, I adore guilty pleasures. :> I actually try to just make them pleasures and eliminate the guilt, but hey, I was raised in the South, land of take-no-time-for-yourself-guilt. Grins.

Let's see...retail therapy. Even if I don't buy anything, I love to go shopping and mostly for the house (paint, pillows, art, knickknacks), it's just fun to imagine all the gorgeous stuff in my gorgeous house. (Which would really be gorgeous with all those things!)

Dog shows. I don't show anymore, but I love to watch them.

Top Chef, Project Runway and all the CSIs. On the reality ones, I adore the study in human nature, and the guts it takes to put your skills out there in front of God and everybody. :> As for CSI, the science is fascinating and hey, Nick Stokes. What can I say?

Nancy, I loved Silk Stalkings. Had a huge crush on Rob Estes. He's still cute, but he's not in good roles anymore.

Starbucks is lifeblood, not a GP.

A quilt, tea, fire in the fireplace, Girl Scout shortbreads, curling up in the reading chair with five good books. Ahhhhhh.....

Orange Milanos....ohhhhhh, yeah.

Power tools...ohhhhhhh, yeah. (I think I'm one of the few women in America who WANTS my family/spouse to give me power tools.)

Gannon Carr said...

Jeanne, how could I forget Girl Scout cookies?! Thin Mints and Samoas (or Caramel Delights in some areas). I swear I could eat a whole box in one sitting!

Anna S., I used to have the old King's Quest game and played it waaay too much for awhile. Probably the only computer game I've ever really enjoyed.

Facebook is definitely my latest guilty pleasure or as my sister calls it, Facecrack!!

Janga said...

For many years, romance novels were my guilty pleasure. Academia was not a friendly place for admitted readers of "brain-rotting trash." I've been out of the closet for quite a while now, so I have different guilty pleasures: YA books, bourbon brownies, office supplies, and all kinds of lists--100 Books I Should Read, 25 Ways to Organize, 50 Best Western Movies.

Trish Milburn said...

I'm with you on the seeing a movie alone. I don't have to worry if the person I'm seeing it with likes it or not. I just went to see one solo last Friday.

Another guilty pleasure is definitely cute shoes. I don't "need" anymore shoes. Dude, I have more than 40 pairs in my closet. But sometimes I can't resist. Well, I can resist in the winter because I can't really wear cute shoes in the winter. My feet get cold.

When it's warm, my other guilty pleasure is Chocolate Extreme Blizzards from Dairy Queen. Yum!

Janga said...

I forgot one: computer Yahtzee. I'm addicted!

Trish Milburn said...

Nancy, I can barely get the hubby to see a movie at the theater once. He wouldn't be able to fathom multiple viewings. Recently, I saw Twilight twice at the theater. The only other movies I can think of right now that I've done that for are Dirty Dancing and Last of the Mohicans.

Trish Milburn said...

Jo, as a rule I don't like a lot of reality TV either, but I do really enjoy Survivor and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Oh, and America's Best Dance Crew. :)

Trish Milburn said...

Beth, no surprise here, but I love teen movies too. Things like 10 Things I Hate About You, Twilight, the Harry Potter films (particularly the newer ones where they actually are teens), Blood and Chocolate, The Covenant, all those John Hughes films like Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club, Save the Last Dance, A Walk to Remember, Chronicles of Narnia, Juno, Penelope, etc.

Trish Milburn said...

Oh, another thing I love -- cheese fries. Dang, I'm hungry now.

Trish Milburn said...

Gannon, I love earrings too. I could spend a bloody fortune on them.

And LOL at Facebook = Facecrack. :)

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Janga, I say hooray for Brain Rotting Trash! :>

And...bourbon brownies? Sounds slurpy-yummy-good!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hooray too, Trish, and whoever else said it, for teen movies. I love the dancing/coming of age/ magic/harry potter ones. All of 'em.

Gannon Carr said...

Trish, I love teen movies, too! Sometimes I think have the sense of humor of a teenage boy! Maybe that's why my two boys and I laugh at many of the same things. Perfect bonding time!

jo robertson said...

Good morning, everyone to whom it's still morning as it is on the west coast of America! Ya'll have been busy while I was abed. Hmmm, perhaps indulging in some of your guilty pleasures?

Your double-fried "chips" sound delicious, Anna, glad they don't have those over here. My fav French fries are McDonald's. I knoooooww! How cheap is that?

jo robertson said...

Anna, didn't Judge Judy say some famous like about beauty being temporary but stupid is forever? I think she wrote a book titled that. Anyone know?

Fedora, why is it that a book addict (as I assume we all are LOL) keeps buying books? It isn't as though I don't have tons of them already, but I keep buying the new ones because they pique my interest so much.

I need to take a speed reading course to learn how to get through my TBR pile!

jo robertson said...

AC, my CP, we are soul sisters in the Pepsi realm!

Too funny about your husband and his snarky comment in Dead Poet's Society (quickly scanning my brain to find something that WASN'T dead serious in that movie LOL). I can believe it of him! He's a keeper!

Glad you recognized the very young Clive Owen in the picture. Did anyone else know. He hasn't changed much.

Gannon Carr said...

Jo, McDonald's fries are soooo good! Who cares if that's cheap?

Deb Marlowe said...

PJ! Tiger's Butter? OMG, that sounds like an orgasm in a bowl.

Do you make it yourself?

jo robertson said...

Limecello, you mentioned cake, my very favorite. Warm cake right out of the oven with some delicious frosting dripping over said warm cake. Yum. I swear I could eat a whole cake by myself!

Too funny about your love of shopping for electronics. When I walk into Frye's (do they have that store where you are?), my eyes start to glaze over and I go into a sort of early dementia!

Fortunately there's always a sixteen year old clerk handy to explain USB ports and flash drives and . . . oh, my, feeling another swoon coming on.

Quick, AC, hand me a Pepsi to revive me!

jo robertson said...

Yum, Helen, so glad you mentioned Tim Tams, our dessert of choice in the Lair!

Jane, cheesy comedies are fun, aren't they? I watched BORAT (okay I'm really ashamed of that), but I could NOT stop laughing. It was gross and disgusting and I'd go "Ewwww," and burst out laughing again.

It was like watching a car wreck -- I could not take my eyes off it!

jo robertson said...

Vrai Anna, the shoes don't surprise me VBG, but what the heck is Trick my Truck?

Sorry, but I have an image of a hooker and a trucker and . . .

Oh, yes, the Food Network, love that! Ironic since I never cook, but I'm absolutely fascinated by the different concoctions they come up with. I especially like Rachel Ray because she does it in 30 minutes! My kind of gal.

jo robertson said...

Wow, PJ! Earrings, no one's mentioned that as a guilty pleasure. I can see that. I love looking at them, especially in antique stores where so many have that twenties and thirties look.

OMG, PJ, what a list. You have me salivating. Must have breakfast now. Hmm, probably pie and ice cream.

Hi, Beth, another Star Bucks fan!

jo robertson said...

Good on you, Deb, for embracing your inner guilty pleasure! And great about avoiding the Cadburys last year. I don't think I could resist.

Now I'm curious. What is this THE SOUP? And who is Joel McHale? I feel culturally deprived! Tell all!

jo robertson said...

Ah, Marisa, too, too funny. I can just picture you with your coke and book while everyone's probably feeling sorry for how hard you work!

Yes, Dexter is so clever. I only wish I could spring for Showtime so I didn't have to wait for the DVD of Season 3 which is going on now!

jo robertson said...

ROTFLMAO, Louisa, I thought you were going to say you'd spent a whole day in bed with HUGH JACKMAN!! You sly girl! I've never done that except when I've been sick, but it sounds wonderful!

jo robertson said...

Gannon, wonderful Nora quote, snort!

I agree, reading is a necessity and it keeps the mind supple to ward off old age. Yeah, right, that's why I read.

Laughing at you talking to the TV reality shows. Dr. Big does that with sports only it's shouting, sometimes so loudly and unexpectedly that I actually jump!

Nancy said...

Jeanne, Rob Estes really was cute. As for retail therapy, I buy books. Which is sooo helpful for the TBR pile.

Not!

Or I buy purses. The curse of long narrow feet is that being nuts for shoes is just pointless. It's too hard to get ones that fit.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Jo said: I need to take a speed reading course to learn how to get through my TBR pile!

Now that would spoil the GP aspect, wouldn't it? The long leisurly reading....

BTW...Coke allllll the way.

Nancy said...

AC, my grandfather loved floats with Canada Dry ginger ale and vanilla ice cream. He passed this love down to me, but I'm not good at doing it in moderation. I tend to opt for Coca-Cola with three scoops of chocolate ice cream. Which is one reason I ended up at Weight Watchers. *sigh*

jo robertson said...

Interesting, Nancy, I guess you had to have a pretty steady hand to get those lines on your legs straight.

Oh, Nancy, was your tub one of those up on claw feet, the huge rounded ones you could actually lie back in comfortably? We had one of those when I was a kid, loved it!

Nancy said...

Limecello, how's the new phone working out?

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy said: The curse of long narrow feet is that being nuts for shoes is just pointless. It's too hard to get ones that fit.

*waving hanky* Amen, sister. I love 'em but they don't make the cute ones in those long narrows, nor are they nearly as cute when they get to that length...

Nancy said...

Anna S., my game addiction is Tetris. Or its variant, Pokemon Stadium (yes, like the cartoon). We rented that for the boy, and I played it so much that we bought it.

Though the character voices do become annoying.

jo robertson said...

Uh, I like power tools too, Jeanne, but we're probably not thinking of the same thing, VBG.

Do they have ROSS and TJ Maxx where you are, Jeanne? I love to browse those stores, have found the most interesting and cheap things to decorate my house with. My daughters turned me on to those stores and their houses are beautifully furnished at minimum cost.

jo robertson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jo robertson said...

Hehehehe on Facecrack, Gannnon.

And yes, Jeanne and Gannon, how could we leave out Girl Scout cookies. That's such an evil enterprise. Those sweet little faces coming to the door, the girls all dressed in their little uniforms, how can you resist?

I bought 6 boxes this year and consider it cutting back. Sigh. I'll never lose those 20 pounds for National!

jo robertson said...

Janga, love your lists, but I MUST know about these bourbon brownies. I love brownies and adding bourbon? Well, that sounds just plain decadent -- and wonderful!

Yummmmy on the Blizzards, Trish. My favorite is banana cream pie blizzard. It's to die for!

jo robertson said...

Trish, my fav is So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol, but those are more talent shows than reality. I love watching all that young, fresh talent.

Hugs on the cute shoes. I finally resigned myself to the fact that old feet don't love fashionable shoes. Sigh.

jo robertson said...

A pox on you and your Coke, Jeanne! Really, Pepsi should hire me to advertise for them. I actually choose my restaurants by which they serve, Coke or Pepsi.

But you're right, slooooowww reading is sooooo rewarding. I hate when a good book ends.

jo robertson said...

Nancy, I never heard of making a coke float with chocolate ice cream! I'll have to try that.

Okay, keep those guilty pleasures coming, ladies. I'm off for a HHFD (Happy Happy Fun Day) with my daughters -- another birthday! We're sneaking Togo's sandwiches into the movie and see TAKEN.

Back later, and don't forget to pop over to RNTV and see how the last day's vignettes are going. They're wonderful and the endings are superb!

Hellie Sinclair said...

I love to go to movies alone!--and boy am I a Pepsi addict! I switched out to diet Mountain Dew to cut back on sugar, but if I'm having a bad day or want to indulge, I'll get the pepsi. In fact, I'll go to a matinee (I don't have a large family by the way, but sometimes friends are weird about movie going--and naysay my movie and want to go to something else...NO, that's that the invite...this is not a compromise, this is, "I'm going, do you want to go? No, okay, catch you later" deal) by myself and get a discounted Pepsi with my coupon. I love not having people talking to me during the movie (which my friends sometimes do before they remember who they're with and shut up) or during the previews (which they're confused by my gimlet stare because the movie hasn't actually started).

I too enjoy the covers with hunky men on them. And I'll wave them around. I don't mind being stared at for them; it's when they comment and say, "You read that porn" that I get bent out of shape. I should respond with, "And I have sex too--and enjoy it. I'm really quite a slut. Get lost." Or something like that. Or if it's one of those nerdy men again, I'll probably say, "What? You don't like porn because believe me, you look the type."

Hellie Sinclair said...

Other guilty pleasure: CUPCAKES and ice cream. And romantic comedies...I love romantic comedies and it drives my friend Holly nuts because they are, "cheesy." I love cheese too, dairy and celluloid varieties.

Gannon Carr said...

Jo, I definitely recognized the very sexy Clive Owen!!

Janga said...

Jo, I love McDonald's fries too, but they always remind me of a scene in Elizabeth Berg's novel Talk Before Sleep. Ruth's friends, who are taking care of her as she is dying, gather her favorite foods for a dinner: lobster from a ritzy restaurant and hot French fries from McDonald's. The humanness of it has such poignant humor.

And the bourbon brownies are decadent. They have pecans and double frosting, white with a chocolate glaze--and probably 12,000 calories per bite. :)

Nancy said...

Deb--I love anything Cadbury. And those little eggs are so tempting. They're so small--how bad for you can they be (discounting all their buddies in the bag, of course.)? *g*

Nancy said...

Gannon, I didn't know Silk Stalkings ever made it to DVD. Er, it has '80s clothes and hair, doesn't it?

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Okay, Jo, you AGREE with me on slow reads, how can you possibly DISagree with me about Coke? My illusions are shattered.

Snork.

I think you're one or the other, you either like Coke or you like Pepsi and you don't cross the line. :>

BTW, I love to go to movies alone. It also so expensive to go w/ my DH (get babysitter, etc.) that we don't get to go much anymore. However, it's still fun when we get a chance. But if there's a chick flick or an action flick I want to see and he doesn't? Mat-in-eee all the waaaay!

Nancy said...

Trish, I saw the original Star Wars 22 times in the theater. But I was in grad school and had no life.

If there was a BSG movie, how many times would you go? *evil g*

Nancy said...

Jo, trust me, the Coke float is decadent.

Pepsi would ruin it. *g*

I have to be with Jeanne on the Coke thing. Coke was born in Atlanta, and my parents never drank anything else. I was indoctrianted at an early age, though my intake was limited.

Nancy said...

Uh, indocTRINated. Duh!

Anna Campbell said...

Marisa, I think next time I come to the U.S., they'll arrest me at the border as a Tim Tam pusher!

Actually, Jo, I suspect they DO have double fried chips in the US, at least in the top French restaurants. There's a special technique where you half-cook the chips, then take them out and let them cool then put them back into the hot fat. Apparently that's the official meaning of a 'french fry' although obviously it's become a general term since. Has anyone else heard of this?

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

I don't know, Nancy, you might have been indocTRIANated and didn't know it...heehee. Jusssst kidding....

I always say that Pepsi may be the "Taste Born in the Carolinas" but my tastebuds traveled south to Atlanta for Co-cola! :>

Mt. Dew was actually my poison of choice for quite a while, but the caffeine...wow.

Anna Campbell said...

BOURBON BROWNIES???!!! Let me at em!

Jo, I love that saying! It sounds like Judge Judy. She doesn't pull her punches.

Gannon Carr said...

Nancy, of course there's plenty of 80's hair and fashion in the Silk Stalking DVD! LOL!

Anonymous said...

Hey yall, add me to the list with Janga, Gannon, and any others who love McDonald fries! Absolute swooning yum. With TONS of salt. Ahhhh.

My other guilty pleasures are also well represented here -- shopping (love new clothes! especially new yoga garb!), LONG hot showers, romance novels in the bath, yes, absolutely, and Facebook. Definitely guilty on this one.

Having fun on RNTV! Big pleasure -- not so guilty, though! :-)

Minna said...

Books, chocolate, movies, Bones and Numb3rs...
And speaking of books: I just got an interesting message to my email. Harlequin is offering quite a few ebooks for free:
http://www.harlequincelebrates.com/index.php

Gannon Carr said...

Janga, I think I just gained five pounds reading your description of the bourbon brownies! That's a guilty pleasure I'd thoroughly enjoy! Yummmmmy!

Keira Soleore said...

Dang! I'd done a good job of resisting until now, but then you had to go and put up a blog about it. Writing about it made me have it.

(sigh) Thick, round, fried, salted, yellow banana chips!!!!

And of course, you know, N*t*l*a.

Romance novels have stopped featuring on my guilty pleasures list. I read them boldly in front of my mother-in-law and admit to writing them, too. Hah. Hussy.

Long, hot showers
Blogs and boards and email and Facebook and Twitter
Coffee once in a while

Gannon, those were graveyard hours you were keeping last night to nab the chook.

Nancy said...

MsHellion, the boy loves Mountain Dew. He drinks more water these days, but the Dew is his "treat" drink of choice.

Keira Soleore said...

I was idly googling Tim Tam just now since I see that it's mentioned in the comments a few times.

And I almost fell out of my chair.

Now through March, Tim Tams are available via Pepperidge Farms at Target.

Tim Tams

Target

Wow

Have I mentioned how much I love Target???

I'll report back later in the afternoon after I make a trip there. OMG!

pjpuppymom said...

Keira, don't get excited yet. They still haven't shown up in the Target stores here. :(

pjpuppymom said...

PJ! Tiger's Butter? OMG, that sounds like an orgasm in a bowl.
Do you make it yourself?


LOL! It pretty much is, Deb and, yes, I make it myself.

pjpuppymom said...

Janga, those brownies sound fabulous!

Tomorrow is my grand-niece's 3rd birthday party and her mother has the good sense to let McDonald's host it. Mickey D's french fries, here I come! :)

pjpuppymom said...

Anna, I love double fried french fries! That was one of the dh's specialties. I would eat them as fast as they came out of the fryer! LOL!

Keira Soleore said...

PJ, there are some blogs claiming Tim Tams at Targets in the Seattle area as of a month ago. HOW could I have not known this??

http://seattleumbrellaconspiracy.blogspot.com/2008/12/tim-tams-at-target-now.html

Gannon Carr said...

Keira, I hope you have better luck at your Target locating Tim Tams than I have. PJ and I just commiserate on the lack thereof!

Yes, I was up burning the midnight oil; I was finishing a book review for RNTV (Connie Brockway's SO ENCHANTING)--loved it!! Lucky for me, I popped over to the lair and nabbed that naughty GR. It's hard beating you West Coast girls and our Banditas from Down Under. ;)

pjpuppymom said...

I've been to 5 different Targets in North and South Carolina. Not only did they not have Tim Tams but none of them had ever heard of them!

Trish Milburn said...

Even though I grew up drinking Pepsi, I'm a Coke girl. I can drink either, but I much prefer Coke. But other than orange soda and the occasional Sprite, I don't drink any other soft drinks. Things like Mr. Pibb and Dr. Pepper are disgusting and taste like really bad cough syrup to me.

Hmm, a BSG movie -- not sure how many times I'd see that. But if they did a Supernatural movie -- dude, I'd be there like a million times.

Minna said...

I just saw an advertisement on tv: there are M&Ms in Finland! But no peanut butter M&Ms! Why? Why? How can they be so cruel? Still, if they'll have M&Ms in the local shop (although I won't be holding my breath) I'll buy some. I want to make some M&M cookies.

Foo Fighters - Big Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxbB1cCsKXE

Anna Campbell said...

PJ, I SOOOO wish you lived nearby! Or perhaps I don't. I don't think I need encouragement to eat things like chocolate turtles and double fried French fries. My mum used to make them years and years ago as a treat for my dad and I still remember that special light crunch they had. They weren't greasy at all. Mind you, the secret is to have the oil REALLY hot so that it seals the chip and doesn't just soak in to make a greasy limp lump.

Minna said...

Uh. I haven't been drinking any kind of soda pops for a long time. I got an overdose in the States...
But I also got addicted to peanut butter M&Ms.

Anna Campbell said...

Gannon, you're the lucky duck who got So Enchanting at RNTV, are you? I tried to sweet talk Marisa into giving it to me, but clearly you're a sweeter talker! Can't wait to read it. I love Connie Brockway!

jo robertson said...

Hi, everyone, I'm back from our HHFD. We saw Liam Neeson in TAKEN. I don't think I've ever seen him in an action film. I always think Shindler's List.

But Liam is my new love, haha. This fellow still looks good and I do love a tall man. He's Irish, isn't he? If he'd kept his accent I'd love him even more.

WHY, OH WHY, do so many Scots, Irishmen, and Aussies play in American shows and lose their delightful accents? It's a crime, I tell you!

jo robertson said...

Ms. Hellion! You've made my day with your comments. You look the type, snort, snort! Wish I was brave enough to say that to some creepy dude.

Speaking of, the movie was soooo full we had to sit on the SECOND ROW. My eyes are still blurred. Worse, I sat by a VERY large man who apparently doesn't know the term "personal space." Sheesh!

You are my new BFF, MsH. Pepsis, movies, slutty books, wow!

jo robertson said...

Ah, Janga, love that. When I'm dying that's what I want people to do for me! Berg really captures those loving moments, doesn't she.

You have to give us the recipe for Boubon Brownies. I'll risk the one-bite 12K calories!

Gannon, isn't Clive so very young in this picture? But you can still recognize his distinctive features. He's in a new movie that we saw the trailer for today.

Jeanne, m'dear (channeling the Duchesse), I wish I loved Coke, seems like the entire civilized world drinks it. I can hardly find a restaurant or movie theatre that has the Pepsi franchise.

If I like Coke, I could give up my cola addiction, haha.

jo robertson said...

Yeah, Anna, Tim Tams might become a controlled substance, LOL.

I can't even imagine watcing ST that many times, Trish. I get bored too easily!

Anna, I've never heard of those kinds of French fries over here even in the good restaurants, but maybe it's an eastern thing. Anyone know?

Kirsten, you know what I like to have at the Micky D drive through? An order of fries and a soft-serve ice cream cone. Yummy combo!

Dianna Love said...

Fun post, Jo. I'm having guilty-pleasure envy. Everyone else has much better ones than mine. I keep a glass jar of peanut M&Ms on the hallway table then route all the trips I can past it when I'm home. ;)

I love romance novels, but consider them a mental health "staple" that I couldn't live without. I do want to go see the movie Australia again...that would be major pleasure and I'm willing to suffer the guilt. :)

jo robertson said...

Minna, thanks for that link.

Keira, what are banana chips? My, you guys have come up with GP's I've never heard of!

Okay I'm still working out N*t*l*a. Can I buy a vowel?

jo robertson said...

Yes, Keira, Tim Tams are at my local Target too! Yummmy. Note to self: Make Target run. Now!

I love Target too!

Oh no! I hear several of you saying there're no Tim Tams in your neighborhoods. This is a travesty! I'm happy to say northern California has them in Target.

What happened to the rest of the nation. Pepperidge Farms, are you listening????

jo robertson said...

What a great idea, Diana! My daughters gave me a huge glass decorative jar with "Grammy Jo's Yummies" written in vinyl letters and filled with bubble gum and assorted yummies. But I keep that in my car!

jo robertson said...

Oooh, sorry, Dianna, for spelling your name wrong. My bad!

Deb Marlowe said...

PJ: I'll trade you Tim Tams for the recipe!

pjpuppymom said...

Deb: For the Tiger's Butter recipe?
Aww, that's sweet but not necessary. I'll be happy to give you the recipe.

Nancy said...

Gannon, I'll bet Caren, the Girl Scout cookie connection for the lair, love you for that plug.

Did you know that if you put raspberry nonfat yogurt in a glass dish, dab some whipped topping on it, and crumple a thin mint cookie over it, it tastes just like dessert?

Nancy said...

PJ and Gannon, I haven't tried my closest Target. Will report back if they have them. I'm not bettin' on it, though.

Nancy said...

Gannon, '80s clothes and hair just look so . . . '80s! The big shoulder pads. The big, often frizzy hair. {{shudder}}

Highlander had the same issues, alas.

I bet that Silk Stalkings box set is fun anyway. Highlander is!

Keira Soleore said...

I'm incredibly saddened to report that there are no Tim Tams in my Target. I'm heartbroken.

Jo asked, "Keira, what are banana chips?"

They're like potato chips, except that they take green bananas and/or plantains (a variant), slice up into rounds and fry them up golden and delicious.

Jo asked, Okay I'm still working out N*t*l*a. Can I buy a vowel?

You're so funny. I'm grateful that there's at least one person on god's green earth who doesn't know about my obsession with Nutella.

Unknown said...

Congrats Gannon on grabbing the rooster, have fun with him!!!

My main guilty pleasure is chocolate and books love both of them. Also love onion rings and would reather have them over french fries.

Another one is just leaving home and spending the whole day at my sister's house. We have such a great time and I don't get to do it that often.

Anna Campbell said...

Hellion, I just told Hellion over on EJ/JQ that her blood should be bottled, she's so great. So should yours! Those answers absolutely crack me up! You know, I hate it when people talk through a movie too. You know, if you want to talk, maybe a movie isn't the right venue? Or is that just me???!!!!

Gannon Carr said...

Anna, dear, PJ is going to borrow the ARC of SO ENCHANTED (and possible Buffie and Andrea as welll), but I'll be happy to send it your way. Let me know if you haven't scored a copy soon, let me know and I'll send it to you in Oz.

Nancy said...

Talking through a movie, Anna C. and Ms. Hellion? Aaargh! Lock phasers, Mr. Sulu.

I mean, really.

And there always seems to be someone in a Star Trek movie audience who does. The ST fans I know are lovely, polite people. I don't know where these jerks come from!

Though it isn't limited to Star Trek. Years ago, a friend treated me to one of Baryshnikov's last performances at Lincoln Center. And the couple in front of us talked in low voices ALL through the performance.

The dh and I had to get up and move in Last of the Mohicans, and I had to get up and move in Top Gun. Both times, we were sitting there first, the theater wasn't full, and people sat right behind us and started yammering.

Mr. Sulu?

Nancy said...

Dianna, my grandfather kept a glass jar decorated with painted sketches of trains and closed with a glass stopper in his hall with M&Ms in it--plain not peanut--for years. I think the jar ended up with my cousin.

Helen said...

Anna
When you go to the States in July for the conference I will send some Tim Tams for you to take for PJ I couldn't live without them I bought 2 packets yesterday and this afternoon I will be reading and enjoying them with the AC on it is really hot over here reaching about 40 celcius today.

Have Fun
Helen

Nancy said...

Jo, I keep forgetting to tell you that yes, we have one of those old cast iron, clawfoot tubs. Nice and deep.

When we remodeled the bathroom, it's the only piece of original plumbing we kept (though I'm sure the plastic and laminate sink unit and mustard yellow toilet weren't exactly "original" anyway). And we discovered that the leg in the corner is missing--a stack of bricks has been filling in for it, apparently, for decades.

We called the company about a replacement, without success. Which wasn't much of a surprise, considering the tub probably dates to the house's 1934 construction.

Caren Crane said...

Gannon, congratulations!! Hope the GR behaved his naughty self. Is there snow for him to play in?

Jo, I ADORE guilty pleasures! I discovered the guilty pleasures of the early matinee by myself when I was pregnant with my first child. I know I told y'all this before, but I went to see The Color Purple and I was the ONLY person there. It was fabulous! I had to waddle out to the lobby for napkins 2 or 3 times because I was crying so much! Oh...I miss going to the movies alone. I may have to play hooky one day and do that.

I can't wait to retire!!

Tonight, I'm watching Priceless because I am ALONE at my house. Unbelievable! I'm going to run off and watch some more before I pop back over to RNTV. I hope everyone has been by to see us there. It's rocking!

jo robertson said...

Nancy, those old tubs are gawgeous, but I didn't know the heat leached out of them so easily. As a kid, I only played in it!

Ouch, Helen, so hot. What does 40 degrees celsius translate to in fahrenheit? Over a hundred right?

That's so sweet of us to send Tim Tams for PJ, but remember that Anna might be stopped at the border with those things LOL.

jo robertson said...

Uh, meant that was sweet of YOU, Helen!

Caren Crane said...

Janga, bourbon brownies?! You're sharing this recipe, right??

jo robertson said...

Caren, your gang has done a fab-o job on RNTV today. I can't believe the posters still have any creativity left after playing all week. They're great.

I so envy you being along. Wahhhh, I want control of the remote!

Caren Crane said...

Gannon had to say the "F" word: Facebook. I swear, I'm an addict! My whole family is on there except my husband. He is antisocial and has NO desire to tell anyone anything about himself. As opposed to, say, ME who tells people WAY more than they ever wanted to know!

Nancy said...

Jo wrote: I didn't know the heat leached out of them so easily.

It takes a while. But there is a heat transfer. And if I'm going to the trouble to run a bath, I'm gonna be in there until I'm good and ready to come out. *g*

Caren Crane said...

OMG, Trish, cheese fries with sour cream and bacon bits!! I haven't had them in about 11 years, but man are they scrumptious!

Caren Crane said...

Deb, I have a recipe for Tiger Butter. It is SIN in a bowl. This man at work makes it about once a year. You don't need that...really!

Nancy said...

Gannon, a bunch of my high school friends are on Facebook, and they're urging me to come along. Of course, the Banditas are there now, too. I just feel as though it'll take brain cells to learn. I know I need to do it.

Nancy said...

Caren, that last comment re: Facebook was for you, too. Oops!

jo robertson said...

Yikes, Keira, I hadn't heard of banana chips, but they do sound interesting.

LOL, on the Nutella. I knew, but I'd just forgotten! Dang, I thought it was some new kind of p*orn, VBG.

Becke Davis said...

Guilty pleasures:

Pedicures and manicures (a recently discovered GP)

Dangly and/or glittery earrings (ditto)

Anything that glitters, pretty much (call me Sparkle Plenty)

Reading in bed

Dessert (Think thin! Think thin!)

Adding more books to my TBR pile than I can possibly read in a year

Watching my favorite chick flicks for the umpteenth time

Writing fiction when I should be writing non-fiction

Playing with the Banditas!

Gannon Carr said...

Caren, my husband refuses to join the Facebook cult, too. So I end up telling him what his friends are doing. One of these days he may come over to the dark side. ;)

Helen said...

Jo
If I remember right 38c is 100f so yes it is hot over here it is even hotter in Melbourne and Adelaide they have been getting temps of around 44c.

Facebook is another pleasure I enjoy and even my hubby is on it now took us ages to get him on now he is on it longer than us.

Have Fun
Helen

Caren Crane said...

Dang, Helen. 44C is 111F!! That is appallingly hot. Of course, we're getting temps here far below normal for us. Global climate change, you know...

Caren Crane said...

Gannon, I keep trying to lure him with tales of funny things our friends have posted...no luck. He is SO the loner! You know how quiet and reserved I am (snort), so it's quite a challenge for me!

Caren Crane said...

Treethyme, I just finished watching "Priceless" ("Hors de Prix"), starring Audrey Tautou (my favorite French actress despite the horrible "DaVinci Code" - shudder). It was very much like a French "Breakfast At Tiffany's", only with higher stakes. It was very clever, with lots of tension that one of them would be caught by their current paycheck. *sigh* It was wonderful. Put it in your Netflix queue!

jo robertson said...

Helen, I had no idea it got so hot over there. That's like our Death Valley!

I'm still learning Facebook and I'm a slow learner, but I'll get it!

jo robertson said...

Treethyme, I adore my pedicures, especially in the summer when I can show off the pretty colors!

So glad the Banditas are your GP. Certainly the Bandita Buddies are one of ours. Where would we be without our BB's?

Hey, Caren, where's that recipe for Tiger Butter?

And what about the Bourbon Brownies! I'm still waiting for that.

Uh, not that I need another fattening recipe.

jo robertson said...

Tomorrow's post is about ready to post!

Thanks for dropping by the Lair today, ladies, and thanks for sharing your guilty pleasures.

I've acquired a few new ones of my own

limecello said...

Jo, I've got one on you- I HAVE eaten an entire cake by myself before! :D (Ok so it was a mini cake about the size of my hand, but it came in it's own little disposable tin!) And I've had more than one :P

Nancy - I love my new phone. But I'm pretty sure it's smarter than I am :P It even comes with its own instructional cd O_o [But it's ok because it is a "smart phone" right? ;)]

pjpuppymom said...

Helen, you are such a sweetheart! Big hugs coming your way...

pjpuppymom said...

TIGER'S BUTTER

Add 1 cup smooth peanut butter to 1 cup melted white chocolate, stirring until smooth. Add that mixture to 1 cup melted milk chocolate, stirring slightly. (You want it to have streaks)

MOLDS: Spoon melted Tiger's Butter into candy molds. Freeze until firm (10 to 15 minutes) then pop out onto waxed paper. Store in tightly covered container or ziploc bag in the freezer.

BARK: Spread Tiger's Butter thinly over a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Freeze until firm. Break into pieces.

SQUARES: Pour Tiger's Butter in a waxed paper lined baking dish. Let set at room temperature until firm. Cut into squares.

Janga said...

PJ, I think the Grands will love your Tiger Butter.

Chocolate Bourbon Brownies

Brownie Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup Crisco
2 tablespoons water
1 (6 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (About 1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
4 tablespoons bourbon

White Frosting Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Chocolate Glaze Ingredients
1 (6 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (About 1 cup)
1 tablespoon Crisco

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F Grease the bottom of a 9-inch square pan.
Combine sugar, Crisco, and water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts.
Mix chocolate chips and vanilla together until smooth.
Beat in eggs.
Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add the nuts.
Bake for 30 minutes or until shiny and firm on top.
Remove from oven and pour bourbon over the top of the brownies.
Cool completely.

To make the first (white) frosting, beat the butter and vanilla together until creamy.
Gradually add the sugar until smooth.
Spread evenly on top of the cooled brownies.

To make the chocolate glaze, melt and stir together the chocolate chips and shortening in double boiler until melted and smooth.

Spread glaze on top of the white frosting.

Chill until the frostings are firm, and cut into squares.

Store any uneaten brownies in the refrigerator.

from Southern Living

Becke Davis said...

I know we've moved on to another thread, but I thought of one more: the french fries from Penn Station, which are like English chips AND they even have malt vinegar to put on them. To die for, if you are a salty-food lover like I am. A REALLY guilty pleasure, which is why I forgot them yesterday.

Caren, I adore Audrey Tatou, especially in Amelie. It even has gnomes!! My daughter saw Priceless the other night and was raving about it so I'm happy to say it's already in my Netflix queue.

My husband and I are going to see Taken today -- I love Liam Neeson, and the movie sounds exciting, too! I'd go by myself without hesitation, but this time I'll have company!