Beautiful Saturday Afternoon

A wise man once said, "You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice." I think this is so great; life should be filled with joy and peace. This is not to say that valleys don't come with the mountains, or that we will not have struggles and persecutions, but rather that every moment that we are allowed to enjoy, we should. Eric and I have taken to the Oklahoma tradition and made a day out of this football-filled Saturday. Welcome, football season! The first game came on at 11:00 a.m. (which we didn't see, the bed was just too comfy this morning) and there's been a game on all day ever since. We took a break from football to watch baseball at about 3 o'clock (Rangers v. Twins). Something about Minnesota just makes us want to move there. It seems like our kind of state!

Per Eric's request, I made Puppy Chow (a Chex snack) to put the final touches on our traditional football day. For several years now I've made this snack, starting around this time of year through the holidays, and it's always a favorite. He's been asking about it for a few days now, and after he made himself sick on it (haha) this afternoon, he thanked me and gave me a big sugary smooch. 

 

It's a tasty, chocolaty, sweet snack that would rot your teeth out if you didn't own a toothbrush, haha! A few pieces does me in, but Eric can eat several hand fulls of it before he gets a belly ache. Our friend Steven (Eric's best man) loves it, and I think about him every time I make it. And once more, thanks to Mom and my grandparents for providing us with several of the ingredients, bowls, and utensils.

Recipe card holder from Grandpa

Melt the chocolate chips. Side note: do not buy off-brand chocolate chips. I'm a loyal customer to Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips for baking, but in an effort to save money I purchase Best Choice brand....bad idea. They don't melt smoothly and are much too dry to melt and pour over the Chex. Choose Hershey's or Toll House. Add 1/4 cup of butter to this chocolate and heat until melted. Make sure to not over heat and burn the chocolate.

Then, measure the peanut butter and add it to the melted chocolate. You may want to heat this mixture as well, so that it meshes well.

Next, measure the vanilla and add to the melted mixture. Pour Chex cereal into large bowl. Pour chocolate mixture over Chex and stir until covered. Then pour powdered sugar over coated Chex and mix.

And it's that simple. You're done! This is one of those foods that makes you crave vegetables. It's so much sugar your body goes into shock. A word of advice, eat it over a period of several days, only a few pieces at a time...alternating with fruits and vegetables :).

Well, now that I've potentially heightened your chance for diabetes, I hope you try this recipe and it turns out great! I just finished brewing a steaming hot pot of tea, so I think I'll pour a glass and have a sit in my favorite comfy chair. We've turned off that stubborn old air-conditioner (it's stubborn because it never shuts off, leaving us with electric bills you could choke on) and opened up all the windows. I absolutely adore the smell of cool night air in the living room. The sound of a train rushing through Edmond is in the distance, Eric is humming Deck the Halls, and my Better Homes and Gardens magazine is awaiting me (I know...this apple didn't fall far from the tree, haha). Eric is full and happy (literally) and I am full and happy (mentally).  Goodnight to all, and to all a goodnight!

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."
-Robert Louis Stevenson


"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra."
-Jimmy Johnson


All Our Love,
JenEric
 
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Puppy Chow
 
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. butter
1/2  tsp. vanilla
9  c. Chex cereal (I usually only do about 8 though)
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
 
 
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