Brown Sugar Chicken (Dew This!)

Happy new year!

The start of the new year is like a blank notebook, a fresh workout routine or a stiff pair of black yoga pants. Anything is possible.

And then comes February. And Girl Scout Cookies.

Unrelated: By far, my most popular recipe has been Brown Sugar Chicken.

It’s super easy, crazy tasty and kids will actually eat dinner when it is served. Without complaints. Seriously.

While in a pinch, I happened on an improvement that has made this delectable dish, even more delicious. Yes, it is possible. I will bet you my 6th pair of black yoga pants that you will agree.

Instead of using Sprite or 7-up in the recipe, I used Mountain Dew. Once I used diet. Once I used throwback. (And I don’t even like Mountain Dew.)

Dood.

Dew it.

You won’t regret it. That box of Thin Mints on the other hand…

7 Comments Post by Katy

Let me spell this out for you…

T-H-I-S I-S A-N A-M-A-Z-I-N-G G-I-F-T T-O G-I-V-E!

I was lucky enough to stumble upon this Iowa artist, SquareWear, at a holiday market and instantly fell under the spell of Crystal’s custom creations.

The next day I emailed her family photos of my own, had her create a custom stretch bracelet out of my parents’ last name in Scrabble™ tiles and within one week, I was holding my favorite gift of the season.

My mom is the recipient of this beauty. A bracelet filled with precious moments.

The best part, it cost me just around $30.

Ready. Set. GO!

Shop here:www.etsy.com/shop/SquareWear

3 Comments Post by Katy

Life Lessons ala Moi

There are moments in life when one should just stop talking.

When you’re a kid, taking off your britches and putting them back on, inside out, equals clean britches. (Until Mom catches you.)

Walking the grocery cart back into the store, guarantees you five miles of good karma. Ten miles if you do it while no one is looking.

If you have to buy personal items (lubricant, hemorrhoid cream, ultra super deluxe tampons) you can bet your pretty little face that a guy, who you had a crush on your sophomore year of high school, is going to walk up and stand in line behind you at the cash register. Chances are also good that the item won’t scan and the checker will have to type in the 45 digit key code. Insert uncomfortable pause here. 

House elves make the holiday season bearable. So does too much wine, chocolate covered salty things and bribery.

Lavender scented dish soap makes domestic duties more enjoyable. So does lavender scented counter top spray, candles and dryer sheets.

Brown leggings do not go with everything. Or anything.

More than two of your neighbor’s homemade bran muffins, with your morning cuppa coffay, will render you useless for the better part of the early afternoon.

Pssst…Young snobby people. Be kind. Someday that will you YOU who goes out for a drink with your girlfriends, then leaves in a minivan, after showing all your friends how you tucked your Spanx into your underpants. And you will feel like you’ve accomplished something. Because you have! Dammit.

STOP TALKING.

5 Comments Post by Katy

How to eat a cupcake

6 Comments Post by Katy

Hippopotamus

She: “I just spelled hippopotamus correctly, on the first attempt!”

He: “Do you want a certificate? Or…A quickie?”

More: Quickie

1 Comment Post by Katy

Opa! Hummus Plate

My neighbor can parent three children, file court documents, pour a fantastic margarita, bake bran muffins, design and create a Halloween costume from scratch, simultaneously with one arm behind her back.

Oh and she makes the most amazing little plate of goodness I’ve ever had the pleasure of dipping a pita chip into.

Bonus: It’s pretty. It’s (almost) too pretty to eat. Almost.

MK spreads hummus on a plate, tops with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions (optional), feta and kalamata olives. She serves it with pita chips and let me tell you, it’s goooooooood. I recently spent the better part of an hour hunched over the plate, nibbling and raving about how amazing it was. I won’t tell you that when I ran out of pita chips, I ate it with my fingers. Because that would be disgusting.

It would be great served as a light lunch, appetizer or to impress your friends with a bottle of wine.

And it’s so easy, I bet you could make it with one hand behind your back too.

4 Comments Post by Katy

All I could think was “It’s huge.”

Nothing screams “A 7 year old boy lives here!” louder than a giant drawing like this on your driveway.

I literally stumbled upon it today.

It’s been there since Saturday.

6 Comments Post by Katy

I’m obsessed with…

Velcroing things to my walls.

I have, on two separate occasions, taken a dry wall screw, a hammer, a heavy piece of art work and ruined a wall. (If you realize what that combination means, you just cringed. If you don’t know what that means, welcome to my world before taking the first whap…The first time.)

True story.

It’s really no surprise, I lack patience.  When I want something done, I want it done NOW. And if “now” means during nap time when I get a wild hair up my ass, then so be it.

Thankfully, for the health of SuperHub’s heart, I’ve learned over the years to respect dry wall. And plaster. And heavy frames.

Enter 3M Picture Hanging Command Strips.

I happened upon these tiny Velcro™ wonders while attempting to hang a holiday wreath once upon a time. I was skeptical that glorified plastic teeth could support wall art, frames and the horribly gawdy glass beaded wreath I insisted on hanging on the front of our house.

But they did.

And I learned.

When we moved, I did an entire photo wall going up my staircase in one afternoon. No nail holes meant a giddy hubby and I can change my mind whenever the wild hair returns.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a beautiful piece of art work that reminded me so much of my dad, I wept. Then I bought it.

This morning, after too much coffee, I hung it in three minutes.

THREE MINUTES.

And this is how I did it: Open, separate, pair-up, peel, stick, peel, level, push.

No hammer (or dry wall screw) required.

11 Comments Post by Katy

Boy Troubles

I happen to know the mom and pop of this delicious three year old little girl.

Sydney, age 3, was less than happy when Austin, a boy in her class, wouldn’t wait and walk on the “rock wall” with her outside her preschool. He walked the wall and jumped off the end of it without waiting for her…Against his promise to her.

The emotional reaction that ensued tickled my funny bone and warmed my heart. “But I love Austin VERY VERY much!”

Pay attention boys. This beautiful little half pint means business.

4 Comments Post by Katy

Hello! My name is Flo.

We got a new puppy about a month ago.  Her name is Flo, she is a labradoodle and she makes me talk in itty bitty little voices, ohyesshedoes! We got her for many reasons, but first and foremost because she makes mama happy.

To put it mildly, I love my dogs. Love. Kiss their tummies, snuggle in bed every night, buy-ridiculous-Halloween-costumes-for-them kind of puppy love.

Flo, and my 3 year old two-legged child Sam, are both potty training. By that I mean both are learning to pee in the yard. Usually in front of random strangers passing by. Nope. Not kidding.

While looking for matching name tags for our other doodle dog (Sophia Petunia) and Flo, I sniffed out a new store that instantly made my tail wag.

Sofa City Sweethearts, based in Gulfport, Mississippi makes these amazing pet ID tags. And neckties. And pet bow ties.

These tags are great for pets or as a kicky little key-chain for the human variety. Just list your cell phone number on your tag, in case you lose your keys.

At less than $10 a pop, now in the time to get a jump start on your holiday shopping. For you or your favorite four legged friend.

Fetch!

I love these SO much, I want you to have one too. So let’s give one away, shall we? Enter a comment below, with the name and description of your favorite pet, and you could be the lucky recipient of a customized tag, compliments of me, from Sofa City Sweethearts!

Comment entries are limited to one, per email address. Facebook and Twitter entries are limited to one, per registered username. Three modes of entry allow for a maximum of three entries per person. Entries will be accepted until 12 pm Friday September, 30, 2011. One lucky winner will be drawn, using random.org, and notified by email on, or after, Saturday October 1, 2011.

Sit Ubu, sit. Good dog. ruff

16 Comments Post by Katy