Shopping Around the World

Welcome my friends to another edition of Shopping Around the World!

This month my brother Phenny is hosting SATW – thanks bro!  This month we are highlighting pumpkin recipes.  This should be fun because my mom loves anything and everything pumpkin.  Doesn’t pumpkin just scream fall?  In fact, mom just posted a funny on her Facebook about pumpkin spice.  I thought I would share with you and let mom take it away  with our recipe.  Again thanks brother Phenny for helping us out here at the Hotel Thompson ❤

 

 

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mmm – pumpkin – one of my favorites this time of year.  Put spice behind it and I’m in hog heaven – sorry Bacon.  My favorite recipe is Pumpkin Spice coffee.  I love it so much throughout the year – not just at Halloween.  And yes, you can ‘buy’ it in those fancy coffee shops and even McDonald’s has a great one; but, why not make it at home yourself.  I mean think about, coffee shops will range from $3.50 to $5.50 a cup.  And that’s just enough pumpkin spice coffee to make you want more.  A second cup at a coffee shop and you will be getting out a loan – LOL.  So what do you need?

Now I’m a sugar free girl.  Of course fully leaded you get more of a pumpkin spice taste but sugar free gets me there.  I use the following:

⇒ Skinny Syrup Pumpkin Spice (costs $9.00 a bottle.  A full bottle can last about 30-35 cups = that’s only $0.26 a cup!)

⇒ International Delight Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie Spice (costs $2.50 a bottle.  A full bottle can last about 20 cups = that’s only $0.13 a cup!)

⇒ Your choice of coffee.  We use Maxwell House here.  We buy a medium can for about $5.50 on sale.  That has enough to last 52 pots!  So basically how do  you price that, right?  LOL

⇒ Two packs of Splenda (a box costs $4.00 for 200 packets = $0.04!)

So let’s talk price first.  For somewhere around $0.50 a CUP at home vs coffee shop prices.  Doh!  It’s a no brainer for sure.

Prepare your coffee as you normally do in your coffee pot.  On our coffee pot, we have the option of making one cup or an entire pot.  When I want one cup, I put my Splenda in my cup along with a shot of my Skinny Syrup Pumpkin Spice.  I then place my cup on the coffee maker and hit Latte (I know I’m blessed).  While that is percolating and the aroma is driving you crazy, pour some creamer into a glass container.  Then froth that cream… again my coffee maker has a frother – don’t hate.  Froth that cream as much as you want.  I find the glass container keeps it cold. 

Once your coffee is done, pour the froth into your cup.  Then sit on the couch, prop your feet up and enjoy that pure delight.  And then go back for another cup… .you’re welcome ❤

 

 

 

 

Shopping Around the World

This month my dear brother Phenny is hosting Shopping Around the World.  His suggestion this month was pie, dessert or anything sweet.  Since I can’t just post a picture of me for something sweet – snorts with piggy laughter, I”m going to let mom take care of this month.  Hope you enjoy my friends ❤

Now this month was hard.  Sweets – my favorites of any kind – is something I’m trying to stay away from here at the Hotel Thompson.  But there are times that the inner sweet monster comes from within and you just *have* to have something gooey and wonderful.  A long time favorite of ours here are Whoopie Pies.  Now if you don’t know what a Whoopie Pie is here, you are a sheltered person and need a fix ASAP!  You can fix them as elaborately as you want or in my case as simple as you want.  And you know me…. I’m all about simple 🙂 

So here is a picture of what a Whoopie Pie looks like.  (I didn’t take this picture.)  This is a simple way of seeing what a Whoopie Pie looks like.  They should be gooey and wonderful.  Most of them are made with a cake batter as the top and bottom.  But remember, I have a favorite ‘quick’ recipe.  Here you go:

◊ Store bought cookies (no lying).  Get a package of the soft cookies – you don’t want a hard one.  Or you can make your own.  Now remember to buy twice as many cookies because you will need two cookies for every Whoopie Pie.  I bought a package of 24 cookies from our local market for $3.29 – I bought Macadamia cookies.  Buy and make whatever kind of cookies you like.  24 cookies will make 12 Whoopie Pies.

◊ Here is the tricky part – what do you want for your center?  You have several options.  You can buy a container of Cool Whip.  You can buy those little containers of pre-made frosting.  Or, you can be lazy like me.  I asked the bakery department at my market to whip me up some butter cream frosting.  A huge container cost me $4.99 – and that is more than enough.  

Now the fun begins.  I take my 12 cookies and place them on a cookie sheet.  I then put my butter cream frosting in a pastry bag and start dabbing frosting on my cookies.  After all my cookies have full attention, I then place cookies on top of the frosting.  There you go – instant Whoopie Pies.  No, they are not like the ‘real’ Whoopie Pies but are your guests or family going to know the difference?  Of course not.  Heck, throw some flour on your face and around the kitchen and let them know you slaved in the kitchen for hours.  Who is going to know?  I’m not going to tell.  ❤ 

 

Bashful is HOME!

 

Guess who came home from visiting my brother Phenny in France?!  That would be Bashful, my pet rock.  Squeals!  Some of the stories he told – oh my piggy heavens.  He had such a blast visiting Phenny – and getting in trouble and spending some time on his time out rug – snorts with piggy laughter.  He arrived Thursday night here at the Hotel Thompson with some wonderful gifts that kept him company on his way home.

❤

And of course, he brought home a friend!  Meet Brittany who is a little bit of rock and roll – all the way from France.  Let me tell you friends, she has a voice on her and has been singing non-stop.  I need to be careful with this one.  The next thing I’ll know is she will be starting her own Rock Group here at the Hotel Thompson with some pebble back up singers.

So everyone – let’s welcome Brittany to the blogs and my growing rock collection.  ❤

And huge THANK YOU for Phenny and his staff for hosting my little tyke Bashful.  Thanks so much brother!!