Shopping Around the World

This month for Shopping Around the World, we are going to focus on go to desserts/treats.

You know for those days when you need a pick me up or you are feeling down, what is the one thing you go to for comfort?

I know we shouldn’t but we do.  We can all admit that from time to time, right?

Well this month is an easy one for mom.  Wait until you see!  Take it away mom –

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When I think of go to comfort food as in dessert, I think of one thing.  Pepperidge Farm cakes.  I was introduced to Pepperidge Farm cakes when I was a young child.  It was something that we always kept in the freezer.  You know back in the day when you wanted people to drop in for visits  and they did unexpectedly – LOL.  These days, we don’t want anyone coming by unless you call weeks in advance and make an appointment.  Times have changed, right?  Well in the day, when unexpected friends dropped by my mom would get out the Pepperidge Farm cake, make a pot of coffee and visit.

These days, I still try to keep these in the freezer if not for just the memories they once brought to me.  Anytime you need some sugar comfort, cut you a slice off of the cake and enjoy a little time just being.  These Pepperidge Farm cakes come in a different variety – vanilla layer cake, red velvet cake, lemon layer cake, key lime cake, coconut layer cake, chocolate fudge layer cake and this one – rich golden layer cake.  And personally, the golden layer and key lime cakes are my all time favorites – LOL.

And the best thing about these cakes – they are cheap.  Really on average they are about $4.00 a cake.  BUT you can find them on sale two for $5.00!  Now can you make two cakes that cheap?  So pardon me my friends, this cake in the picture was opened last weekend.  It’s calling my name to be finished.  The next time you are in your local market, see if you can find one of these and try them.  You won’t regret it.

 

 

Mom Made a New Friend – Gulps

Okay mom you can leave your new friend at the store okay – gulps.  Mom and dad went to the pet store to get some things for me and my bros here at the Hotel Thompson.  While they were in the store, they came across this guy who was being ‘walked’.  Rolls eyes – really?  He needs to be ‘walked’.  And we all know my mom, she hasn’t met a stranger yet that she won’t talk to.

So mom – with dad in tow – walks up to said stranger and inquires his name.  His name was – are you ready for this? – Chester.  Yeah okay.  So mom did something so outrageous.  She asked if she could touch Chester.  Mom – what in the heck are you thinking??  Chester gave his okay… something about his tongue sending approval.  I don’t want to know.  So while Chester’s head was turned, mom petted him.  He wasn’t greasy or slimy or anything like that.  He felt weird to the touch.

Then mom did the most insane thing.  She told daddy to give her his hand to touch Chester.  Now understand, all of this time dad is standing there and doesn’t have a clue who or what Chester is… I mean would you guess snake with a name like that?  Well dad the ever loving trustworthy guy he is reaches out his hand and touches Chester.  That’s when the guessing game began – what is Chester.  Dad thought he might have been a bearded dragon or another type of lizard.  But bless his heart he didn’t freak out when mom told him it was a snake.

Would you have freaked?  I told mom Chester was off limits here at the Hotel Thompson.  I mean OFF LIMITS!

 

Shopping with Mom/Dad

THAT’S A BIG PILE OF POO!

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It is not safe letting my mom/dad out by themselves.  Shaking my piggy head – it really isn’t.  Mom/dad decided to go to the local pet store to look around to see what was new.  Mom found the biggest pile of poo she has ever seen.  I mean what left this?  Bigfoot?  She was telling daddy about it and they were snickering like two teenagers while people were passing them by and looking at them like they were crazy.  Houdini was in the buggy and just rolled his eyes, he was so embarrassed.  He wanted to tell people passing them that there was nothing to see there… it was just typical behavior of mom/dad.  Can you see how big this poo pile is?  What would you think if you saw something like this in real life?  OMP – I can’t breathe right now.  Go my friends.  I’m listening.  What would you think?

 

Call the Police

Squeals with piggy excitement.  Why do I get to miss all of the great fun when mom/dad goes out shopping?  Mom/dad went to our local market the other day and saw this as one of the groceries ‘carts’.  Now wouldn’t that be awesome to ride around throughout the store beeping my little horn and begging for treats?  Snorts with piggy laughter – couldn’t you just see me doing that?

Look at this cart – it just has *me* written all over it.  That’s Policepiggy Bacon on patrol!  ❤

 

Shopping Around the World

Shopping Around the World

Shopping Around the World is hosted by us and our friend Fozziemom.  This month since it is the Thanksgiving holidays here in the States, we are focusing on Thanksgiving foods.  We have elected to post a side dish that everyone loves here in the south – black-eyed peas.  Yummo!  I admit that even this little oinker loves these peas.  They are tasty… but of course I like mine without the bacon – you know for obvious reasons – snorts and rolls with piggy laughter.  I leave the recipe and other delights of this recipe to mom – take it away mom! ❤

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Black-eyed peas.  Some people hear the name and stick out their tongue making a grimace while others smile and can’t wait to jump in feet first and eat their way out of the bowl.  Which category do you fall into my friends?  You’re not sure yet?  Let me tell you my recipe and then you can make your choice.  You will need the following:

⇔ Two cans of black-eyed peas (you can use fresh peas- I take help where I can) $0.98 each = $1.96

⇔  Four slices of bacon $3.99 pack/12 slices = $1.32

⇔ Cilantro $1.49 a pack; onion $0.49; olive oil $6.99 bottle; red pepper flakes $1.49 bottle = $1.50

Total Cost per Dish $4.78

The first thing we do is get out the old southern iron skillet.  Put a tad of oil in the bottom, cut up the bacon strips and fry them in the skillet.  While the bacon is cooking, dice up your onion and chop up your cilantro.  Once the bacon has cooked, scoop out the fried bacon and put on a paper towel to drain.  Leave the bacon grease in the skillet and add your onions to give them some color.  While the onions are cooking, open your cans of black-eyed peas, drain them and wash them.  Now some people use the juice out of the can, we don’t.  If you like it, by all means use it.  Once the onions have some color, pour in your two cans of black-eyed peas.  Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to your taste.  Your black-eyed peas will have a semi fried taste – awesome.  Trust me.  Once everything is heated through, pour into a serving dish and top with cilantro and your fried bacon.  You will never want black-eyed peas the old way again 🙂

 

Shopping Around the World and Bacon’s Show and Tell – Reminder

Hello sweet friends – 

Don’t forget about our important dates next week – after the holidays.  Keep these in mind while you enjoy your holiday 🙂 ❤

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Shopping Around the World

Shopping Around the World is hosted by us and our friend Fozziemom.  This month it is scheduled for November 30th – after the holiday so we can all make plans.  Since it is the Thanksgiving holidays here in the States, this month we will focus on Thanksgiving foods.  So, you can post appetizers, side dishes, salads, soups, main entrees or desserts.  What is something that you look forward to once a year at Thanksgiving.  I mean yes we can have it throughout the year but having it at Thanksgiving screams the holiday?  This gives you a wide variety of foods you can come up with.  Fix whatever your dish is, take pictures and post it with recipes and prices on November 30th on your blog.  Remember to link back to my blog posting so people can see yours.  This is a wonderful way to (1) meet new friends in blogville and (2) get some wonderful recipes.  And I’ll admit it.  This piggy has been known to visit on these days and lick the computer screen at some of your awesome dishes.  I’m just sayin’ – some of pictures look out of this world!!

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Bacon’s Show and Tell

To me, what better time of the year to share some embarrassing stories from Thanksgiving.  Did you gather as a family for dinner and someone do something hilarious?  Did you have a mishap and spill your plate or cut the turkey in a strange way?  Go ahead my friends, let’s talk about something funny our humans do or did during their Thanksgiving holidays.  I know these stories will be good!  Bacon’s Show and Tell is scheduled for November 29th due to the holiday.  Remember to do your blog and link back to my blog so we can all see what everyone shares.  Thanks my friend – can’t wait for some great stories.

 

Shopping Around the World and Bacon’s Show and Tell – Mark Your Calendars

Hello sweet friends – 

Never fear, we did not forget about our most important dates of the  month – no way!  Please remember to mark your calendars for our two important dates below and make plans to participate.  The more participation, the more recipes and embarrassing stories – yay!

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Shopping Around the World

Shopping Around the World is hosted by us and our friend Fozziemom.  This month it is scheduled for November 30th – after the holiday so we can all make plans.  Since it is the Thanksgiving holidays here in the States, this month we will focus on Thanksgiving foods.  So, you can post appetizers, side dishes, salads, soups, main entrees or desserts.  What is something that you look forward to once a year at Thanksgiving.  I mean yes we can have it throughout the year but having it at Thanksgiving screams the holiday?  This gives you a wide variety of foods you can come up with.  Fix whatever your dish is, take pictures and post it with recipes and prices on November 30th on your blog.  Remember to link back to my blog posting so people can see yours.  This is a wonderful way to (1) meet new friends in blogville and (2) get some wonderful recipes.  And I’ll admit it.  This piggy has been known to visit on these days and lick the computer screen at some of your awesome dishes.  I’m just sayin’ – some of pictures look out of this world!!

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Bacon’s Show and Tell

To me, what better time of the year to share some embarrassing stories from Thanksgiving.  Did you gather as a family for dinner and someone do something hilarious?  Did you have a mishap and spill your plate or cut the turkey in a strange way?  Go ahead my friends, let’s talk about something funny our humans do or did during their Thanksgiving holidays.  I know these stories will be good!  Bacon’s Show and Tell is scheduled for November 29th due to the holiday.  Remember to do your blog and link back to my blog so we can all see what everyone shares.  Thanks my friend – can’t wait for some great stories.

 

Bacon’s Show and Tell

Welcome my friends to my Bacon’s Show and Tell.  Today we are discussing embarrassing moments from childhood.  Trust me.  I have a good one to share today.  I thought long and hard and have to tell you about my daddy.  Snorts – yep poor dad. Are you ready for this?  Here we go.

When dad was a small boy – I’m going to say around 6-7 years young, his mom took him shopping with her at a local store.  This store had big tall windows all across the front of the store.  Daddy and his mom was in the store shopping for a long time and finally got to the front registers overlooking the windows.  Daddy told his mom that he needed to go to the bathroom and he was jumping all around – you know like some little boys do.  So his mom told him to go out front and wait for her there.  You know back in the day when you could actually do that with no worries that someone might take your child.

So there daddy was in front of the store and his mom was waiting patiently in line to buy her items.  That’s when it happened.  What do you ask.  Well there were snickers, then rolls of laughter and then came the pointing outside the front window.  You see, there was the cute little boy that was standing outside peeing.  Not just peeing straight into a puddle.  Oh no, that wouldn’t be my daddy.  My daddy was outside peeing on the front windows and making designs with his pee.  Shaking my piggy head.  Yep, his mother was so proud.

His mom quickly paid for her purchases, stomped outside and without missing a beat picked daddy up under her arms and continued to the car.  All the time…. daddy was continuing to pee freely in the air.  Well, he did tell her that he needed to go to the bathroom, right?

 

Shopping Around the World

Thanks to everyone for another great edition of Shopping Around the World last month.  It’s so awesome to see the various prices around the world – and the pictures with recipes!

This month we are concentrating on salads and I present to you mom’s salad.  It has a little bit of everything and mom/dad eat these several times during the week as their meal at night.  Hope you enjoy it!

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What you Need:

1 head of lettuce ($0.98); package of grape tomatoes ($0.99); croutons (package $1.19); shredded cheese (package $2.49); Cucumber ($0.98); sliced ham (2.49 for quarter pound); mushrooms (pack $2.49); chopped walnuts ($2.49 pack); Catalina Dressing ($1.49)

Everyone knows how to put together a salad.  What’s interesting is what people put ‘in’ their salads.  AND if this is what’s for dinner, you want the salad to be hearty.  Mom/dad eat this salad usually 3-4 times during the week, especially here in the Summer where it’s just too hot to cook anything on the stove or in the oven.

Now mom will change it up sometimes and use chicken from the night before instead of ham, or sometimes she even puts spicy pickles in the salad.  It just depends on what ingredients you have on your hand.

Mom fixes an entire bucket of salad and keeps it in the refrigerator for us at night.  And yes, even I eat salad – wouldn’t you with all of these ingredients?  Except mine doesn’t have ham – you know for obvious reasons but chicken night we all win.

When you think about the ingredients above averaging out for 2 people and 1 pig (snorts) over 4 nights, it only equals out to $3.90 for each dinner night.  Now that’s not bad at all!

 

Shopping Around the World – Reminder

Thanks to everyone for another great edition of Shopping Around the World last month.  It’s so awesome to see the various prices around the world – and the pictures with recipes!

Since it is summer in most places and do I dare say hot, let’s concentrate on those easy meals.  When one says they made a salad for dinner, we are always amazed at what they put into their salads.  So this month – ‘salads’ is the key ingredient.  Keep in mind that salads can be tossed, Cesar, macaroni, turkey, chicken – the list is endless.  Share with us what is your favorite salad is along with the prices and pictures can.

Meet back here on Wednesday, July 27th, 2016 to share recipes, pictures and prices!