The Celebrity Apprentice

Are you watching this season of The Celebrity Apprentice?

I've always been intrigued at how people's minds work in a business environment, especially successful people, so I have been a fan of this show since the first season.

They've had several Celebrity seasons now, and it really seems like the producers make sure to have at least one *ahem* "creative" person, one who's mind doesn't have direct focus like the rest, instead they are brilliant in their own willy nilly unfocused way.  It really makes you wonder what these people are like to work with when their every move isn't being filmed.  First Cyndi Lauper:

Then Bret Michaels:

And now this season the cray cray that is Gary Busey:

It's good entertaining television to watch other celebrities reign in the haphazard craziness of these people!  And I think that's why they don't get fired until well into the season: ratings.

Last night's show, I'm sorry to say I'm happy that ACN was the task to bring down Dionne Warwick.  I did not care for her at all, she seemed so condescending and bossy to the other contestants.  And while I'm not a huge fan of Star Jones, she was right, they are there for charity and should stop throwing in the towel.

And now, if I may, a little self promotion.

I am in business with ACN, the company featured on last night's show.  If you are interested in the Iris 5000 Video Phone, and why wouldn't you be?!?

Check out my website to order or get more information on the video phone, or to learn more on this incredible company.  And please email me if you have any questions!  Siestacupcakes@aol.com

Turtle Covered Rice Krispie Treats

I gave up sweets for Lent and it's crazy the things I've been craving!  Things that I don't even eat when I can, I only want them when I can't have them.  Like those wafer cookies that come in chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla..wafer cookies with the cream in them?  I haven't had them since I can't even remember when, but today..I wanted them.  Bad. 

I am having another sweet craving right now so instead of eating one, I'll post one that I made before Lent, and these, my friends, are magical.  Soo simple to make but are so decadant that you'd think it took all day to prepare.  I will be making these for Easter, and I will be eating them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!  Ok..maybe that's extreme,  maybe just lunch and dinner.  Hope you enjoy!

Turtle Rice Krispie Treats

Recipe from Glorious Treats

Prepare rice krispie treats from the recipe on the box.  (I googled making them, because I never had and wanted to know the secret to making them soft.  I've had some that have been rock hard before.  The secret is to not melt the marshmallows 100%.  Stop when they are around 85-90% melted.  Then when you put them in the pan, don't press down.  It doesn't matter if it's not completely even, because you are topping them!)

For the topping:

3/4 pound individual caramels

2 Tbsp water

1/2 tsp vanilla

6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Melt the caramels, water, and vanilla together.  Stir as needed.  When it is all melted, spread over rice krispie treats and place in refrigerator until it has cooled.  Save some caramel to drizzle over the top.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave.  When they are melted, stir well and spread over cooled caramel mixture.  Top with the chopped pecans, and drizzle with remaining caramel.  Again, store in refrigerator to set, then cut into squares!  And try not to eat the whole pan. 

It'll be difficult.  Just be warned.

Getting to Know you is back!

Yay!  I'm so excited Keely at MannLand5 is bringing back Getting To Know You Sundays!!  Head over there for the questions and to link up!

the ?'s
1. if you won the title of miss america, what would your platform be?
2. outdoorsy or indoorsy?
3. pajama's out in public..classy or tres tacky?
4. what's your favorite room in your house?
5. nook, kindle, or book?
6. would you rather wear the same outfit for a week or not brush your teeth for a week?
7. what's your favorite blog at the moment?
8. lately i've been daydreaming about.........?

If you won the title of Miss America, what would your platform be?
Banning white speedos.
Haa...truth be told I had to google Miss America platforms to find out what that meant.  That was in one of the responses..banning white speedos, and know what, sounds good to me!

Outdoorsy or Indoorsy?
Both for me!  I love when it's 70, the air is fresh, I love to go for a walk or hike and especially like going out on boats.  But if it's too hot or too cold, I prefer a temperature controlled environment thankyouverymuch!

Pajamas out in public, Classy or Tres Tacky?
Please don't tell me anyone thinks this is classy!  Even though I do it..and my pjs are usually yoga pants and a tshirt so you can't tell..I still know as I'm out that I'm tacky, and loving it!  Sometimes I go to Walmart when I go out like this, just to fit in.

My pj's, but with a longer shirt!

What's your favorite room in your house?
I am a pretty recent homeowner, so I was very excited to decorate every room!  I love the bedroom, but sometimes I will walk into the guest room because it makes me happy.  Other times I just love the FROG (finished room over garage for you non South Carolinians) Really I love the whole stinkin house..with exception to the bathrooms which need a makeover desperately!

Nook, Kindle, or Book?
Love me some Nook!

Would you rather wear the same outfit for a week or not brush your teeth for a week?
Simple..I'll take the outfit!  (I hope it's yoga pants and a tshirt)  Not brushing your teeth?  Ew!

What's your favorite blog of the moment?
Right now I can't get enough of Tom and Lorenzo..it's a fashion blog and these guys are hil-arious!

Lately I've been daydreaming about.....?
Lots of stuff, man, lots of stuff.  World travel, world peace, starting a business, starting a website, renovating my bathrooms, what life will be like when I'm a millionare...all kinds of stuff!

Have a fabulous Sunday!  Thanks for stopping by!

No More Rack

I have a new obsession. It's called No More Rack, and has amazing deals..they have daily deals that get posted at noon every day, Monday through Friday.  In the week since I've signed up I've bought some elizabeth arden makeup, a bag that was originally $80 on sale for $20, and a pair of shoes that were $40 on sale for $8.  These deals are sick people.  Check them out!!!

http://www.nomorerack.com/?cr=396222

Today they have these ramekins, normally $25, on sale for $7.  Oh, I want!

And this jumpsuit, normally $109, on sale for $20.  $20~!!

Sales start at noon and sell out fast so check them out!!

Assorted Ramblings

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I gave up sweets and alcohol for Lent this year, so no green beer for this girl.  Lent has been here for just over a week and already in that time, I've felt the sacrifice.  I never knew how much sweets I ate until I gave it up!  After I eat lunch I get an intense sweet craving.  It's ridiculous!  And definitely necessary to give up.  And dang it all if I don't love a chocolate marshmallow bunny to pieces either.  Then the alcohol..first was a weekend in Daytona..it sure woulda been nice to have been sipping a brewsky during the Daytona 200!  And now of course, St. Patty's Day.  I feel like now that I have gotten these 2 things out of the way, I should have no trouble making it to Easter.

I survived Daytona!  And quite surprisingly had a lot of fun too.  I didn't lose my husband to the bikes, another bonus.  Wow though..I have never seen such a thing as bike week!  Normally I see bikes on the road here and there and try to stay away from them, just to be safe.  But bike week?  We were one of the few cars driving around, the bikes were everywhere.  And the noise!    It was more a feeling of excitement and comraderie than anything else..just a lot of good fun.

I know I am all over the place here, but I have been having the craziest dreams lately.  One night I had a whole dream about making an apple pie.  I don't know how long the dream lasted in reality but it was surely a couple hours.  I was having trouble with the crust, tried to make it a couple times and then gave up and gave it a crumb topping.  Now what can a dream like that mean?

The next night, I had a dream about snakes.  They were everywhere, and doing that thing where they open their mouth so you see their fangs and then they'd try to bite me.  This one I did look up and it could mean many different things, some I don't even want to think about..but it seems this one seems quite relevant:
"Such a snake-ordeal is an important signal that you are going through a kind of initiation; a psychological and spiritual trial that has the potential to change your life for the better if you deal with it bravely and with a clear heart. You may have to give up something you thought you couldn't, or take a stand for your principles or faith."

Yes indeed.  That basically sums up my life right now, trying to change my life for the better, taking a stand for principles and faith.  Sing it sister.

I hope everyone has a Happy St. Patrick's day (now night!)  I made Hungry Housewife's Guinness Sheperd's Pie and it was glorious!  Guinness gravy is a revelation.  If you haven't tried it yet...you must!  Right now, stop reading, click the link, go to the store and get the ingredients, cook, enjoy...then go back to blogging!

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Every Sunday when I get the paper, I always scour the coupon and ad section.  I don't know why because I never go buy that cute shirt at JC Penney or barstool at Target, I just like knowing it's on sale.  And coupons?  Forget it.  I clip them, put them in my purse, and inevitably forget them like my reusable bags when I go to the store.  I have even, sad to say, had coupons in my hand at the register and forget to pass them to the cashier until it's too late.

Last Sunday this recipe caught my eye on a Campbell's Soup coupon.  I made it for lunch and am eating it as I type if I must be honest.  It is good, next time I may add a little something extra for flavor, a bit more salt and maybe a dash of cayenne.  All in all, it's a great weeknight recipe, very easy and fast to make!

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

Recipe from Campbell's Kitchen.com

1/2 of a 16 oz package linguine

1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli florets

2 Tbsp butter

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound) cut into 1-1/2 in. pieces

1 can (10 oz) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp black pepper

1.  Prepare the linguine according to package directions in a 3 quart saucepan.  Add the broccoli during the last 4 minutes of the cooking time.  Drain the linguine mixture in a colander.

2.  Heat the butter in a 10 in skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook until well browned and cooked through, stirring often.

3.  Stir the soup, milk, cheese, black pepper and linguine mixture in the skillet and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally.  Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

What have I gotten myself into?

For Christmas I found the best gift to give the hubs: tickets to the Daytona 200.  He only recently got into bikes but mannnnn if he didn't get addicted fast.  I was very excited to come up with such a brilliant gift and I couldn't wait to give it to him, and titled the gift: "Operation make hubs piss himself with glee."  Just before Christmas someone mentioned Daytona bike week and goodness gracious, I had not the slightest idea the Daytona 200 was during Daytona bike week!  Duh!

I am terrified to get on a bike...won't do it!  One time I told hubs I would, then my insides started shaking and I wanted to vomit and ended up backing out.  He doesn't have a Harley or the like, he has a sport bike, a crotch rocket.  You have to lean all the way over to turn.  Oh no.  Pretty much it looks like your knee is scraping pavement when you turn.  I was ready to watch the race but not at all ready to hop on the back of a bike!

Now of course, since the week is dedicated to bikes, hub of course needs to ride his bike while we're there.  Which means...we have to drive separate.  I really don't see myself sucking it up and jumping on.

And next point of contention.  Girls strutting around in bikinis, short shorts, bikini contests, and they certainly aren't afraid of getting on a bike.  My body is FAR from bikini ready, no shorts yet either.  I will be as self conscious as a ...(FAIL.  couldn't come up with an adequate phrase to describe just how self conscious I will be.  A whore in church was what I was gonna write, but that phrase is sweat like a whore in church!)  OMG I may lose my husband to bike week!  What have I done?!?! 

Tomorrow, although it's too little too late, I am looking at the big picture though..I will finally be starting the Tracy Anderson Method, a 30 day bootcamp.  If I had started when I planned on it, I would be in my last week right now.  Buuut I was sick forever, the Charleston Crud is what I had, for just about the whole month of February.  Now I'm back in health and ready to kick some butt.  What will happen in a week?  Not much but that's ok..gotta start somewhere right?  I am really excited and motivated, and for SURE I will be motivated after this weekend too.

I mentioned a couple posts ago about finding a diet to go with the boot camp.  Then I realized how much it all costs, and why spend money I don't have when along with loosening the pants I also want to tighten the purse strings.  The Tracy Anderson Method (TAM) comes with a cleanse, one that you do your shopping and cooking.  Why mess with the method?  I am excited about it and will blog my progress!

Booksneeze

One of my favorite books ever is the Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews, so I was super excited to learn the follow up to that book, Final Summit, is coming out soon.  Check out this link for his blog and a little about the book.  It was on that link that I discovered I could get an advance copy, as a blogger, on http://www.booksneeze.com/.  Buuuut when I went there they no longer had his book available.  My disappointment only lasted a minute though, because I looked around and discovered that bloggers could get FREE books if you promise to review it on your blog.

I mean FREE?  My favorite 4 letter F word!

I immediately signed up and after looking through what was available chose the book "Reggie - You Can't Change Your Past but You Can Change Your Future"  I am all about reading people's stories, especially those who are self made and successful. 



I haven't gotten it yet but review coming soon!  And check out BookSneeze to get your free books too.

I was about to end post there but then got to wonderin, what in the world, why "sneeze"  Booksneeze..your free book full of boogars..eew.  My favorite trick, started all the way back in high school, and yes I do know it's juvenile and I should have outgrown it, but goodness do I think it's funny!  Sprinkle a little water in your hands, and then fake a sneeze when someone has their back to you, and fling the water in your fingers on the back of that person's neck while you AHHHH CHooooooooo!  Gosh are people's reactions funny.  One time I was crammed into a van full of strangers on the way to a hotel, I had a bottle of water in my hands and everyone was stiffly quiet.  Perfect, I thought.  I did it to the man in front of me...he didn't even flinch!  I mean..wow.  That's a polite man right there.  I, at the very least, would have cringed and shuddered.  Then I waited a minute and told him what I did and everyone started cracking up..see there, it's an ice breaker too, bringing strangers together.

Try it..booksneeze and fake sneezes.  Barrels of fun.