Thursday Things

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Time for a few Thursday Things.  A few eye-catching items and general ramblings from this week include:

1. Joy’s Bite-Sized Baked Brie on a stick.  Oh Lordy, come to mama.  Good thing it’s far too hot in Aruba to run an oven.  And that puffed pastry probably doesn’t exist in the freezer case here.  Heck, it’s hard enough getting fresh lettuce, or I’d be all over these.

I’d like to make Joy’s brie with cranberry orange ginger mango chutney in the middle.

Glass of cranberry orange ginger mango chutney

And channel my inner Matt since Joy used sticks.

On a Stick! is one of the most fun cookbooks I’ve ever read.

Cover of On a Stick! by Matt Armendariz

2. Let’s talk about sand.  It belongs at the beach, period.

Aruba beach and ocean

There is nothing worse than finding part of the beach all over my floors.  Which then ends up in my bed.  Not good.

3.  Laundry detergent is even more over-priced in Aruba than it is in the States.  Who only uses one cap-full for one load?  Certainly not I.

I used to be brand loyal to Tide or All but I’m cheap.  And I use way more than one cap-full so I buy what’s on sale.

Just like I like to dump a lot of stuff into the Double Chocolate Caramel Corn & Cocoa Rice Krispies Candy Bars, I like to dump a lot of soap into the laundry.

Double Chocolate Caramel Corn & Cocoa Rice Krispies Candy Bars

My theory is more is better when it comes to both chocolate chips and laundry soap.

4. Speaking of laundry, if you need a quickie, for your laundry of course, pop into the Quickie Lickie in Aruba.

Quickie Lickie Laundromat sign

Fabulous name, no?

5. We also seem to go through a ridiculous amount of Kleenex and I do mean the Kleenex brand, not just tissues.  I buy brown or gray boxes with white Kleenex but I got tricked and bought a brown box but it has tan Kleenex inside.  Probably because I can’t read the labeling.  Brown Kleenex feel a little dirty to me.

  I just had a flashback to Pink Kleenex, circa 1984, my Grandma’s bathroom.  Did your Grandma have pink Kleenex?

Or maybe Blue Kleenex in the bottom of her purse, full of lint and purse sand for good measure.

7. Instragam

Feeling like I haven’t missed a second of everyone’s holiday parties, cookie baking extravaganzas, cute kid and dog pictures and their lives in general back in the States while I’ve been gone has been great.

Powered on iPhone with white case

  Sometimes it’s nice to unplug.  Sometimes it’s not.

8.  You may want to enter the 30 Day Home Fitness Program Giveaway if you’ve been enjoying those holiday parties and treats in real life rather than just the cyber or Instagram version of simply gawking at them.

9.  If you enjoy combining booze and sweets, I recommend these cookies this weekend.  Or any time.

Dark Rum Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Dark Rum Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Stack

10. And I fully recommend the Creamy Cookie Butter White Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Creamy Cookie Butter White Chocolate Banana Smoothie

I gave optional suggestions in the recipe for enhancing it.  Marshmallow-flavored vodka perhaps?  It would get the weekend (my weekend) off to a good start.  To each her own, of course.

Questions:

Have you seen any things lately that have you excited?  Either for the holidays and gifts or just ‘everyday’ things?

Any fun holiday recipes, tips, products, parties, events your attending, family celebrations for the holidays…What are your things?

Winner of the 30 Day Home Fitness Program Giveaway announced tomorrow

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Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Comments

  1. I have homemade strawberry vodka infusing as we speak… we add it to our glasses of champagne every Christmas Eve. So easy to make and so good.
    I can’t believe it’ll be here tomorrow! Craziness.

    1. that sounds fabulous!! i love champagne with chambord…you have just upped the ante. And you’re doing it DIY style…love it!

  2. I love this post, so many great things all in one! That photo wrapping idea is genius, as are the sweets, like always!

  3. I’ve been enjoying Pinterest way too much lately.. And there’s a boat-load to share but I would litter your comment section :)

    Happy Holidays, sweetie :)

  4. Great list, crazy aboutdetergent prices in Aruba. So true on sand, had my share of that in Florida.

    Nothing too exciting for me, I’ve been burned out on browsing with all the Christmas ads and shopping.

  5. LOL I feel the same way about tissues. I buy the same box colors and must be white tissues thank you kindly. The pink & blue were great for making tissue flowers though LOL

  6. That gift wrapping is so fun! So I just learned a lot about laundry detergent. In the new laundry machines (front loaders, high efficiency), you’re really only supposed to use a tablespoon or two of detergent! More than that can cause the machine to leak and not clean the clothes as well. Crazy right?

    1. I used to have a front loader but am back to old school agitator but yes w/ the front loaders you have to only use the recommended amt or you will have suds….everywhere!

  7. Sand indoors is just about the worst thing ever. I wish I could buy whatever laundry detergent was cheapest, but I have to stick to All’s hypoallergenic version, it’s the only one I’ve found that I don’t break out from! Even other hypoallergenic stuff has made my skin freak out. Ugh.

  8. I was told by a reliable source that you need way less detergent than even the cup says. Apparently, it’s worse on your clothes to have too much soap, as it destroys the fibers because it sets into the clothes or something. He said you’re clothes will actually be cleaner by using about half the recommended amount.

    The extra soap also builds up on the inside of your washer and can cause problems.

    Supposedly the same for the dishwasher as well. Hubby and I have been using less soap for both and haven’t noticed any decline in cleanliness.

    Just food for thought!

  9. I am excited for family traditions – and experiencing my first Christmas as husband and wife.

  10. I totally wouldn’t mind the beach aka sand making it into my house/car/etc if that meant I lived somewhere in which I could go to the beach this time of year :-P I am excited for FLORIDA, three more days!