‘Tis the season for hot soup and cold fingers! Luckily, if we get the soup going, it’ll take care of the fingers, or feel free to slide them up under your SO’s sweatshirt. =)

This is the fastest chicken noodle soup recipe – besides just opening a can of Campbell’s! – you’ll ever find.

1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 package frozen vegetables
1 cup leftover rotisserie chicken
handful of Reame’s frozen egg noodles
pepper

Literally toss it all except the noodles in a dutch oven, adding in another can full of water. Bring to a boil, add noodles, cook another 15-20 min. Done!

We’re going to follow this with another warmer-upper in the drinks department – Whipped Chocolate.

Hot chocolate mix
Hot water – but a little less than they recommend.
1/2 shot Smirnoff Marshmallow vodka
Whip cream

Prepare your hot chocolate, slip in the vodka and squirt whip cream over the top.

Can this get any easier?

=)

And here’s a little something in memory of my Grandma, who passed away on Friday.

Carrie Spencer Author - Smart Ass Romance

Today I’m going out on a limb and doing a recipe that takes a bit of time. I know, I know, don’t panic. It’s all still very easy, and the results are Mwah! fantabulous.

Microwave Lasagna

1lb ground beef
1 jar Ragu
9 Lasagna noodles
12 oz. carton cottage cheese
16oz package mozzarella cheese

Pick a glass pan as big as your microwave will hold. Grease the bottom a bit with oil and set it aside. Boil 9 lasagna noodles according to directions. While they are boiling, brown a pound of hamburger, then drain and put back in the pan with a jar of Ragu. Heat to bubbling.

In the pan, put down 3 noodles. Top with 1/3 the meat mix, 1/2 carton cottage cheese and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat two more times, with the top layer being just meat and cheese. Cover with a Saran Wrap type of cover, venting at two corners and cook for 13 min on high.

If you like your lasagna browned on top, toss it in the oven on broil for a few minutes before serving.

While your lasagna is in cool down mode, let’s make some Italian Margaritas.

1 shot Amaretto
1/2 shot triple sec
small splash lime juice
Sweet and sour mix
In a shaker combine the liquors and lime juice and 2 shots of sweet and sour mix. Shake it shake it baby, then pour into a tall glass.

Ready? Scoop up your lasagna, get a sip of your margarita, put your fuzzy pink slippers up and lets learn to speak Italian – complete with hand gestures!

Buon appetito!

Carrie Spencer Author - Smart Ass Romance

I am a firm believer in all things cheap and fast. Just like I like my men. heheh. =) Ok, nobody tell my husband I said that k?

So for our meal today we’re having Ha-Cha-Cha Chicken. Simple as a dimple.

1 pre-cooked chicken breast or leftover rotisserie chicken
chopped onion
chopped green pepper
3-4 Tbsp hot sauce
Toss all in a microwaveable bowl and well..microwave. 3 minutes or so til veggies are a little soft.
Add in macaroni and cheese – either prepare it yourself, or buy the Bob Evans already done stuff. (Yeah, guess which one I go for….=) ) Toss in 1 Tbsp sour cream and stir.
Microwave another 3 minutes or so and top with crushed Doritos. Spicy ones! If you’re really talented and know how to turn your oven on? You can bake it at this point for extra crispiness.

While you’re baking away like the Naked Chef, let’s have a little something to cool down the chicken heat. Something like say, oh a Maui Volcano

Maui Volcano
½ shot Blue Maui
½ shot Malibu Coconut Rum
fill with Pineapple Juice
lime garnish

Now gather your goodies and lets enjoy a last bit of summer!

[tube]DpXt1tTOoDs[/tube]

Carrie Spencer Author - Smart Ass Romance

You’ve just got to watch this. Seriously? How many tequila shooters does it take before you think slicing limes with a fan is a good idea?

http://file.qip.ru/embed/111226964/dfc05946

Carrie Spencer Author - Smart Ass Romance

My husband is cheap. I mean CHEAP. He squeaks when he walks. If I say honey, why don’t you buy Hanes instead of Great Value, he’ll actually say “squeak squeak squeak”. And I know I’m not the only one married to such a cheapskate thrifty man.

So here today, is your cheap date. Dinner (ok, just the recipe) a Movie (generally supplied by Youtube and less than 4 min long) and Drinks.

Hachacha. Hot time in the town tonight.

Nacho supremo. Start with a bag of Doritos or corn tortilla chips. Spread chips out evenly on a microwave safe plate. Top with a handful of shredded cheddar cheese, and nuke one minute. On top add your ingredients of choice. I recommend ground beef (cooked), crumbled bacon (the already cooked kind if you’re feeling flush, cook it yourself if you’re CHEAP), jalapenos and tomatoes. Some people think this would be a good spot for mushrooms or even black olives, but….ew.



Top that with shredded cheddar cheese. Either microwave 2 min or melt in the broiler part of your oven for a few minutes til melted.
Voila. Supper.



While the cheese is melting on your nachos, lets put together a fun little drink called The Salty Chihuahua.
Rub a lime wedge (or even a wet finger!) around the rim of a glass.
Salt the rim.
Fill with ice.
Add in one shot of tequila. (the good stuff, now’s not the time to be cheap!)
Fill with grapefruit juice.
By now the nachos should be done.

Grab a chair, sit back and lets enjoy a few moments of Marco Tempest and his Phone Cam Magic – And ps – Your drink isn’t too strong – it’s the cameraman who’s wobbly on the first one!

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgXFHeUvkAM&feature=relmfu[/tube]

and one more, just cuz I lurrrrrrrrrrrrrve Marco

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MyYNGziJoI&feature=relmfu[/tube]

Now that’s a date even a cheapskate would approve of.

=)

carrie

Carrie Spencer Author - Smart Ass Romance