Can money buy happiness?

I love when people say "Money can't buy happiness." I beg to differ. Money could buy me lots of things that make me happy. Fast cars, new shoes, gourmet meals, etc. Does this mean that I'm unhappy with my old car, old shoes and fast food? Not at all. But it seems to me that if used right, money certainly can buy happiness. The world is filled with hungry bellies, sickness, homelessness and fear. So can money not buy food, medical care, shelter and the comfort of knowing your loved ones are safe? It absolutely can, and I wish more people with the means to do this for others, would.
In these hard economic times, there are many folks out there just wondering where their next house payment or meal will come from. People who wonder if they will have a job next week, or next year. Good, hardworking men and women who have never asked for a handout and are merely trying to support their families. Would a check for a million dollars make their marriages last longer? Probably not. Would it make their kids stop fighting? Doubtful. Would it make their bosses treat them with more respect? I'm guessing no. But... would it help pay for little Sara's braces? Yes. Would it pay for groceries and bills? Absolutely. Would it reduce stress and worry and allow for a peaceful nights sleep? More than likely.
The idea that money can't buy happiness clearly came from someone who had it and was miserable. Somehow I have a feeling that the lack of meaningful relationships, compassion and appreciation for life had more to do with this persons unhappiness than the balance of their bank account. Money cannot make you happy if you are unhappy with yourself. Only you can do that. But for many people struggling to make ends meet, living on the streets, out of work, sick, uninsured and scared... money can very well be the difference between happiness and depression, or even life and death. I'm not saying that money fixes everything, because I don't believe that for a second, but money certainly can make things easier and life a lot brighter.
Everytime I see these politicians on TV talking about "creating jobs" and "boosting the economy" I cringe. I have been looking for full time work for over 2 years and the only ones I have found have been minimum wage positions. Here in Michigan, that is $7.40 an hour. If you work 40 hours a week, after taxes you are bringing home about $250. Let me do the math for you. That's about $1000 a month to pay for your home, your vehicle, food, energy bills, gas, insurance, and necessities. God forbid you need new tires or break your arm, because those things are not in the budget.
How is the average person supposed to survive on that amount of money? The answer is, you're not. I see these people on television wearing suits and watches that cost more than my car, spending millions on commercials and talking about how they are concerned with our well being. How they are out to "help the little guy". It's all B.S. You have owners of big companies driving $200,000 sports cars to their multi-million dollar homes and could care less that the average worker in their company can't even afford new shoes or medicine for their children. It makes me sick. We have sports stars and celebrities making millions, yet your average family can't even afford to go to the movies, a concert or a ball game. How does that make sense? What is wrong with the world when these things are acceptable? When did it become OK for children in our own country to go without food or medical care and live in cars?
The next time you want to say "Money can't buy happiness." go find the mother who's watching her child die because she can't afford the medicine she needs, or the father who's laying awake night after night wondering how he can pay for food for his family. Go to them, look them in the eye and tell them that money can't buy them a little happiness.

Mini Cheesy Chicken Pot Pies

This in another muffin pan dish (yes, I love these) although I  will definitely use my jumbo muffin pan the next time. They are delicious either way though. So if you don't have a jumbo size pan, no worries.

Ingredient List:

1 can biscuits
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts/tenderloins
1 bag frozen veggies, thawed
 (I used california mix, but any will work.)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt & pepper

Heat oven according to biscuit directions. Cook your chicken however you prefer. I did mine in the crock pot with a packet of dry soup seasoning for several hours, but you could boil it, grill it, fry it, etc. Whatever works for you. Once it is cooked, shred the chicken & place into a large mixing bowl. Add the can of soup, salt & pepper, cheese and veggies. I cut my veggies up into smaller chunks, but that might not be necessary, depending on your choice of vegetable. Stir everything up together and make sure it is well blended. Press a biscuit into each well greased muffin cup (use 2 biscuits if you are using jumbo muffin pans) making sure to work it up the sides. Fill up each biscuit with your chicken/veggie mixture and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until biscuits start to brown & cheese is melted. Pop them out & they are ready to enjoy.
***The cost of this meal is about $8 and easily feeds 4. Leftovers are so easy to store and reheat and make great adult lunches. This is another easy to make ahead & freeze dish for busy folks. Hope you like it! XOXO

More Trash to Treasure!

BEFORE.

(A cabinet door I found in the trash.)

AFTER!

(A corkboard/keyholder for my Mother-in-law. Complete with custom made, matching thumbtacks.)

Childhood Memories

Remember being a kid and thinking you couldn't wait to grow up? We were convinced that life as an adult was so much better. Boy were we wrong. Life as a kid was so much simpler. Someone cooked for you, cleaned up after you, took care of you when you were sick and made sure you had everything you needed. Your only job was to go to school and have fun. Aside from the occasional chores and whatnot, life was just easy. I know everyone gets older and thinks back on the way life was and thinks that their generation was the best. But I am going to just state the obvious anyway and say that MY generation really is the best. Being born in 1979, the 70's were behind us, but in my home, and I'm sure many others, bits and pieces of them still lingered. Orange shag carpet and 8 track players for instance. But the 80's were looming on the horizon. Microwaves, video games, MTV and more were waiting just ahead.
Oh the 80's... such memorable times. The 80's brought us so many wonderful things. Technology (Who remembers BETA?) was just the beginning. Walkmans paved the way for ipods, microwaves reinvented dinner, mobile phones were fast becoming something more than just television props and speaking of television... MTV was making its mark on the hearts of kids everywhere. "I want my MTV." was more than just an advertisement, it was a way of life. You didn't just hear your favorite songs, you watched them. You dressed like your favorite MTV stars and VJ's and you couldn't wait for your favorite hour, whether it was 'Yo! MTV Raps' or 'Headbangers Ball' or one of the many reality shows/specials that came along as the channel grew. TV and movies were a big part of any kids life if you grew up in the 80's & 90's. Everyone has a favorite and the list is endless. Cartoons when I was a kid were just better. You can take your Spongebob idiot pants and stick it where the sun don't shine. I'll take 'Smurfs', 'GI Joe', 'Transformers', 'Carebears', 'Gummi Bears', 'Muppets', or anything from the 80's over that junk anyday. Television shows were family friendly and taught you life lessons, not how to kill someone and leave no evidence behind, or how to act like a trashy, ignorant disaster. Things were just better back then. Toys were meant to be played with, not to play for you. You had to use your imagination and be creative. You didn't get every new toy that came out and you didn't expect to, either. When you made your Christmas list, it was things you wanted, not things you demanded. You might get 1 or 2 things off your list, not every damn thing on it. And if you didn't get the one thing you really wanted, you either saved your allowance (that you actually had to earn) and bought it yourself, or you asked for it the next year. You played outside, you rode your bike to your friends house 4 blocks away. It wouldn't have even occurred to us to ask our parents for a ride. You played sports and kept score. Winning made you feel good and losing made you try harder the next time. If you were bad at something, it was ok to say so. It made you want to practice more or just try new things. If you had a fight with your friends, you handled it yourself. My mom never called my friends mom and told her to make her kid apologize. I would've felt like an idiot. We called each other names and picked on one another. Every kid was a bully at some point, until they got picked on too. How did our parents handle it? They told us, "Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you." or "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." and we got over it. Life was just different back then. Simpler. Easier. Better.

The 90's were the last of the good times. Now, by good times, I don't mean the Grunge look. That was just bad all around. No one can pull off that much flannel and ripped denim. Not even Jared Padalecki. But the 90's were the end of an era. The last of the normal kids. By 2000, seeing a kid on a bike was like seeing a unicorn. Being ridden by a fairy. Over a rainbow. Made of gumdrops. Ok, you get my point. Things have changed. Some may think it's for the better, but not me. Yes, I love my cell phone, and facebook, and the internet just as much as the next guy, but I'd give it all up for a chance to have the simplicity and fun of my childhood back. So here's to all the "Back in the day." and "When I was a kid." and "I remember when." moments that are sure to come. Hold on to those times. Share them with your kids and grandkids and let them live on forever...

Mufffin Pan Pizzas!!

Perfect mini deep dish pizzas. Who knew?! All these years, I have been using my muffin pan for, well... muffins. Well, not anymore! All this week I have been making Pinterest inspired dinners, and if you haven't noticed, I am loving these muffin pan, individual serving dishes. Not only are they quick and easy, but clean up is a snap and they are so fun to serve. Leftovers? Perfect! Grab 1 or 2, heat them in the microwave, and you have a fast and delicious lunch, dinner or snack.
Planning a Super Bowl party? How great would these be? You can make all different styles to suit many tastes, and kids and adults would love them.

Ingredient List:

1 package pizza crust (any kind will work, or use biscuits)
pizza sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
your choice of toppings

Grease your muffin pan very well. Press a small amount of dough into each cup. Make sure to work it up the sides, but try not to go over the top of the cup, or it may burn. I opted to brush each one with melted butter and sprinkled parmesan cheese & italian seasonings on top, but that is up to you. Drop a spoonful of sauce into each cup, top generously with your mozzarella cheese, then add your toppings. I made pepperoni & hawaiian style. For the hawaiian, I sliced up lunch meat syle ham and added crushed & drained pinapple. The best part about these is that there is no wrong way. If you are making them for a party, make several different styles. Or let guests pick their own toppings before you bake. It's up to you.
Once you have your toppings on, bake according to your pizza crust directions. Once done, they should pop right out of the pan and be ready to serve. Yum!

***Do you have kids? Make several of these ahead of time & freeze them in individual portions. When kids want a snack after school, all they have to do is grab a couple & heat them up. No one will want pizza rolls again after they've had these tasty treats.

Homemade Mac & Cheese! (My version)

Let me start by saying I LOVE macaroni and cheese! Seriously. But I'm not a huge fan of the box ones. (Velveeta Shells & Cheese being the exception.) So I decided I'd roll up my sleeves and make my own. From scratch. Yes, you read that right. The problem was, every recipe I found was made with fancy cheeses or weird sauces. Fancy cheese is great for appetizers, but I like my mac & cheese old school. So... here is my version. It is as basic & easy as can be, but it is DELICIOUS! I'd like to note that this is a comfort food. It is not a healthy recipe, so if you are looking for low fat, fat free, heart healthy, etc. You are going to want to look somewhere else...

Ingredient List:

1/2 box pasta (I use cellentani style, because I like the shape, but any pasta will work.)
1 stick of butter (or margarine)
1 can cheddar soup
Milk (1 can full)
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese (however much you like)
1/2 sleeve of crackers, crushed (I use town house style.)

Start by cooking your pasta per package instructions.
While pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, mix your soup, milk, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, and stick of butter (melted).
Make sure it is blended very well. Once pasta is cooked and drained, put it back into the hot pan & pour your soup mix over top. Stir it together very well & pour it into a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle a generous helping of the shredded cheddar cheese on top, followed by your crushed crackers. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted & begins to brown.
This is very creamy & the crushed crackers add a nice buttery crunch. Serves at least 4.
**Try using broccoli cheddar soup instead, along with added veggies for a different twist. Or add chicken or beef for a casserole style meal. There is no wrong way to make this, so feel free to mix it up. It's your dinner, make it how you want it. :)

Corn Dog Muffins!!

Not only are these delicious, but they are incredibly easy to make. Since I rarely (and by rarely, I mean never) cook from scratch, I made these using a box corn bread mix. If you love to cook or have an awesome corn bread recipe, use it.

Ingredient List:

1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix (this mix requires milk & an egg)
5 hot dogs cut in half

I used paper baking cups in my muffin pan, because it makes clean up a snap, but feel free to grease yours & skip the cups.
Start by making your corn bread following the directions on the package. Fill cups about halfway. Place one half of hot dog in the center of each cup & bake per corn bread instructions.
That's it! No really, that's it. This couldn't be simpler and the cost was about $1.50. It makes 10 muffins and a great meal for kids or parties.
I served mine with my homemade mac & cheese and had the best comfort food meal EVER! Enjoy!