Lay's wavy roasted garlic and sea salt chips

My mom ended up getting these randomly one day, probably just for the fact we hadn't tried them before, i know that's why i would get them. Though i also like garlic, so that would also be reason enough for me.

I was a little worried at trying them because they could of been really gross, how i feel about a lot of new things i try lol. So i finally opened the bag to try some.

I actually thought they were pretty good. Had a garlic taste but wasn't over powering for me. My mom didn't like the amount of garlic though. My brother who tried some was okay with them, but he'll basically eat anything unless it sounds remotely healthy(i think he thinks pretty much all healthy things taste gross. As he's told me before "I grew up on tasty food, so that's what i like"....we grew up on the same foods, but i still find a lot of healthy things tasting great). Back to the garlic, unless it's fresh garlic, i tend to barely taste garlic unless a lot is in it. Like i'll need more garlic salt on something compared to my mom.

I'm not a big fan on Lays wavy though. Sure they are pretty much ruffles, but i like lays for the thin chips. They just seem too different in the texture between lays wavy and ruffles chips.

If i had these again, i'd eat them but i don't think i'll go out of my way to buy them again. I mostly stick with the basic type chips because a lot of flavored ones i need to be in the right mood to want to eat them, not that they are bad, just don't always want flavored chips(unless lays, sour cream and onion, bbq, and regular are all basic chips to me lol)

1 2 3 cake

Where i found this: http://thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/11/aunt-bettys-1-2-3-cake.html

I've made other cake things using angel food cake that were really simple because angel food cake is like this magical mix lol. You already only need to add water to make a delicious cake, so things like this mug cake makes sense.

All you need is a box of angel food cake and another type of cake mix, i chose to use spice cake because i don't get to have it often, and a little bit of water. In a container that you can put an air tight lid on, mix the two dry cake mixes together. Then after that you just take a mug you want to make the cake in and put 3 TBS of the mix in and stir in 2 TBS of water. Once mixed, put in the microwave for 1 minute.

The mug i used seemed to be a little too big as the cake turned a little dense/over cooked with that amount. I doubled the amount and cooked it for 1 minute still and it turned out a lot better. It's spongy like the angel food cake since it's basically what you are making with another cake mix as a flavoring.

In the end, it works. And is nice for when you want cake but you don't want to make a whole cake that ends up going to waste. That's usually what happens at my house, i want to make cake but then no one wants to eat any. I've only made this the one time, so i still have basically all my mix left. Once that some how gets all ate, or i decide to just dump it, i will try another flavor, maybe a chocolate cake one.

Olive Penguins

I probably could of tried to get a cuter picture, but this is what i got.

I was following this: http://www.persnicketyplates.com/2012/11/olive-penguins.html

My mom ended up seeing the picture i had pinned for these and she wanted me to make them for her. I could of made more, but i got tired of making them and at least there were some of them. I like mozzarella cheese, but not in big clumps like they were on this, so i found it weird to eat. My family didn't say too much about on whether they liked the taste or not, well combined taste of the foods. They all at least thought it was cute or just liked the idea of them being penguins.

My daughter didn't like eating them but she loved them being penguins. She'd ask for one or just barge her way into the fridge to take one. She would try to eat it, but just didn't like the taste. It was either the cheese or olives she didn't like, or both. But she got sad when they were all gone.

If you want a cute snack for a little party, i think these would be good to try out at it. Maybe if you have someone else also helping to make them though. Me doing it alone started to get annoying and i didn't want to make that many on my own. Or could be a cute after school snack to just make a few for each kid. As long as they'll actually eat it and aren't picky like my daughter.

Picmonkey.com

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While my paint shop pro program is down due to losing my activation code(that i haven't even had for a year yet), i've been using picmonkey for my editing. It's been pretty good for being online editing program. There's things that i wish it did differently or could do in the first place, but i'm slowly learning what i can do. I ended up paying for a years worth of the premium tools, so that i wasn't limited and it was cheaper that way than paying each month.

The above picture are 2 pictures i edited with using their vampire, zombie, and witch editing tools. The kids are my daughter and nieces. I've been loving these features because i find it a little easier using those than my main program's tools to get the look i want. So maybe even when i get my main program up, there might be still features of picmonkey i will use along with it.

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It even does a pretty good job at just basic editing. I removed a twig from the picture, straightened it, fixed the coloring and such.

 I do find a lot of people who had some odd looking pictures from them trying to edit it. i don't know what tools they are using, usually the filters that end up being too harsh on the picture. If you at least know what you are doing, whether just from using picmonkey a lot or from already knowing how to edit and just relearning how to do the same thing with a different program, then picmonkey can be a pretty good at editing. I just think too many people add a filter and call it good without adjusting things.

For a long time of using the program, i was annoyed that i couldn't change the background of people's pictures. well i finally figured out a way to do so. It isn't too hard to do, just makes me do it through one of the tools that i about never used, the overlays. So i just open what i want the background to be and then use the overlay to add my own picture, in this picture being the guy, then i just erase the background from that picture so that the new background shows through. And then i can move the person around to find the right placement in the picture. It's not much different than doing it through my main program, just i can't adjust the different layers like i can with it. Not too bad of a difference, just something to get use to. Below is the before and after i made to show what i did to the picture.

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The more i'm getting to edit with the program, the more i'm loving the pictures i'm managing to make with the program. I just wish i had more pictures to edit. I do offer to do edits for people through a facebook page (click here) but i don't get many offers. Not sure if people just aren't interested or if it's because i'm only able to use picmonkey right now. If you are reading this and are willing to let me edit your picture, feel free to just send one to my facebook page and i'll see what i can do with it :) better quality pictures are easier to edit, fyi.

Spaghetti, egg, and Parmesan cheese with meatballs

No idea what to really call this, it's just something similar to what my dad use to make as a simple thing when he'd actually cook food.

The original version he'd make was with spaghetti noodles, eggs, parmesan cheese, and corn. It's really simple to make and rather filling. I made mine this way because i didn't check if we had corn and i wanted to have the meatballs with spaghetti, but i don't have any pasta sauce.

I ended up adding like 4 eggs into this, could of gone less, but i didn't. I did kinda miss the corn being in it, gives it a refreshing crunch to it.

Organics Cranberry Walnut Salad

I've had these before but figured i'd go ahead and share it. Normally have the safeway brand though.

There are other flavors on this one also for other brands there's more flavors. I typically just go for the cranberry walnut ones. Difference between this one and the safeway one i usually get, the safeway brand one has candied walnuts, this one does not. There is also less walnuts and cranberries because they also add pita chips, that i never eat.

Here's how it looks opened.

I love the little forks that come with it. makes it nice for an on the go quick grab. though with the salad all packed down doesn't look that good. so i either put in a new bowl since i'm usually home or i just try and fluff it.

Here's my prettied up salad

Since i'm use to the safeway brand one with the candied walnuts, i felt this one was missing something because it lacked that extra sweetness.

Marie Callender's Honey Butter Corn Bread & Muffin Mix

Found a not spicy one. I believe i found this one at Safeway instead of Walmart this time. Again i wanted to get and try this because of the option to make it in the microwave. Then you can have cornbread even on hot days.

Simple enough to make, just add water and cook. This time it said that you should put an upside down plate in the microwave to put the cornbread on when cooking. Don't think you are suppose to on the other one...or i missed it.

Messy microwave >.<

So got it all cooked and took it out and ate it. Well only like half of it. It's crumbly. It could probably be good if you needed cornbread that is crumbled. Just wasn't that good to just cut a piece and eat. Was hard to butter too.

I normally use Jiffy for my cornbread. So when i compare the two, i prefer Jiffy. I also normally make cornbread muffins instead of one large one because then it's more likely to get eaten in my house.

All in all, I probably won't be buying this again. I like trying new things, so since i tried it, i know i don't like it.