Happy Hump Day 🙂
Last night’s dinner was so simple and yet so delicious:
Whole wheat pasta, marinara sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, Garlic Gold and shrimp. It was so easy and tasted wonderful. But what was even better was dessert…
On Monday Gina posted about a microwave cake and it seemed so easy and looked great. So I tried it myself, but with a few changes. I used peanut flour since I didn’t have any cacao powder, and I threw in a few choc chips.
Peanut butter cake with chocolate chips! It was freakin fantastic 🙂 Thanks Gina.
***
I finally got my giveaways all packed up:
Alyssa and Jo, they are on their way to you now 🙂
***
Have you ever had a garage sale? Any ideas on how to tackle this monstrosity?
I have been collecting garage sale stuff for months now, but I cannot bring myself to go through it all and sort it. We had a sale last year and got rid of a lot, but I just can’t motivate myself to do it again this year. Look at some of our treasures:
Here’s something that will surely haunt your dreams (it sings too!)
I’m sure I’ll be flooded with emails from readers who want to buy this stuff
Maybe I should hold a giveaway for those Oxycise tapes? Wait, does anyone have a VHS player anymore? 🙂
Questions:
1. Have you ever had a garage sale? Been to one? Do you have any tips/suggestions for me? Last year I had everything sorted together: dishes/kitchen on one table, clothes on another, candles/household goods together, holiday, etc. I also priced everything clearly and made larger signs – all clothes 25 cents a piece, books 50 cents, etc.
2. What is the craziest exercise fad that you have ever heard about? I don’t know if Oxysize was ever a fad… I’d have to say the Shake Weight is ridiculous!
Ha!
Holly
August 25, 2010 at 6:59 am
Wow – that cake looks like a real Marble Cake – one of my faves. Never heard of peanut flour. I have lots of cocoa here though…;)
No advice on garage sales…I’m a “hoarder”, but of all the wrong stuff…crappy clothes that I know I’ll never wear again but won’t throw away because I can’t afford to buy new clothes and will most certainly be stuck over the winter wishing I just kept that horrible ratty old out-dated “looks-like-a-grandma” sweater…uh, yeah 😉
August 25, 2010 at 8:23 am
I love garage sales! But I haven’t held one since my mom organized ’em when I was a kid. I’ve seen that singing Christmas Tree before… and it’s CREEPY! 🙂
I’d recommend just to take it slow. Set a timer each day to organize for 20 minutes. Then you’re done for the day. Eventually it will get done.
August 25, 2010 at 8:38 am
Oxycise!!!???? OMG!!! HA! I bet someone buys it for sure!!!
Your version of the Gina micro cake looks awesome!!!
I tend to be a pack rat, but in my 950 square foot condo, it’s tough..I usually get disgusted every few months and just donate or throw stuff out. I don’t have patience for a yard sale…oh, and no where to throw one, unless I did it at my moms or MIL’s…which I don’t really want to do. I sell the good stuff on Ebay, have really lowered my designer bag collection to like nothing. It’s sad…
Good Luck…I am the opposite of organized, so I wish I could help you 😦
August 25, 2010 at 8:50 am
OMG, I have the exact same singing tree. That is hysterical!!!
I’m with you on the ShakeWeight. Do people not realize what they’re captured on video doing?!?
My parents have an annual yard sale, but it’s rough to do so in an apartment complex – I usually take stuff to Goodwill and be done with it.
August 25, 2010 at 9:07 am
I’ve never heard of peanut flour- sounds like it could be good- does the flavor change or anything?
And, I have to agree with you about the Shake Weight- too funny!!! You know they have had like CRAZY sales lately because the NY Jets had them (as a joke) for their preseason training?! I couldn’t believe it!
August 25, 2010 at 9:33 am
No garage sales….I am a bit of a slob…haven’t shopped for clothes or anything in over 2 years…money is strained…my “couch” is a towel on the floor 🙂
Can’t wait for the goods…thanks a 2000x again 🙂
August 25, 2010 at 9:34 am
Oh…and that cake looks neat…but no micorwave for me 😦
August 25, 2010 at 9:47 am
OMG Holly. MICROMACHINES!!! I was absolutely obsessed with those things when I was little. My brother had them and I ended up playing with (and stealing) them way more. I’m almost tempted to buy those off you… (do they even still make them?)
I have never personally “thrown” a garage sale, but my parents did a million years ago… unfortunately I paid to attention to the “organizational” aspect of it so I’m afraid I have no good advice to give you 😦
Craziest exercise: Mousercise. Another relic from the 80’s – kids doing aerobics with someone in a Mickey Mouse costume. I LOVED this show. Never exercised to it, just watched. Like a total weirdo kid 😉
August 25, 2010 at 10:12 am
your microwave cake turned out BEAUTIFULLY! i’m so glad you like it 🙂
have a great day ❤
August 25, 2010 at 10:26 am
Hmm, I htink I have to try out the microwave cake myself. If it tastes too good, I might be in danger of making them daily! Eeep!
August 25, 2010 at 10:42 am
That little mini cake looks BEYOND tasty, yummmm. 😉
August 25, 2010 at 11:01 am
Shrimp and pasta were totally made for each other! I really like it with pesto 🙂
August 25, 2010 at 11:26 am
I love microcakes! Dangerous but at least the portions are l’il. I would have to second you on the shake weight, what an awkward infomercial! I crack up like a 14-year-old boy when I see it!
August 25, 2010 at 11:41 am
You love your treasures, don’t you! The shake weight is ridiculous! Funny too! I have been to a garage sale, but never done one. They seem like more of a headache than anything else. I normally donate my stuff and just write it off on taxes. I have done the microwave chocolate cake, but I am thinking the peanut butter one is better! I want to get some of that flour too. I am hoping to get to TJ later this week.
August 25, 2010 at 11:44 am
The craziest exercise fad i’ve seen was those vibrating belts that claimed to “do the work for you” and burn fat!
August 25, 2010 at 11:55 am
Just make sure you stick a label on everything, and be willing to let stuff go for next to nothing.
Shake weights are pure nutzo!
August 25, 2010 at 11:57 am
hey girlie!!
dinner+dessert look sooooo delicious!
and yes I agree the shakeweight is a crazzzzy workout!…ummm does it even work you out? hehe! I hope you have been having a great week!
xoxo!
August 25, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Hey Holly! Thanks so much for sending! I’ll let you know when I get it 🙂
Tips for garage sales: organize your stuff into categories (i.e. household goods, clothes, toys, jewelry, videos, etc.), then you can see what all you have and it will be much easier to price it out 🙂 Start high!! People will always bargain down 🙂
Shake weight takes the cake 🙂
~Alyssa
August 25, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Garage sales are so much fun! The last one I (well, my family) had was before we moved..about 4 years ago? There was SO much to sell since it was a moving sale..but I enjoyed every bit of it. Mainly cause I didn’t have to organize any of it.
But I do remember getting quite upset when my mom tried to sell one of my old favorite toys I hadnt played with in years and I tried to buy it back from her lmho. Eventually I took the thing and hid it in the house. 😛 Then the rest of the time was spent playing on a scooter.
Sorry, that in no way helps you out. Ummm maybe you could organize it by indoor/outdoor stuff first..then fitness, kitchen, books, etc. And doing a little each day until the sale so it wont seem so overwhelming.
August 25, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Microwave cake – I am on board! It looks great. We did a garage sale in May. The planning is the hard part. After that, it’s pretty much “Build it and they will come.” People LOVE garage sales and I was amazed how cleaned out our driveway was afterwards.
August 25, 2010 at 12:56 pm
When I was little, my grandmother always dragged us to yard sales on the weekends. My dad would hate the piles of junk we brought home. Then my mom would have a yard sale to get rid of said junk…a vicious cycle! Haha!
August 25, 2010 at 1:00 pm
I like the colorful set of chairs! 🙂 That Oxycise is hilarious. I wish I had good advice for a garage sale – we are planning to have one for Billy’s mom this fall and I’m clueless where to begin or how much to charge for things!
August 25, 2010 at 2:14 pm
That cake looks great! I hope Gina doesn’t read this, but it looks better than hers 🙂 Every time I’m wandering down the fitness aisle at Target I see the Shake Weight and just want to start playing with it. I mean, it seems hilarious, but someone must be buying them!
August 25, 2010 at 3:38 pm
I’m obsessed with microwave cakes! Seriously. And who needs protein powder when you’ve got peanut flour? Plus, it tastes so peanutty and awesome — I made one this morning with an egg, 3 tbs peanut flour, cinnamon, raisins, baking powder and 1/3 cup applesauce. Incredible. Yours looks delish; those choccy chips look like an amazing addition! Funny how something so yummy can be so healthful, ne?
Yard sales are awesome. My mum is such a hoarder, and we’d spend every weekend perusing yard sales and our house would be so full of junk, but dang it, it was *our* junk now. 😀
The shake weight is absurd. Just…wrong, on so many levels. >.>;
The only yard sale advice I have is, get in soon, before winter hits, and be prepared to haggle. Or, wait until I can visit, and give all the crap to me. I’ve shamelessly inherited my mum’s packratty ways. 😀
August 25, 2010 at 3:53 pm
There should be people you can HIRE to do these things… go through all your stuff for you… (I’d sit there, and blog or something… I’d make them great food also…)
The most ridiculous “fitness” gadget I’ve seen is that belt thing, it zapped / pulsed and was supposed to work the ab muscles? I heard about people getting shocked and burned from those things. Crazy.
August 25, 2010 at 4:45 pm
TOTALLY agree with the Shake Weight. Lame! I found one in my mom’s cabinet last time I was there – heehee…but I don’t think she’s tried it yet!
August 25, 2010 at 5:02 pm
I loathe having garage sales… but that’s because I had 3 of them in one year to purge all my stuff before traveling. Put the biggest and brightest outside your actual garage (weather permitting) because that will attract even the most garage-aphobic people if they like what they see. Also, make sure you have tons of change. Be prepared to haggle and know how much you’ll be willing to go down to before you start (even if it’s just a mental list). Start seriously slashing prices after 11:00 am.
August 25, 2010 at 8:58 pm
when i was 5 we had a garage sale. it was so funny how i thought we were millionaires afterwards. i mean a loonie was like 100$ to me!!
wow the exercise shake bands were totally the craziest invention. haha and doctor ho’s muscle compressing machine is funny too!
August 25, 2010 at 9:34 pm
Garage Sales overwhelm me like no other. I am a sentimental pack rat, and could probably even justify keeping gems like “Oxycise”… Props to two in two years!
I agree with Shake Weights! Ridiculous! Although I’m sure it’s probably uber fun, I kind of find the new Hula Hoop exercise fad to be a bit….strange.
August 25, 2010 at 9:41 pm
I love hosting garage sells! I get such pleasure from seeing everything leave and gettin some money and some much needed space from getting rid of stuff!
August 25, 2010 at 9:47 pm
i’ve never had a garage sale, but when i was a kid our neighbourhood would go CRAZY with them. the ones with the most books were my fave.
i miss “Sweatin’ to the Oldies”. that crazy Richard Simmons… 🙂
August 25, 2010 at 9:50 pm
IF YOU GET RID OF THAT TREE YOU’RE OUT OF THE FAMILY.
But seriously… The shake weight is a riot. Andrew Kleinke has one and claims it really works him out…
August 25, 2010 at 10:43 pm
hahaha, that is great! I actually have a TON of workouts on VHS…Like Buns of Steel, TaeBo, The Firm, 8 min abs LOL Not sure what I’m doing with them still haha
August 26, 2010 at 12:47 am
gina’s recipe…so glad you made it! i have it bookmarked and am all over it, soon!
garage sale.. girl, here’s the sad reality. Unless you feel youre gonna make more than $200 just donate all that sh*T. Seriously. Is it worth your time to try to sort things, that you will net a quarter for? I gave away 90% of all my material possessions. Unless I can get more than $20 on Craiglist or Ebay, I dont even try to sell it. Your time and SANITY and dealing w/ the losers who will haggle w/ you over 50 cents is worth more 🙂
Ok that’s my totally real raw advice LOL
xoxo
🙂
August 27, 2010 at 12:15 pm
I wish we had Garlic Gold too, I have been drooling over it at KERF too 🙂 your shrimp dish looks really good.