Flavor Infuse Vodka - or a love affair begins

It's Tuesday! And, you all know what that means. Randomness! Woot!

I used to think that I was fickle but now I know that I'm random. I'm feeling better now (said in a high pitch voice with a British accent). I can thank Keely for this revelation. Her Random Tuesday Thoughts helped me re-evaluate my stance on fickleness. Thank you Keely! (and I really mean it this time).

I saw this recipe about how to make your own flavored vodka and my heart went pitter pat. Almost as much as I like red wine I like vodka. Add a splash of cranberry juice and I just lose all sense of decorum (like I had much to start with). So when I saw a recipe to make my own I was all over that. I ran out of my office to announce to JR and the Boy that I needed to make some of this QUICK. I got a less than enthusiastic reception.

JR said, "Honey, I hate to tell you this but you do know you can buy it already flavored."
Me: "But, this is like cooking. With booze!"
JR: "Michele, I know how you like to cook and recipes just make you all fluttery and well, booze is an issue we'll have to explore at AA sometime but wouldn't it be just easier to buy it?
Me: "You just don't get it. It is the journey not the finish that is important. Though the finish can't be all that bad".

He just doesn't get it. (sigh)

JR and I like to go out for drinks at happy hour. We have a cheap drink and a half priced appetizer each that we call dinner. The only trouble with this plan is sometimes you can't find who has the best deals or you just don't want to go to the same old place. I found on Lifehacker (who I'm sure found it from someone else) Mappyhour . This website maps happy hours around the world or at least the United States, Canada and the U.K. How cool is that?

Cameron was nice enough to call me the Queen of frugal (yes, I'm taking this as a compliment. I'm sure that was how he meant it. Cameron, that is how you meant it, right?) Anyway, he has seen the blue light (special) of shopping cheap. I'm so proud. Now, I'm going to give him and you, of course, a great way to use the .77 cent can of spaghetti sauce, .50 cent can of crushed/stewed/diced/whatever tomatoes and the .33 cent can of evaporated milk that you bought because it was so damn cheap you couldn't resist. Yes, even I succumb to this malady.

Cream of Tomato soup
That's what I said.
Cream of Tomato soup
These 3 ingredients make the best dang soup ever.
Added bonus, for a buck and a half it serves 6.
Score!

Pour all 3 ingredients into a large sauce pan. Heat. If you want your soup smoother pull out your immersion/hand blender and give it a buzz. No need to season if you don't want to. Give it a taste just in case. I used the can of garlic & herb spaghetti sauce that I had on hand but any will work. Serve with your cheap bread and cheese, Cameron. Dinner is served!

I'm expecting an important package in the mail today that I'm so nervous about I swear I'm breaking out in spots. More info to come.

Behold my newest painting:


Some day I'll take pity on you all and stop showing these to you. Sorry, today is not that day.

My Aunt Ruth next to a cactus.

I didn't leave her standing in the desert. She's back home safe and snug in Branson, MO. Or at least as safe and snug as she can be in Branson. Have you ever been there? Holy crap! For such a little town their traffic is worse than Phoenix.

Thank you for reading my randomness (as opposed to fickleness). Have a great day today!

Love,
M