Baileys Salted Caramel Chocolate Pie

I was browsing Pinterest last week when I came across this delightful recipe from She Wears Many Hats for a Baileys Salted Caramel Chocolate Pie. It had me at Baileys. And chocolate. If you'll remember, I confessed to having quite the affinity for that scrumptious Irish cream. This would pair brilliantly with my morning cup o' Joe. (Who says you can't {responsibly} have boozy pie for breakfast?)

While this would have been extra lovely for Valentine's Day, in my book, every single day that ends in "y" is the perfect day for pie. I am planning to whip this up sometime soon.

Baileys Salted Caramel Chocolate Pie

Makes 8-10 servings.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 fluid ounces (4 tablespoons) Baileys® with a hint of Caramel*
• 1 chocolate cookie pie crust
• Coarse salt for sprinkling
• Optional for garnishing: shaved chocolate, caramel sauce for drizzling

Instructions:

1. Melt chocolate chips according to package directions.
2. Let cool slightly.
3. Whip cream and sugar.
4. When soft peaks begin to form, gradually add Baileys with a hint of Caramel.
5. Gently mix in the melted chocolate.
6. Spread mixture into pie crust and sprinkle top with coarse salt.
7. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
8. *Substitute other Baileys flavors to create different versions.
9. This recipe contains no more than 0.6 fl. oz. of alcohol per serving.

And, of course, no post would be complete without a picture of My Funny Valentine (all decked out in her leopard print yoga pants and festive "Walmart special" onesie).

Happiest Monday, Friends!

Grammy Recap

I ended up watching the majority of The Grammys! With My Sweet Hubby (MSH). And TLC available by cell and text.

(Picture both me and MSH with headphones on. He’s quite deaf in both ears. But can wear hearing aides that do help. I went totally deaf in my left ear 4 ½ years ago. They could never tell me why. They eliminated a tumor and stroke. Finally chalked it up to a “virus.” I have no nerves. Therefore, no “aide” will help me. Fortunately and THANK YOU, ALMIGHTY GOD, my right ear is still pretty decent. Especially with headphones! However, it’s distracting and time-consuming for each of us to have to take our headphones off to converse. Which we do about twenty times an hour. Sheesh.)

I’ve wanted to give y’all my perspective. Alas, MSH and I sat, pretty much, with our mouths open. Yes. Yes, we are old. And quite “out of it.” Of course we knew the Country folks. A few of the other singers/groups. Okay. Maybe “a few” is a bit of a stretch.

The clothes/outfits/fashion? Hmmm. Innerstin. To say the least. I think some of the peeps didn’t get that memo telling them to be more modest/less revealing. When I heard about that I just had to laugh. Seemed to me it would be like telling a kid not to put beans in her or his ears.

While Justin Timberlake was performing, this conversation occurred:

MSH: Is Justin Timberlake bigger than that Justin Beaver?

ELC: It’s Justin Beiber.

MSH: Are you sure?

At that point, I said “Yes” and put my headphones back on. I know him. He didn’t even really care.

A few minutes later, I texted TLC this question:

ELC: Are there two Jack Whites?

Silence for a moment…

TLC: Are you thinking of Jack Black?

Yes. Yes, I guess I was.

The most perplexing category for us Geezers was the Urban Contemporary Album. I suspect, when your home is in the country in North Central Texas, you aren’t ever going to know anyone in that group.

Now I’m sure y’all will be anxiously awaiting my “Oscar” thoughts.

Not.

ta-ta for now and have a Wonderful Weekend Wherever in the World you are!

The Grammy (ELC) Awards

Since The (Actual/Real) Grammy Awards are about to be on this evening (7:00 p.m.? CST? Not completely sure.), and since I probably won’t be able to keep my eyes open past 8:00 p.m. CST, and since I haven’t done a post recently, I’ve decided I will do my First Annual “Grammy” (ELC) Awards. Why the heck not?

They will be so random, y’all will have no clue as to why I’ve chosen my categories. Just go with me, okay? (Also, some categories will have a “Runner Up”—or two. Or five. Because…)

Finally, there will be fourteen (14) categories. (At this time, as I type, I can actually only think of about five…so I don’t know why I even asked TLC how many I should do. She came up with 14. Because of Valentine’s Day. Sure. Why the heck not?)

Here we go:

BEST CANDY: Peanut M&Ms. Runner Up: Heath Bar. Runner Runner Up: Snickers.

BEST COOKIE: Chick-Fil-A Chocolate Chip. There are no Runners Up. These are BIG. Soft. Chewy. WARM. YUMMALICIOUS. (I confess: I had to look up how to spell Chick-Fil-A. I usually spell it this way: Chick Filet. It drives TLC completely bonkers. I’m not a totally ignorant person. But I am old-ish. Clearly, over the years, I’ve not thought it was critical that I remember how to spell this particular fast-food chain. Only where to find them!)

BEST SOFT DRINK/SODA: Diet Mountain Dew. DUH. Runner Up: Coke Zero.

BEST CEREAL: Post Shredded Wheat and Bran. Yes. This is simply a personal preference. I like to put two (2) Splenda packets on about a cup and a half of cereal. Top it with about a cup of 1% milk. Then have it with a Diet Mountain Dew. Fabulous.

BEST MINI SERIES: Downton Abbey. Runner Up: The Thorn Birds. Runner Runner Up: Shogun. (Shogun should have a little dash-thingy over the “o”—but I have no clue how to do that.)

BEST TELEVISION SERIES: (Still and ALWAYS.) Grey’s Anatomy. Runner Up: Scandal. Runner Runner Up: SMASH. Runner Runner Runner Up: Glee.

BEST COUNTRY WESTERN SINGER (Female): Carrie Underwood.

BEST COUNTRY WESTERN SINGER (Male): Garth Brooks.

(I would be here all night if I tried to do Runners Up for these two categories. I ADORE Country Western Music. Have for forty years. My favourites are too many to list. But these two peeps top them all—for moi.)

BEST FAST FOOD JOINT: Sonic Drive-Ins.

BEST CHAIN RESTAURANT (could be a Texas thing—not sure): Saltgrass Steakhouse.

BEST COMEDY (improvisational and otherwise) SHOW in Texas (possibly the World): Four Day Weekend; Downtown Ft. Worth.

BEST MALL IN TEXAS: The Galleria. In Dallas. Runner Up: Northpark. Dallas.

BEST DOG ON EARTH: Teddy Buddy Boo Bear. Runner Up: Y’all’s Dog(s).

BEST MORNING TV NEWS SHOW: Daybreak; WFAA (ABC), Channel 8, Dallas. TLC, Little Leighton and I all TREASURE Izzy, Ron, Alexa and Greg. They completely CRACK US UP. Every morning. Five mornings a week. They ROCK.

There you go. The First (and probably Last) Annual GRAMMY ELC Awards…for what they are worth.

Gotta scoot…gotta go get my seat on the couch and try to stay awake for as long as possible…

smooches!

YUM

Though we're still on a McD's Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger kick, ELC and I have another lunchtime favourite we just had to share. (Obviously food wasn't a part of our New Year's Resolutions, though these can be considered healthy-ish.)

These WeightWatchers Chicken Sliders are DELISH. (Especially if you add a smidge of Hellman's Olive Oil Mayo and a pickle slice.) Our suggestion? Get thee to your nearest frozen food aisle and purchase. Stat.