Butterscotch and Chocolate Chip Nut Bars

You will either love me or hate me after reading today's recipe for Butterscotch and Chocolate Chip Nut Bars. You might love me because I am such a good friend to share this dessert with you, and you might hate me because if you eat too many of these your scale will be reading a higher number. Or you could just pretend that it is having an off day and then go eat another brownie to make yourself feel better. Whatever works for you.

Either way, your friends are gonna love you and your Big Game party guests are going to be so distracted by the chocolatey butterscotchy goodness that they won't care whether the Dolphins or the Broncos win. What? Isn't that who's playing this weekend? I dunno...I tune in for the commercials, unless a team I like is playing.

I made a batch of these last week for a group of ladies coming over to plan for our upcoming MOPS meetings, and only one was left at the end of the night. I was so disappointed that Natalie and Michaela Byrd wouldn't get to try one, that I made another batch the next day. The worked out nicely for me them.

Note: This recipe didn't originally call for chocolate, but I think everything is better with chocolate, so I tend to add the chips in until I think it looks good. I also add extra butterscotch chips. I'm a maverick like that.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips (but let's be honest, I just load them in)
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 cups Bisquick
1 t. vanilla extract

Instructions:

Empty ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir in softened butter, 1 large egg, and 1 t. vanilla extract. Press into greased, 8 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18 to 22 minutes or until light golden and set in center.

Sit back and wait for the compliments to come rolling in. I guess you could do without the nuts in this recipe. Sometimes I forget that T doesn't like nuts and I accidentally put them on the grocery list and buy them and put them in the bars. It's a shame, but I am always willing to make up for his slack. I'm a good wife like that.

{Have you made any delicious winter treats lately?}


Linking to Tasty Tuesday, Tutorial Tuesday

Winter Reading List

Maybe I'm crazy, but I don't think that there are many things cozier than wrapping yourself in a nice blanket (maybe with a dog) and indulging in a good read. I thought today would be a good day to share a few books on my Winter Reading List with you. I hope you'll take a minute or two to share some titles with me in the comments!

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Disclaimer: Y'all know I love (love!) Fluffy Books, so please don't begin reading this post expecting me to do a hard sell on Abnormal Psychology or An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics. I spend enough of my day grasping a very thin thread of sanity that would most likely be snipped should I attempt to utilize too many more brain cells. There's enough seriousness on the news, in the papers, etc. If I'm going to take the time to read, I want to be entertained.

Well, now that we got that off our collective chest, I will begin (I apologize for the small photos, but Blogger decided it would be fun to randomly crop off the bottom 3/4 of all my photos today and I've had to play around and resize)....

1. Mini Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella

I won't give you excerpts from any more books because I don't love you enough to type them all out, but this book made the cut just for the following:
"A mother in J Brand skinny jeans with an impeccably dressed daughter walks past, giving me the Mummy Once-Over, and I flinch. Since I had Minnie, I've learned that the Mummy Once-Over is even more savage than the Manhattan Once-Over. In the Mummy Once-Over, they don't just assess and price your clothes to the nearest penny in one sweeping glance. Oh no. They also take in your child's clothes, pram brand, nappy bag, snack choice, and whether your child is smiling, snotty, or screaming. Which I know is a lot to take in, in a one-second glance, but believe me, mothers are multitaskers."

As far as chick lit goes, this is one of Kinsella's better stories in some time. Kinsella writes funny, quirky, likeable characters, and Becky Bloomwood is back in action as a mom with a serious shopping problem in this continuation of the Shopaholic series.

2. The Reluctant Entertainer, Sandy Coughlin

I purposefully waited until Blogland had quieted down about this release from blogger Sandy Coughlin. I wanted to forget about the hype before I picked the book up and decided for myself. I'm not quite through with it yet, but Sandy's straightforward advice on how to become comfortable with entertaining really hits home. Hint: It's not about you!!

3. The One Hundred, Nina Garcia

This one goes on my "To Read" list. I suppose it's as close to Project Runway as I will get, unless Heidi Klum decides she wants to be my BFF and invites me to hang with her, Nina, and Michael. PS. I bet that would be a delightfully snarky evening!

4. Nikon D3000 for Dummies

Another for my "To Read" list. I'm a little intimidated, which I suppose confirms and solidifies my "Dummie" status (Yes, I know I spelled it wrong. That's why I'm a dummie. Dangit, I did it again).

5. Me, Myself, and Lies, Jennifer Rothschild

This Bible study is billed as a "thought closet makeover," and I am so eager to begin it with some of the girls from my MOPS group. I'm guilty of self-destructive thoughts, and it's time to clean house!

I doubt I'll find the time to get through all of the books on my "To Read" list within the next month, though I'd like to try. This is, obvisouly, in addition to my rigorous course of reading Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living when they arrive. Think my kids would notice if I just sat on the couch all day??

What about you?

{Do you have any great reads to recommend for this Winter? Do share in the comments!}


There's only one thing missing, and that's a delicious treat to munch on while you read. Come back tomorrow and I'll share a recipe with you!

Ad Spot Winner!

We have a winner!

Kelli at Random Thoughts of a Supermom won the 3 month ad spot and ad button design from Designer Blogs! Email me to get set up, Kelli!

Thank you to each and every blogger and business owner who took the time to visit, comment, and link up this past weekend. If you are interested in showcasing your blog or business here, please see my Advertising Page for details. I offer very competitive rates!

Have a wonderful week!

Highlighted Weekend Links-- Share Your Best Post!

Happy Saturday! I hope you'll pop in to link up YOUR best post of the week at my Weekend Bloggy Reading party. Open for new links until Sunday at 10 pm (ET). We have recipes, home remedies, room makeovers, crafts, fashion advice, and more!

By linking up you'll automatically be entered to win this week's Giveaway for a 3 month ad spot here and an ad button design from Designer Blogs! Remember that in order for your link to be considered eligible, you'll need to link back to me or include my party button in your post. Whichever way you prefer is fine with me, and I appreciate you helping me get the word out about my party! The code for the button is at the end of this post.

If you haven't yet, please be sure to visit some of the other links here at the party and say a quick howdy to those who have taken the time to visit you. That's how a good blog party works--lots of participation. Otherwise we just have a bunch of stagnant links, and that's no fun for anyone!

I'll be around to leave comments on every single link, but I thought I'd share a few that caught my eye:

~Kelly's post on The Soldier's Angels touched my heart!

~Nurturing Cuisine shared a simple and inexpensive way to bring an Apple Cinnamon Scent into your home.

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~Dani shared Ten More [Fashion] Rules Your Mama Taught You. Loved this one!

~Stacy linked up a really fun Framed Cork Board and some super cute tacks.

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So, what did you have up your sleeve this week? Come by and share it with us! Be sure to check out some of the other bloggers' work too.

<a href=" http://www.serenitynow4amanda.blogspot.com/ " target="_blank"><img src="http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae332/Amanda_SerenityNow/Blog%20Party%20Buttons/WeekendBloggyReading.png" border="0" alt="Weekend Bloggy Reading"></a>

::Weekend Bloggy Reading:: Link Up!

Welcome to Weekend Bloggy Reading! I hope you'll check out a few of my favorite posts from around Blogland this week, and be sure to link up the best post of the week from YOUR blog.

The twist for this week is that by sharing your link here, you automatically get an extra entry in this week's Giveaway for a 3 month Ad Spot on this blog along with an Ad Button Design from Designer Blogs.


**In order to be eligible, I'm asking that you please link back to me here OR include my party button within your post. Whichever way you prefer is okay! I don't request this out of vanity. Linking back is a basic blogging courtesy. To share the love and spread the word about the party, I ask for a simple link back or blog button in your post. Thanks, and I'm hopping off the soap box now!**

Here are some of my faves from this week:

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~Holly made a Ballard Knock-Off Laptop Bag and hosted a Knock-Off Party.

~Mom in High Heels showed readers how she created an Explorer-Themed Room for her son Indy. Love!

~Emily shared her thoughts on How to Live Big. Are you a rule-follower too?

~Amy's Valentine's Project for Little Ones is sure to be a big hit!

~And moi?
This week, I Stayed Home while T went to Vegas and I made a Valentine's Tinsel Heart Wreath. I also hosted a little Bliss-at-Home Project for bloggers like myself who couldn't make it to the Blissdom conference this year. My 3 month Ad Spot and Ad Button Giveaway are still open! Click over to find more chances to win.

Time to link up your best post of the week (please, please include a link-back or my party button!)
Here's the button code if you'd prefer to use that rather than a link-back:

<a href=" http://www.serenitynow4amanda.blogspot.com/ " target="_blank"><img src="http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae332/Amanda_SerenityNow/Blog%20Party%20Buttons/WeekendBloggyReading.png" border="0" alt="Weekend Bloggy Reading"></a>







Party is open until 10 pm (ET) on Sunday night.

Remember that blog parties work best when bloggers participate, so if you have a chance to visit a few of the other links, you might find a new friend or two!

I have a Blessings Unlimited party tonight (weather permitting) and hoping for a chance to relax the rest of the weekend.

{What are you up to this weekend?}

3 Month Ad Spot and Ad Button Giveaway!

I thought it would be a nice winter pick-me-up to offer a little Giveaway today. One lucky winner will receive a 3 month ad spot here at Serenity Now as well as an ad button design! A great way to get some exposure for your blog, Etsy shop, or online business.

Lauren from Designer Blogs has graciously offered to design a 125 x 125 button for the winner. The button will be yours to keep and advertise wherever you like. If you already have a button, then you can consider having Lauren create an "I've been Featured" button or something else for your blog or shop.

Something I work really hard to do is find a good balance between sharing my life with you all and featuring the wonderful women and shops who make it possible for me to share my life with you. Blogging consistently is hard work, and the money from sponsorship helps justify the time I spend writing, crafting, and visiting other blogs. I take this balancing act very seriously, and I hope that comes across to my readers!

Anyone is welcome to enter this Giveaway: bloggers, Etsy shop owners, small business owners. Current advertisers can also feel free to enter, and I'll tack on the 3 months to your ad slot if one of you wins. My only limitation is that your blog/site/shop has to be appropriate for my audience...this means that pervie psycho crazies need not apply!!

You can check out my Advertising Page to see what I have to offer my Sponsors!

There Are Several Ways You Can Enter:
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry)

1. (Mandatory to Enter) Leave me a comment with your name and the name of the blog/shop/site you'd like to advertise. This is so I can make sure you don't sell pervie stuff or support child labor or something.
2. Tweet this Giveaway and be sure to link to this post.
3. Facebook this Giveaway and be sure to link to this post.
4. Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect (so your cute face shows up on my sidebar over there -->) or let me know if you are already a GFC Follower.
5. Blog about this Giveaway and include a link to this post.

I'll leave the comments open until Sunday night at 10 pm (ET).

{Good luck!}

In other news, special thanks to each and every one of you who stopped by my little "Bliss-at-Home" project yesterday. It's a bummer we can't make it to the Blissdom conference this year, but we had fun with our own little virtual meet and greet, right?

I hope you'll come back tomorrow to link up YOUR best post of the week to my Weekend Bloggy Reading party. It would be awesome if you could please link back to me or add my party button to your post. Share and share alike, right? I enjoy reading your posts and leaving comments, and it helps get the word out about my party when you take a minute to link back. Thanks!

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Not Going to Blissdom?

Raise your hand if you're not going to the Blissdom blogging conference in Nashville this week.

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Anyone?


As I put this post together yesterday, I wondered if I'd be the only one left to raise my hand.

If you've been cruising around Blogland this week, you've probably noticed that many bloggers are traveling to Nashville for Blissdom, a conference to learn about blogging and meet other bloggers within your niche.

If you're like me and are staying home this year, whether it's due to lack of finances, lack of time, or even maybe a lack of interest, it's still easy to get caught up in the "woe is me" complex. You might be questioning your validity as a writer, a crafter, a baker, a decorator, a member of the blogging community. You might be feeling like maybe you're not good enough to hang out with those fabulous girls in Nashville anyways.

I know I did.

Why do we blog?


One of the reasons I blog is because I like to interact with readers and other bloggers. I enjoy finding out more about how other people live. I bet you do too.

There's no reason you can't also get to know some cool people this week.

What's one of the easiest ways to find a new blogging friend or two and maybe even a new Follower?

Interact.

I'm talking about something deeper than linking your latest post up to a linky party and then leaving and linking up to 5 more.

I'm talking about something deeper than a comment that's limited to "that's cute" or "nice post."

You can do better than that.

Today, I'd like to invite you to stick around for a minute or two.

Leave me a comment: tell me your name, what part of the world you live in, what you think the blogging community could improve at, and what you love about the blogging community. Or whatever.

THEN, click on the person above and the person below you in the comments section and leave them a thoughtful "hello" on their blog. Take a moment to read what they have to say, introduce yourself, interact with them.

This is your chance to find your own little blogging Bliss today, right at home.

Will you take it?


*Come back tomorrow for a super neat Giveaway from ME! I've never done one quite like this, so I hope you'll stop by.*