Monday, 6 February 2012

Admit I have a problem? never!

....okay, I admit it. I LOVE to shop. Even just window shopping gets my heart rate up. And I'm not exaggerating at all. If I know that I'm on my way to shop my heart rate really does speed up and I'm giddy with excitement. Even online shopping gets me going like no other hobby I have. Well, can you call shopping a hobby? I know that some people would beg to differ but for me, it really is a hobby. The spending money part? ...I wish that wasn't part of the hobby and I know the saying goes that beggars can't be choosers and all that but, well, I'd rather be a shopper then a beggar.

It doesn't help that I have been indulged since I don't know when and I recruit new shoppers all the time.  Even my own mother, a devout "not shopper" loves shopping now. The thrill of a new purchase, and brilliance of the new bags that carry that new thing; really, what's not to love? I mean I even get excited about grocery shopping (sad I know, but little things get me going) and when those weekly flyers come in the mail I'm greedily going through them in hopes of a good deal. And while I may love to shop, I love a good bargain even more. If I can wait it out until a coveted item goes on sale I feel like I've won the jackpot. 40% off? Yes please!

But my one true achilles heel is Lululemon. I really cannot live without it. The soft feel of new workout gear (the likes of which sees more of my couch then the inside of a gym but oh well) is a feeling like no other and a new pair of lulus really does take the cake. I cannot enter that store without buying something (or leaving guiltily, not having bought anything but later ordering it online after much contemplation with myself) and walking down the street with that new black and red bag is often the highlight of my day. I suddenly have a skip in my step and a large grin on my face. And I'm not one of those people that after a day the newness has worn off, noooo no. This good feeling lasts for weeks, often a month or two. Ever time I pull that beautiful item from the closet I remember how awesome it is and why I bought it in the first place and how great it feels to put it on.

I am a material girl and although I may not be proud of how much money I have spent over the years on shopping, I am not ashamed. Like my husband always asks me when I feel guilty having spent money "does it make you feel good?" and my answer is always yes so he says its okay then. And it DOES make me feel good so I'm not going to stop. We are the 99 %? pshhhh, only if that 99 % gets to shop till they drop and not live in MEC tracksuits and sleep in a tent.

And speaking of taking the cake. Try this recipe for super easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can of pineapple slices, in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 jar of maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1 box of yellow cake mix
oil and eggs that are called for on the cake mix box


Heat oven to 350 and in a 13x9 inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in centre of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press firmly into brown sugar.

Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake at 42 to 48 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Immediately run a knife around the ride of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan  over. Leave pan over cake for 5 minutes so brown sugar can drizzle over cake; remove pan.  Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in the fridge.

So there you have it. Doesn't get much easier then that, and you can tell the company you made it all from scratch, just make sure you recycle the cake mix box first! Oh, and when it's all said and done, take yourself shopping because you just slaved over a hot stove to make a beautiful cake and you deserve it :)

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