Friday, June 6, 2008

First Friday Happy Hour AND Fluffy Friday


I am so happy it's Friday! I've started a new summer tradition with the boys on Fridays...for lunch we have "Fluffy-Friday" sandwiches-basically peanut butter and fluff sandwiches! I love fluff-especially strawberry fluff. I know, I know-it's not the greatest stuff around, but something about it screams childhood to me. I usually feed my kids healthy meals and snacks, but every now and then, I offer them treats...so they don't crave it all the time. Besides, how bad is a pb and fluff sandwich if it's made with 100% whole wheat bread and natural peanut butter? It actually has less sugar than some jams out there too. And look at these faces, can you tell they liked it?






Tonight, our neighborhood is having it's very first "First Friday" happy hour. Basically, we are getting together on the street around 6:00 pm-everyone brings chairs, their own beverage(s) of choice and an appetizer to share with everyone. The kids play and the adults chat...how fun is that? We are hoping to do this every first Friday of the month. Should be good times for all? A few weeks ago, I posted about my friend K's bacon-wrapped watermelon rinds...I am telling you, these are the bomb. These watermelon rinds wrapped in bacon...they're sweet and salty, how good is that? This is what I'm contributing to tonight's festivities. The watermelon rinds are sold at our local Publix grocery store. Don't knock it until you try it....Here is the recipe:

Jar of Sweet Pickled Watermelon Rines (top shelf in pickle section at Publix)
Package of Bacon (regular or center cut)
Toothpicks

Cut bacon in three pieces (each slice) I cut all of them at once – two slices with the knife and you’re done
On a cutting board, pour out jar and cut into smaller pieces.
Wrap one rine in a piece of the bacon stick a toothpick in it
Put on a baking sheet on Reynolds wrap
Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes
Watch.. you want it just before it burns


As for my beverage of choice...well, I must admit I'm somewhat of a beer-snob. But sometimes you just have to drink the cheap stuff, especially when it's HOT! I was also craving something light. I came across this in the store so I picked some up...sounds very summery and refreshing.
I picked up the orange-grapefruit-flavored one. I've had the pomegranate one before at another gathering and it was surprisingly tasty. I really wanted the lime-cactus one, but they were out. The bottle says it's all naturally-flavored. It's low calorie and low-carb-after all-I'll be running 9 miles in the morning. YIKES! I'll keep you posted. Happy weekend!

12 comments:

Amy said...

You're right...great minds do think alike :)

Preppy Pugs said...

What is the name of the beer in your posting? My favorite beer with a slice of orange is Blue Moon.... mmmm

Slacker Mama said...

Hmmm...pickled watermelon rinds and orange-grapefruit beer.

Nope. Still sounds gross to me.

Of course, it's hard to be a beer snob Chez Slacker when John loves him an Ice Cold Coors Light (really, he just doesn't call them a Coors Light...it's always an Ice Cold Coors Light).

But, I'm on a Pinot Grigio kick, so I'll probably be hitting the (wine) bottle tonight!

Steel Magnolia said...

preppy pugs-it's Michelob Ultra fruit-inspired beers...

K-I'm telling you, you've got to try these bacon wrapped deliciousness......

Two Boo Boos said...

So glad you love them! Until you taste, you just don't know the deliciousness that they are! Have fun at your 'happy hour'! We will be staying close to any sort of body of water - this heat is a scorcher!

marathon mom said...

Sounds like fun!!!! I have never seen strawberry fluff, but the days of PB and fluff growing up were a treat for us as well, and I loved it!! On very special cold days we would do fluff in hot chocolate, mmmmmmm.
Good luck with the 9 in the am!

Anne said...

The lime cactus flavor is delish!

Deep in the Heart said...

We did PB & fluff on Ritz Crackers as a dessert after lunch. My dad's dad taught us that trick. I've never even knew it came in strawberry!

I have to admit I was making fun of the pomegranate beer when I saw it in a magazine because I just couldn't imagine it tasting good, but clearly I was wrong. Let me know what you think of the orange.

Love the idea of First Friday. I think I'll be lobbying for that for our street.

Sweet Pea Chef said...

This midwest girl has had watermelon rinds and I have to agree...they are really a treat!

Hope your run went well L!

Jennifer said...

I found your blog by way of..........well I'm not sure now. LOL But I've loved reading it. First, love the blog design, so cute! Second where would I find that recipe for watermelon rinds? I searched your site but kept getting distracted with all the other great posts! LOL

I'm not a beer drinker usually, don't really like that aftertaste. But these sound pretty good. I'll have to check them out. Also really like the pinot as well!

Oh, and where did you find the water bottles that you use? The siggs, I believe? I searched the website and it said they don't sell them thru the site any more. I'd love to know the difference between those and other water bottles..........say from LL Bean or Life is Good? I'm trying to do my part too and this was great info.

Well off to get my minis' from their playdate. :) Mommy had 2.5 hours of grocery shopping time by herself! LOL

Thanks again for great posts!

Jennifer said...

Hey again.........not sure if you responded to me or not. I thought I saw an email come thru on my phone and now it's not there. I could be imagining it. LOL My computer is dead so I'm on hubby's. I couldn't find this beer at the store here. :( I'll need to look in town.

Preppy Pink Crocodile said...

So. Going. To. Try. This!! Years ago on a weekend with one of my girlfriends, I tasted pickled watermellon rind for the first and only time. I don't even like watermellon but I have not stopped talking about this little known treat. I have never seen it in stores but am going to hunt it down online right now!