Art, Spotted Dick & Buffalo

My friend Liz (of the Niagara Falls fame) drove through town today and stopped long enough for us to go to First Watch for brunch and to the Westerville Arts & Music Festival for browsing. Woo hoo!

I bought two things: a peppermint foot scrubber thing & a pair of earrings (both pictured). In addition to the art and music, the festival featured a magical bench where a different cute boy sat every time we walked by (like Narnia, according to Liz.)

Unfortunately, the last time we walked by, an elderly man was sitting on the bench, which wasn't quite as exciting.

The Tale of the Spotted Dick Sponge Pudding

Canned goods almost gave me a mini-heart attack tonight. I was making dinner and ran out of canned chicken so I scrounged through my cupboards to see if I had any stashed away. When I swung open the cabinet door, I spotted something I'd never seen before - a can of Heinz Spotted Dick Sponge Pudding.

Of course, all I could think was somehow a pervy man with a spotted dick agenda had broken into my apartment and placed the can for me to find. (Why someone would do this was beyond me, but really, why do pervy men do anything?)

I wouldn't have been so paranoid, except one of my co-workers recently told me about a rapist who used to break into women's houses/apartments multiple times, stashing his tape and knives and other rapist equipment there.

He was captured when a woman spied renegade duct tape under her couch. Naturally, I assumed this paraphernalia was from the spotted dick sponge pudding rapist.

I was ready to call the police, my landlord, the National Guard when I thought, maybe my mom did it as a joke last time she was there. Called my mom - no spotted dick from her.

Called my friend Stephanie, since she'd been over the night before. Her response: "Are you sure you didn't buy it and forget about it?" to which I replied "Do you think I could possibly forget buying spotted dick sponge pudding?" No spotted dick (typing that phrase is amusing me) from Stephanie.

Called Liz since she'd had a few alone moments when she stopped by. Oh yes, Liz was the culprit. She saw it in a store, thought it was funny and thought I would be entertained when I saw it. (I would've been entertained had I not thought it was the spotted dick sponge pudding rapist - and I'm slightly entertained now and very relieved that I wasn't on a horrid hidden camera show.)

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni Salad

I made this pasta salad tonight and all I can say is "Wow!" It was very yummy - a keeper, for sure.

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni Salad Serves -8 (1/2cup servings)Points - 3
From: www.halfmysize.com

• 1/2 cup fat free ranch salad dressing (I used light ranch - the kind I used was only 10 calories more and a couple grams of fat)
• 1/4 cup Miracle Whip® Free
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tablespoon Frank's hot sauce (I used 2 T because I'm a hot sauce freak)
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 cups cooked diced chicken breast
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry whole wheat macaroni
• 1 medium tomato, diced (I used canned diced tomatoes since my fresh tomatoes were nasty)

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain. Refrigerate until cold. In a large bowl, combine dressing, mayonnaise, blue cheese, hot sauce and paprika. Add chicken, celery, onion and macaroni. Mix well to combine. Stir in tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Gently stir again before serving. Nutrition Information:160 cal., 2.5 g. fat, 2.1 g. fiber

Try it and enjoy!