Chocoholics Hot Fudge Sauce

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Savor the Sweet Darkness

Hot Fudge Sauce on Mint Chip Ice Cream

Chocoholics Hot Fudge Sauce
This is smack yo momma good Hot Fudge Sauce and it is so easy to make. If you are some one who likes a deep rich chocolaty sauce to put on ice cream, look no further. I am not kidding when I say this is the BEST Hot Fudge Sauce I have ever had and it seems like I have lived my life taste testing...TEST no more.

choc·o·hol·ic (chôk-hô l k, -h l k, ch k-) n. A person who craves chocolate. [choc(olate) + (alc)oholic.] chocoholic, chocaholic [ˌtʃɒkəˈhɒlɪk]

OK Really this is how I made it...

In the Beginning

You will need
1 3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick butter
2 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

... Almost there

Put a sauce pan on medium and add ingredients [except for salt and vanilla] in order making sure each ingredient is fully Incorporated before adding the next. When you get to the butter just add 1 tablespoon at a time. Once everything is melted together remove from the heat and add a dash of salt and 1 tsp of vanilla.

Viola The PERFECT Hot Fudge Sauce

Set aside and let cool. You can store this in the fridge and use a little at a time... like a slow drip. Just put the amount you want in the microwave for 15 second intervals until you get the consistency and heat you like. As you can see this makes alot ! A perfect hostess gift... just put it in a small mason jar with the recipe. This is a perfect excuse to make more.





Just get creative and you can use this a base for almost any flavor like almond with white chocolate, milk chocolate and mint. The possibilities are endless. Let me know what flavor you end up making. This is also perfect for an Ice Cream Party.
Stop what you are doing and print this page before it is too late.
Enjoy the sugar buzz.
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Weekly Grocery Bargains

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Make Your Weekly Shopping a GAME

Weekly Grocery Bargains

Have you ever wished when doing the monotonous things in life that it would just be more FUN. I swear a make everything a game. To me a game is more FUN. That is how I manage to SAVE money...it is my game. I try to see how much money I can save on the everyday items I buy. It bugs me if I miss a good sale when I know I will need it again very soon, such as chicken, broccoli etc... Believe me it adds up fast. You know you have done a great job when the cashier needs to call the manager over to OK the discounts. This usually happens when the savings are greater than the spending. I love when that happens...It's like winning my "savings" game. See..more Fun than just going to the store again.
These prices are good: 03-30-2011 thru 04-05-2011.

It means a Great Deal.

Albertsons is the WINNER for one stop shopping. The other good thing is that you do not need a rewards card to receive discounts. They are still playing Monopoly collect and win game. Here are a few great deals.
Print Albertsons Coupons here.






pork spare ribs - $1.88lb great deal [freeze]
85% lean ground beef - $1.88lb [freeze]
T-bone steaks - $4.99lb
boneless skinless chicken breasts - $1.69 [freeze]
8" lemon meringue pies - $3.99 [if you have to]
strawberries - $2.99 for 2lbs
sliced turkey breast - $3.99lb
XLG raw shrimp - $4.99lb 31/40 count
mangos - .99ea
red ripe watermelon, navel oranges 8lb bag, clementines 3lb bag - $3.99ea
prego - $1.99ea [must buy]

Seafood Month

Fiesta is having their seafood month. You do not need a rewards card to receive discounts. Print Fiesta Ad here.










jumbo shrimp - $5.99lb 21/25 count [great deal] perfect for the BBQ
tilapia fillets - $3.49lb
tuna steaks - $5.99lb
bonelees skinless chicken breasts - $1.69lb
center cut pork chops - $1.89lb
mussels - $1.69lb
live crawfish - $1.99lb
whole cooked lobster - $5.99ea
Mandarin oranges - $1.99lb
whole pineapple - $1.99ea
strawberries - $1.99 lb

4 day Madness Sale !

Kroger is having a 4 day Madness sale ! Prices good Friday April 1st thru Monday April 4th 2011. You do need a rewards card to receive discounts. So here is the deal...the sale has alot of bells and whistles without alot of great prices. This is a pet-peeve of mine. Usually Kroger has some amazing savings, just not this time.
Print Kroger Coupons here.





pork baby back ribs - $2.44lb  - 4 day sale BEST deal at store.
assorted pork chops - $1.99lb
white seedless grapes - .99lb
green beans or broccoli - $1lb
sweet corn on the cob - 5 for $2
fresh bunch of flowers - $4
tulip bunches 5 stem - 3 for $10

Serious Food ... Silly Prices

Sunflower Market is my personal FAVORITE place to shop. All the great fresh food and prices without the pretentious customers. This is the real deal. They make their own sausage and have amazing fresh produce every week. This is also a great place to pick up some table wine [great for cooking as well] for only $3.33 per bottle.
Print Sunflower Ad here.




red or green seedless grapes - .99lb
ataulfo mangos - 2 for $1 these are smaller yellow and delicious
cluster tomatoes and asparagus - $1.77lb great deal
hass avocados - .99lb
chicken leg quarters - .77lb
chicken apple or basil sausage - $2.99lb [you owe it to yourself]

Ingredients for Life.

Tom Thumb is having $10 Spring Reward for spending over $75. They are hit and miss with their pricing. This week is nothing to shout about but I have listed the best deals. You will need a rewards card to receive discounts. Print Tom Thumb Coupons and Spring Reward details here.



zucchini or yellow squash - $1.49lb
asparagus - $1.48lb
Atlantic salmon fillets - $6.99lb
$5 Friday Prices
jumbo raw shrimp - $5 21/25count
hormel pork tenderloins  - $5 1.15 to 1.7lbx
pistachios - $5 20 oz
pineapple upside down pie - $5 9"size

honest to goodness savings

Aldi is that great place to pick up your weekly staples like milk, eggs, butter, can veggies etc. They really do have quality product as well.  Definitely make this a MUST stop every week. You won't believe some of the merchandise you will find there, like a multi use workout bar for only $12.99. This type of merchandise is always changing but their prices never change they are always low. I am still eating .75lb broccoli from last week. Remember to bring your own bags and a quarter for your shopping cart. Don't worry you will get it back when you return the cart.





I would love to hear from you about how much you save from planning ahead.
Here are some other links for your geographical area.
Safeway - Ralphs - Raleys - Smiths - Jewel - Vons - Trader Joes
Let me know if you would like me to add a store to this list.
Happy Shopping and Saving !
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Happy Hour with Your Gay Husband: Mudslide

Your Gay Husband Drink of the Day :

To die for Mudslide...



Mmmmm MudSlide

Sometimes nothing sounds better than a Mudslide at the end of a long day. This is My mothers drink of choice. She says it tastes yummy and it does. Here is how to make it.
10 ice cubes cracked
1 part vodka
1 part Kahlua
1 part Baileys Irish Cream
Put 6 of the cracked ice cubes into a cocktail shaker and add the Vodka, Kahlua, and Baileys. Shake until frost forms. Strain into a tumbler and add the remaining cracked ice.

Cookie Snack

I always recommend a snack at Happy Hour. I find it makes me Happier especially when it can be cookies.

Take the time...turn on the music and tune out everything/everyone else for 1 hour and indulge yourself with a Mudslide and Cookies.






Bottoms Up,
Your Gay Husband

Veggie Garden part 2-Transplanting Seedlings

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Be Healthier...Grow Organic Veggies

Zucchini Seedling Planted on a Mound

Veggie Garden part 2- Transplanting Seedlings
I can't believe my seedlings are already big enough to transplant, thank goodness I live in the south because the temperature is over 70 degrees on a cool day. Seedlings love this environment. If you live in a cooler place you can still transplant your seedlings by putting them in everyday items such as empty yogurt or soup containers, empty cool whip or even an old shoe box filled half way with soil until it warms up outside. This way you are ready to reap your rewards before anyone else in your neighborhood not to mention the money you will save. Just be creative !

Ready to Transplant

Once the seedlings are big enough [follow seed package for directions] to transplant, I remove one at a time making sure to be gentle...remember they are BABY plants and need to handled that way. Zucchini prefer to be planted on a mound. This help with preventing disease by keeping the stem dry and the roots wet.

Digging the Hole

With the bottom of a screwdriver, I make a hole in the soil deep enough so that less than 1" is above soil. Drop seedling in either with or without the egg carton. It will dissolve and the roots grow right through it. Very "Green".

String Bean String Trellis 

String Beans are one of the fastest growing veggies in your garden. These are a must for the first time gardener. My 8 year old nephew LOVES string beans ...he always has...go figure. You will get such a good feeling when you see how successful you are with them. A good TIP is when you water beans make sure NOT to touch them, this will prevent disease from spreading.

Making the Trellis

I screwed in some screws at the Top and Bottom of my fence and Ran string twine up and down and diagonal. The String Beans will make their way up the string and start producing beans in no time. This can be done with other vine veggies such as Peas and Cucumbers.






Remember these veggies will not only be good for you, but they make GREAT Hostess gifts as well.
I hope this inspires you to start your garden from seed. For directions on "how to" start seeds click here. I will keep you up to date as the season warms up and my garden grows,
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Freezing Meats = $aving Money

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Buy in Bulk and Freeze to $AVE

Date and Label Your Food for Even Rotation

Freezing Meats = Saving Money
Like I say in my Weekly Grocery Shopping blog, Buy when it is on Sale and Freeze. I do this all of the time. It is a huge money saver on those everyday items like boneless skinless chicken breast [we eat all the time] to a great price on T-Bone steaks or standing Rib Eye Roast. Here is what I do...

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

I bought these boneless skinless chicken breasts for only $1.19 per pound, which is a GREAT deal especially with how many of these we eat in a week. I had to buy it in family pack to get this price but really who cares..I bought 4 family packs.

Date and Label

It is a good idea to put as many breasts into a bag that you would cook at one time. For example for the 2 of us I will pack 6. 2 for dinner that night and I will use the left overs for salads, tacos, burritos or pasta during the week. I do this at least 1 time per week. Only at these prices though.

Cut and Marinate First

Another great Tip is precut and marinate your meat before you put it into the freezer. In this case I did Orange Chicken. I chopped it into 1" pieces and pour the marinade over it and put it in the freezer immediately. It will marinade as it is freezing and while it is defrosting. Squeeze out all of the air and close your Zip Lock Bag.
That's it..how easy and what a great way to save money...believe me it adds up FAST.




Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Spring Clean Pool Filter

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Upkeep Today and $ave Tomorrow

Pool Filter

Spring Clean Pool Filter
If you have a pool then you know this is a year round responsibility. Spring is a perfect time to CLEAN YOUR FILTERS. This will not only prevent a malfunction that can be costly in repairs but it will stay in good condition and run quietly. I spent $15.99 for SeaKlear Spa. This is a Filter Cleaner and Degreaser. To replace 4 filters could cost more than $500...this is why you want to maintain them. Here is what I did...

Dirty Filter

When you remove the filter it looks disgusting from all the debris and algae. By looking at this picture you would think the filters are brown....NO they are white. When cleaning your filters make sure to wear a mask and goggles and to follow all manufacture directions for safety.

Cleaning Filter

This is really pretty simple. Put your hose nozzle on a jet stream and spray it until the water runs clear and it is white. Set aside and repeat on all 4 filters.

Bagged Filters with Cleaner

After you have sprayed down the filters, pour the SeaKlear Spa Cleaner into a spray bottle and spray filter with solution [I use 1/4 per filter] and put in a large black trash bag and let set in the sun for at least 4 hours. Good time for BBQ Burgers and a Nap in the Sun. After your nap, remove the from the bags and rinse thoroughly and set aside.

Replace Clean Filters

OK now it is time to put the filters back and get it going. I tell you my pool runs so much more quietly now. This is a must..so enjoy your afternoon and GET ER DONE and relish in a job well done...like steak.
Now it's Beer Time !






Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

BBQ Turkey Legs

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Use leftovers and WoW the Crowd

BBQ Turkey Leg with Smashed Carrots and Potato

BBQ Turkey Leg Dinner
It seems like every time we go to a street fair or the TX state fair we inevitably get a BBQ Turkey leg. We both love them. I make them a few times a year to mix up my BBQ repertoire. I originally BBQ'ed these Turkey legs when I was BBQing Chicken Breasts for dinner. Yep I ended up Freezing the Turkey Legs for this quick and easy meal. The entire meal consisted of Turkey Legs, Smashed Carrots and Potatoes with a Fresh Pineapple and Strawberry salad.
TIME - 30 minutes
COST - $10 for 4 people
Level of Difficulty - 2 on a scale of 1-5

Turkey Legs on Grill

I prepared and cooked them the same way as the chicken. Click here for how to. They turned out perfect. The key is to Marinate, and cook on a LOW temp between 200-250 degrees for about 1 hour to 11/2 hours per pound. Once these were cooked, I cooled them and put them in the freezer wrapped in foil for later.






OK it is time to reheat. This is how I do it...Remove Turkey from freezer, preheat oven to 350 degrees and put foiled wrapped Turkey legs in the oven as it preheats and leave it alone for 30 mins. Once complete add your Favorite BBQ sauce. You can put the BBQ sauce on mid reheating and close foil. This will make it steam and fall off the bone.

Smashed Carrots and Potatoes

I swear I could eat mashed potatoes for every meal if it wouldn't kill me with all of those calories. Here is a great way to mix it up and add a healthy touch. Wash and cut equal amount so of carrots and potatoes and cooked them in boiling water until fork tender. Make sure to cut carrots a bit smaller than the potatoes because they take a little longer to cook.

Use a Potato Smasher

Drain and add butter, milk, salt and pepper to taste them smash with a potato smasher. Do NOT over smash, you want them lumpy. They taste so yummy. The carrots add a little sweetness to the dish and brightens up your plate. Great for Pot-Lucks.

Better with Butter

You can use this method with several veggies. So kick back and enjoy some left overs as if they were new. You can also freeze the Smashed  Carrots and Potatoes to use at a later date. I am always looking for time savers for making healthy meals. I made a small fruit salad to accompany this meal. A nice cold Beer would be a perfect to wash it down.





I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Elizabeth Taylor... We Will NOT Forget You

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Arrive Fashionably Late

Long Live Elizabeth Taylor

...We Will NOT Forget You

 In honor of one of the greatest..Elizabeth Taylor....lets celebrate this iconic beauty,who inspired the world to live fully,participate in life..act upon what you believe...Elizabeth Taylor is the last of the Hollywood actress's, who created the path for the women actress of today.

Those Memorizing Eyes

Elizabeth Taylor's radiated beauty...timeless and classic...confident and secure of who she was and where she had been.Listening to the recaps of her life, she was the first female $1 million dollar actress, over 50 films, 2 Oscars are just a few of her credentials.

Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a hot tin roof.

Elizabeth Taylor was one of the founding supporters for the research of AIDS.Her support in the research of this epidemic, led to many
inspirational and influential celebrity fund raisers for AIDS.


Elizabeth Taylor...2 time Oscar winner 

A fun moment for me back in the late 80's   I waited amongst hundred other people, waiting for her personal appearance at the Macy's San Fransisco for her perfume debut, White Diamonds.





The Original 10...Elizabeth before Bo

I look at the beauty of Elizabeth Taylor and wonder what was really going on in that makeup chair?...where was Richard Burton?Imagine being a fly on the wall. Did she really like what what was Hollywood planed for her...I do believe that she truly enjoyed being a mother, her children and family were most important.

Classic Hollywood Beauty

Elizabeth Taylor..Your internal beauty and passion for mankind will be missed but you influence to the awareness of AIDS and the need for research will continue in her honorable name. I"m so glad to be of age to know this greatness and the influence she has left behind. We love you Elizabeth Taylor.









Miss Taylor had left instructions that it was to begin at least 15 minutes later than publicly scheduled, with the announcement, 'She even wanted to be late for her own funeral,'" a statement from the late actress' rep to Access Hollywood read.

Leave a comment if you have an Elizabeth Taylor story you want to share.
Til Next Friday,
Your gay Husbands Husband

Edible CenterPiece for Your Table

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Make Food Storage a CenterPiece

Fruit Storage Made into a Edible CenterPiece

Edible CenterPiece for Your Table
There are a few things in life I like and 2 of them are creativity and functionality. When ever I go shopping I get a variety of Fruit. Some is more ripe than others. Where am I going to put all of it. You can't put fruit in the fridge that still needs to ripen not to mention out of sight out of mind. When I have fruit OUT and AVAILABLE, I eat more and that is the practical part of this...The creativity part speaks for itself.



Apples and Citrus

 Adding something organic to an otherwise lifeless table really brightens a room. Here I have a variety of Citrus and Fuji Apples. I don't know about you but I love grabbing an Orange or an Apple for a snack. The Lemons I use mostly for cooking and the Key Limes are perfect for Cocktails. As you see I will use every last piece of fruit one way or another.







 Edible Color for Your Table

This is the epitome of form and function. Don't worry if some of your fruit gets over ripe...that's what baking is for.
Make your own Edible CenterPiece and see if it inspires you to eat more fruit, it does for me.
I hope you enjoy mixing creativity with functionality.




It is not just for a centerpiece...it is for LIFE.
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Weekly Grocery Bargains

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Cook More Than Enough for Leftovers

Read this Blog and Save Money

I think one of the best ways to save money is by knowing what and where the best prices are along with knowing what you need...a list before going Grocery Shopping. It is just like Fashion, if it is not on sale today..just wait..there's always tomorrow. The other thing is making enough for left overs to cover lunches or a quick dinner. Once a week I cook 6 chicken breasts and put them in the fridge to use over the next few days. This is not only a great money saver it is also a BIG time saver.

It means a great deal.

One great thing about Albertsons is the do not require a rewards to  cash in on the savings. They are having a 4 Day sale March 24th-March 27th boasting such great deals like Turkey Breast for .79lb [limit 2], Large uncooked shrimp for $3.99lb 31/40 count, Bud or Coors $13.99 for 18pack. Print Albertsons Coupons and Ad here.
Well rounded selection of items at good prices. Make sure to pick up a whole chicken while you are there, it is just .69lb and grapes for .99lb.

get high-quality produce at Fresh, Low prices

Last week at Aldi I bought so much Broccoli it wasn't even funny. Could you blame me it was just .75lb ! I made fritata, pasta, salad etc... This week the best buys are whole Pineapple for .99ea, I bought one and it was good. I let it set out for 2 days till I could pull a leaf out mmm, bananas .39lb, cantaloupe .79lb and strawberries $1.29lb. Aldi always has the BEST deals on Milk, Eggs, Butter and any other staple food item. They have weird things like a 28" tall bird bath for $9.99 and an 85" tall bird feeding station for $9.99. It is always worth a stop but remember to bring your own bags and a quarter for your shopping cart. You will get it back when you return your cart. Print Aldi Ad here.

March is Seafood Month

Fiesta is having their Seafood Month. When they had their Meat month I thought I was going to loose my mind with all of the great deals the had. I still have T-Bones and Pork Ribs in the Freezer just waiting. Could you blame me. Here are the great deals this month with seafood...Atlantic salmon $4.99lb, super jumbo shrimp $7.99lb 13/15 count WoW hat is really big [great for BBQ], live crawfish $1.69lb [how southern]. They are having some good deals on T-Bone steaks for $3.99lb, boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders [the tenders are great to cook alot and use during the week], mangos 3 for $1, strawberries $1.99lb and pineapples $1.99ea. Print Fiesta Ad here.

March to Savings

Kroger always has good deals and at times can be a perfect 1 stop shop. They do require a rewards card to receive discounted prices.
Here are a few good not great buys at Kroger this week...boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.99lb pork spare ribs $1.49lb, coca cola 2 liter .89ea, assorted pork chops $1.99lb. They also have alot of coupons this week. Print Coupons here.

Serious Food Silly Prices

Sunflower Farmers Market is such a pleasant place to shop. They have a wide variety of healthy food and beverages. I love that they made their own sausage. The chicken Italian sausage is my favorite. Last time, the guy behind the counter was the same guy that made the sausage I bought that morning. Talk about fresh...I wasn't kidding. Other than sausage they always have the best prices on FRESH produce and sell a descent table wine for just $3.33 per bottle. I am not kidding the wine is good. Print Sunflower Ad here.

Ingredients for life.

Tom Thumb has very competitive pricing. The are not always the lowest but they are pretty consistent with customer service. If you are a high maintenance shopper... go here and they will rise to the occasion. The also require a rewards card to receive discounted prices. They also have weekly coupons. Print Coupons here.



Here are some links across the country to help you find discounts....
Safeway, Smiths, Jewel, Ralphs, Raleys, HEB.

I hope you find this helpful in planning your weekly grocery shopping and saving.
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Starting VEGGIE Seeds

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Share your seeds...you will have Tons

Everything you Need

Starting VEGGIE Seeds

I love fresh VEGGIES the best when you grow them yourself by seed. They always taste sweeter and are more intense in flavor. I just started my seeds a couple of weeks ago. I store my left over seeds in individual zip lock bags in a dry location. I will be planting more seeds later as well as giving some away to friends and family to start their own VEGGIE garden.

Preparing Empty Egg Carton

I love re-purposing things, here I use left over egg cartons. Before I add soil I make sure to cover the large holes on the Tops with paper towel. I only use 1 layer of paper towel. The egg cartons are great because they are bio degradable and can really be planted directly into the ground if you wanted too.

Time Frame and Seed Map

I can't stress it enough to make a Map of your seeds when planting. It can help to right on the egg carton top and bottom for easy reference. I have also noted  the next time I want to start more seeds. I am starting the next round 3 weeks later to ensure long production time. You can do this a few times during the growing season as long as you have enough space.

Planting Seed

Add soil that you have pre moistened to the top of the egg carton. Poke a hole about a 1/2" deep and put in 2-3 seeds and cover. I plant more than I will use for back up if for some strange reason one won't grow. This will also allow you to keep the strongest. If I need 1 I plant 2 and so on. The soil is JIFFY MIX made for Starting Seeds and it only cost $3.97 at Home Depot.

Water Seeds

 At this time you will want to water thoroughly. This sounds easier than it is. Here is the deal. The soil is VERY airy and will blow away extremely easy until wet. I use a spray bottle. It takes a little longer but I am 100% certain everything is wet and not one seed was missed. Put in a warm place. You can also lightly tent them with plastic wrap for added humidity. I have mine on top of a freezer in the garage.

4 Days Later

Here they are just 4 days later. It is NOT too late to get your garden going....so go for it.







Happy Gardening !
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband