Because, Monday.

Did anyone else's Monday start out with traffic so bad that it took an hour and a half longer than usual to get to work? . . . No? Just me? Okay. But seriously, I even left early and still missed more than half of my 1st period PE class. My 9th graders didn't seem too sad about not having to dress down, though...

Anyway, since the traffic from the crazy snow this morning just kind of gave me a "case of the Mondays," I thought I'd share the two things that are slowly helping me pull out of it.

First, if you don't already know about cranberry Sprite Zero, then you need this in your life like yesterday! Honestly, I have to thank mama Sanderson for introducing me to this AND for making it even more over the top by instructing me to put a spoonful of frozen limeade in it. If you don't believe me when I say that this drink is sugarplum fairy magicalness in a cup, then just look in my mom's (now empty) fridge + my love handles can attest to it.

Speaking of my mom AND my love handles...

We made fudge yesterday. Now that may not seem like a big deal or anything to cheer about, but trust me, it is! Mostly because I grew up with my mom who made every single delicious treat in the book EXCEPT for fudge. Fudge is just... intimidating! And if I tried to make it and wasted a bunch of chocolate and other ingredients just for grainy, not very good fudge, I'd probably throw in the towel, too and say, "Screw it! I'll just make cookies instead!" Right, mom?!

But yesterday we had renewed courage about our fudge making skills, thanks to The Pioneer Woman. If you guys didn't know, I have developed a rather unhealthy slight obsession with Ree Drummond. She's slowly crept up towards the top of my favorite women (right behind Ellen and Kelly Ripa). She just gets me and my tastebuds. Anyway, me and my mom both happened to watch her show yesterday where she made 3 ingredient fudge. How can you mess up a recipe that only has 3 ingredients?! Answer: You can't. That's how easy her fudge was. I love it, my thighs love it, everybody loves it! The only thing we changed yesterday was switch out the peppermint candies for chopped up candy cane Kisses on top. Just trust me.

Easy Peppermint Fudge

(from The Pioneer Woman)

• 3 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (we used milk chocolate, though. "Semi" Sweet doesn't exist at mama Sanderson's house!)
• 1 can (14 Oz. Size) Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 8 whole Peppermint Candies, Crushed

Line a square 8 x 8 pan with foil and smooth the surface. Spray foil with nonstick spray.
Combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a double boiler over medium heat. Heat until melted, about 5-7 minutes. Stir until smooth, then immediately pour it into the foil-lined pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth the surface, then sprinkle on the crushed peppermints. 
Refrigerate for 2 hours, then cut into small squares.

. . . Isn't that SO easy?! The hardest part is seriously just waiting for the fudge to set up... which we couldn't even do yesterday. We pulled it out after only 30 minutes and it was still delicious. 

Now go make this and a cranberry Sprite and sit by your Christmas tree and indulge, because Monday! Amiright!? Another alternative might be to indulge while watching Jazz vs. Spurs... that's kind of the only option for TV tonight at the Gourley home (sorry, Pioneer Woman! + Bless DVR). 

Happy Monday!