Why We Need Show Tunes – Poor Man’s Treat
I’m about to stop watching the news folks. I pretty much have it memorized like a kid on their hundredth airing of Toy Story. Economy, recession, depression, financial, bailouts, wall street, cutbacks, foreclosure, deficit, Washington, Washington Washington. Enough already!
Tonight I realized that all of the gloom and doom is rubbing off of me and I’m here to tell you I’m not having it.
You see, within my mind lies a wealth of show tunes, show tunes which I have a tendency to hum and sing throughout my day and with very little conscious knowledge. I’m just a music-y person. I sing. I can’t help it. There is always a song in my head and my vocal chords like to get in on the jam session.
While walking through Wal Mart, I was humming. Now I’ve been known to hum a lot of things in Wal Mart. Once, while talking to a friend on the cell phone, I began humming the star spangled banner on the coffee aisle. I didn’t even realize I was doing it until she exclaimed in a disgusted voice “You have GOT to be the most patriotic person I have ever met”
“Huh?”
“No one I know randomly hums the star spangled banner”
Oh.
Minutes later I began humming My Country ‘Tis Of Thee
I wake my kids up with various up beat good morning songs and I sing the entire soundtrack from singing in the rain and just about every Judy Garland tune ever recorded (except the sad ones, of course!).
Tonight, while going through wal mart (okay so I spend way too much time in Wal Mart), I was humming, not really paying any attention to the tune until I heard my voice quietly singing the words and it hit me…
I gets weary, and sick of trying. I’m tired of livin’ and scared of dying…
Oh good grief, I’m singing Old Man River!
NUH UH! This stops here.
Now don’t get me wrong. I realize that life is harder now on some folks than it has ever been in their lifetimes. Fact is, many of us have very valid reasons to complain and worry. What I’m saying though is that we also have valid reasons to be grateful, too, and the good things in our life deserve at least the same amount of air time as the difficult.
So I’ve decided to stop the cycle. I’m not buying into the whole “life is horrible, cower and worry” that is being sold to us all right now. I’m not going to spend my entire day in anxiety and I’m not going to exchange my inner peppy soundtrack for a slower beat or a mournful strain.
You know what we all need?
What we need are some upbeat show tunes and maybe even spontaneous choreographed dance.
Bring on the Judy Garland, Crank up Mary Poppins and hit play on the old version of Pollyanna, its time to bring back the good life!
We need to live our lives in such great appreciation of each day and each moment that we all find ourselves walking through Wal Mart humming the star spangled banner. It really wouldn’t hurt if the rest of the store joined in and we all started twirling and tap dancing about, now would it? Those without a partner can just grab a sack of potatoes or some of that abundant rice we all stocked up on during the panic over supposed shortage a few months back.
We need to realize that sometimes life gets so bad that we lose sight of just how very good it is!
There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. There is always a positive side.
So here is your homework:
Smile at strangers today, count how many smile back.
Learn the words to at least one song from an old Technicolor musical
And lastly, hum the Star Spangled Banner. I don’t care who you root for in the elections, we live in a fine country and I got some “special” batch brownies for anyone who tells you different!
It’s like I tell my kids:
Each day when you wake up you have a choice. You can have a good day or you can have a bad one. So you might as well have a good one.
Same goes for life.
For the pessimists who haven’t left the room yet, things can ALWAYS get worse so you best get to enjoying them now. Don’t make me come over there and slap you around a bit because I will…and I’ll sing SHOW TUNES While I do it!
Oh and a recipe…here ya go. These were sent in to me by Cynthia, a reader who called them “poor man’s treats”. I asked my mother about them and she said her father practically lived on them as a child.
Spread crackers with peanut butter
Top with marshmallows
Place under broiler just until marshmallows are browned.
Eat with a grateful heart. 
Poor Man’s Treat
Saltine Crackers
Peanut Butter
Marshmallows
Spread peanut butter on the crackers. Top with marshmallow. Place under broiler in oven until marshmallow is just browned. Pay close attention because this will not take long at all! Devour.
Quick, easy, good. Make ‘em tonight and eat like the po’ folks do, our food tastes better than the rich people’s anyway. Another thing to be grateful for.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cynthia (who sent this recipe) has a way of injecting unexpected happiness in the lives of others and she has a way for you to do that, too. Twice now I’ve gone to my P.O. box and found a little package from her. Each time it has contained a lovely card and a bag of cookies. Out of the blue! The service is called “Send Out Cards” and Cynthia is offering each of you a free 90 day account with her service that contains enough points to send two cards to someone whose day you’d like to brighten. To take advantage of this offer, click here.
Cynthia welcomes any questions and she’s as nice as they come so email her if you like at
Cynthia (at)chicksandcubs(dot)com
You can also visit her online at chicksandcubs.com
There, I feel better now.
~smiles as she walks off singing the theme song from Veggie Tales…~
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for a poor man’s treat these look pretty good and tasty. This will be a good treat for next week during spring break. Thanks a bunch
)
you are so welcome! I hope you have a great spring break! Its our spring break, too!
Hi Christy,
I love the treat idea, but I love your words more! You absolutely made my day! So I am turning on a little music while I listen to my co-worker engineers banter on conference calls!
Plus – I received your cookbook yesterday that I ordered – I am so very excited to read it!
Blessings,
Tracie
Hey Tracie!! Thanks so much!!! hehe, enjoy your music!! I just sent a friend of mine a link to Pink’s new song, “Rock Star” to get her going today! hehe
I hope you enjoy the cookbook! Thanks for ordering it!!!
Gratefully,
Christy
These are fantastic. I actually grew up on saltines and marshmallows. These were a treat for us. I’ve introduced these treats recently to some of my friends. They couldn’t believe how tasty a saltine and marshmallow could be. I’ve never tried it with peanut butter, but you can bet I will.
You know, I think tonight I’m gonna try it without peanut butter now! lol
Add a little richness to your life!! Take ONE Hershey’s Bar. Add ONE square of chocolate between the peanut butter and marshmallow. Broil as directed.
~mouth waters~
Good Stuff Maynard! My dad would live on those now if I’d let him. Don’t worry… be happy sistah!
~hugs Bill~
You make me smile and laugh and remind me to enjoy life… usually the simple things are the best! Thanks!
Thank you, Merrie!! Y’all do the same for me!!! I feel like going out in the street and shouting sometimes! lol
maybe I will…
If I don’t post for a few days you’ll know they carted me off to the looney bin…
I make these all the time for the kids except I use Graham Crackers. No chocolate. They are super!
YUM!!!!!!!!
Great post =]
As for the treat, I’ve done something similar, but with chocolate. Good stuff
Thank you so much, Ashley!
I don’t reckon anything with marshmallows can be bad, huh? lol
What if the person is not from the U.S.? Are you suggesting that they sing the Star Spangled Banner as well? Let’s not forget that there are a bunch of countries in this world that don’t have anything to do with the U.S. Many (not all) people from the U.S. seem to forget that fact way too much.
Anyway, I don’t think I could EVER sing that song even though I unfortunately live in this country. I cannot wait to leave. Yes, I’m a pessimist and a cynic, but I’m a realist, too.
I will try the smiling thing, though.
Hey Mandy!
.
Well now ya just gotta realize that I’m from and in the US so this blog is written from that point of view. Sing the Muppet’s theme song or God Save the Queen, makes no nevermind as long as its happy! ‘Course I realize there are other countries out there! In Alabama, we are taught the whole world is round concept pretty early on
As far as you not ever singing that song, hey to each his own! I think you kinda missed my point in the post in terms of optimism and gratitude but hey, that’s fine too! Long as you are happy with your own outlook and attitude, I’m happy for ya!
Me, I’m a “Bloom Where You’re Planted” type gal. Some of the richest experiences of my life have come from me making the best of what I felt at the time was a miserable experience.
To each his own. Y’all know my favorite quote: “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
I’ll sing the old Happy Happy Joy song in your honor today!
Gratefully,
Christy
P.S. I plan on personally visiting every country that has Southern Plate readers one day! After all, its international relations, right?
My short list includes (at this moment)
1. Australia (Thanks, Su!)
2. England
3. Ireland
I wanna try out your food, too!!!!
Yeah, I’m sooooo teaching them the Star Spangled banner!
Yes, I’m an optimist and not a cynic! I’m a realist too ~winks~
Are you nuts??? Even with the multitude of problems that we have, the United States is still the best country in the world in which to live! First of all, you’re completely free to make that statement without any retribution. As a woman, you are allowed to go to school, have a job, leave home without a male relative, dress as you please, purchase & own property, follow any religion at all, and vote! Even if the parents are poor as dirt, a child can do well in public school, pay their way through college with grants & scholarships, and get a decent job. People flock here by the millions for the opportunities that our country has to offer. If you hate the US so much, why are you still here???
You know…I don’t want to harp on this BUT I seriously think this is a situation in which things would be viewed in a different light had my version of Border Patrol been in effect…
http://www.southernplate.com/2009/03/taco-pizza-and-my-version-of-border-patrol.html
Every person who visits and/or comes to our great country from another locale could benefit from it!!!
I love these! My Mama used to let me make them when I was a little girl. I’ve never seen the recipe anywhere before.
how cool! you know I had never had them until Cynthia emailed me! so glad she did!! Now I get in on y’all’s fun!
We laugh about my little girl having her own personal looping soundtrack … she’s always, always singing a song and I hope she never stops having a song in her heart! Sounds like you have a soundtrack too! I love to hear someone else humming, singing, or whistling, especially out in stores.
These sound easy & so good … I believe we’ll try a variation with Nilla Wafers & crunchy PB!
hehe, mine are like that, too and I love it also~!
Katy got into bed with us last night pretty early on, and she fell into a deep sleep nestled in the middle of our bed. In the middle of the night I woke up to find Katy singing, in her sleep. It was a happy little tune from one of her favorite cartoons. She hummed at first, then sang a few bars and promptly rolled over when the tune was done, her eyes never once opening as she slipped back into silent slumber.
That’s my girl.
Nilla wafers and crunch PB? oh my goodness gracious that sounds good!
I agree! There is always something to be thankful for in life!
What wonderful treats!
Ditto on the news thing-I am absolutely sick of it too. Really life has not changed for us as my hubby is still working and 92% of Americans ARE STILL working! We have had our share of lost jobs over the years and you just get through it. Really the news has become laughable because they can not seem to talk about anything else and they are losing any credibility that they did have. My 17 year old daghter has the internal sound track too-she plays the drums also so the soundtrack comes with drumming on any surface-THAT can get on my nerves. Love her lots anyway!
Looks pretty good! I liked ur speech Christy! Good job! I was picturing everybody in wal-mart dancing and singing, and it would be a great movie!….lol I hope u have a good day!
Bless your beautiful hide
Wherever you may be.
We ain’t met yet
But I’m a willin’ to bet
You’re the gal for me.
I LOVE Seven Brides for Seven Brothers!
:0)
Swap river songs. Start humming “Moon River” instead. It’s hopeful..”crossing you in style one day, off to see the world,etc”
Loved the recipe. I am showtune hummer too!
I’ve made these with Nutella instead of peanut butter. MMMMM- so rich!
I’ve got a looping soundtrack in my head a lot too. Funny, since I don’t listen to much radio-wise. It’s usually songs from church or my kid’s movies.
(Yeah, sometimes mine are Veggie Tales too…today it’s Woody’s Roundup from Toy Story 2 – which has been playing in our house a lot lately!)
Wooooody’s roundup!! Right here every day!! Woody’s roundup! Come on, its time to play!!!! There’s Jesse the yodeling cowgirl..yodelay-hee yodelay-hee yodelay-hee!! Bull’s eye, he’s woody’s horse! He’s a smart one!!!! Meet the old…
OH HOW I LOVE THAT SOUNDTRACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I LOVE ME some Nutella!!!!!!!!
Its so great to use here because hardly a soul knows what it is so you can stick it in a cake filling or spread it on some shortbread and they think you’ve discovered electricity!!!!
I love easily impressing people…
Hey, did you know that the words to the “Star Spangled Banner” are sung to the tune of an old British song called “To Anacreon in Heaven”? So people from other countries can hum that tune and it doesn’t have to be a tribute to the U.S.!
My father loves peanut butter crackers! It’s one of his favorite snacks. Never thought about putting a toasted marshmallow on there! I bet peanut butter would be good added to a S’More, too! Yum! I’m drooling at the thought!
Love you attitude Christy…
Me? I whistle while I work…. it’s a habbit just like your humming.
Thanks for sharing your most inner thoughts… Your like a Best Girlfriend these days to me.
Blessings to you and yours…
Linda In Louisiana
ok
we called these MARGARITAS yep like the drink except we didn’t have peanut butter we had CHEESE SLICES (1 slice made 4 margaritas) and you do everything else the SAME……. yes they sound TERRIBLE but they are DELISH!
On the two cards, I am going to check it out now, but looks like 1 card on the site, I hope it is 2 !
XOXOXO
anjie
Going to try these!
I LOVE sound tracks! I play them all the time! Poor mans snack looks good!
I agree. There’s too much gloom and doom being forced on us today. It’s got everyone in such a state, no one is going to spend any money, out of fear and the economy is just going to get worse as a result of all this.
Let’s think positive from now on!
Preach it sister! I try to stay away from the news for that very reason!! Thanks for being so inspirational today!!
BTW, SendOutCards is AWESOME!! I’ve been a member for over 2 year and it’s such a great program. I never miss a birthday or anniversary and they make it sooo easy to send a card! I encourage anyone who’s even remotely interested to do the 90- Day trial. You won’t be disappointed!!
My mom made these for us when I was a kid half a century ago. When we got a little older we made our own in the toaster oven. Back then in the age before microwaves, most everyone had a toaster oven on the counter. Haven’t had one of these in years but they were a good quick treat.
Christy, I love these poor-man’s treats. I first had them at my elementary school about 40 years ago, and couldn’t believe how good they were. It is a real coincidence that I finally made some of these about 2 weeks ago for the first time ever. And now, I find out that they actually have a name!!! and that other people love them as much as I do! Keep these great recipes coming so that the un-southern (ha-ha) can experience a little slice of heaven!
yummy!! We just got of of a smore kick at our house not that long ago… My two yr old Loves, them… Now you are adding PB (one of his favs) He just might start dancing!
Christy,
I LOVE your attitude! It is AMAZING@ You are absolutely rgiht when you say that our mindset determines our attitude (paraphrased, of course). Thanks for the reminder.
These sound delish. May have to try them this week.
Oh BTW, my family loves my coming to Southern Plate regularly: they’ve been getting dessert on a regular basis now, since you have such yummy stuff! Thanks for making me a hero at home!
I’m not much a peanut butter fan – but in college I learned to love saltines (free from the cafeteria of course) and marshmallow creme. The salty and sweet are so good together.
I love coming to your site everyday – it’s my pick-me-up. As a foodie (a southern foodie particularly) it’s definately my favorite that I’ve found.
Amen sister! It’s so easy to get sucked into the “recession” attitude. But you’re right. We all need to forget what’s going on even if it’s just long enough to bust into a nice rendition of Do Re Mi from Sound of Music!
I know what you mean about singing. I sing in my sleep. I also don’t watch much of the news. I don’t know what your religious beliefs are but here is a link with a couple of videos of Christian songs that I like if you are interested. One of ‘em talks about “finding the roses under the thorns” and looking for the joy in life. Life is far too short to wallow in misery.
Those snacks look yummy. Too bad we’re out of marshmallows-we have a brand new jar of PB and a huge box of saltines from Sam’s Club.
So fun! I find myself humming or singing all the time. And when I’m not, there always seems to be a song in my mind. Usually it’s from a cheesy kids’ video, because that’s what’s always on the TV. Baby Einstein, Disney cartoons, VeggieTales, all that fun type! I love the simplicity of those crackers and marshmallows. Sometimes cheap and easy is just the best way to go!
I sing out randomly as well, I think I get it from my mom, who would belt out the words to the songs on the radio playing in grocery store when I was little. Used to embarrass me then. Now I am the one embarrassing my hubby and I am sure my son when he is old enough. Oh, and I am a huge fan of old movies/musicals. “The hills are alive with the sound of music…”
Oh as for the “treat” my grandmother does this, but with good old white bread and makes a sandwich. There great!
Oh -you have to go to you-tube and enter Zippity Do Dah. There are several versions on there ranging from the original with Uncle remus and my favorite was Miley Cyrus’s. This stated as a joke at work because everyonewas sort of bummed out one day and the younger ones didn’t even know what I was taliking about so I sent the you tude link and now we are all singing this little cheery number at random times. Fun. The place of employment is a maximum security prison so we need some bluebirds on our shoulders. Even the inmates have heard us and join in now and then.
my family is so laughing right now because I make a similar treat. I use a slice of bread, creamy peanut butter, and miniture marshmallows then toast until it browns. I have eaten that since I was little and that was many moons ago. guess i don’t realize we are in a depression. Anyway it’s good to know someone else appreciates poor mans food as much as me. Maybe my family will at least try it since YOU have the similar recipe. (lol)
Yum!I have never thought of this combination before.
YOu keep me coming back for MORE with all of your stories. I am singing with you… always!
As far as the news – I agree with you Christy. You can get drawn into the fear mongering and I honestly think that the media has created a lot of this fear that has caused people to stop spending and buying and companies to start laying off and people to lose their jobs. It’s a vicious cycle. When I heard our president doing that doom and gloom stuff I decided that was enough. I only watch certain political shows and the local news for my area now but I pretty much stay away from the major news outlets for the most part. It usually just makes me mad anyway! I think everybody needs to go on a news fast personally and just turn it off and then watch how fast things change for the better.
I haven’t ever done this snack on a saltine, but when I was young I used to love a slice of white bread slathered with marshmallow creme and then another with peanut butter and then slap ‘em together! YUMMO. I had no idea that up north these actually had a name – Fluffernutter! And of course in Girl Scouts we always did the s’mores and those are awesome! Now ’scuse me while I go and make me one of them Fluffernutters LOL…
As far as the person who can’t wait to leave America – aren’t you glad that you’re at least IN a country where you can feel free to say how much you hate our country and yet, surprisingly, nobody will come and throw you in jail for expressing yourself? We may have our challenges in this country, and it’s too bad you don’t like it here, but there are tons of bloggers who live IN the United States, so we blog to and about things in our country for the most part, and please don’t be mistaken. While we may complain or vent about things and situations and even people in our country, we ARE still Americans and you better believe, we LOVE our country. I’m sorry you don’t but hey, that’s what freedom is all about.
Just found your site. Love new recipes! This one however isn’t new to me. My dad made these for us growin’ up. I will forever attribute this little treat to my dad. Brings back wonderful memories. Now I make these for my kids too. Thanks for bringing a smile to my face.
Going to try your snack, because it sounds so good. What I did when the kids were still at home, was take a saltine cracker, top with some peanut butter, then top with a dill pickle slice! We all loved them, as did friends that would visit and join us in eating them. God bless America!!!
The poor man’s treat looks good – but I wonder how it’d taste with a dab of milk chocolate and on a Chessman butter cookie?!?!
Oh…I just loves these. When I was little my mother always made these for us after school. She used Ritz crackers and I remember she would make a whole pan full and they were gone in a matter of minutes. Thank you for reminding me of this wonderful snack.
Christy~I just want to say how much I enjoy you and your web site. You are definitely a Southern Gal I can relate to. Reading your post was like hearing my own thoughts! Without even having met you, I feel like you are an old friend and I can’t wait to come visit everyday-well I missed yesterday
The recipes are of course phenomenal and your attitude is a wonderful reminder to chin up and keep moving on with a smile or song on your lips. I love to sing but try to keep it low except for in the car, cause I can’t carry a tune in a bucket! I don’t want to get political but I will say that I only watch miniscule amounts of the news because the media makes me crazy in their efforts to stir the population into a frenzy. They refuse to look at anything positive while shoving ever gory nasty detail of life down our throats. Anyway, keep up the fabulousness and God Bless!! ….oh say can you see..
Christy ? Did you say you made fried pies using pioneer mix ?
Well its almost a smore ain’t it? hahaha poor mans smore.. but looks pretty good to me.. think I will go make me one..
We are so lucky,,,, just to have you in our lives we should be grateful for that..
Try writing down three things every night you are grateful for.. you would be surprised how much it helps in hard times..
hugs grandma jo in Sapulpa Oklahoma
Christy, bless you for your attitude and words, not to mention the fact that I am frantically trying to put mini marshmallows on a cracker covered in peanut butter!!
Just wanted to say that one of my favorite quotes is, “The altitude of your attitude determines the height of your gratitude!”
Again, blessings to you!!
Hey, I love this! My kids L-O-V-E (not) when I wake them up singing! I like to sing songs they know but “opera-size” them as I call it. My Achey Breakey Heart is on my song list now. You ain’t hurd nutin’ til you’ve heard that song a-la-opera! I sing a lot, but not well. Keep up the songs!!!
Hello there,
Your post just made my day. From an econ perspective (which is what I have my degree in so it’s good I’m using it here at least since my profession is in the graphic arts world) all this doom and gloom talk is not doing a bit of good to help anything.
Macro economics in its simplest of forms: You make your own destiny. Tell people things are going to suck…and they freak out and take a course of action that makes it so. Tell people things are going to be fine… they decide to go out and have a good time and enjoy life which tends to spread wealth.
I am going to go make these snacks right now while I sing Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo. Disney movies mine as well be musicals right?
I would never have thought of adding a marshmallow but for years I have eaten saltines with peanutbutter and jelly… Yup and I mean for years. Just became Great Grandma today to my second great grandbaby…