Fun Monday #54: the how-did-I-get-here-and-what-do-I-eat edition *EDITED*

I am hosting Fun Monday for March 3. You can start signing up in the comments on this post, and come back tomorrow to find out what fun I have in store for you...

Mariposa tells tales on her blog, and as the Fun Monday hostess for this week, she wants us to tell a tale or two ourselves.

In fact she wants more than a tale -- she wants pictures of ... COOKING????

Here is the challenge she has put forward:

(1) Please share to us how the NAME of your BLOG was made? I can't wait to hear interesting funny stories!

(2) Please share to us (in words or photo, though a combination of both will be a bonus!) your favorite/ most common dish!

OK, kids. The number one challenge is a piece of cake.

When I was about 8 or 9, we used to go as a family to a farmer's market. It wasn't a typical farmer's market, in that it was open pretty much all the time and included some stores, as well as produce stands, etc.

The location isn't so important as the stationery store that was there. There were all kinds of notepads that you could have printed with funny expressions with your name.

Now, Janet is not necessarily an uncommon name, but it isn't all that common either. I have met a few Janets through the years (summer camp, school dorms, other bloggers) but it's not exactly Jennifer, ya know?

So to find something with my name printed on it already was pretty exciting for me. I mean, seriously, other than that ... that ... SONG, Janet is not really a happenin' name.

So what did the notepad say, you might ask?

Why ... it said From the Planet of Janet, of course!

When I decided to start a blog, it seemed only logical to name it after my old notepad.

Voila, a blog is born.

Now, part 2 of Mariposa's challenge. Are we talking about something I have to COOK? Don't you all know that I am allergic to the kitchen? (Not really, but I'm not all that talented with a mixing bowl.) I like to bake, but cooking? Not so much.

So I really puzzled over how to respond to this quest.

I have favorite foods, but usually not stuff that I make at home. However, I make the most AMAZING brownies EVER.

Here are my secret ingredients:


Now, I am NOT going to give away state secrets, but let me just say that I basically follow the directions on the box ... and then I add my secret ingredients.

It looks like this when I mix it up:


Yeah, kinda nasty, I agree. But hey, kids, I'm not her. It does become this though:



Then I melt the caramels in the microwave. This is not something I have perfected yet. I used to get this great brownie mix with the caramel included, but I can't find it anywhere and I have been on a mission to find a replacement. Caramel sauces don't cook up right, so this time I melted your basic Kraft caramels and attempted to dribble it around.


OK, still not beautiful. Usually, I take a knife and drag it through the lines to make it swirly, but the caramels hardened too fast. Anyway the end result was this:


Eh. Still not beautiful.

But put it in the oven for 45 minutes and this is the result:


Nothing left to do but eat 'em!

And there you have it. Not my favorite DISH, exactly, but definitely the one I am known for.

Now, go see what the other Fun Monday'ers are up to. I'm gonna have a brownie before I go!