Race around the world

 Happy Travel Tuesday

Today is all about a travel show, BF and i love called The Amazing Race, its one of those shows that lets you experience new parts of the world without paying the expensive airfare to actually get there (oohhh i just rhymed, teeheheee little things) 

Official (by official i mean wikipedia) show description: is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams. Contestants strive to arrive first at "pit stops" at the end of each leg of the race to win prizes and to avoid coming in last, which carries the possibility of elimination or a significant disadvantage in the following leg (segment). Contestants travel to and within multiple countries in a variety of transportation modes, including planes, balloons, helicopters, trucks, bicycles, taxicabs, rental cars, trains, buses, boats, and by foot. The clues (cryptic hints) provided in each leg lead the teams to the next destination or direct them to perform a task, either together or by a single member. These challenges are related in some manner to the country wherein they are located or its culture. Teams are progressively eliminated until three are left; at that point, the team that arrives first in the final leg is awarded a grand prize.

LRT description: fun show full of exotic destinations, fun couples (cowboys, holla!), gross food challenges, scary taxi cab confrontations and the chance to win 1 million dollars!

So today i'm going to try to get some readers on the Amazing Race train by creating a quick guide to the amazing race, all aboard! 

Now don't worry for those of you that have more of a life then me and don't spend hours watching the telly (it'll make your eyes square my aunt used to say) There is a recipe at the end of this blog that will melt in your mouth and make you squeal for more, you will squeal i tell you!

One of the most viewed videos ever of the Amazing Race was this...

Did you watch it? Flipping hillarious, i think BF and i rewound it on the PVR at least 10 times!

Here is a little dictionary of commonly used Amazing Race Terms



Route Markers are uniquely-colored flags that mark the places where teams must go. Most Route Markers are attached to the boxes that contain clue envelopes, but some may mark the place where the teams must go in order to complete tasks, or may be used to line a course that the teams must follow.

Route Information clues instruct the teams where to go next. Such a clue usually provides only the name of the team's next destination; it is up to the teams to figure out how to get there. In addition, when traveling to some hard to reach destinations, teams may be provided with airline tickets for a specific flight. However, in this situation, teams are still permitted to search for other flights and are not prohibited from booking tickets for a better flight than the one provided. Route Information clues may specify how the teams have to travel (such as by foot, by train, or by air), and instruct teams what type of location to travel to (such as a specific location in another city or country, another location within the team's present city, the Pit Stop of the leg, or the Finish Line of the race). Route Information clues have also provided cryptic clues about the next location, leaving teams to figure out where they must go.

A Detour presents the team with a decision between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. Teams are given several details about both tasks, but may need to travel a short distance by foot or car to the different task locations. Typically, one task is less physically demanding than the other but is tedious or requires some amount of time or thinking to complete, while the other is usually a more physically demanding or frightening option that, depending on the team's ability, may take less time to complete. The decision about which task to attempt lies solely with the team. A team may choose to switch tasks as many times as they wish with no penalty other than the time lost in attempting the tasks and traveling between task locations.

A Roadblock is a task that only one team member may perform. A Roadblock clue is given as a cryptic question, such as "Who's really hungry?" or "Who wants to get down and dirty?" Based on this information and observation of any other racers at the task, the team must decide which member will complete the task before reading the rest of the task description. Once a team member has been selected, (s)he cannot switch. The Roadblock task is performed only by the selected racer while their partner waits in a designated area, although the partner is able to supply words of encouragement.

A Fast Forward is a task that, once completed, allows the team that completes it to bypass all remaining tasks in the leg and proceed directly to the Pit Stop. The Fast Forward clue is given with another task clue (usually a Roadblock or Detour) and is a separate task from the others. Only one team may complete a Fast Forward in any given leg, and a team may only complete one Fast Forward in the entire Race.

The Yield, introduced in Season 5, allows any one team to force another team to stop racing for a predetermined amount of time. The Yield Marker is placed near a Route Marker, and teams are forced to stop at it to state their intentions to employ the Yield. The clue would say "Caution: Yield ahead!" If a team Yielded another team, they would place a photo of the Yielded team, along with a "Courtesy Of" photo of themselves, on the stand. When the Yielded team arrived at the Yield, they would then turn over an hourglass and wait for the sand to drain before they could continue to the Route Marker. A team may only use their Yield power once on the race

The U-Turn, introduced in Season 12 as a replacement of the Yield, is similar in format to the Yield; however, it is always placed immediately after a Detour. After completing their Detour option, a team may use their U-Turn ability to force another team to backtrack and complete the Detour option they did not previously complete. Like the Yield, the team placing the U-Turn places a photo of the team they are penalizing along with their own "Courtesy Of" photo on the U-Turn marker stand

The Intersection, used in Seasons 10, 11 and 16, requires each team to pair up with one other team and perform all tasks and make decisions together until further notice. Should there be no other teams present when a given team arrives at the Intersection Route Marker, they must wait there until another team arrives, although they do not have to partner with that team and can opt to wait for another team instead. Teams are free to choose their partner team if multiple teams are present. Teams are not warned when an Intersection is coming.



The Amazing Race is SUCH a fun show, we have been known to spend hours watching past seasons on the laptop in the bubble bath, TMI i know!

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So now i've talked your ears or i guess assaulted your eyes with all my Amazing Race trivia i'm going to grace you with a recipe

This is not a healthy recipe, kind of how a lot of things you try when you travel are not healthy either, this is the most amazing cookie i have ever made, this cookie had me digging out white sugar and icing sugar, neither of which i've used in 4 months!

I'm not going to tease you anymore, close your eyes and imagine you are eating them at a little french patisserie or somewhere else exotic because you do realize calories don't count when you are not at home right?

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Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls

taken entirely from Mama Peas recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. non-dairy margarine (i.e. Earth Balance)
• 3/4 c. natural peanut butter
• 1/2 c. organic brown sugar
• 3/4 c. organic powdered sugar
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 c. unbleached organic flour
• 1/2 c. natural peanut butter chips
• 1/2 c. non-dairy chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat margarine, peanut butter, sugars and vanilla
3. In a separate bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt and flours.
4. Add dry mixture to the mixer bowl a little at a time
5. Mix until dough forms, i added a little bit of almond milk here as it was very dry
6. Mix in chips by hand

7. Eat an obscene amount of cookie dough, this is a vegan recipe, no worrying about raw egg
8. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes
9. Roll into balls around the size of a rounded tablespoon
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes`
11. Weep with joy at how tasty these are

There it is, its almost worth traveling round the world for, luckily you can make them in your own kitchen!

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Day one of the Pipes Challenge was fun, i did 13 pushups as required for day 1, BF provided motivation in the form laughter, let me provide you with a visual, me on the floor all sweaty from Zumba class, doodle trying to play shake paw with me mid push up, BF sitting on couch taunting me and trying to make me giggle, don't worry blog readers, once completed he got smacked, hard, well it would have been harder but seriously i did 13 MAN pushups, 13!

If my arms can make it i'll be back tomorrow with a new What I ______ Wednesday - the blank is purposely there, either i A) Don't know what it will be yet or B) Am keeping you in suspense

Pssssstt i'd go A) The longest answer is always right!

Happy Tuesday :o)

*** HOUSE UPDATE: We accepted a cash offer tonight so now either our previous buyers waive conditions or tonights buyer gets it, either way things are looking great, hopefully we will break ground on our new home soon!!!