making it up as i go along
I was surfing around for a good father's day gift on Think Geek when I came upon the unique object pictured at the right. Think Geek might have finally out-geeked themselves…. Now Master Yoda can come with you everywhere, showing you the ways of the force, just like he did for Luke … yes … mmmm.
Other things on Think Geek that I lurve:
* Darth Tater, Spud Trooper, and Artoo Potatoo
* a Blue LED faucet light that makes the water coming out of your tap look blue
* a glue gun that won't burn your fingers
* USB beverage chiller
* a wi-fi enabled pet
Joe's Goals has to be my favorite new site in a long time. The concept is so simple, but so elegantly pulled off, you're bound to love it too. Here's the deal: you sign up for an account (takes SECONDS, really), and then enter daily goals … things to do or avoid doing … like working out (to do) or watching TV (something to avoid). When you do something you're supposed to do, you get a point and when you do something you're not supposed to do, you get a point subtracted. You can share goals with friends and keep track of your points, possibly for a reward when you reach a certain point value. Pretty cool … one feature I'd like to see added is assigning different point values to different goals … working out surely isn't the same value as taking a vitamin… but anyhoo, vair vair vair cool.
I am a huge fan of Google's photo management software, Picasa. But sadly, it was always lacking a little web cool. It just sat there on your computer, not interacting with the rest of the world … and as we all know, there's such great potential for that, especially with photos. Well in their latest upgrade, Google has added the capacity to upload your photo albums to the web … but the upgrade is sort of lacking. Continue reading “Picasa Upgrades”
We spent all last evening running errands and packing. It was probably a bad idea to be gone the weekend before a big trip, but we had fun, so I care not. However, it made last night very hectic indeed. I didn't get to bed until after midnight and when I get home from work, I've still got to cram a few things here and there. I am so bad about over packing!! Shorter trips I've gotten better, but … this trip is a long one and we're doing varied things, so I packed tons.
Anyhoo, so we're flying into Nashville tonight. Then we're renting a car and driving to Matt's dad's and spending the night there. Then we're leaving in the morning and heading south to Birmingham to pick up a friend from college and then further south to Destin, FL where we'll stay in Matt's dad's condo for almost a week (beach, fun, sun) … and then we backtrack to Nashville and we'll arrive in plenty of time for some pre-wedding events leading up to the big day when Matt's lil sis, Theresa, gets married. Continue reading “Packed(ish) and Ready to Go”
As a special treat for our Vail trip, I made a pan of what I am now calling Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars … they're basically rice krispie treats with peanut butter stirred in and chocolate melted on top. I'd never made them before, but I'd had some sort of like them at some point … anyway, very very easy and amazingly good. Needless to say, not a crumb went unfinished.
from: Jess original
Ingredients
2 bags mini marshmallows
half a stick of butter
1 cup (approx?) peanut butter
rice cereal (rice krispies or similar) … 8 cups? I dunno
1 bag (larger) milk-chocolate chips
Directions
This is basically the recipe for rice krispie treats, but with a peanut butter chocolate cast to them. So you melt up the butter and then you add the marshmallows and melt them in like 1 min increments, stirring in between until they're all melty. Then you spoon in a bunch of peanut butter … until it looks more peanut butter colored. Then you toss in a bunch of rice krispies until it's the right consistency. I like fewer rice krispies in mine than the old recipes call for, but whatever you like. Then you smush the whole blob into a greased 9×13 pan and then you pour the chocolate chips over it in an even layer. Then you stick the whole thing in an oven (I did a couple of minutes broil this time, but next time I think I'll do 350 for a bit longer, maybe) and then the chocolate gets all melty and you can smooth it out with a spoon or knife or whatever so there's a layer on the top.
from: Cooking Light October 2003
Ingredients
4 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place potato in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potato to pan. Add milk and remaining ingredients; mash with a potato masher to desired consistency.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)
Nutritional Info (3/4 cup(
CALORIES 215(30% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 4.5g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 4.5g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 51mg; SODIUM 280mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.5g Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough
from: Cooking Light May 2006
Ingredients
3 cups (1-inch) sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated linguine
4 bacon slices (uncooked)
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded Parmesan cheese
Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions
Cook asparagus and pasta according to pasta package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; set aside.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp; cool slightly. Remove bacon from the pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon. Add onion, garlic, and oregano to drippings in the pan; sauté 4 minutes or until onion is lightly browned. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Stir in butter, salt, and pepper; remove from heat. Place asparagus mixture in a large bowl; add tomato mixture and juice, tossing well. Top with bacon and shredded cheese. Garnish with shaved Parmesan, if desired.
Nutritional Info (2 cups pasta mixture, 2 T cheese(
CALORIES 360(30% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 5.3g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 16.9g; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 171mg; SODIUM 683mg; FIBER 5.6g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.1g
from: FillorBurst.com
Ingredients
2 Tilapia fillets
2 Portuguese rolls (or other not too hard, not too soft roll)
Blackened seasoning (Old Bay makes a nice one)
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Horseradish sauce
1/3 cup Light mayo
2 leaves Romaine lettuce torn
Directions
Mix mayo with cayenne pepper, chili powder and horseradish to taste. Chill. Sprinkle both sides of fillets with blackened seasoning and pan fry with a little bit of oil. Put mayo mixture on top and bottom of rolls. Place lettuce on top of roll and also bottom to keep roll from getting soggy. Place fillet between lettuce. Assemble and eat. Serve with baked or regular chips on the side.
from: Cooking Light November 2002
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups chopped plum tomato
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon (about 2 slices)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 cups hot cooked angel hair (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded Asiago cheese
Directions
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add water and spinach; cover and cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.
Stir in tomato, chicken, bacon, and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve over pasta; sprinkle with cheese.
Nutritional Info (1 C spinach mixture, 1 C pasta, 1 T cheese(
CALORIES 350(21% from fat); FAT 8.1g (sat 2.4g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 26.4g; CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 153mg; SODIUM 433mg; FIBER 4.7g; IRON 4.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.7g
from: Jess original
Ingredients
2 bags mini marshmallows
half a stick of butter
1 cup (approx?) peanut butter
rice cereal (rice krispies or similar) … 8 cups? I dunno
1 bag (larger) milk-chocolate chips
Directions
This is basically the recipe for rice krispie treats, but with a peanut butter chocolate cast to them. So you melt up the butter and then you add the marshmallows and melt them in like 1 min increments, stirring in between until they're all melty. Then you spoon in a bunch of peanut butter … until it looks more peanut butter colored. Then you toss in a bunch of rice krispies until it's the right consistency. I like fewer rice krispies in mine than the old recipes call for, but whatever you like. Then you smush the whole blob into a greased 9×13 pan and then you pour the chocolate chips over it in an even layer. Then you stick the whole thing in an oven (I did a couple of minutes broil this time, but next time I think I'll do 350 for a bit longer, maybe) and then the chocolate gets all melty and you can smooth it out with a spoon or knife or whatever so there's a layer on the top.
from: Cooking Light October 2003
Ingredients
4 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place potato in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potato to pan. Add milk and remaining ingredients; mash with a potato masher to desired consistency.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)
Nutritional Info (3/4 cup(
CALORIES 215(30% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 4.5g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 4.5g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 51mg; SODIUM 280mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.5g Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough
from: Cooking Light May 2006
Ingredients
3 cups (1-inch) sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated linguine
4 bacon slices (uncooked)
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded Parmesan cheese
Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions
Cook asparagus and pasta according to pasta package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; set aside.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp; cool slightly. Remove bacon from the pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon. Add onion, garlic, and oregano to drippings in the pan; sauté 4 minutes or until onion is lightly browned. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Stir in butter, salt, and pepper; remove from heat. Place asparagus mixture in a large bowl; add tomato mixture and juice, tossing well. Top with bacon and shredded cheese. Garnish with shaved Parmesan, if desired.
Nutritional Info (2 cups pasta mixture, 2 T cheese(
CALORIES 360(30% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 5.3g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 16.9g; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 171mg; SODIUM 683mg; FIBER 5.6g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.1g
from: FillorBurst.com
Ingredients
2 Tilapia fillets
2 Portuguese rolls (or other not too hard, not too soft roll)
Blackened seasoning (Old Bay makes a nice one)
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Horseradish sauce
1/3 cup Light mayo
2 leaves Romaine lettuce torn
Directions
Mix mayo with cayenne pepper, chili powder and horseradish to taste. Chill. Sprinkle both sides of fillets with blackened seasoning and pan fry with a little bit of oil. Put mayo mixture on top and bottom of rolls. Place lettuce on top of roll and also bottom to keep roll from getting soggy. Place fillet between lettuce. Assemble and eat. Serve with baked or regular chips on the side.