Sunday's media madness...

I enjoy browsing the app store on iTunes for new fun stuff and was really in luck the other day when I came across Flipboard.  Currently it is for the iPad but the iPhone version will be launching very soon and is worth the wait.  I must have been under a rock because it was named one of Times top 50 innovations of the year in 2010.  (Figures I am a year behind.)  So what does it do?  I allows you to create your own digital magazine which includes articles of interest to you, full or partial newspapers like USA Today, FaceBook, Twitter, Tumbler, Flicker as well as many full magazines like The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Oprah and tons more.  It puts just what you want all in one place, laid you the way you want them.  So you get all this greatness rolled into one place what what could be better?  The price.  Its free.  This is my "go to" app before bed at night to catch up on things I may have missed during the day, a little fun, a little news, a little social media, all mixed together, the only think I don't like about this app is that I didn't find it last year!

Hope you all have had a great weekend.

C.Q.

You can't put a price on love...

Well depending on your situation, this weekend will either be Valentines day or Singles Awareness day. Either way its a chance to either pamper the one you love or give yourself a gift of self indigence. Even if you are in a relationship your best bet may be to take the self indulgent route, a statistical fact I found while writing this was that in the United States, 64% of men do not make plans in advance for a romantic Valentine's Day with their sweethearts. If you are looking for some ideas or are one of the 64% mentioned above then this is for you.

Another fact is that 110 million roses, mostly red, will be sold and delivered within a three-day time period. If you want to stand out from the crowd and spend a little less on a bouquet of flowers then check out the meaning of flowers and put together your own grouping. Don't forget to send along the meaning, kind of like a romantic road map. I would encourage using a local florist so you can see what your getting, but if you must use an on-line florist you can find coupons to multiple places at Coupon Craze. While you are at the florist be sure to ask if they have any roses that have wilted and can't be sold, they will usually give these to you for free or next to nothing. No, I have not lost my mind, these usual toss aways at the flower shops can turn into a romantic evening of rose petals for the bath tub, dinner table or bedroom. Big effect for just a little work.

If you have the time and the know how you can plan a romantic meal at home with candle light and music, but if you are considering going out to dinner be sure to check for restaurants in your area at Restaurant.com to see if they have any great places in your area, you can get a $25 dining certificate for $10.00, that's a great deal!

So your all ready to run out to the local grocery store or Target and pick up a box of chocolates? Why not re-think that and spend about the same amount for something that's going to mean a lot more? Be creative and make a box of cup cakes for your sweetie.

Traditionally jewelry is also given on Valentines day, and whether its a gift for your sweetheart or a gift for you there is no sense in paying full price. Gorden Jewelers has a bunch of coupons currently available.

The tried and true poem is a romantic stand-by that has been around for hundreds of years. Try your hand at a verse expressing your love, if your having a hard time you can find a little help and inspiration (and quite a few giggles) with a poem generator.

Most importantly, remember to have fun and make it memorable, a dear friend of mine and her sweetie spent Valentines last year with table linens and china they brought from home at a McDonald's, it is something they will always be able to look back on, remember and smile. That's what its all about, creating memories that will stand out, not spending a lot of cash.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone.

C.Q.

Snacking on cash...

I was in the grocery store the other day and about fell over when I saw the price potato chips have risen to and got to thinking about the 2 most popular snack foods, chips and popcorn. A box of Old Dutch potato chips was on SALE for a whopping $3.48 and Orville Rednbacher's microwave popcorn was also $3.48 on sale. In the Orville Rednbacher's package there are 3 bags of popcorn, that makes each one $1.16 when in comparison you could by a 30oz jar of the same popcorn for popping for about $5.00 with no coupon. Breaking down the cost for the jar with 7.5 servings the popcorn the cost is about .65 cents and there are no carcinogens in it. You can make the popcorn as per the instruction on the jar which takes really no more time than microwave popcorn, you can also microwave on the fly in a bowl with a plate over it and just put a thin layer of kernels in the bottom of the bowl and microwave away, or you can make your own microwave popcorn to bring to work and have the best and freshest popcorn in the office.

Fresh Microwave Popcorn:

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter
Popcorn salt or table salt, to taste
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese or other cheese sprinkle
(optional)

Pour the popcorn in the paper bag and fold the top of the bag over twice to close. (Each fold should be 1/2 inch deep; the kernels need room to pop.) Seal the bag with two small staples (no more, no less), making sure to place the staples at least 2 to 3 inches apart.

Put the bag in the microwave and cook on high power for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pops are 5 seconds apart.

Remove the bag from the oven and open it carefully, avoiding the steam. Pour the popcorn into a bowl and drizzle it with butter, then toss with salt and cheese, if desired.

That brings me to the potato chips. A 5 pound bag of potatoes at my local market is $2.98, already less then the box of chips, but lets keep going... of that I only need about 5 potatoes or about 1/2 the bag, so my equivalent cost is $1.49 for a box of homemade wonderful tasting no preservative chips. You can also substitute sweet potatoes for an extra gourmet touch.


Classic Homemade Potato Chips Recipe:

4-6 white potatoes
water
vegetable oil (for deep frying)
salt

Wash and scrub the skins of your potatoes well. Remove potato skins. Using a paring knife or food processor, cut thin round or oval slices. Remove any bad spots. Fill a large bowl with cold tap water and soak your slices in the water for 30 minutes. Remove slices from water and pat them dry with paper towels. Turn your deep fryer on and set the temperature at 350 degrees. When the oil has reached the desired temperature, place a handful of slices into the frying basket and drop down into the oil. Deep fry your slices until they are crisp and lightly browned. This usually takes 2-4 minutes. Remove the basket from the oil and let drain over the deep fryer for 2-3 minutes. Line a large plate with 3-5 thick paper towels. Pour the chips onto the plate and use a separate paper towel to blot off excess oil. Season with salt if desired.

**If you like your potato chips seasoned with Old Bay or any other spices, place some the spice in an old salt shaker. Shake the desired amount on the chips. Wait 1 minute, flip the chips over and season the other side.

There are a ton of different recipes on line for a lot of the snacks we like to purchase in the grocery stores, its worth the time to find some that sound good and try, they are healthier and far less expensive, they can also provide something fun the whole family can help put together on the weekends to have on hand.

Hope this gets you all thinking.

C.Q.