Monday, February 28, 2011

Cooking with SKH- Country Chicken with Mushrooms and Veggie Stuffed Potatoes



Thanks to Stauffers of Kissel Hill Supermarket for supplying the groceries!

Recipe for Country Chicken with Mushrooms and Stuffed Baked Potatoes can also be found at www.skh.com

Country Chicken and Mushrooms -

Ingredients: 3 Tbs Mrs. Dash® Garlic & Herb Blend, 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 lb mushrooms, wiped or washed, cut in half and 2 Tbs olive oil

Directions: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken breasts and mushrooms in 2 separate bowls. Toss each with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 1/2 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash® Garlic & Herb Blend. Place each in separate ovenproof casserole dishes and bake 35-40 minutes. Plate chicken and sprinkle with mushrooms and pan juices.

Stuffed Baked Potatoes-

Ingredients: 2 Tbs Mrs. Dash® Original Blend, 2 large warm baked russet potatoes, 2 Tbs olive oil, 1/4 cup red onion, chopped fine, 1 stalk celery, chopped fine

Directions: Bake potato in microwave or oven. Slice potatoes in half. Scoop pulp into a bowl, leaving 1/4 of potato around skin. Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, sauté onions and celery until cooked. Toss into potato pulp with remaining olive oil and Mrs. Dash® Original Blend. Mix and stuff into the reserved potato skins.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Going on an interview? Things your interviewer wants you to know:

Job seekers spend a lot of time and energy applying for positions, but when invited for an interview many are caught like a deer in the headlights -- unprepared and trying to cram for the interview they worked so hard to win. Here are seven things your interviewer wants you to know and action steps to help you successfully navigate the interview process:

It is tough to hire a quality employee. It's ironic that unemployment is so high, but there is a definite war for talent. Your interviewer is likely tired of looking for someone to hire and rooting for you to be the perfect fit. Focus on how you can be the ideal candidate. Make a list of your qualifications and rehearse answers to, "Why should we hire you?"

No one wants to interview a slob. Dress professionally, even if you're an internal candidate or are interviewing for an entry-level position with no dress code. You don't need a three-piece suit, but if you look like you're on the way to a supermarket, it gives the impression you don't care very much about the opportunity.

Eye contact and body language are important. Studies show interviewees make a defining impression within the first 30 seconds. Don't slouch in your chair or fidget.

No one wants to listen to long, drawn out replies. Keep your answers brief and to the point. If your interviewer is compiling a mental grocery list while you are speaking, you can bet you're not going to be the top candidate. Time yourself speaking for one minute. You may be surprised by how much you can say in a short time. Identify common interview questions, such as, "Tell me about yourself." Don't mistake this for an open invitation to share your entire autobiography!

Directly answering questions is key to successful interviewing. Listen carefully, especially if inquiries have multiple parts. Don't be afraid to jot down some notes, especially if they'll help you address each inquiry succinctly.

It's important to demonstrate what you know about the company. A little research goes a long way.

Have questions for the interviewer. If you have nothing to ask, it makes you seem uninterested in the job. When you prepare, identify some unique questions for your employer. Don't ask anything you could easily find via research. If you come up with a thought-provoking question -- one that isn't found on lists of questions to ask -- it will help you stand out from the competition.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Where the stars stash their Oscars....

The most popular spot to stash an Oscar? The bathroom!

Susan Sarandon (Best Actress, Dead Man Walking, 1995): For years she kept it in the guest bathroom of her home -- along with all of her other award hardware. Now it's on tour with the Gold exhibit organized by The Museum of Natural History. Says Sarandon, "I haven’t seen it in a few years."

Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor, Good Will Hunting, 1997): He keeps his Oscar in his home in Tiburon, California -- sandwiched between two Screen Actor Guild awards.

Timothy Hutton (Best Supporting Actor, Ordinary People, 1980): He once told USA Today his sister thought it would be a good idea to keep his Oscar in the refrigerator. "She thought that would be kind of funny to put the Oscar in the refrigerator when people would go grab a beer or something ... it's still there."

Reese Witherspoon (Best Actress, Walk the Line, 2005): After winning her Oscar, she told People magazine she considered making it into a door knocker or a necklace, "but neither one of those options was very practical. I just keep it in my living room."

Jodie Foster (Best Actress, The Accused [1988], The Silence of the Lambs [1991]): She used to keep hers in the bathroom "because they looked good with the faucets," she has said. "But when they started getting corroded on the bottom, I had to move them to a trophy case in my den."

Catherine Zeta Jones (Best Supporting Actress, Chicago, 2002): She has kept her Oscar in a hot spot. "He's in our home in Bermuda," she once told InStyle. "I figured that not many Oscars have lived there. Of course, everyone who visits wants a photograph with him."

Holly Hunter (Best Actress, The Piano, 1994): She told Oprah Winfrey earlier this year that she keeps her award at filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen's office in New York -- along with actress Frances McDormand's Oscar for her Best Actress role in Fargo. "It's all just one big happy family," Hunter said.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Best Supporting Actor, Jerry Maguire, 1996): "We had a wine cabinet, and it sat behind the glass on one of the shelves. People would say, 'Is that it?' The cabinet was temperature controlled because of the wine, so the Oscar stayed beaming new. Now that I keep it out in the open in my screening room, it has become tarnished -- which is kind of cool. It's starting to age and get character. Like me."

Cate Blanchett (Best Supporting Actress, The Aviator, 2005): She doesn't keep her statue in one place. She once told InStyle, "It's been in the study recently. It moves around a bit like my family and I do. I don't look at it every day though. Life goes on."

Kate Winslet (Best Actress, The Reader, 2009): It's in her bathroom so guests "can sneakily have a little [hold] and put it back down again."

Tom Hanks (Best Actor, Philadelphia [1993], Forrest Gump [1994]): "Where are they now? They are on the family trophy shelf, next to the soccer trophies. I think the World's Greatest Mom trophy from Mother's Day is up there as well."

Hilary Swank (Best Actress, Boys Don’t Cry [1993], Million Dollar Baby [2004]): "They're in the family room -- on a great shelf, next to my books."

Emma Thompson (Best Actress, Howard's End, 1992): Yup, she stores her statue in the bathroom too. "They look far too outré anywhere else. They're great big, gold, shiny things. They're up there tarnishing quietly along with everything else I own, including my body."

Anna Paquin (Best Supporting Actress, The Piano, 1994): Asked where she stores her statue, she told Playboy in 1999, "In the bottom of my closet, gathering dust."

Addictions you didn't know existed!

Addictions are powerful chemical dependencies that don’t always make sense to outsiders, or sometimes even psychologists. What we do know is that if the brain likes what it tastes, feels or sees, anything and everything can become addictive. Here are some addictions you didn’t know existed:

Work Addiction: People joke about it, but work addictions really do exist. People who are addicted to work obsess over work and spend more than the necessary amount of time at work because it gives them a sense of fulfillment. Workaholics often experience broken relationships, emotional disconnection and other health-related problems.

Eating Cigarette Ashes: Addiction to eating cigarette ashes is a form of pica disorder, in which a person craves foods with no nutritional value. People who eat cigarette ashes may have nutritional deficiencies or be anemic. Excessive consumption of cigarette ashes could be toxic and cause gastrointestinal issues.

Eating Chalk: Chalk eating is a common form of pica disorder that affect both children and adults. Even though it is labeled as non-hazardous, excessive chalk eating can be harmful to your health. Chalk may be contaminated during the manufacturing process and could contain metal shavings, rodent droppings and traces of chemicals that may be dangerous to ingest.

Eating Glass: Glass eating, also called hyalophagia, is a pathological and pica disorder that is very dangerous. People who are addicted to eating glass may sustain internal injuries and have serious gastrointestinal issues. Glass eating has been a performance technique for years, and many addicts enjoy the attention that comes with eating glass.

Hair Pulling: Hair pulling, also called trichotillomania, is an overwhelming addiction to pulling, twisting and plucking hair from the scalp or face. People who are addicted to pulling their hair typically have bald spots and may disguise their condition by wearing wigs or hats. The cause of hair pulling is not completely clear, but researchers believe genetic and environmental factors contribute to this painful addiction.

Eating Toilet Paper: Toilet paper is another common non-food item consumed by people with pica disorder. Even though toilet paper may seem harmless because we use it on our skin every day, it can contain trace contaminants and chemicals from the manufacturing process. Not only is it unsafe to ingest these chemicals, but toilet paper is not easily digested by the body.
Eating Soap: Believe it or not, there are quite a few people who not only enjoy having a bar of soap in their mouths, but they like to eat it too. Eating soap is a form of pica disorder that can have some serious health consequences. The toxic chemicals in soap can cause digestive problems, metabolic changes and affect the blood stream.

Eating Laundry Detergent: Eating laundry detergent is a form of pica disorder, in which the consumer retains no nutritional value from the product. This addiction poses a serious danger to one’s health when consumed in excess. Laundry detergent is full of toxic ingredients, such as phosphates, chlorine bleach, corrosive acids and fillers that can make you sick to your stomach and cause several other health complications.

Thumb Sucking: Thumb sucking is an addiction shared by children and adults alike. There are many reasons why people suck their thumbs during adulthood, such as anxiety and security. Aside from public humiliation and embarrassment, adults who are addicted to sucking their thumb might experience dental problems, social isolation and shame.

Bodybuilding: Bodybuilding is something that can start out as normal and healthy, but can become very addictive in no time. Extreme bodybuilding can lead to many unhealthy practices, such as steroid usage. The obsession with being as muscular and strong as possible puts serious strain on one’s body and heart and can lead to disordered eating, as well.

Tattoos: For many people, tattoos are like potato chips — you can never have just one. However, there comes a point where getting tattoos can become a serious addiction. Tattoo addicts may be obsessed with the pain of the needle and the adrenaline response, as well as the attention they get from having tons of tattoos. The more tattoos a person gets the greater their chances are for having allergic reactions, skin infections and contracting blood-borne diseases.

Piercings: Piercings, much like tattoos, can be very addictive. Whether it’s the pain of piercing the skin or the attention it draws, people can become addicted to piercings in an unhealthy way. There are some serious risks involved with excessive piercing, such as bacterial infections, allergic reactions, blood-borne diseases and damage to nerves.

Eating Sugar: Sugar addiction is not just an excuse to eat tons of candy – it’s a real problem.
Sugar addicts consume foods and drinks that contain large quantities of sugar, specifically white refined sugar. This unhealthy diet can lead to many health problems, including diabetes, pancreatic problems, bowel diseases, obesity and dental issues.

Life-Sized Love Dolls: It may sound ludicrous, but there is a large group of individuals who are addicted to life-sized love dolls. These dolls don’t just provide sexual partnership; they also offer companionship and acceptance to these lonely individuals. People who are addicted to love dolls are often socially isolated and disconnected with the real world.

Four Tips That Will Help You Fall Asleep Tonight:

If you didn't sleep well last night, you're not alone. Ten percent of people have chronic insomnia, and most of us experience it at some point in our lives. The best thing you can do is get some exercise. But sometimes even that doesn't help. --So here are four tips from Health.com that will help you fall asleep tonight.

#1.) Don't Look at the Clock. It just reinforces the idea that you'll NEVER fall asleep. If you can't help looking at it, try turning it around so you can't.

#2.) Don't Stay In Bed More Than 15 Minutes. According to Health.com, you have to teach your brain that your bed is for sleeping, not lying awake worrying. So you're supposed to leave the bedroom and do something quiet, like reading.

#3.) Don't Turn on the Overhead Light. Bright light disrupts the production of melatonin and wakes you up. So if you can't sleep, or you get out of bed to go to the bathroom, turn on a lamp instead of hitting a light switch. --And you should use dim lights when you're getting READY for bed too, because the sooner your body starts producing melatonin, the sooner you'll start feeling sleepy.

#4.) Don't Make Your Brain Do Anything. Don't balance your checkbook, catch up on work, or do anything else that's too stimulating. It just tells your brain that you need to stay awake.
--And if you watch TV, turn on the sleep timer, then put something boring on that you don't really care about. If it's something you're interested in, you DEFINITELY won't fall asleep.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Five Most Common Sleep Positions and What They Say About Your Personality:

These things always seem like nonsense, but according to "Men's Health", the position you sleep in at night could reveal certain things about your personality. --Researchers surveyed 1,000 people and watched them sleep. Here are the five most common positions, and what they mean.

#1.) The Fetus Position. It's the most popular position, and 41% of the people who were studied prefer it. Here's what it means: --If you sleep on your side, people think you're tough, but you're actually shy and sensitive. And it might take a while before you warm up to strangers, but once you know them you're much more relaxed. --There's also one health concern: If you sleep on your LEFT side, it can put stress on your liver, stomach, and lungs. So sleeping on your right side is better.

#2.) Sleeping on Your Side, But Not Curling Up. It means you're social and easygoing. But you also tend to trust people too much, so you're easy to take advantage of.

#3.) The Yearner Position. It's when you sleep on your side with both arms out in front of you . . . kind of the way Frankenstein looks when he walks . . . and it means you're open to new things, but also suspicious and cynical. --It takes you a long time to make decisions. But once you do, you don't change your mind very easily.

#4.) Sleeping on Your Stomach. People who sleep on their stomach with their hands above their head are good at making quick decisions . . . but sometimes that results in BAD decisions. And they tend to take criticism personally.

#5.) The Soldier Position. It's when you sleep on your back with your arms out at your sides, and your legs slightly spread. If that's you, then according to the study you're quiet and reserved, but you expect a lot out of yourself and others. --And there's also a good chance you snore, since sleeping on your back makes it harder to breathe. You'll sleep better . . . and so will the person next to you . . . if you flip over and sleep on your stomach. --Plus, sleeping on your stomach is better for digestion.

Travolta minus the wig!

Everyone pretty much knows that JOHN TRAVOLTA wears a wig. But I would guess that most people have never seen him without it. If you're one of them, consider this an early Christmas present.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Four Bad Things for Your Kids . . . That Are Actually Good:

Parents have to worry about a lot these days, so here's a list to help bring your stress level down: It's four major things parents worry about . . . but they don't actually need to.

#1.) Your Kids Getting Bored. At least one study has shown that boredom is actually good for kids, because it stimulates their imagination and forces them to be creative. Plus, it helps them become more patient and appreciative.

#2.) Video Games. According to separate studies done at Harvard and in Europe, video games help improve innovative thinking, creativity, and cooperation skills . . . even the violent ones. --And that's not just for boys. A recent study showed that girls who play video games are often smarter and better-behaved, and they have a stronger connection with their families.

#3.) Junk Food. Obviously, they can't eat it ALL the time. But you shouldn't keep them on a super-strict diet either. Kids who get an unhealthy treat every now and then are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. --And overweight kids are more likely to stay on a diet if they occasionally get to have something that's bad for them.

#4.) Television. It's bad for them if they only watch crap like "Skins". But kids who watch EDUCATIONAL shows are less aggressive, study more, and get better grades on reading and math tests. --So, if your kids only watch MTV, then sitting in front of the television isn't doing them any good. But if they watch the Science channel, it's okay.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Four Popular Ways to Relieve Stress . . . And Four New Methods That Work Better:

According to the health magazine "Prevention", some of the things people do to relieve stress don't work as well as we think they do. Here are four old methods that don't always work, and four NEW methods that work better.

#1.) If You Like Yoga, Keep Doing It . . . But You Don't Have To. In a recent study, 54% of people said they felt anxious while they were doing yoga, which means it's actually STRESSFUL for a lot of people. --Doctors say you're better off doing basically any repetitive activity you enjoy, including jogging, swimming, painting, walking, knitting, and even praying.


#2.) Talking About Your Problems Isn't Always Helpful. Researchers at Kent State University studied people who'd recently suffered a stressful event, or lost someone they cared about.
--And a lot of them were better off if they avoided thinking or talking about it. Psychologists call it "repressive coping", and for a lot of people, it works better than therapy. --In another study, people who talked about their stressful event ALL THE TIME were more likely to develop depression and anxiety.

#3.) You Shouldn't Eat Away Your Stress, But Dark Chocolate Is Okay. Some people eat throughout the day to relieve stress. But if you start gaining weight, it can mess with your self-esteem and make you even more stressed out. --But the one food you SHOULD eat is dark chocolate. In one study, stressed-out volunteers who ate one-and-a-half ounces of dark chocolate a day for two weeks had fewer stress hormones. --But if you like MILK chocolate, you're out of luck. Researchers think Vitamin P is what reduces stress, and even though milk chocolate has some, they think the milk prevents it from absorbing into your body.

#4.) People Used to Say You Should Control Your Temper. But throwing a temper tantrum every now and then is actually better. --According to at least one study, occasionally showing how angry you are causes your brain to release less of the stress hormone cortisol. --But you can't go overboard because obviously, if you constantly yell at people, you'll get more stressed out, and everyone will start hating you. Just ask Mel Gibson.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Valentine's Day is over, so how do you keep Cupid's magic around all year long?

Redbook magazine discovered seven simple items every married couple must have for long-term bliss.

1. A beautifully framed picture from your falling-in-love days. Not the pretty wedding photo, but something that reminds you of the time when you couldn't get enough of that certain someone. DR. DIANA KIRSCHNER says it can be an instant way of bringing back that crazy chemistry.

2. A movie you both love. Throw out lines from whatever flick you choose and make it "your thing."

3. A unique anniversary to celebrate. There are a lot of milestones that you two can cherish, whether it was your first kiss, first date or when you saw a pregnancy test turn that magic blue!

4. An empty-nest dream. What do you dream of doing when the pressure of raising children is gone? Bonding over your fantasies about life will keep you close and reinforce the message that there are plenty of good times ahead.

5. A fight that never ends. There will be things you just won't agree on --get over it, respect one another's opinions and it will strengthen your marriage.

6. Mad money. Create a fund just for having fun and spend it on a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip, front-row tickets to a concert or expensive bottle of champagne.

7. An oversize beach blanket. This baby ain't for keeping the sand away, but to have on standby so you can make love anywhere in the house. Yowsah!

Friday, February 11, 2011

A New Survey Says Men Don't Hate Valentine's Day . . . They Fear It:

It would make sense if men hated Valentine's Day. It's a day where there are about eight billion ways to screw up, and you can only really nail it if you read minds . . . or if years of disappointment have lowered your wife or girlfriend's expectations. But according to a new survey, men don't hate Valentine's Day. No . . . they FEAR it.

--33% of single men say they intentionally avoid getting into relationships between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day because of the pressure it causes. --And another 35% say that, this time of year, they don't bother even trying to date.

--41% would never schedule a first date for Valentine's Day. 62% of single women say they'd be fine having a first date on February 14th. --BUT . . . once Valentine's Day is over, men start trying to date again. 42% of single men said that finding a girlfriend was their number one priority for the year . . . compared to 24% who said their career is the top priority.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Ranch Burgers and Homemade Fries

Jay and I tested out a new recipe and trust us, this is one you're gonna love so much that you might make it twice in one week! We wanna say a special thanks to Stauffers of Kissel Hill Supermarket for supplying the groceries and the recipe. You can find the recipe below and also at http://www.skh.com/

Ranch Burgers-

Ingredients: 1½ pounds ground beef, 4 teaspoons Ranch Rub, 4 hamburger buns, split, ¼ cup prepared creamy ranch dressing, 2 tablespoons canned French-fried onions, Romaine lettuce and tomato slices.

Ingredients for Ranch Rub: 2 tsp sweet paprika, 2 tsp dried thyme, 1½ tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp ground red pepper, ½ tsp ground white pepper

Instructions for Ranch Rub: combine all ingredients. Store in airtight container. Shake before using.

Directions: lightly shape ground beef into four 3/4-inch thick patties. Press Ranch Rub onto patties. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place patties in skillet; cook 12 to 15 minutes to medium (160 degrees F) doneness, until not pink in center and juices show no pink color, turning once. Serve in buns with dressing, onions, lettuce and tomato.

Homemade French Fries-

Ingredients: potatoes, flour and salt.

Directions: cut potatoes down to French fry size, slicing about ½ inch wide and 2-3 inches long. Fill large bowl with water and 2 tablespoons of salt. Place fries in water and allow to soak about 15 minutes. While fries are soaking, heat oil in deep fryer or skillet. Remove fries from water and dry with paper towel. Pour 2 cups of flour into ziplock bag and add potatoes by handful then shake until fries are completely covered. Add fries to hot oil and cook 4-6 minutes. Allow to cool before serving

Five Popular Valentine's Day Flowers, and What They Supposedly Mean:

Giving red roses on Valentine's Day is kind of 'safe,' so some guys like to branch out. But BEWARE . . . the magazine "Marie Claire" says the flowers you get might be sending the wrong message. Clearly this is total nonsense, but here are the secret meanings behind five popular types of flowers.

#1.) Yellow Tulips. They mean he's hopelessly in love with you, but he's worried you're not that too into him.

#2.) Orchids. They supposedly represent "refined beauty", but "Marie Claire" also says they make your man look pretentious.

#3.) Pink Carnations. They represent "a mother's love", so they're more appropriate for Mother's Day than Valentine's Day.

#4.) Coriander. It's actually an herb, but it's used as filler in bouquets. And according to "Marie Claire", it represents "lust", and means he's more interested in whoopi than in having a meaningful relationship.

#5.) Peonies. They look kind of like carnations and represent "shame and bashfulness" . . . so they might represent that your guy is having affair. (???) Anyway . . . let's thank "Marie Claire" for adding even more anxiety to a 'holiday' that already has enough. And remember: Getting ANY kind of flowers on Valentine's Day is better than not getting any at all!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Dry Shampoo. Does it REALLY work???

I don't know about you, but I can never seem to get enough sleep. Between long work hours and juggling the other things in my life, most nights it feels like my head hits the pillow and as soon as I shut my eyes, it's time to get back up.

I have to wash my hair every day. I’ve got oily skin and oily hair. If I skip a day of washing my hair, it looks like someone poured a bottle of oil on my head. If it’s not bad enough that I have to wash my hair every day, I also have to blow dry and straighten it because it’s thick and wavy and a complete frizzy mess. Getting ready in the morning can take FOREVER.

So I was pretty psyched when I found TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo. Could this be the answer to sneaking in a little bit more sleep on those mornings I don’t really have to shower?

I have to warn you that TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo isn’t cheap. Mine was on sale, but still cost me almost 6 bucks. So what I did this morning was hop out of bed, grab my can of dry shampoo, spray it through my hair (just like hairspray) focusing on the roots and then let it sit while I got dressed. After I got dressed, I brushed my hair and was amazed at how much body and bounce it had. No joke-my hair went from oily to full of body in less than 2 minutes and I didn’t even have to blow dry or straighten! I could have done without the smell of the shampoo- kinda had a chemical smell to it, but it wore off after about 15 minutes.

All in all, I’m super happy with this shampoo and can totally see using it on days when I’m in a rush or when I oversleep. Here are some pics I took after using TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo this morning:

Five Subtle Ways You're Getting Ripped Off at the Grocery Store:

#1.) Sneaky Packaging Tricks. Look at the bottom of basically any jar of peanut butter, and you'll notice that it isn't flat, it curves in. And they do it for one reason: So they can get away with cheating you out of 2 ounces of peanut butter. -Other companies do the same thing: Toilet paper still has the same number of sheets per roll, but the sheets are getting shorter and thinner. -And the same goes with cereal boxes. They're the same height and width, but the boxes are getting skinnier.

#2.) Bags That Are Half Full of Chips . . . And Half Full of Air. This one probably qualifies as a "sneaky packaging tip", but it's so outrageous it gets its own spot on the list. -If you've bought a bag of Ruffles in the last ten years, you know that half the bag is actually filled with air. And in the food industry, there's a term for it: It's called "slack fill". -The FDA allows "slack fill" because if there was NO air, the chips would get crushed during shipping. But a lot of companies slack fill their bags way too much so customers think they're buying more than they really are.

#3.) Charging More for High SPF Sun Block. SPF 5 and SPF 50 both cost the same to manufacture. But companies assume that if people see a higher number on the bottle, they'll be willing to pay more. And they're right.

#4.) Injecting Meat With Broth. It sounds gross, but companies do it to add flavor and make the meat juicier. At least that's what they SAY the reason is. -The REAL reason is because broth is basically just water and salt, so it's cheap. But it makes the meat weigh more, which also makes it COST more. And according to Consumer Reports, some brands of packaged chicken are up to 30% broth.

#5.) Expiration Dates. People assume that expiration dates are regulated by the government to keep us from getting sick. But that's not true. The federal government has nothing to do with expiration dates. -It's the manufacturers who decide what they should be. And companies figured out a long time ago that when things like dairy products pass their expiration date, people freak out and throw them away . . . then go out and buy more.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Some random Valentine's Day facts if you're interested....


1,317. The number of candy and chocolate manufacturers in the U.S. California has the most, Pennsylvania is second.

24.3. Total number of pounds of candy consumed by the average American in 2009. That averages out to about one candy bar every one-and-a-half days.

18,509. The number of florists in the U.S.

26,683. The number of jewelry stores in the U.S. Last February, they combined for $2.4 BILLION in sales.

2.1 MILLION. The number of marriages in the U.S. in 2009. That's an average of about 5,800 per day.

28.2 and 26.1. The average age of men and women, respectively, getting married for the first time in 2010.

73%. The percentage of married women who made it to their 10th anniversary.

393. The number of dating services in the U.S., including online dating sites.

19%. The percentage of married people who are on their second marriage.

8. The average length, in years, of first marriages that end in divorce. For people who get remarried, it happens an average of three-and-a-half years after the first marriage ends.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Own your very own Kate doll!


If you're a royal wedding nut, then you'll love this. Star magazine has an ad for the KATE MIDDLETON royal engagement doll. A limited edition, fully poseable porcelain figure including a replica engagement ring exactly like PRINCE WILLIAM gave his bride to be. Retail price: five easy installments of $29.95. Here's the site where you can buy your very own doll: http://www.ashtondrake.com

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Does the Super Bowl Lead To Domestic Violence, Avocado Shortages, Heart Attacks, and Sewage Problems?

There are a ton of myths that start circulating every year around Super Bowl time. It leads to heart attacks! It leads to domestic violence! It leads to people gorging on avocados! Here's your guide to what's true and what's not:

--Everyone flushing the toilet at halftime does not cause sewer problems. It's been at least a century since sewage systems could be overwhelmed by something like a halftime bathroom rush. We're in the clear.

--Domestic violence does not increase. This is an old myth that says the combination of drunkenness and disappointment leads to an increase in men attacking their wives. No statistics have EVER backed this up.

--We don't eat half of the country's avocado supply on Super Bowl Sunday. There's a popular rumor that Americans eat HALF of the avocados consumed in a year as part of their Super Bowl guacamole. It's not that high . . . but it is a solid 3% of the total.

--It might cause heart attacks. There's a new study that just came out . . . that hasn't been debunked yet . . . that says the Super Bowl MIGHT lead to more heart attacks. --The study analyzed heart attacks in L.A. from Super Bowl Sunday 1980, when the L.A. Rams lost . . . and from 1984, when the L.A. Raiders won. After the loss, there was a significant increase in heart attacks . . . after the win, there wasn't.