Mariannes Motifs

Friday Quiz - Who Was President When?

I got a dismal 54% on Mental Flosses' "Who was President When..." Quiz.  Can you beat my score!

Who Was President?

Score: 54% (7 out of 13)

Twitteleh - Twitter for your Jewish Mother

Twitteleh - Twitter for your Jewish Mother.

For my number 1 blog reader (Hi Mom!).  Sweet New Year everyone.  L'shana Tova.

"just in time for Rosh Hashanah comes a Twitter alternative targeting the one person guaranteed to care: your Jewish mother.

Even simpler than its namesake Twitter, Twitteleh requires that you answer three basic questions: Where are you?, What have you eaten? and Are you wearing a sweater?

Mashable

Hot Chocolate K-Cups on Sale Too!

I wrote previously about how Amazon has Coffee People and Diedrich K-Cups on Sale.  For those who love their Keurig single cup brewers Amazon's 50 packs are is one of the best prices available on K-Cups.

I noticed this morning that they now also have the Gloria Jean's Hot Chocolate K-Cups on sale. One of the main reasons I love my Keurig is that I am the only one in the house who routinely makes coffee.   But my guests always love hot cocoa and love my fancy coffee maker.  Also the kids love hot chocolate in the winter after they go outside and play and get cold.   If its snowy at all (and it does snow in Atlanta a couple times a year) they demand their hot chocolate when they come in.

My buddy Melissa and I have also been known to make ourselves a version of the Bahama Breeze drink they call the Beachwarmer - hot chocolate with Chambord and Kahlua.  Yummy!  Oh, and I just saw they have White Chocolate K-Cups too, from Timothy's.  Sounds like time for a white mocha!

At $23.00 for 48 K-cups that is .48 cents a cup of gourmet hot chocolate.    .40 cents per cup  if you go for the subscribe and save option.

For the spelling impaired: kurig, kcups, kuerig sale, coffee pods, k-cups sales

9 Recipes to made with Ramen Noodles

Ramen Noodle Recipes:

1. Peanut Ramen Noodle Salad

2. Asian Noodles with Shrimp

3. Coconut Curry Shrimp

4. Asian Meatball Soup

5. Vegetable Primavera

6. Asian Shrimp and Noodle Soup

7. Skillet Noodle Pizza

8. Ricotta Frittata

9. Warm Chicken and Cabbage Salad

via www.womansday.com

What an awesome idea - 9 recipes you make in 35 minutes or less, based on Ramen. I am SO going to try the Peanut Ramen Noodle Salad, which looks like cold sesame noodles.

Ramen is cheap and easy, and my kids love it. The only drawback is that it is not low fat, so balancing it with fresh veggies seems like a good idea. (Also, the sauce packet has a LOT of salt.) Its a good cheap staple to enjoy in moderation. And you know you could make any of these dishes with spaghetti or other types of Asian noodles as well.

12 Free Slow Cooker Recipes from Martha Stewart

Greek Stuffed Peppers

via www.delish.com

Delish.com has a whole bunch of slow cooker recipes from Martha Stewart. Soy-Ginger Chicken, Greek Stuffed Peppers, Spiced Chicken Stew with Peppers... sounds yummy. I love using the slow cooker, and now that fall is coming it is the perfect time to cook up some warm and filling stews. Slow cooker meals are great for working parents, but I actually like to use the slow cooker on the weekends. I put the dish in the cooker around lunchtime and then when we get home from running around doing errands, or weekend activities, dinner is all made. Perfect.

I awoke last night to the sound of thunder...

I awoke last night to the sound of thunder...
Originally uploaded by fgfathome

Check out this amazing photo - the guy used a remote timer, covered his camera with a poncho, and sat in his car. He really got "the shot."

Here's his website - Frank Fennema

http://ffennema.zenfolio.com/

Homemade Greek Yogurt

DSC05849
Originally uploaded by mar1annec

As promised there is a picture of my first batch of homemade greek-style yogurt. The Donvier yogurt cheese maker (strainer) is a very nice design and easy to use. As the yogurt got thicker I just kept adding more to the top.

Everyone at my yogurt with fancy strawberry jam for breakfast but I went for the honey. Yum.

Next up - frozen yogurt pops!

Kid's Floss Review

Every time you go to the dentist the one thing they are going to get on you about is flossing.  So I figure if you can get your kids into the habit of flossing early that is going to give them a great head start in life.

I got an opportunity to try and review a kids floss product called Dentek Fun Flossers.  They are cute - come in bright colors and are sized to fit a kids hands and a kid's mouth.  Of course the real test is what would two kids 4 and 6 think about them?  So I got the package of flossers, two cute kids (happen to have 2 nearby) and went into my very yellow powder room to try them out. 

Here is the video that ensued.  The kids were very excited about trying these and I told them they could use one every day.  I think that if they can use these to learn to floss it will be great.  I personally couldn't use them too well because my teeth are very close together and I need the slippery teflon coated type of floss.  But these have a fluoride coating on them and I think that is very clever.  Even when your kids still have their baby teeth its very important for them to keep them clean and cavity free, as mouth health has been shown to go along with allover health. 

Homemade Yogurt

I am posting late tonight because I had to wait for my first batch of homemade yogurt to be finished.  I just peeked at it and it looks perfect.  I made it in my new yogourmet yogurt maker.

2 quarts (8 cups) of 2% organic milk

1/2 cup organic powdered milk

10 grams yogourmet yogurt starter culture

I heated the milk to 180 degrees F, and then let it cool to 108 degrees.  Please note - add the powdered milk to the cold milk before you start.   Put some water into the bottom of the yogurt maker as per the directions.

Once the milk is cooled to 108 - 112 degrees pour into the yogurt maker and add the starter to some of the milk in a bowl to mix it, and then add it all back in.   Let it "incubate" for 4 1/2 hours then put it in the fridge.

I will now let it sit in the fridge til it sets up, and then strain it in the Donvier wave yogurt cheese maker to thicken it into greek style yogurt. 

I just saw a blog post where a lady makes frozen yogurt by adding honey and then freezing it in a freezer bag til soft frozen and then squeezing it out of a pastry tip.  Neat.  I think I am going to try using the freezie pop mold I have for the kids and making them frozen yogurt pops.  I was thinking that I could heat up some jam or jelly and then mix it into the yogurt to flavor and sweeten it before putting it in the molds.  I will let you know how it goes.

Blog post about homemade frozen yogurt a la California's famous Pinkberry: http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2007/05/homemade-frozen-yogurt.html

Considering this makes a huge batch of yogurt, and the ingredients are not too expensive, I think this could be a great way to help save money and eat healthier.   If I can make it through these lean times perhaps we can start saving up for a vacation next summer.  Maybe shop different Myrtle beach vacation rentals. 

I bought some local tupelo honey as well and I am really looking forward to some home made greek yogurt with local honey.

I'm Making Yogurt!

Thank you Mom!  My mom is the way awesomest ever.  We were discussing the concept of making home made yogurt and she proceeded to buy me a yogurt maker, spare container, and yogurt cheese strainer thingy to make greek yogurt.  I am so excited - the mailman just rang the door bell and I got a fun package from Amazon.

It's been a nice day so far.  I got 5 Power Rangers DVDs for my kids at Goodwill, plus a cashmere sweater and a tweed wool sweater which I am going to take apart.  The DVDs are going in the Hanukkah presents pile.  Good thinking, eh?  Not bluray, nor even new, but great all the same.

I already picked up an extra gallon of organic milk, and some powdered milk, so I should be all set to make some yogurt this afternoon.  After I do the dishes.  Boo.

COMPANY A is flying me out to UNDISCLOSED LOCATION on Sept. 21st to interview for a position with their outsourcing group.  Wow.  I spent some time last night googling  real estate there.  There are a lot of older houses with treed lots, and seems like the newer houses don't have trees on the lots.  Do they not believe in trees?  What's up with that.  Now I am freaking out thinking that I have to sell my house and move to UNDISCLOSED LOCATION.  Umm... I was wondering, could COMPANY B please call me back for an interview.  KTHANXBYE

EDITED TO REMOVE COMPANY NAMES and CITIES BECAUSE MY DAD SAID TO.  (I am 41 but I still do what my parents tell me to.)