Slumdog Millionaire - [SOUNDTRACK] Various: Slumdog Millionaire - [SOUNDTRACK] I just saw the movie (I know late) and can't stop singing "Jai Ho." This album is great while taking on any home project that allows you to sing and dance at the same time. I'm talking window washing to vacuuming. Trust me, you will have a ball! My favorite tracks are "Jai Ho," "O... Saya," and the "Paper Planes Remix." See the movie and buy this soundtrack!
19 Adele: 19 I know I'm a little late featuring Adele, but she is the real deal. Her tone, the lyrics, and the music together make for a top notch album. Pick up a feather duster and dust your heart away. Enjoy!
Call and Response Maroon 5: Call and Response I didn't think their last album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, could get any better until I heard the remix album. I'm sure one of my resolutions this year will be to get back in the gym, and I can guarantee this album will be the reason I actually follow through. Give it a try!
808s & Heartbreak Kanye West: 808s & Heartbreak Kanye does it again! Even if you are not a Hip Hop fan you will be pleasantly surprised by the sound of his latest release 808s & Heartbreak. It's best described as an 80's flashback with a splash of Everything But the Girl. I can't get enough of the live strings and masterful productions on every track. This CD makes the perfect backdrop for any home project. Great album art too!
The Fame Lady Gaga: The Fame Tap into your Neat Freak Zone with Lady Ga Ga. Her sound is old school Madonna (which we all love), meets Blondie and little sprinkle of Gwen Stefani. Gotta love it!
Little Voice Sara Bareilles: Little Voice I don't know why they call the album "Little Voice" because Sarah has a lot to say and says it loud. This CD is great to play while taking on a good craft project. I would not steer you wrong. Also, check out her new live version on iTunes.
Various Artists: Ultimate Dance Party Volume One This album is in tribute to my cross-country trip. You can't have more fun than with songs like: "I Like To Move It" - Reel 2 Real and "C'mon N' Ride It" - Quad City D.J.'s. All totally one hit wonders, but that's how it should be. Take a road trip! LOL.
Robin Thicke: Something Else The first single "Magic" is my jam. LOL! The album is full of go get 'em tunes and bedroom eyes love songs. I've been a fan since his first album, loved the second and can't get enough of this new third release. It's the kind of album that makes you wanna clean out a closet! And that's a big compliment.
Alon Yavnai: Travel Notes A piano has never sounded so calming! Alon Yavai makes magic with this album. Every song is a jewel and the world needs to know. I'm new to his work and found myself looking for him more and more. Enjoy this music over a candlelight dinner or in a warm bath. Don't worry about cleaning a thing.
Oh The Calls I Get!
{Alfay Jr. Asks...} "I started painting my living room in a dark plum color, and it's all blotchy. We even primed. What's going on?" {I Respond...} "Don't be discouraged Alfay Jr. Unless you primed your room with a primer tinted with the color you are painting your walls, it may take up to three coats to achieve an even finish. Dark colors are no joke! Hang in there."
{Dawn Asks...} "What side of the foil do I cook on?" {I Respond...} "It's a myth that one side conducts heat better than the other. It doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter!"
{Kristi Asks...} "Derrick, what do I do with the turkey neck and balls?" {I Respond...} "Kristi, they are not balls. LOL! The stuff in the little bag are the neck, gizzard and liver. I boil it up with seasonings and add it to my stuffing or gravy."
What I'm about to share with you is my NEW favorite obsession. It's called the Penguin, and it's a homemade sparkling water maker. A friend of mine introduced me to the Penguin about two months ago, and I can't get enough. Get this... it transforms regular old tap water into sparking (carbonated ) water. Not just any sparking water but fresh, crisp, lock your jaw up sparking water. You can even adjust how bubbly you want your drink!
The Penguin costs around $200 and uses carbon cartridges that are sold separately. But the good thing is you can trade them in and get a discount off your new carbon cartridge. Now I know the Penguin is a "little" investment especially in this economy, but if you are a true soda water lover it's totally worth it. It's a good way to lay off that sugary soda addiction and still get your carbonation fix. And it makes a great gift. Ahhh, I can taste the bubbles as I type. Check out the Penguin at Williams-Sonoma.
Why I love the Penguin:
Great design. It looks good on any counter.
Comes with two carafes.
Option for desired level of bubbliness (is that a word?).
Helps the environment. One less bottle in a landfill.
Is there like a rule that once you turn 30 you develop an allergy to every possible food and animal? Is anyone on the same page? (Please leave a comment on this one.) I can remember the days when I was a carefree, donut-eating, rolling in the grass with my neighbor's dog, dairy gluttonous pig. Nowadays, if I even look at a Cruller Donut (made by Krispy Kreme - my favorite!) or a piece of bread, for that matter, I loose my insides. (And, dogsitting? An exercise in torture!)
The good thing is I live in California where it's easy to adjust your eating to the current health trend. After having way too many stomach pains way too often, I've decided to find a cure by eating fresh. My goal is to eat only foods where I know every ingredient. I mentioned a while back "Macrobiotic," and we are all familiar with Vegan and Vegetarian, but I also came across this cool video on Raw eating. Take a look; it gives you a whole new way of looking at eating something you've surely had many times over—tacos. So explore healthy ways of eating. You will feel good and look good too.
For some reason my day was all about food yesterday. I got up early and decided I needed more fruit and veggies in my life, so I put on my sweats and went to visit my local farmers market. So invigorating. Take a look:
And then when I got home I caught an episode of Rachael Ray (by accident, LOL), and David Zinczenko, author of the best-selling Eat This Not That! book series, was on giving his expertise on eating healthy.
His number one tip pertaining to food shopping is: “Remember, nothing is as it appears!”
Here are some common myths about the foods you eat:
MYTH: Fresh foods are better than frozen foods.
Many frozen foods are picked at their peak freshness and flash frozen and may actually have more nutrients than the fresh fruits and veggies you can buy. But it’s important to look at things like sodium and additives. Not all frozen veggies are treated the same.
MYTH: Fat-Free is a better choice.
Often Fat-Free products replace the fat with more sugars or fillers. Always check the label to verify the caloric content.
MYTH: Chicken is always a lean choice.
Depends on your selection. Chickens are 266% fatter than they were in 1971. This has to do with roaming versus chicken eating soy, corn and other animals—things that are not natural for them. Free range is the way to ensure the leanest cuts.
MYTH: Pork is bad for you.
Pork is actually a very lean meat that is underestimated.
MYTH: Sweet potatoes are not a healthy food choice.
Sweet potatoes are actually way more nutritional than other potatoes.
MYTH: The better looking the fruit, the better quality.
Local produce that goes from farm to table is better. Bumps and bruises are not a reflection of quality and taste.
Other things to keep in mind:
100% natural is good for you. This label means nothing when looking out for your health.
Shop on Wednesday nights. Only 4% of people shop on Wednesday. This will allow you to get in and out.
Never grocery shop when you are hungry.
Use the self checkout stall. There are no impulse-buy products to tempt you.
Shop the store perimeter. (I live by this rule!) Only 25% of your shopping should be done in the inner isles.
Take note of your dish size. The size of your dishes could distort your servings size. This is especially true with cereals. Be careful.
A good rule of thumb for bread is 3 grams of fiber per 100 calories. And this is really cool—bread should have no more than 6 ingredients. Beware!
When buying frozen foods, frosting on the package could mean frozen veggies are bad.
These days we are all about the Super Size—don’t do it. David Zinczenko says we are spending 17% more money to get 55% more calories. Not a good deal. Salt, sugar and fat are always the ingredients of the cheapest foods. Umm, makes sense.
There you go; some useful info. for the next time you hit the grocery market. (Don’t forget your reusable shopping bag!)
In continuation with our "frugal holiday" theme, this crafty gift idea comes from DTBD reader Jen in Los Angeles. Although I don't have the best memory, I never forget a great gift. Last year for the holidays Jen gave me a jar with all the ingredients to make a super delicious batch of hot chocolate. It was half art, half culinary heaven.
It was layers of:
cocoa powder powdered sugar powdered milk marshmallows and chocolate flakes
It looked kinda like those sand art bottles you made in grade school. Although I had seen these types of gifts in stores before, it never crossed my mind to make them at home. All I had to do was shake my gift jar up, add water and put it in a pot. GENIUS! I made the best hot chocolate ever!
In the same vein, here are other great "gifts in a bottle" concoctions. Try adding a handwritten note of why you love the dish so much to make it extra special.
-Homemade chicken noodle soup in a jar - mmm, toasty! -Brownies in a jar - with whatever little extras you want to add - real cute! -Mac and cheese in a jar - oohhhhh!
Remember, use dry ingredients! Let them know on the handwritten label if they need to add eggs, butter, etc.
Please share any cool recipe ideas you might have in the comments section, and accompanying pics would be hella fun! It's starting to look like a frugal holiday season!
I'm all about shortcuts in the kitchen. You'll never see me post extravagant recipes on DTBD because I want to keep everything EASY! But if you want to learn how to make a complete meal from a can of tuna and a jar of spaghetti sauce, I'm your man.
On the topic of food, I did learn a cool trick and was amazed it actually works. It's simple. You ready? The next time you peel your banana, peel them from the end without the stem. If you do this your banana will last longer before it turns brown. Don't ask me why. I have no idea. But now that I have learned to do this and keep half in the peel, I don't get a brown banana the next day with my cereal. Monkeys do it, so there must be something to it. The next time you just want half of your banana, peel from the bottom!
