The Unnecessary Struggles in the Pursuit of the Perfect Boot!

As most of you may know by now, I’m still pretty new to the New England area, and thus, I am in need of a pair of good winter boots. In the south, Ugg boots are about as warm and rugged as one would need. But up here in the harsh Maine winters, something of A LOT more substance is needed, as I’ve discovered.

I decided many months ago, long before I need a pair of boots, that I was going to get the end-all be all of boots, the L.L. Bean ‘Bean Boot’. Seems like everyone has them and they wear them for everything from shoveling the front walk to perusing the mall. Scrolling through the website I found the pair, the women’s 10-inch, shearling-lined bean boot in black/black. I was so excited to find a pair in all black as that is the color I wear every day. In case you are wondering, the following link will show you which ones I’m referring to.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/43281?feat=513860-GN3&page=women-s-bean-boots-by-l-l-bean-reg-10-quot-shearling-lined

So I decided as soon as I can purchase them I will, and being as we’re so close to the flagship store in Freeport, I thought, why not go there first to try them on? Unfortunately, the soonest I could go up there was the day after Christmas (since I spent all my funds on family and friends gifts, and my mother sent me an L.L. Bean gift card.) and you can guess what I encountered when I arrived. Yup, sold out! Not just in the black/black, but in every boot in my size. Damn my average size foot! I was shocked, and beyond irritated that this multi-billion dollar company ran out of their signature item! What is going on here? In their defense, the sales rep I was so fortunate to speak to (he was very rude, but that’s another story) said that this was their biggest year yet! Exciting for you, but terrible for me! I decided to try on the men’s boot just to see how they felt, and while they fit in the size, they were very wide in the leg, so that just wouldn’t work.
I decided to take this as a learning experience and make a mental note to check the L. L. Bean website every other day until the boots are in stock. For now, I really need some quality boots if I want to keep my toes this winter. The only thing I could think to do was check Google. I was able to narrow my search down to black/black women’s winter boots and was able to find these:

http://www.sorel.com/womens-winter-fancy-tall-boot-NL2021.html

They’re absolutely perfect, right? They are very similar to the Bean Boot, which is what I wanted in the first place. I tried on the short version at Cabela’s (shhh, don’t tell Bean!) and they are even more comfortable than the bean boot. I know, I know, it’s blasphemy! But ya know I’m really excited to have found what I like, and it’s in stock. Sorel looks like they have tons of great products, and excellent reviews. And who knows, this could be the start of a new boot trend. Maybe not, but I like them!

Kids in the northeast grow up eating fluffernutter sandwiches. Unfortunately their primary ingredient, Fluff, isn’t available throughout the country. It wasn’t until college that I gained an appreciation for the wonderful peanut butter and Fluff sandwich when a dorm mate from New York received Fluff in a care package from her mother. We were lucky that she was so generous and shared.

Peanut butter and marshmallow are meant to be together, so I came up with this treat:</em>

<strong>FLUFFERNUTTER BALLS</strong>

1 1 lb. bag Nutter Butter cookies, crushed
1 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
1 ½ cups Fluff or marshmallow crème
1 pound bag milk chocolate chips (Use Nestle or Ghirardelli, not the store brand. You’ll be glad you did.)

Combine crushed cookies and peanut butter until the peanut butter is fully incorporated and the mixture looks like crumbs.

Fold Fluff or marshmallow crème into the peanut butter and cookie mixture until it holds together. It should have a marbled appearance.

Roll into one inch balls.

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, or in the microwave. (30 seconds at a time until they start to melt, then stir every 15 seconds.)

Dip balls in chocolate, put on waxed paper, and refrigerate until set.

<em>Makes 6 dozen balls.</em>

I have made it several times and everyone loves it…..Warning: it is NOT figure friendly! Note: I do not add a stick of butter when melting the cheese…it doesn’t need it….Enjoy!
BROCCOLI CHEESE CASSEROLE
Printed from COOKS.COM
________________________________________
4 bags (12 oz) broccoli
about 3 sticks butter (or your preference)
1 pound Velveeta cheese
2 stacks of Ritz Crackers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.
Cook broccoli according to directions on the package. Let it drain for 25 minutes in a colander (stir after you cook to get water out).
On stove, melt all the cheese with 1 stick of butter. Pour mixture with broccoli into a big bowl. Mix and stir completely. After you mix the broccoli with the cheese pour in a 9×13 dish.
In Microwave, melt remaining 2 sticks of butter. Mix that butter in a bowl with Ritz Crackers crumbs. (Mash the crumbs before putting them in the bowl.) Spread over top of broccoli in a 9×13 dish.
Cook, uncovered, at 350°F for 20-30 minutes (depends on the oven you have. Some cook faster than others).

Servings: 8
Nutrition (per serving): 618 calories, 47.6g total fat, 115.2mg cholesterol, 1169.9mg sodium, 785mg potassium, 33.8g carbohydrates, less than 1g fiber, 7.1g sugar, 18.6g protein, 27.1g saturated fat, 2.7mg iron, 139.1mcg folate, 788.1mg phosphorus, 6722.5IU Vitamin A, less than 1mcg Vitamin B12, 158.6mg Vitamin C.

10 Ideas for Yankee Swap Gifts

Tis the season for holiday parties which means it’s time to break out our thinking caps. Choosing a gift for a yankee swap can be tough since you have to choose something that will appeal to all types of people. Take a look at the list below for help in choosing the perfect gift!

1. iTunes gift card
2. A bottle of wine
3. A holiday movie on DVD
4. Lottery Tickets
5. Coffee (Starbucks & Dunkin’ Donuts can be bought by the pound)
6. A holiday ornament
7. A gas card
8. Amazon.com gift card
9. A box of chocolates
10. A car scraper & brush (this always comes in handy in New England)

Happy shopping!

Watch the video below to learn how to make your own DIY dry erase board using just 2 materials!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH3AFFCcOfQ&w=420&h=315]

I went to Trader Joe’s here in Portland ME about two weeks ago to do my regular grocery shop. It was a Tuesday night at 6:15, needless to say it was crazy busy. I almost got run into twice with a cart, someone walked into me because they were on their phone not paying attention. I was frustrated and beyond annoyed. I thought I had everything on my list and then I realized I forgot something. I went back to get what I needed, and as I was walking back up to the registers, I noticed an envelope falling out of someone’s pocket. I started to yell to get their attention. They did not hear me, I left my cart in the aisle ran to the person that dropped it. He was very grateful and said you have no idea how much this means to me, his rent money was in it. The envelope had cash in it and it said rent on the front of the envelope. He kept thanking me and we walked off. I finished shopping and was waiting in line at the register, the man in front of me was telling the cash register attendant what just happened. The man turned around and said, it was you; you were the one that picked up the envelope, and he kept shaking his head and said he just could not believe it. Then they both started clapping, and more people started clapping. It was really nice but I was a little embarrassed and I feel my face on fire. I honestly felt like, is this really happening? It was something you see on TV or in a movie. I left Trader Joe’s thinking I made some people believe for just a moment, that there are decent and honest people still out there in the world. There is no greater feeling than that!

1. Remove the string
Place the turkey on a carving board. Remove the string tying the legs together, using the tip of your chef’s knife.
Related: How to Hone a Knife
2. Remove the legs and thighs
Cut through the skin that connects the breast and the drumstick. Slice down until you reach the joint. Using a paper towel, grab the leg and push down, separating the leg and thigh from the bird. Use your chef’s knife to slice through the joint.
3. Remove the drumsticks
Separate the drumstick and the thigh by cutting through the joint that connects them. Transfer the drumstick to a platter; set aside the thigh meat on a cutting board to slice later. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the other leg.
4. Remove the wishbone
Find the wishbone at the front end of the breast. Use your fingers to pull it out.

Tip: Removing the wishbone makes it easier to carve off the breast meat.
5. Remove turkey breasts
Find the breastbone. Position a long, flexible knife (or a boning knife) on one side of it, and slice downward, as close to the bone as possible. As you slice, use your other hand to pull the meat away from the breastbone, until you’ve cut the breast off the carcass in one piece. Transfer to the cutting board.
Related: Cutting Board Know-How
6. Remove the wings
Using the chef’s knife, slicing through the joint to remove a wing, and transfer to the platter. Repeat steps 5 and 6 on the other side.
7. Slice the thigh meat
Work on the cutting board. Holding the thigh bone with tongs or a paper towel, remove the meat from the bone with the edge of the chef’s knife. Transfer meat to platter.
8. Slice the breast meat
Using the tongs to steady the breast, position the meat so you’ll cut it at its shorter length. Slice against the grain, taking care to keep the skin attached. Transfer pieces neatly to a platter.

The most important day of shopping is almost upon us! BLACK FRIDAY! Throughout history there have been many Black Fridays (as in 1945, Hollywood Black Friday was named after a riot broke out at the gates of the Warner Bros. Studios!) but the one we all know, and maybe love, is happening this month on November 29th.

I have participated in one Black Friday and I personally do not understand the hype. Why spend a wonderful holiday with family and friends stuffing your faces, dozing on the couch, and reminiscing about that one time Grandpa caught his pants on fire, just to end it all to head over to your favorite local store or mall to sit outside and freeeeeze for hours? Now I know some people live for Black Friday; they’ve got it down to an art. They have all the right camping gear, a planned out schedule of what stores to hit and when. Statistically, more people do their shopping on Black Friday than any other day of the year. The amount spent on this momentous day has been steadily climbing over the years.

Check it out:
2007 – $34.6 Billion 2010 – $45 Billion
2008 – $41 Billion 2011 – $52.5 Billion
2009 – $41.2 Billion 2012 – %59.1 Billion

That’s a lot of billions! So yes, I get it. It’s a big deal. But what about Cyber Monday? Now that sounds like more my style! I can stay home, in my pajamas, and snuggled up to my laptop and shop til my fingers bleed! There’s not an official date of the first Cyber Monday, but instead it’s been a trend that retailers have noticed an increase in sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving. (According to Wikipedia, “’The term made its debut on November 28, 2005 in a Shop.org press release entitled ‘Cyber Monday Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year’”.) So why the sales are not as high as those of Black Friday, the popularity is increasing nonetheless.

Check it:
2007 – $733 Million 2010 – $1.028 Billion
2008 – $846 Million 2011 – $1.25 Billion
2009 – $887 Million 2012 – $1.46 Billion

By the way, all my numbers came from Wikipedia as well. Anyway, I think this year I’m going to give Cyber Monday a go. And just think, the more popular the day gets, the more sales and discounts retailers will offer us! So enjoy your Black Friday, but save some of that dough for Cyber Monday!

It’s happy holiday season again.

The fun and festivities bring food and, right behind, Fido and Fluffy. That’s right, your pets have no idea why you’re celebrating, but they can smell the delicious bounty, and they’re delighted to invite themselves. Interestingly, cats cannot taste sweets and are rarely tempted by the chocolate treats. Chocolate poisoning is a well-known danger for dogs. The risk depends on several factors, including how much your dog weighs, how much chocolate was consumed, how dark the chocolate was and Fido’s other health issues. In general, the smaller the dog and the darker the chocolate, the greater the risk of chocolate poisoning. If your pooch devoured a candy bar with just a thin coating of milk chocolate, he may have avoided chocolate poisoning, but he’s not out of the woods. Treats can be tricky for pets. Inside that thin layer of milk chocolate is sweet, greasy candy, and lots of it. An overindulgence of sugar and fat can lead to gastrointestinal upset. Symptoms may be mild with decreased appetite, or severe with fulminant pancreatitis and ulcerated, hemorrhagic bowels. These patients can become very sick very quickly and often need supportive hospital care to survive.

Thanksgiving beckons us in a few weeks. The delicious aroma of a roast turkey dinner tempts even the best-behaved pet. Cats and dogs beg, drool, perform and whimper. If all else fails, thievery is a last resort. Whatever it takes, they want some of that scrumptious dinner, too. The problem is that our pets’ digestive systems are not designed to handle greasy, heavy food. As with the candy bar scenario, it is not uncommon for cats and dogs to fall ill after a Thanksgiving indulgence. Common symptoms are those of a mild tummy ache — loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. However, some cases progress to pancreatitis or HGE — hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. The pancreas is involved in normal digestion. During pancreatitis, this organ becomes inflamed. Patients feel ill and are in a lot of pain. Many owners do not recognize this pain, as their pet is not crying out loud like a person would. Instead, the pet becomes lethargic. Some cases of pancreatitis are life-threatening. Other cases lead to diabetes. HGE is a horrible illness that starts with a belly ache but rapidly progresses to ulcerated and bleeding bowels. .Without rapid treatment, infection and dehydration can lead to shock and death.

Although both pancreatitis and HGE can be managed medically, prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Another caution with the holiday turkey is the string used to tie the bird while roasting. By the time the bird is carved, that string is completely saturated with turkey drippings and gravy. Pets won’t hesitate to devour this string. Cats are particularly fond of this tasty temptation. The danger with strings is that both ends can pass through the intestines at different rates. As the faster end progresses through the digestive tract, the slower end creates a tug. This results in a tight string that begins to saw through the soft intestines. Gastrointestinal string foreign bodies are among the most dangerous objects to be caught in your pet’s intestines.

After the turkey is put to rest, sparkle and glimmer dance through December. From a pets’ perspective, holiday trees shine with glittery toys. Cats love to play with tinsel, but don’t let Fluffy eat it. Electric wires for holiday lights are not chew toys for pets. Electrocution and fire hazards are real dangers that affect pets every year. Even button batteries can be fascinating for pets. They may seem like fun amusement for our furry friends, but their small size makes them easy to swallow. Ingested batteries are dangerous and usually need to be removed surgically.

Finally, Many dogs like the taste of beer and mixed drinks, and cats may take some sips, too. Be sure to keep these out of reach of your furry family members. Pets are unable to metabolize alcohol as we do and can quickly succumb to alcohol poisoning.

If you’re looking for the “purrfect” holiday present for your precious pooch and fancy feline, remember that what your pet wants more than anything else is time with you. Plan an extra walk with Fido, and snuggle with Fluffy in front of the fireplace. Your pet will thank you, and you will feel better, too.
—
Provided by: Dr. Heidi Bassler practices at Bassler Veterinary Hospital (www.basslervet.com)

Knives aren’t the only thing you can use to carve a pumpkin! Watch the video below to learn how to carve a pumpkin using a power drill!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQQLE91KaZo&w=420&h=315]