PES - Wacky Food Film

I love this...
Stop-motion "Western Spaghetti."
Hot pan with a little foil oil,
some Rubik's cube garlic, tossed with
a handful of pickup sticks (see the boiling bubble wrap?)
can make for a lovely dish.
To see the whole film (and many others)
Head to Home of the Twisted Films of PES.
Pretty amazing stuff.

Warning: The film "Roof Sex" is NSFW.
Yes, it is.
No, it isn't.
Geesh, you can decide that one for yourself.
and...
Don't miss "Game Over" which contains many of your favorite video games form the 80's.

It's Beginning To Look a Lot like Excess!

Ah...Christmas.
Even if you spend it with people you love,
It can get a bit...hectic.
Can't it?
You think you have it all under control.
Then you find out the dog just ate the Eucerine hand lotion.
Oh, bother.
That ain't gonna be pretty.

Luckily, Anne Taintor has us covered.
From post-it notes, magnets and aprons...and much more,
Anne is a mind reader.
At least..she reads MY mind.

Yep...there's even flasks!
I love Anne Taintor.
Now, where'd I put my Bombay Sapphire?

Crosby Mint Farm Update: Still In Business!

Woo Hoo!
The Crosby family has been on the brink of literally "losing the farm."
But, there's good news!

If you want to read up on their plight, info and a video can be viewed at my post here.

Here's the update from getmint.com/:

Seasoned Greetings from the Historic Crosby Mint Farm

As some of you may know, we had another day in court this month, but emerged victorious, as the judge denied the bank’s motion to seize the assets of the HCFM.

We are truly in the holiday spirit!
We are thankful for all of the exposure our story has received from sea to shining sea. And with this week’s order, we have confirmed that our essential mint oil has reached all 50 states in the union.

Keep the orders coming!
Keep spreading the word.
We have added live customer service call times to aid you in your ordering.

Before the end of 2008, we will be unveiling our new logos. In the beginning of 2009, we will be unveiling additions and returning items to our product line. As difficult as 2008 has been for many or most of us, we look forward to the holidays and the joy and prosperity the New Year will bring to you and yours.

‘Tis the season to Expect Miracles!

So, if you would like to purchase some spearmint or peppermint oil and help save the Crosby Mint Farm, head to getmint.com/ today.

Gee, Your Roads Smell Terrific!

If you are like me, and God help you if you are...you love walking into your local Penzeys Spice Store.

(Yes, they have no apostrophe, and no bananas.)

If your area lacks a local Penzeys or equally amazing Spice House, you can order online. And...trust me - when that order is delivered to your door you will practically eat the box. It smells THAT good!

So, this has me thinking.
How many pounds do you think the residents of Ankeny, Iowa will gain this Winter?

Why am I pondering the waistlines of the Midwest?
Well, it seems the town was a little short on salt. And, figuring a bit of NaCl by any other name would still...melt ice, they took donations. Local spice producer, Tone's Spices, was there to lend a helping...bulb.

18,000 lbs of garlic salt, of the expired variety, was donated and is now being used as road salt. What it does to the towns roads, we don't know. But, I can suspect what it does to the town's tummies. I predict a dramatic increase in the consumption of steak and garlic mashed potatos.

And, if there's an Italian eatery nearby, I would buy stock in that place.
Just sayin'.

Click HERE for the full article in the Chicago Tribune.

My Spearmint Oil Is Here!

I received my spearmint oil today!
Woo hoo!

(Yeah, they were a bit backlogged.
But, considering they were about to lose the farm,
I was more than willing to be patient.)

You can see the video and read more about the oldest mint farm in the U.S. in my previous post. I wish the Crosby Mint Farm all the best.

If you wish to buy some of the Crosby spearmint or peppermint oil, head to getmint.com.

They say all of their past orders will be shipped out by this Fri, Dec. 19th. So, hopefully anything you order now will arrive faster than mine did.

Next week I'll be using my new spearmint oil to make chocolate mint cookies.
I'll let ya know how they are.
I can tell ya...the package smells GREAT!

What Color is your KitchenAid?

Seems one of our fine friends in Café-D-land has a new KitchenAid Pro 600 series mixer for only $69 from Amazon! Yea! They left comment first thing this morning. (I can't congratulate them by name since they left it anonymously.)

And, Ree at ThePioneerWoman has given away ANOTHER KitchenAid.
(And...another LeCreuset dutch oven. Gotta love that Ree!)

So, I've been thinking...
If I won one, which color would I choose?
This would be a difficult decision as my kitchen has every color in it.
I would likely have to "Flame out" my KA.

This is my what my pal Jules (Loyal reader #3) did with hers.
Nifty, huh?
I love what Alton Brown did with his.

And, if I don't want to pay someone to do custom work
- the way Jules and Alton did -
I could always buy some flames from FlameKA.com.
They have flames in many colors and designs.
(Shout out.)
So, how about you?
Have you flamed out your KA?
If you left it nekkid, what color did you choose?

Decisions, decisions.
One of these days I really MUST decide.

Cookie of the Year: 1941, 1942...with recipes

Gourmet magazine was born in January 1941.
And, they're now offering a culinary retrospective of sorts.

You can view the "Cookie of the Year" from 1941 - through 2008.
And, the recipes are available, too.

(Hey, you can surprise Grandma with a blast from the past!)

Head to Gourmet.com to see the tasty treats of kitchens gone by.
Here's a look at the cookies of the 40s.

Heifer International Gifts$20 Flock of Chicks - Priceless

Teacher: If you had super-powers, how would you use them?
Marcia: I'd bring peace to the world.
Cindy: I'd feed all the hungry children.
Bobby: I'd make my big brother eat worms.

Today is black Monday.
It's the day of the year most of us sit at our work computers and shop.
We shop for presents.
We shop for decorations.
We make Wish Lists on Amazon.

Many times we get overwhelmed.
We know...we really don't need anything.

And, honestly, if we could make a difference.
Just a small difference...
We'd gladly give up a gift under the tree.
Wouldn't we?

But, can we trust an organization with our money?
Can we trust Heifer International?

"For sixty years Heifer International has brought dignity and self-reliance to families in need all over the world with its brilliantly simple solution — livestock and training for food and income."
— Barbara Bush, former First Lady

"If there is one thing I could give to the struggling people of the world it would be self-reliance.Everyone deserves the dignity of providing for themselves and their families. That's why I support Heifer International."
— Walter Cronkite, journalist and Heifer supporter

Sure, but in "these economic times" we can't afford much.

A flock of chicks, or ducks, or geese is $20.
A beehive of honeybees is $30.
Take a quick look at the animals below...
And, I'll meet you at the bottom and we'll talk about chicks.

Seriously...
A flock of chicks can really help?

Chicks: A Good Choice
A flock of chicks can help families from Cameroon to the Caribbean add nourishing, life-sustaining eggs to their inadequate diets.

The protein in just one egg is a nutritious gift for a hungry child. Protein-packed eggs from even a single chicken can make a life-saving difference.

Heifer helps many hungry families with a starter flock of 10 to 50 chicks. A good hen can lay up to 200 eggs a year - plenty to eat, share or sell.

Because chickens require little space and can thrive on readily available food scraps, families can make money from the birds without spending much. And chickens help control insects and fertilize gardens.

"Give a man a fish he eats for a day,
Teach a man to fish he eats for a lifetime."

But...can we affect a whole community?

“Passing on the gift” is fundamental to Heifer’s entire approach. For example, if a recipient is given a cow, that family then has the opportunity to enjoy fresh milk and cheese. More importantly, they can then give a calf to their neighbor. And, the gift can then continue through the community.

If you want to know more, head to Heifer International
If you have questions, they have answers.

Please take a gander (pun intended) at the animals above.
Perhaps you, or your company, would like to give a Heifer International gift to someone this year.

Honestly...
Isn't there someone on your Christmas list...
Who would appreciate a little "Christmas Goose?"
*wink*