Best holiday beer : Great Lakes Christmas Ale

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12 year old McDonald's Hamburger

"The McDonald's hamburger on the right is from 2008; the one on the left is from 1996. And they both look fairly edible.
Wellness educator and nutrition consultant Karen Hanrahan has kept a McDonald's hamburger since 1996 to illustrate its nonexistent ability to decay. Aside from drying out and bit and having "the oddest smell," it apparently hasn't changed much in the past 12 years. "

15 Horrifying Reasons to Never Let Anyone You Love Near a McDonald's

One of AlterNet's most popular articles of the year: Erectile dysfunction, the truth behind the "special sauce," and a burger from 1996. Keep reading if you dare.

August 15, 2009  |  

 The Golden Arches: the ultimate American icon. Super Size Me taught us that fast food culture brings obesity, heart disease, hypertension and a whole slew of other problems. How bad do you really want that Big Mac? Here are 15 reasons you’ll never let anyone you love get near those Golden Arches.

1. Real food is perishable. With time, it begins to decay. It’s a natural process, it just happens. Beef will rot, bread will mold. But what about a McDonald’s burger? Karen Hanrahan saved a McDonald’s burger from 1996 and, oddly enough, it looks just as “appetizing” and “fresh” as a burger you might buy today. Is this real food?

2. You would have to walk 7 hours straight to burn off a Super Sized Coke, fries and Big Mac. Even indulging in fast food as an occasional treat is a recipe for weight gain…unless you’re planning to hit each treadmill in the treadmill bay afterwards.

3. Containing less fat, salt and sugar, your pet’s food may be healthier than what they serve at McDonald’s.

4. In 2007, the employees of an Orlando-area McDonald’s were caught on camera pouring milk into the milkshake machine out of a bucket labeled “Soiled Towels Only.” That particular restaurant had already been cited for 12 different sanitary violations. Though McDonald’s proudly stands by its safety standards, and not every restaurant has such notorious incidents, the setting of a fast food restaurant staffed with low-paid employees at a high turnover rate arguably encourages bending the rules. (McDonald’s isn’t alone in this, of course – Burger King is actually ranked as the dirtiest of all the fast food chains.)

5. McDonald’s supports the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Much of the soy-based animal feed used to fatten fast-food chickens is grown in the Amazon. Are those chicken nuggets really worth acres of irreplaceable trees? (Especially considering how important carbon sinks like the rainforest are to halt global warming!) Fast food supports a completely unsustainable system of agriculture. It’s cruel to animals, unhealthy for humans, and bad for the planet.

6.  Even Prince Charles, while touring a diabetes center in the United Arab Emirates, commented that banning McDonald’s is key to health and nutrition. Don’t let the salads and chicken breasts fool you. The “chicken” at McDonald’s, by the way, comes with a whole lot more than chicken.

7. As if feeding children high-fat, high-sodium, low-nutrition “food” weren’t bad enough, some Happy Meals in 2006 contained toy Hummers. It’s as if McDonald’s was encouraging a whole generation of kids not only to guzzle food, but to guzzle gas as well. Would you like a few barrels of petroleum with that?

8. The processed fat in McDonald’s food (and other fast food) promotes endothelial dysfunction for up to 5 hours after eating the meal. Endothelial tissue is what lines the inside of blood vessels.

9. For those who enjoy sex, take note: erectile dysfunction is connected to endothelial dysfunction. Morgan Spurlock of Super Size Me commented that his normally healthy sexual function deteriorated in just one month when he ate only food from McDonald’s. Even his girlfriend commented on camera that “he’s having a hard time, you know, getting it up.”

10. How many cows does it take to keep the world loaded with Big Macs? I had to do a some research and a little math, but according to a brief video inside one of McDonald’s 6 meat processing plants, about 500,000 pounds of beef is processed per day, per plant. If an average beef cow weighs 1,150 pounds, that means 2609 cows a day are turned into burgers. That’s 952,285 cows per year. And that’s just in the United States. Eating a hamburger may not be worse than driving a Hummer, but it’s bad. One hamburger patty does not necessarily come from one cow. Think about that. You’re eating bits of hundreds of cows.

11. Maybe you just pop in for an inexpensive latte. Watch out for the caramel syrup (Sugar, water, fructose, natural (plant source) and artificial flavor, salt, caramel color (with sulfites), potassium sorbate (preservative), citric acid, malic acid) or the chocolate drizzle (Corn syrup, water, hydrogenated coconut oil, high fructose corn syrup, glycerin, nonfat milk, cocoa, cocoa (processed with alkali), food starch-modified, disodium phosphate, potassium sorbate (preservative), xanthan gum, artificial flavor (vanillin), salt, soy lecithin). Please don’t put that stuff into your body. Eat healthy cheap food instead – you can be well and still save cash.

12. Are you a vegetarian with a French fry craving? You better skip McDonald’s because their fries actually contain milk (and wheat) and though they’re fried in vegetable oil, the oil is flavored with beef extract. (McDonald’s famously misled customers for years.)

13. Do you want high blood pressure? Hit the drive-through. Eating a McDonald’s chicken sandwich (any of “˜em, take your pick) will give you about 2/3 of the recommended daily amount of sodium. And if you actually do have high blood pressure, that’s way more than you really need.

14. Finally unveiled: the secret of the Big Mac’s “secret sauce.”

Soybean oil, pickle relish [diced pickles, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, vinegar, corn syrup, salt, calcium chloride, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate (preservative), spice extractives, polysorbate 80], distilled vinegar, water, egg yolks, high fructose corn syrup, onion powder, mustard seed, salt, spices, propylene glycol alginate, sodium benzoate (preservative), mustard bran, sugar, garlic powder, vegetable protein (hydrolyzed corn, soy and wheat), caramel color, extractives of paprika, soy lecithin, turmeric (color), calcium disodium EDTA (protect flavor).

Yum. Cheap oil and cheap syrup. Many people depend upon cheap food such as the sort offered at McDonald’s, whether due to the economic conditions we currently face or low incomes. So shouldn’t we be examining regulations that subsidize corn syrup but consider fruits and vegetables – the building blocks of a healthy body and green planet – to be “speciality” crops? Shouldn’t we be promoting  urban gardening, community gardens and spreading information about low-cost farmers’ markets and CSAs? And focusing on the abundant choices of cheap food that are tasty and green?

15. Still not convinced? Maybe this 1970s trip through McDonaldland will give you enough nightmares to keep your loved ones away forever.

15 reasons from www.alternet.org

12 year old hamburger from seriouseats.com

McDonald's Anyone?

Fall themed pumpkin brews

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Amazon SlideShow

Please take note of the slideshow of Amazon products to the right of the blog. I am realizing that I have so many awesome gadgets, products and goodies to share that it would be easier to supply the slideshow! If you see a product you like, click on the image and it links you directly to it on Amazon's website.

Enjoy!

I'm back and it's Fall :)

Hi Everyone,
Well - I'm back to normal working hours and so excited to blog again! As fall begins here, my absolute favorite time of the year, I thought it be only fitting to share some of my favorite fall recipes and home decor. Tomorrow after work I am heading out to a local farm to pick up my order of grass fed, pasture raised beef. I cannot wait to see the farm and support organic farming. I'm receiving about 40 lbs of beef, hoping this will last me quite some time! This weekend I've already decided that I am making beef brisket, homemade Italian bread, and Brussels sprout casserole (sounds gross but is SO YUMMY!) I have included all of the recipes below. And of course, will most likely be sipping on a Pumpkin Spice Latte. What are your favorite fall activities?

Basic Italian Bread on the Food Network

My family omits the sesame seeds and the brown sugar. Everything else is the same. It's so dense and delicious...perfect for a fall day.


Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Hazelnut Butter

Brisket Recipe

Brisket Rub - this is for a 3 lb brisket:
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup chili powder
2 T Cumin
2 T Oregano
2 T Salt
1 T Black Pepper
1 T Onion Powder
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground coriander seeds

Just put all of these seasonings on the brisket. Top and bottom. If you're brisket isn't 3lbs-you'll want to reduce the amounts.

12 hours at 225 degrees.

Brisket Photo courtesy of www.meninapros.net

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough CupCake

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
•  
• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3 eggs

Directions

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside. Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls; place onto a baking sheet, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. Beat 3 eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer to break up. Add the cake mix, water, and canola oil; continue beating for 2 minutes on medium speed. Spoon into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion of the cupcake (not the cookie dough ball) comes clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Photos and recipe from allrecipes.com

Busy Season Photo Dump

As many of you might have guessed, when I go missing from my blog for a long period of time, it's a good guess that I'm in busy season at work. I'm an auditor, thus we work late and all the time. We file next week, but I thought I would update you on some of the things I've been doing since my last post via the pics I've taken from my iPhone. Enjoy!

I baked the Nutella/Zucchini Muffins...and they are DELISH! I highly suggest it. Especially when they are in cute cupcake liners in the shapes of flowers.

My love for softserve has been exposed. Here is my recent visit to "yum!" frozen yogurt shop. They offer like 10 flavors and you pay by weight. Hello 1/2 pound.

This is one of my favorite lunches to pack. It's called the "Liz Special" named after a wonderful organic chica I used to work with. Saute organic meat (this is turkey) with veggies and a can of fire roasted tomatoes with hot pepper flakes. So good and no carbs!

Another awesome snack: smoke salmon on a cracker with capers and black pepper flakes.

The new Batman movie is being filmed in Pittsburgh. Here are some pics I took the other day. Check out the fake snow in August! It's actually paper. I thought it would have been the powder snow from the ski slopes, but nope...it's paper!

And here's proof I'm in busy season. barf.

Nostalgic Songs

There are just some songs that when played unexpectedly, hit you like a ton of bricks....a good ton of bricks. Bricks full of memories. It doesn't always have to be happy memories, just memories of a time when things were different. I feel like music does that to us. It takes us back in time easier than any form of memory. Some songs that give me the tingles every time I hear them and why:

Wake up Little Susie - Simon & Garfunkel.

Every single day when my mom would wake me up for school when I was a kid, she would sing this song to me and substitute my name in for Susie's. When I was really little I didn't even know it was a real song! I thought she made it up. Then I heard it on the radio and was confused when Susie was being sang to!! I miss seeing my family every day and anytime I hear this song it takes me back to being taken care of by my mom!




K-Ci & JoJo - All My Life

This song reminds me of dances that I went to in middle school. This song was played at every single dance. I never missed a dance and looked forward to them almost every week! So many memories of getting ready with my friends (unfortunately involving lots of glitter, butterfly hair pins, crazy colored eye shadow...etc). Anytime I hear this song I immediately remember being in the Fire Hall at the dance hoping to get asked to dance.




Dean Martin - That's Amore

This is the song that I relate to my dad. Growing up he taught me every word of this song and we would sing it over and over again. (He is a fresh off the boat Italian). I have specific memories of him asking me to sing it to my family at holiday gatherings. Even better, he would call into the Italian Radio show Sunday mornings and dedicate this song to me.




Somewhere Over the Rainbow - IZ

So the reason I love this song so much is because "The Wizard of Oz" is my absolute favorite movie. As a kid it was the movie that I would watch multiple times a day. IZ performs this song just as beautifully as Dorothy. Sometimes when I am stressed at work I sing this song to myself and it calms me down. I want to go to Hawaii because of this version. Side note - IZ passed away and this is the video dedication to him. He has tons of beautiful songs.

George Mason Memories

So I started out this post being songs that make me feel nostalgic and why. However, when I was trying to find a video of George Mason University's Green Machine (band) playing "Livin' on a Prayer" I came across all of these other videos. GMU was one of the best choices and experiences I have ever made...especially being there for the Road to the Final Four in 2006. Front row on the floor seats in Indy at the Final Four, front row student section seats for the entire regular season and for the best game in history. If you were there you know, the UCONN v. GMU game will forever hold the number 1 spot as the best basketball game I will ever go to. Beating them at the buzzer in OT to go to the Final Four. ahhh I get tingles every time I hear the song "Livin' on a Prayer", we sang that song all year long. If you didn't go there, you probably won't relate, but if you went to any college you know the nostalgia you have for the memories. Enjoy!

Zucchini and Nutella Swirl Muffins

Recipe Description

A light, moist and earthy muffin with a decadent chocolatey top! A great way to use up a garden full of zucchini.

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine the flour salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Whisk well and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl and add the egg; beat in.
Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until just combined. Stir in the zucchini and lemon zest.
Use a ¼ cup scoop to evenly distribute the batter between the muffin liners. They should be 2/3 full.
Dollop 1 teaspoon of Nutella on top of each scoop of batter and swirl with a toothpick.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Check the centers with a toothpick. The toothpick should come out clean before removing the muffins from the oven.

Ingredients

• 1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1 stick Unsalted Butter, Softened
• ¾ cups Sugar
• 1 whole Extra Large Egg
• 1 cup Shredded Zucchini
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Zest
• ½ cups Nutella

Photo, recipe and information from Tasty Kitchen

Better off Ted

Thanks to Netflix we've come across shows that we had never watched or even heard of! My new favorite find is "Better off Ted". It was an ABC show starring Portia De Rossi. The premise of the show is a group of employees that work for "Veridian Dynamics" - a research and development firm that comes up with impractical inventions. "The series has received critical acclaim, with particular praise going towards its witty and satirical humour." It only last 2 seasons, but seriously hilarious. Check it out!

Photo courtesy of tvshowsondvd.com



"This is why I'm Broke"

If you're like me and absolutely get lost in the SkyMall magazine on flights, you'll love This is why I'm broke! It's full of things that I think I need...want...no, need. Perfect for gifts, too.

Some of my faves:

Gameboy iPhone Case:

Arcade light switch:

Camera Lens Coffee Cup:

Custom Made Bobble Heads:

Titanic Ice Cube Mold:

Nose Shower Gel Dispenser (my nephew would love this):

Old Leather Laptop Bookcase:

Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks (my brother owns these):

World's Largest Gummy Bear:

Portable Camping Shower Bag:

Corn Dog Maker:

Designer clock:

Whiskey Ice Cube Stones: