Hangover Cures the College Way

The fall semester is starting and that means college parties are back on! Now before you hit the beer bong and get trashed off your ass, let me indulge you in a critical warning (aren't I always looking out for you?). You must prepare for (brace yourself) . . . THE HANGOVER! That's right, I don't just give you great ideas for getting and being bombed.

Thinking Ahead

The best remedies begin with preparing your body for the binge (come on, everyone cool does it ;P). Eat a good, light meal before you drink (no pizza or other crap you can see yourself puking up later). On the contrary, if you don't eat before your drink, your body is more susceptible to the alcohol and can actually get you drunk faster. But that's not recommended if you want to avoid the hangover.

Drink lots of nonalcholic liquid before and during binging. You need to keep your body hydrated. Alcohol actually steals water from your body and you need to replace it (usually all of those piss breaks amount to more than your body is intaking).

Let's Get the Party Started

Soyouwanna.com has some useful tips for helping prevent the hangover while your drinking: have only when alcoholic drink per hour (yeah, that's going to happen), alternate each drink with nonalcoholic drinks (yeah . . . right), and don't drink cheap booze (oh, come on, we're college students). Click here for more information.
Most importantly, "Beer before liquor, never sicker. Liquor before beer, you're in the clear".

The Morning After

If that doesn't work, (don't worry I don't actually expect you to do all of those buzz killers), here are some cures: drink lots of water, no more alcohol, stay in bed, take aspirin, try to eat a small, light meal, and do not drink coffee.

Myths?

As an alternative to the hangover cure there are some questionable recommendations. I don't now if they work but I have heard you can drink tomato juice with some lime, or even have the same drink you had the night before to balance your system (but I don't believe that). There are, supposedly, medicinal pills specifically for hangovers too.

Bottom of the Bottle

You can either get trashed off your ass and suffer a wicked hangover, or take it slow and have not so much fun.

Happy Drinking!

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Cheap and Easy Chicken Stir-Fry

This recipe is fast, healthy, and cheap.

Honey Chicken Stir-Fry
Visite Tasteofhome.com for more great recipes.

SERVINGS: 4
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD:
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
Hot cooked rice

Directions: In a large nonstick skillet, stir-fry chicken and garlic in 2 teaspoons oil. Add the honey, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is lightly browned and juices run clear. Remove and keep warm. In the same pan, stir-fry the vegetables in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to the pan; stir to coat. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Serve with rice. Yield: 4 servings.

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Easy Pistachio Pudding Dessert Recipe

PISTACHIO PUDDING DELIGHT

1 3/4 c. plain flour
1 3/4 stick melted butter
1 c. chopped nuts
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 c. frozen whipped dessert topping
1 (3 oz.) pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (3 oz.) pkg. pistachio instant pudding mix or 2 (3 oz.) pkg. butterscotch instant pudding mix3 c. milk

Combine and mix well the flour, butter and chopped nuts. Pat into bottom of 9 x 12 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and dessert topping. Spread on cooled crust.
Mix pistachio pudding with 1 1/2 cups milk. Mix vanilla pudding with 1 1/2 cups milk. (Or mix both packages butterscotch pudding with 3 cups milk.) When puddings have set, mix together gently and spread on top of cheese layer. Chill. Garnish with additional whipped topping, if desired. Cut into squares to serve.

My Comments

I made this dessert for Father's Day and it was delicious. I changed it a bit though. I made the crust from the Graham Cracker box, I doubled the crust, I added more Cool Whip to the cream cheese and I used two boxes of pistachio pudding because I was using a slightly bigger pan.

Make sure the cream cheese is left out before you use it. It needs to be really soft. Mine had cream cheese chunks in it. Also, the Graham Cracker crumb box doesn't say to bake the crust but it is a good idea because my cream cheese mixture was lifting up the crust and not spreading smoothly. And FYI, pistachio pudding is a BITCH to find so don't leave it until the last minute like I did. Now that I have tried it, the next time it will be so easy to make.

Source: Cooks.com

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Amazing Cakes

The Foodnetwork has some really cool cooking challenges. They are a lot of fun to watch if you're really bored and there's nothing else on TV. I think the things these chefs make are incredible. The focus is more on appearance and creativity than taste. In fact, most of the challenges I watch don't even involve eating anything.

Anyways, here are some photos of amazing cakes (I like the ones that look like other things). You can see more at thepinkcakebox.com.

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iCoke Prizes Are Weak

I am loyal to Coca-Cola and decided to start entering the pins from the caps to earn points. The points are adding up quickly but there isn't anything I really want to spend them on. I keep checking the list of things I can buy but there is rarely anything new. Most of the prizes now are Olympic things and I'm not into that. So I guess it depends on your interests. Hopefully they will add new things soon.

If you haven't joined yet you can for free by clicking here.

Stuff to Chat About:

Do you collect iCoke points?

What do you think of the prizes?

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The Evolution of Pizza

It's a known fact, all college students love pizza. I dare you to prove otherwise. The soft dough . . . melty mozza cheese . . . smooth tomato sauce . . . and classic pepperoni. Does it get better than that? This post goes to all of you pizza lovers, a chronological evolution of how pizza came to be so great. And there's a kickass pizza recipe at the end.

The History of Pizza

Circa 1000 A.D.: Pizza gets its start when peasants begin baking leftover, covered dough.

Early 1500s: Spanish conquistadors bring tomatoes to Europe from the New World.

Late 1500s: The first known recipes for the production of mozzarella cheese begin popping up in cookbooks.

Late 1600s: Although tomatoes are feared to be poisonous, peasants in Naples are the first to add them to their pizza.

1830: Port'Alba the world's first pizzeria, opens in Naples. The proprietor bakes pizzas in an oven lined with lava harvested from Mount Vesuvius.

1889: Naples chef Raffaele Esposito prepares a red, white, and green pizza of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to honor a visit by Queen Margherita Teresa Giovanna. He names the pie the margherita.

1905: Gennaro Lombardi opens the first American pizzeria: Lombardi's pizzeria, which was located at 53 ½ Spring St. in New York City. (The restaurant would later move to 32 Spring St.).

1943: Ric Riccardo Sr. and Ike Sewell invent a deep-dish pizza and begin serving it at their new Chicago restaurant, Pizzeria Uno — creating a flagship for the future chain.

1945: Buying a slice becomes increasingly popular as WWII veterans return from Italy and spread the pizza gospel.

1957: The first frozen pizza — Celentano's — appears in supermarkets.

1958: The first Pizza Hut opens in Wichita, Kansas. The first Domino's opens just two years later in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Mid-1970s: Chicago pizzerias add a top layer to their deep-dish pie, creating the miracle of stuffed pizza.

Early 1980s: Pizza goes gourmet, with upscale toppings such as duck and Gorgonzola.

1995: Kraft introduces DiGiorno pizza, the first "self-rising" frozen pie



Pizza Rolls Recipe

These cheesy little swirls certainly make their rounds at cocktail parties. Stuffed with salami, sausage, provolone and mozzarella, these pretty pizza pinwheels never last long with guests around.

Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1/4 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, sliced
1/4 pound provolone cheese, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
Roll pizza crust dough into an approximately 10x14-inch rectangle on the baking sheet. Layer with Genoa salami, pepperoni and provolone cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese to within 1/2 inch from edges of the dough. Roll jelly roll style. Seal the edge with a fork.
Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice into 1 inch pieces to serve.

Nutrition Facts
Servings per Recipe: 5
Amount Per Serving
calories: 457cal
total fat: 27.3g
cholesterol: 63mg
sodium: 1502mg
carbohydrates: 28.2g
fiber: 0.7g
protein: 22.9g

Preparation Time:
10 min.

Cooking Time:
25 min.Ready In: 35 min.Servings: 5

Topics for Discussion:
What do you think is the best pizza topper?
What is the best pizza joint?
How often do you eat pizza?

Sources: Mensfitness.com and Recipes.kaboose.com

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Bottled Water

There is a lot of contraversy going on about bottled water. Some people say "What's wrong with tap water?" and others say "Oh, Dasani is so gross, I prefer Aquafina".

I drink bottle water because I'm afraid of tap water, even though I use it for cooking. I think all of the hype about tap water being filled with harsh chemicals, germs, and diseases has freaked me out. If I run out of bottled water I will fill the bottles up with water from the fridge, but it has needed a new filter for like a year now. And for some reason I am okay drinking that water instead (but only if there is one of those flavour packets in it). As for brands, I dont care what it is as long as its on sale. Accept now people are saying the plastic bottles are bad for the enviroment. Click the picture above to learn more about bottled water.

What do you think about bottled water?

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Grocery Prices: Organic Foods

Organic price tags may be hard to swallow

CARLY WEEKS
Globe and Mail Update
March 18, 2009 at 8:30 AM EDT

The organic, free-range, hormone-free chicken is a staple of the yuppie cookbook. But the price is becoming increasingly hard to swallow as the reality of tough economic times sets in.
People have been buying and selling organic food for decades. But until recently, most of that activity was done on a local scale for a limited number of customers. In the past decade, organic food has exploded in popularity, evolving into an industry that resembles the traditional grocery model, complete with frozen-food aisles, weekly flyers and rows of cashiers.

The current crisis marks the first time organic retailers will have to face a sharp economic downturn since the industry's boom began. "Organic food has a huge problem," said Marcia Mogelonsky, senior research analyst with Mintel International Group Ltd., a global consumer-research firm. "It's always been premium-priced."

While many Canadians were willing to shell out for organic nachos and macaroni and cheese when times were good, suddenly the cheaper grocery-store brands aren't looking so bad. "It's going to affect us, most definitely," said Linda Wonsel, owner of Natural Earth Organics in Windsor, Ont.

Certain organic items are expected to weather the storm better than others. For instance, consumers will likely remain loyal to products whose non-organic counterparts are widely associated with, or suspected to be tied to, potential health problems. That includes hormone-free organic milk and organic baby food, particularly in light of fears over melamine contamination of goods coming from China.

Households with small children that ate organic before the recession will likely continue to do so, according to Ms. Mogelonsky. "You don't want to feed your kid milk you don't think is safe," she said. "You will buy organic milk even though it's $5 a gallon."

And although consumption of organic meat is expected to drop due to its relatively high price, shoppers who ate organic meat before the economic downturn likely won't switch to traditional meat.

That said, they'll likely eat less of it, according to experts.
Dedicated organic customers will, for the most part, also stick to other staples, including free-range eggs, and organic fruits and vegetables.

But as more consumers look to cut costs, it's also likely that pricey non-necessities will be the first organics to go. The growth of the organic industry has sparked the introduction of all kinds of packaged foods - processed cookies, potato chips, ready-to-eat meals and frozen food. Cost-conscious consumers may no longer be willing to pay a premium for organic snack foods, according to Laura Telford, executive director of Canadian Organic Growers, a national industry association.

"The prepared stuff is going to go first," Ms. Telford said. "[Organic retailers are] not going to go into bankruptcy or anything ... but it is going to be a lean year, more than likely."

Read More . . .

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Grocery Saving Tips

Don't let rising grocery prices get you down. There are several ways you can reduce your food bills; it just takes a little more effort.

Tips
1. Clip Coupons
2. Look for Sales
3. Compare Prices and Sales
4. Buy Cheaper Brands (i.e. President's Choice, No Name)
5. Cook Your Meals rather than Buying Frozen Premade Meals
6. Don't Eat Out
7. Make Your Own Coffee
8. Bring Lunches to Work/School
9. Don't Waste Food (save leftovers)
10. Write a Complete Grocery List and Stick to It (do not impulse buy)

These steps will require you to sacrifice conveinence and time for savings. But it may be worth it since our economy is currently facing a recession.

Resources
Visit these (Canadian) websites for more useful saving tips:

1. Free Grocery Saving Tips - saving tips, coupon tips, flyers from hundreds of stores, frugal recipes
2. Grocery Savings - create a grocery list and compare flyer prices
3. Simple Debt Free Living - not a Canadian site yet still very helpful
4. Frugal Shopper - finds coupons in your area

Health Check
Do not sacrifice your health for savings. Often junk food and frozen dinners can be cheaper than fresh foods. Your a college student, it's okay to eat a frozen dinner every now and then. Just keep in mind that you need to get your proper servings and nutrition for the day. Keeping a healthy diet will help you to ward of winter viruses and keep you focused on school work.

Discussion: Are clipping coupons really worth it?

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Grocery Prices are Going to Increase

I found an interesting article from cbc.com that says grocery prices, in Canada, are going to go way up in the near future. Higher grocery costs will surely be a problem for college students living away from home. While we probably will not cut back on the amount of food we are buying, we may find ourselves cutting back on munchies.

"Brace yourself, Canada, for higher grocery bills

Thursday, June 12, 2008, CBC News, Tom McFeat

Any outsider looking at Canada's most recent consumer price index would be forgiven for concluding that we have somehow managed to dodge the food inflation bullet currently ricocheting around the world.

People in most countries are struggling with unprecedented price hikes in the most widely used foods. But a recent look at the cost of living in this country finds that the typical Canadian food basket in April 2008 was just 1.2 per cent more expensive than it was a year earlier.

A little more than one per cent in a whole year! Well done, Canada, we're apparently immune from the laws of supply and demand that dictate food prices everywhere else.
Well, it's time to put away the streamers, the experts say. The warning bells are already sounding. Analysts, farmers and grocery chains all agree that those checkout bills are about to get noticeably bigger.

A look inside the monthly price data from Statistics Canada quickly reveals some of the reasons why. Beneath the broad-stroke appearance of benign food prices lie some important anomalies."

READ MORE

Now it is more important than ever to compare prices, use coupons and generally be a smart shopper. My next posting will offer some tips and resources about saving money at the grocery store.

Discussion: What are your thoughts about the article? Was it interesting or informative?

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Free Recipe Websites

Here are a few of my favourite free websites for great recipes:

• Joy of Baking


• Allrecipes.com


• Better Homes and Gardens Recipes


• Taste of Home


• KraftCanada.com

Discussion: There are a lot more out there, just Goggle 'free recipes'. Which cooking sites are your favourite?

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The Ultimate Student Cookbook

Recently I bought a cookbook that is geared towards college students. It is written by Silvana Franco whom I believe is from the UK. It is full of recipes that are cheap, healthy and contain ingredients that you would normally keep in your kitchen. Each recipe makes enough servings for one or two people. The recipes are very, very easy to follow and there are very useful tips throughout the book. Once I am able to try some of the recipes out i'll let you know how they were and i'll post my favourites. If you're a student or just have limited cooking equipment I would recommend this book to you. It's also great if you just need some fast meals.

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