tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1 2008-09-20T01:53:07Z Tips and Tricks for Everything Under the Sun Movable Type 3.32 tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.135 2008-09-20T01:45:36Z 2008-09-20T01:53:07Z

If you travel, chances are you know how simple it is to spend more money than you had planned. Credit cards, checks and money orders are just too easy – as are the temptations in new stores and restaurants. The...

If you travel, chances are you know how simple it is to spend more money than you had planned. Credit cards, checks and money orders are just too easy – as are the temptations in new stores and restaurants. The next time you travel, plan your daily spending amount. Bring cash with you, or use an ATM daily for your spending money. Then paperclip each day’s money separately, and carry only one day’s worth on your travels outside of the hotel. You will be surprised at how much you save. This may also tempt you to keep a little aside each day for an especially nice dinner towards the end of your vacation. Safety first! If you are staying at a hotel with cash, you may wish to keep the money in the hotel’s safe. If you prefer traveler’s checks, simply place your daily amount in a paperclip rather than the cash. ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.134 2008-08-15T20:25:11Z 2008-08-15T20:29:31Z

We have a great safety tip for you. Keep your spare set of car keys next to your bed. Then, if you ever hear what might be a burger, simply activate your car’s alarm! This will send the would-be robber...

We have a great safety tip for you. Keep your spare set of car keys next to your bed. Then, if you ever hear what might be a burger, simply activate your car’s alarm! This will send the would-be robber away, and immediately wake your neighbors, who will come out to see what is happening! Remember, always keep your house well lit. Leave a very large dog bowl in the back with a name like "Spike" on it. A few large dog toys in your yard may also deter a robber. Lock your doors and windows, and have an alarm system installed if you can afford it. Don't be scared, just be safe!]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.133 2008-08-02T23:48:04Z 2008-08-02T23:50:39Z

When we were little, my brother and I didn’t have video games, hours of television or anything else electronic. We had to create our own fun. Looking back, there were “standard toys” that all the kids used to make that...

When we were little, my brother and I didn’t have video games, hours of television or anything else electronic. We had to create our own fun. Looking back, there were “standard toys” that all the kids used to make that I bet my own children have never even heard of! See if you remember these: -Take your mother’s bobby pin and bend it into a U shape. Find a rubber band and thread a button on to it. Then place each end of the rubber band on either end of the bobby pin. Wind up the rubber band and carefully place your new contraption into an envelope. Give the envelope to your little sister and tell her she has mail. When she opens the envelope, the button spins quickly, making a loud noise in the envelope. Eeek – a rattle snake! -Use a pencil to draw all around the edge of a penny. Tell your friend you bet he can’t roll the penny off of his nose and have it land in a circle you draw on paper. Let your friend try several times, until he has plenty of streaks going down his nose. The same can be done with the eye piece of binoculars! -Remember making “paper trees?” Put a sheet of newspaper on the ground. Starting at the short edge, roll it up. When you have two inches left to roll, place another sheet down on it and keep rolling. Continue until you have about 8 sheets of newspaper rolled up. Then hold your tube upright. Take some scissors and starting at the top of the tube, cut down about six inches. Rotate the tube a bit and cut another line six inches down. Do a total of four cuts. Now, fold the cuts back so you can get to the inside of the tube. Carefully hold the inside paper in the tube and gently pull out. You will have a long paper tree that has lots of play value! ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.132 2008-07-03T19:37:09Z 2008-07-03T19:42:53Z

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, it’s time to think red white and blue.. but popcorn!? Yes, you can color your popcorn red, white and blue. You can also color your popcorn with any other of your...

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, it’s time to think red white and blue.. but popcorn!? Yes, you can color your popcorn red, white and blue. You can also color your popcorn with any other of your choice. How? We’ve got two great ways. One flavored, one plain. For the flavored popcorn, first pop your corn kernels. Then, make it into three batches. One will remain plain – that is your white. Then, for your blue popcorn, put it in an oven safe bowl and sprinkle blueberry gelatin on it. Sprinkle cherry gelatin on another oven safe bowl of popcorn. Place both the in a 350 degree preheated oven for 5 minutes. Take out and carefully stir. For unflavored colored popcorn, coat your kernels with the color of your choice. Again, for the Fourth of July, try a batch of blue and a batch of red. But your choices are limitless! Try green popcorn for St. Patrick’s Day, red popcorn for Valentines Day… have some great colorful popping fun! And remember, for fun and healthy popcorn popping, place your kernels with no oil in a brown paper lunch bag. Heat in the microwave until the popcorn is almost silent, but still popping. Always watch as it pops, and make sure an adult is there for each round of popcorn. ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.131 2008-06-07T21:48:47Z 2008-06-07T22:02:18Z

When I was young I would go to the movies with my parents and become completely engrossed in the story on the screen. The movies would take me to far away places within seconds of the opening credits. Sadly, my...

When I was young I would go to the movies with my parents and become completely engrossed in the story on the screen. The movies would take me to far away places within seconds of the opening credits. Sadly, my children will never be able to experience the potential magic of “the big screen.” Today, we went to the movies with great anticipation. That was when I came to the unhappy realization that society has reached an all time low. At what point did people become so attached to cell phones that they can’t turn them off for the simple pleasure of a two hour movie. Throughout the entire film I was distracted from flashes of glowing cell phone screens as theater-goers checked voice mail, texted and even took pictures. The movies are no longer the movies as they used to be. They are simply temporary distractions in between highly critical text messages. I am sorry to say we have lost something magical, and I don’t see any chance of it coming back. At some point, people have got to realize that turning off a cell phone for a few hours will actually make their lives better – not worse. Until then, I will be waiting until “the movie comes out on DVD.” ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.130 2008-06-05T00:21:22Z 2008-06-05T00:37:41Z

Linguine and clam sauce… exotic and hard to make, right? Not at all! My Aunt taught me a simple way to make this wonderful and easy dish. The next time you are grocery shopping, pick up a few cans of...

Linguine and clam sauce… exotic and hard to make, right? Not at all! My Aunt taught me a simple way to make this wonderful and easy dish. The next time you are grocery shopping, pick up a few cans of clams, some linguine, a lemon, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese and oregano. For a family of five, I like to use two soup-sized cans. If the store only has the “tuna sized” cans, I’ll get four. To make this great dish, sauté some garlic in olive oil in a pan. Add some oregano, and then throw in your clams, including the juice. Pepper to taste, but you probably won’t need any salt after adding the clams. Then, add about a cup of water and turn up the heat enough for it to simmer. As the sauce boils down, keep adding more water. This brings out the wonderful flavor of all your ingredients. You can make this ½ an hour before you eat, or keep it cooking for a few hours, adding water as it gets low. Believe it or not, you are done! I like to add lemon juice to mine, and fresh parmesan cheese on top makes this a delight. But it is actually fabulous on its own. And even more surprising? My three children LOVE this dish. Clams??!! Yes… clams! ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.129 2008-05-30T20:12:17Z 2008-05-30T20:20:49Z

Imagine taking a bottle of Tabasco sauce and shaking it into your mouth. Immediately your mouth is filled with a sweet, wonderful flavor. You then chase it with some vinegar, which melts like sugar in your welcome mouth. Are you...

Imagine taking a bottle of Tabasco sauce and shaking it into your mouth. Immediately your mouth is filled with a sweet, wonderful flavor. You then chase it with some vinegar, which melts like sugar in your welcome mouth. Are you dreaming? Not if you have just eaten a Miracle Berry from the plant Synsepalum Dulcificum! Indeed, a new craze is spreading around the world. People are beginning to host Tasting Parties using what is deemed the “Miracle Fruit.” When you eat one of these berries, a molecule binds with your taste buds, making sour and bitter foods actually taste sweet! The effects last from thirty minutes to as long as two hours. Some are hosting parties in which you pay to get in, and are given one berry upon entry. After eating the berry, you are given an array of sour and bitter foods, from limes to hot sauce and wine. Each of these foods taste incredibly sweet, which may or may not be pleasing to some! Imagine the possibilities. Eating a berry before swallowing bitter but necessary medicine. Or giving a reluctant broccoli eater a berry before dinner! Miracle Fruit is not for everyone – and is more of a gimmick nowadays then something easily accessible and regularly used. But if you would like to try it, you can visit www.miraclefruitman.com for a fun personal trial! ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.128 2008-05-09T20:29:10Z 2008-05-09T20:30:29Z

Question. What do you do when your six year old wants to use glitter IMMEDIATELY and you don't have any in the house? Make some! Here is an easy recipe for homemade glitter - using salt! First, preheat your oven...

Question. What do you do when your six year old wants to use glitter IMMEDIATELY and you don't have any in the house? Make some! Here is an easy recipe for homemade glitter - using salt! First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour either table or sea salt into a bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring and stir. Add more food coloring if needed. Spread your "glitter salt" on a baking sheet and put it in the oven for ten minutes. Then take it out, carefully break up any clumps and let it cool. This glitter salt can be used for art, but can be used in cooking too. Just imagine green salt at Christmas, red salt on Valentine's Day and salt glitter on your child's artwork. How fun! ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.127 2008-05-04T13:48:10Z 2008-05-04T14:08:42Z

We love coming across a restaurant that only the locals seem to know about. You know the kind! From the outside it might look old or cheap. But the moment you walk in you are greeted by friendly staff, a...

We love coming across a restaurant that only the locals seem to know about. You know the kind! From the outside it might look old or cheap. But the moment you walk in you are greeted by friendly staff, a wonderful chef and fabulous home cooked food. Usually we hear about these by word of mouth. So we thought, why not try a “word of mouth” local restaurant directory on the internet! But not just a list of restaurants – you can find that anywhere! We want people to put in their favorite local eatery – the one that might not be fancy, but makes the best food. So we called it, Area Gems, to highlight your area’s “gem” of a restaurant. Obviously there is no way we can do this on our own. This has to be a restaurant directory created by folks like you and me. It is a way you can support your favorite local restaurant, while telling others just how great it is. Will you help us build this new site? If everyone who visits puts in just one restaurant, we will have a site simply brimming with awesome ideas for a great local place to eat. But we can’t do it without you. Will you take just a moment of your time and plug in your favorite fabulous Area Gem? Click here to add your favorite restaurant - and thank you for helping! ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.126 2008-04-28T20:02:39Z 2008-04-28T20:11:18Z

How would you like to win a Kodak ESP-3 All-In-One printer? This is the great printer that has ink cartridges you can actually afford! 5 Minutes for Mom is holding this contest as one of their special Mother's Day events....

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How would you like to reduce your power bill and conserve energy at the same time? Now there is a way to "go green" in your home, simply by unplugging the appliances that are sitting idle! There have actually been...

How would you like to reduce your power bill and conserve energy at the same time? Now there is a way to "go green" in your home, simply by unplugging the appliances that are sitting idle! There have actually been studies conducted that identified "leaking electricity" - a result of leaving appliances plugged in when not in use. Some of the worst are your cell phone charger, power to your computer's peripherals and chargers to items like your child's gameboy. For example, take a look at your printer. Is it off? Even if it is physically off, it is leaking electricity and costing you extra money. These items alone can cost you more than $70 a year - simply by leaving them plugged in. This may sound small, but multiply it by every household in America - in the world - and you will see a huge savings in both money and energy if we all "went unplugged!" ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.124 2008-04-08T20:31:36Z 2008-04-08T20:34:54Z

How would you like to look like an iron chef without even breaking a sweat? The answer? Puff Pastry! No no, you won't be rolling layers of dough, folding and spending hours in the kitchen. It's as easy and going...

How would you like to look like an iron chef without even breaking a sweat? The answer? Puff Pastry! No no, you won't be rolling layers of dough, folding and spending hours in the kitchen. It's as easy and going to the frozen pie crust section of your freezer and taking out a box labeled, "Puff Pastry." With puff pastry, I have made some gorgeous meals that took less time than the old "standards." Usually the pastry comes in two sheets, each the same rectangular size. Now here comes the magic. Simply put the first layer of dough on a cookie sheet, place filling on it and then place the second layer on top. If you like, add an egg wash for golden color, but this is not necessary for a beautiful dinner. Bake as directed and voila - you will get "oohs and ahhs" from everyone in the household! I use puff pastry when I am at a loss for ideas as well as ingredients. Last week I simply sauted garlic in olive oil, added ground beef and tossed in some Worcester sauce, a touch of catsup and some water and flour to make a bit of gravy. On my first puff pastry night I again sauted garlic and olive oil. Then I added leftover shredded chicken, some fennel seeds, a bit of wine, flour, butter, sun dried tomatoes and some parmesan cheese. Just look around your refrigerator and cabinets for some great ideas. You can use any type of filling imaginable. If you have a bit more time, try making individual pastries or fancy edges. You can even make a dinner with one layer of puff pastry and a topping - almost like a pizza. Once your masterpiece comes out of the oven, it is a light, crispy, fluffy and gorgeous puff pastry 'delight' that took absolutely no time to make. Try it, you'll LOVE it! ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.122 2008-03-28T18:56:44Z 2008-03-28T19:11:08Z

You have GOT to try these potatoes. They are easy and taste like you worked all day to make them. The kids go crazy for them, and they are yummy the second time around! First, find some small to medium...

You have GOT to try these potatoes. They are easy and taste like you worked all day to make them. The kids go crazy for them, and they are yummy the second time around! First, find some small to medium sized potatoes and wash them. In the meantime, saut some garlic in olive oil in a pan. Add onions if your family enjoys them. Salt and pepper to taste. Now, place your potatoes in the pan and fill the pan with enough chicken broth (store-bought is fine!) to cover them halfway. Cover and cook until they are soft. Take off the lid and let the broth boil down. As it starts to get low, carefully flip your potatoes over. Now the fun part. Grab yourself a glass or coffee mug and carefully squeeze down the potato until it slightly cracks. When the skin on the bottom is a bit crispy or appears caramelized, flip the potatoes one more time if you want the other side to be a bit crispy. These potatoes are particularly tasty with kosher salt sprinkled on them. The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. If you have no broth, use water and onion soup mix. Or use broth as well as the soup mixture. If you are short on time, microwave the potatoes first. Rosemary is delicious with these too, as well as a bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Use your imagination, and believe me, your family will thank you! ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.121 2008-03-03T18:00:07Z 2008-03-03T18:03:50Z

With so many stars and politicians causing world wide controversies, you may be surprised to find that a very common item in your kitchen is doing just the same - broccoli! But what is the buzz all about? Microwaves! Recently,...

With so many stars and politicians causing world wide controversies, you may be surprised to find that a very common item in your kitchen is doing just the same - broccoli! But what is the buzz all about? Microwaves! Recently, Portuguese researchers have claimed that microwaving broccoli can cause it to lose up to 97% of its beneficial antioxidants. That is a very significant amount, indeed. Antioxidants help to protect your body's cells from damage, and therefore are thought to keep cancer at bay. Additionally, blanching your broccoli before freezing will remove about one third of the broccoli's antioxidants. Yet some scientists claim that boiling your broccoli in water can remove just as many healthful nutrients, almost implying that microwaving is better. So which theory is correct? It seems the common factor in each of these cooking methods is water. The more water you use in cooking broccoli, the more antioxidants can be lost. If you aren't eating your broccoli raw, then it is probably best to steam it using your stovetop. Steaming will expose the broccoli to less water, and will also remove the possible microwave effects from the equation altogether. Happy steaming! ]]> tag:www.agoosa.com,2008://1.120 2008-02-22T23:10:17Z 2008-02-22T23:15:59Z

On Christmas Eve, my mother surprised the children with marshmallow shooters – aka marshmallow guns. Bowls of mini-marshmallows in hand, the cousins ran outside and began the longest and funniest marshmallow war I’ve ever seen! Marshmallow guns are easy to...

On Christmas Eve, my mother surprised the children with marshmallow shooters – aka marshmallow guns. Bowls of mini-marshmallows in hand, the cousins ran outside and began the longest and funniest marshmallow war I’ve ever seen! Marshmallow guns are easy to make, with only one trip required to the hardware store. Simply go to the PVC pipe area and ask the staff for ½ inch PVC to be cut in the following sizes: One 7” piece Six 4” pieces Then grab 2 caps, two L joints and two T joints. The staff can point these out to you. Finally, follow the picture to construct your own marshmallow gun! Of course, it is best to create two or more for some amazing marshmallow battles. Our kids shot mini-marshmallows in two ways. First, they placed a marshmallow in the blow hole, which worked great. Then some put the marshmallow in the barrel, which also worked well and created fewer spitty wads of marshmallow. Yes, you will indeed have to pick a few gunky marshmallows out of the pipes – but this is par for the course! Once the children had played for about 30 minutes, they began to take the PVC pieces apart and create even cooler designs for excellent marshmallow shooting fun. Try it, you will have a blast!!! ]]>