Valentine's Day doesn’t have to be an expensive day. I’ve found that sticking to the two S’s helps keep the romantic spirit of the holiday without burning a hole in my pocket. Let’s start with Sentimental. It’s not always about the gift that you give, but sometimes about the emotional value that’s placed behind it. Sometimes simple things can provide a truer representation of the emotional and intellectual bond that two people share. Each relationship is attached in a unique way, and those unique connections can be the focal points for your Valentine’s Day gift; maybe something that reminds you of a memory you two have together, maybe something about a dream you hope to make reality someday or maybe an inside joke that only you share together. Now I’m not saying my girlfriend wouldn’t love a pair of diamond earrings or a shopping spree at the Coach store, but let’s face it, money doesn’t grow on trees and I think that a little effort can sometimes lead you to deeper emotional crevices within a relationship. Use your imagination; anything that you think will touch on these personal connections can work itself into being a great Valentine’s Day gift.
Stemming from sentimentality comes self-made. Anything self-made demonstrates a unique effort, something that comes from you and you alone. Whether it’s a nice self-made dinner or a self-made card, both are easy on the wallet and generate a connective stream of intimacy and effort. If you can combine sentimental and self-made then that’s great too! Let’s take dinner for example. Maybe you can remake the dinner from your first date. Maybe you and your significant other have talked about how you want to go to France someday; you could try to find a recipe online and cook up some French cuisine. Just remember, a lack of money doesn’t have to translate to a lack of effort. If your budget is tight then try touching on the two S’s and see what you can muster up. Have a great budget friendly Valentine’s Day!
Valentine’s Day on a Budget- Stick to the Two S’s: Sentimental and Self-Made
Monday, February 08 2010 - Tyler
Super Commercials
Monday, February 08 2010 - Jen
OK so I’ll be honest I didn’t really watch the Super Bowl. I worked on a puzzle during the game and then would stop for the commercials with high anticipation for the awesomeness I was about to see. Typically I loathe commercials. I don’t even watch TV because I don’t have the patience for commercials. However, I LOVE the Super Bowl commercials. Ever since that McDonald's commercial with the baby on the swing...ah gets me giggling just thinking about it. I was overall pleased with this years commercials. This one was my FAVE. Who doesn't love a talking, stock trading baby with some girl drama?
*this is not meant to promote E*Trade in any form. It’s purely for amusement.
Milk-a-what?! Ha! love it.
A close second was the Slug-bug commercial. Simply awesome.
*again. this is not meant to promote Volkswagen in any form. It’s purely for amusement.
Stevie Wonder. Priceless.
I could go on and on. The one with Oprah, David Letterman and Jay Leno was pretty darn hilarious. So what was your favorite commercial?
It’s not just any given Sunday.
Friday, February 05 2010 - Holli
I absolutely LOVE football! High School, College, NFL- I live for all of it. My weekends are spent cheering on my favorite teams and setting my lineups for my 2 Fantasy Football teams. Yes, yes, I love my football!
This time of year is always bittersweet for me because the NFL season is drawing to an end. The Super Bowl will be airing 
this Sunday with a fabulous match-up between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. This is the Colts fourth appearance and a first for the Saints. Expect both teams to put up some serious numbers, but I’m betting on the Saints to run away with the win.
If you’re anything like me, you’re planning a little get-together to celebrate the amazing day that is Super Bowl Sunday. I found some fabulous recipes on Epicurious that I plan to prepare and I thought I would share them. I hope you enjoy!
Guacamole with Fresh Corn and Chipotle
Yield: 2 Cups
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Mash avocados with lime juice in medium bowl. Using sharp knife, remove corn kernels from cob and add to avocado mixture. Stir in tomato and green onions. Combine chipotle and sour cream in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir cream mixture into avocado mixture. Season with salt. Do ahead: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of guacamole and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
*Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapeños canned in adobo sauce. They are available at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and at Latin markets.
Sticky Seseme Chicken Wings
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 50 min
Ingredients:
Preparation: 
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large shallow baking pan (17 by 12 inches) with foil and lightly oil foil.
Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt using a large heavy knife. Transfer garlic paste to a large bowl and stir in soy sauce, hoisin, honey, oil, and cayenne. Add wingettes to sauce, stirring to coat.
Arrange wingettes in 1 layer in baking pan and roast, turning over once, until cooked through, about 35 minutes. Transfer wingettes to a large serving bowl and toss with sesame seeds and scallion.
Cooks' note: If using chicken wings instead of wingettes, cut off and discard tips from chicken wings with kitchen shears or a large heavy knife, then halve wings at joint.
Chicken Sandwiches with Chiles and Cheese
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 45 min
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Preparation: 
Place guajillo chiles in medium saucepan; add enough water to cover generously and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain; reserve cooking liquid. Place chiles in processor; add 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid and 4 tablespoons oil and puree until smooth. Transfer chile sauce to bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Reserve 6 tablespoons chile sauce for sandwiches. Brush remaining sauce all over chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly crosswise.
Mix lettuce, onion, and jalapeños in medium bowl; add 1/4 cup reserved jalapeños juice to slaw and toss. Spread reserved chile sauce over cut sides of bread. Top bottom halves with chicken, then cheese, then some slaw. Cover with top halves of bread and serve with remaining slaw alongside.
Twice-Cooked French Fries
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
Preparation: 
Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Line large baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Cut 1 potato lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Stack 2 to 3 potato slices at a time and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide sticks. Cook potato sticks in boiling water just until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon or tongs, transfer potato sticks to paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat cutting, blanching, and draining remaining potatoes. Pat potato sticks dry with additional paper towels. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature.
Pour enough canola oil into heavy large pot to reach depth of 4 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pot; heat oil to 350° F. Working in batches, add potato sticks to oil and fry until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to clean paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
If any of you try these recipes, let me know what you thought of them! You can also find several more at Epicurious. I wish you all a Happy Super Bowl Sunday- tell me who you’re cheering for!
Photo Credits: Epicurious and Google
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