Excuse me while I sneeze...that's better. In case you've missed it (lucky bastard), cold and flu season is beating down just about every corner of the country.
Kinda like THIS guy!
Its scarlet color and irresistible chocolate flavor make red velvet cake a Valentine's Day natural. But, when there's only 2 of you, baking a big cake seems silly. It's a lot of trouble and means you'll have to toss or giveaway most of your effort or face temptation for days!
That's why Bob and I adore these red velvet morsels from Mug Cakes: 100 Speedy Microwave Treats to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth (St. Martin's Griffin Paperback Original, Aug. 6, 2013, $22.99). Besides being perfect for 2, these delightful Southern tidbits are amazingly fast and easy to prepare.
The hardest part is measuring the ingredients. You'll need an egg, cocoa powder, red food coloring plus the 7 other ingredients listed below. Per the recipe, cheap liquid food coloring works much better here than fancy food coloring pastes or gels. But, take it from me and handle with care, especially if it's in a glass bottle.
When making our mug cakes, I accidentally sat the food coloring too close to the edge of the pantry shelf. Seconds later, the FULL bottle dropped about 4 feet, broke into a zillion pieces after hitting the tile floor and splattered everything in sight (the floor, the walls, even serving dishes on the lower shelves!). It was a disaster so bad Bob said we should just draw a chalk outline around it and leave it be!
Owning a smartphone doesn't make you any smarter. In fact if you're like me, smartphones can leave you feeling, well, sort of dumb. They're infinitely complicated, but there are some easy tricks you can use to make you feel a little smarter.
Are you making a genuine and concerted effort to lose weight and eat healthier, yet the scale doesn't seem to budge? If so, you might be making these five common but critical mistakes. These errors are easy to make because the logical or intuitive answer seems right on target.
You can't beat FREE! Then again, maybe you can.
Once the weather gets cold (we're in Texas y'all, so that's usually after Thanksgiving), I convince Charlotte to make a pot of her famous chili.
Here at Boomer Brief HQ, chili is the go-to dish for a lot of things. We use it in the Tex-Mex classic Frito Pie, homemade burritos, as a sauce for our favorite tamales - and as a key ingredient in Chili Cheese Dip.
Chili Cheese Dip is my variation on the famous Velveeta-Rotel Queso Dip that's a staple of every tailgate and college dorm room. The chili makes the dip a lot heartier (not to be confused with heart-healthy - this is anything BUT!) and it takes the flavor to a whole 'nother level. We love it.
So you just add chili to Velveeta Dip?
Whoop-De-Freakin'-Do!
Bob has always had a weakness for Chicken Pot Pies. In college, he practically lived on 'em because, besides being satisfying, frozen ones were cheap (would you believe 5 for $1?!) and easy to fix.
Always a hit, this quick-and-easy casserole takes cues from two of my and Bob's favorites: tacos and pizza. It includes a thin, crunchy crust topped with cheddar cheese, a tasty taco filling, mild green chilies, bite-size tomatoes and, finally, a luscious crown of sour cream and cheese. Yum!
I Give It A Year is a great indie comedy you've never seen featuring actors you see all the time. It's one of those how-did-I-miss-this-one films you'll be telling your friends about -- and they'll be glad you did.
Yeah, sing along with me...
The world is full of popular beliefs that just aren't true, like Elvis is dead, we put a man on the moon and all healthy food is well, healthy. For those of you keeping score at home, the first two are TRUE and the last one is FALSE. Lemme 'splain.
Don't judge me...you probably did, too.
Go ahead and admit it. You're more than a little surprised that we all made it out of 2013 ALIVE. I know I am.
Let's face it, 2013 sucked eggs. We had to push the reset button on our healthcare plans, watch Paula Deen implode, see Congress shut down the country more times than we could count AND suffer the loss of Breaking Bad. ALL IN ONE YEAR.
I ask you. How. Much. Can. Humanity. Stand?
Thank GOD we were able to delay the zombie apocalypse with our secret government program (You're welcome). I don't think I could've handled that on top of everything else.
My new healthcare plan covers pre-existing conditions, but I've read the fine print and ZOMBIE wounds are not covered. I'll have to change providers before that shit gets real.
Want to begin 2014 in style? The folks at Bijuju can help.
If bling is your thing (color me guilty!!), you'll adore everything from this go-to accessory hotspot.
They've joined us to offer 4 lucky Boomer Babes a chance to win one of the top picks from their vaults of trendy trinkets... FREE. (Check the end of this post for details on how to enter.)
Welcome 2014! We're celebrating the new year with a glam giveaway including 4 stunning statement necklaces from one of our favorite stops for trendy accessories, Bijuju.
Read on for details on how to enter. Contest ends Jan. 23!
You don't have to be a technophobe to be tripped up by high-tech traps.
The tech world is filled with scams that can cost you money, steal your
identity or put you and your loved ones at risk. Make a resolution to avoid
these four tech traps this year:
A batch of monkey bread will not sit for long on your counter. The delicious, sweet pull-apart bread--an American favorite since at least the 1950s--has become a staple dessert at our Abattoir restaurant in Atlanta. Pulling off pieces of the sticky caramelized bread and eating them with your fingers is appealing to young and old alike. We use bread flour because the gluten level is higher and results in a chewier and slightly denser monkey bread. All-purpose flour will work as well, but will yield a slightly lighter texture.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
Follow us on Twitter: @BoomerBrief
and @CharlotteBoomer
Know someone battling cancer? Baylor Health Care System's Sammons Says... cancer blog is a great place to go for help. Here, you'll find information, resources, physicians, support groups and just about everything you need to help you navigate your way through this illness.
Senior Forums is a great place to get the news and share views on everything from hobbies and healthcare, to food, family & travel.
Matt Drudge gets the goods and his site ain't bad either.
You don't have to live in Dallas to enjoy D Magazine.
