Free Pretzels and More News on the Peanut Butter Product Recalls

Monday February 2nd, from 10 to 4, is Free Pretzel Day at Auntie Anne's. Check their website for a location near you and enjoy an original or cinnamon sugar pretzel on Annie!

Just a reminder: Periodically, continue to take a look at the additional peanut butter product recalls. The list has grown dramatically and may continue to do so. If you have purchased peanut butter products, you can search by UPC code, product name, or a description of the product.

So Many Freebies, So Little Time

The freebies are plentiful this week. At the risk of supplies running out, which often happens, I opted to share the wealth of freebies with you all in one posting, and not wait until “Freebie Friday”. Give these a try:

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond True Delights from Quaker

Mini rice and multigrain snacks (cheddar or chocolatey drizzle) from Quaker

Bear Naked Fruit and Nut Granola

Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix

There are only two weeks left until Valentine's Day. You can order 6 free valentines from Stories by Everyone (expires February 1, 2009). This site is apparently quite busy during peak hours, so be patient and try the site at odd hours of the day and night (easy for you college students!), for best results.

I saved my personal favorite for last: Stop by a Godiva store between January 30th and February 1st, and again between February 6th and 8th, to sample a variety of mousse chocolates. If you miss either of those events, then head back on February 13th to 15th to sample wrapped demitasse. Check Godiva's website for locations and in-store events available at your local store. Oh, how I love chocolate!

Chili: A Super Bowl Sunday Crowd Pleaser

I have countless recipes for chili: all bean, all veggie, with meat, with turkey, you name it. I like each recipe, but this one, which we are constantly tweaking, is always a winner. The best part about chili is that it is hard to ruin, simple to prepare, and it feeds a crowd. It can easily be doubled. And, if you find yourself with leftovers, freeze and enjoy them for a time when your class schedule is keeping you too busy to spend time preparing a meal.

Chocolaty Chili (Yes, you read that correctly. And if one of your roommates is a fussy eater, we'll keep that little secret between us.)

2 T. canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey (I use turkey)
One 16 oz can kidney beans, drained
One 16 oz can tomato puree
One 6 oz can tomato paste
1 c. corn (frozen, fresh, or canned - - more is fine)

One 4 oz can chopped green chili peppers, seeded and drained, OR 2 whole chipotle peppers, OR 1/2 tsp ground chipotle peppers (I prefer the ground chipotle peppers)

1/2 c water
3 T unsweetened cocoa (add more to taste)
2 T chili powder (add more to taste)

Chips (optional)
Brown rice (optional)
Shredded lowfat cheddar cheese (optional)
In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until tender.

Add ground meat and cook over medium heat until evenly browned. Drain excess fat.

Stir in kidney beans, tomato puree, tomato paste, corn, ground chipotle peppers (or other choice), water, cocoa, and chili powder. Mix well and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Adjust seasonings to taste.

This chili can be prepared a day ahead or early on Super Bowl Sunday and later reheated. The flavors are enhanced with time. Eat it by the bowlful. Serve with chips or rice, sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese. Now, get ready for some terrific Super Bowl commercials - - oh, and the game, too!

The Microsoft Worm Continues to Spread: Is your computer safe?

Since October, reports of the latest Microsoft worm have been flooding the news. Yet in recent weeks this worm has become larger than life, infecting both business and personal computers. The Scientific American Blog estimates that upwards of 10 million Windows PC users have been infected with the malware. For more information about this latest worm, read The New York Times article by John Markoff, Worm Infects Millions of Computers Worldwide. You may not even realize that your computer has contacted the virus.

Be sure you are receiving the most recent Microsoft security patches. An automatic update is the easiest and wisest way to stay current with Microsoft's patches and security alerts.

Salmonella Outbreak from Peanut Butter: Getting the Word Out

You may remember the recent salmonella outbreaks from tomatoes and spinach. Now it's peanut butter, a mainstay for many college students and most households. The list of foods to avoid continues to grow daily, including not only peanut butter, but upwards of 180 peanut butter-containing products. For further information regarding products that have been recalled check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Continue to check for daily updates. The current outbreak has spread to 43 states, with 7 deaths reported.

According to one of my spies (thanks, Barbara!), this Wednesday January 28th, Panera Bread will be offering free coffee and food samples throughout the day. Now that's something to look forward to.

Inauguration Day Follow-up and a Friday Freebie

I hope you remembered to purchase extra copies of Wednesday's newspaper highlighting the Inauguration Day events. In case it slipped your mind, you may still have a second chance to contact a friend or family member and request their newspaper, before it lands in the recycling bin. Personally I have collected at least six newspapers commemorating this historic day.

The New Yorker magazine is offering a free Inauguration cover reprint if you register on their site - - another terrific keepsake.

Also, check out this spectacular photo montage, Inauguration Photo Mosaic (original photo taken by Jonathan Newton), on the Washington Post’s website. Follow the directions beneath the photo. It's masterful!

On these bitter cold winter mornings, enjoy starting your day with a bowl of hot cereal. Cream of Wheat is offering a free sample.

An Irresistible Brunch Recipe: French Toast Casserole

I don't know about you but I could eat breakfast foods for any meal of the day. Brunch is by far my favorite meal, especially when it is enjoyed leisurely and with good company. The cold winter months are ideal for planning a Sunday brunch with friends. This easy recipe for French Toast Casserole can be prepared on Saturday night and popped in the oven on Sunday morning, prior to the arrival of your guests (ooops.....Note to Self: college students are more than likely sound asleep Sunday morning and may not be awake until Sunday afternoon!). While the directions recommend placing the casserole in the fridge overnight before baking, in a pinch it can also be prepared and baked last minute for any meal of the day. This recipe dates back to my college days, and it continues to be a big hit every time I serve it.

French Toast Casserole

6 - 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chilling time: Overnight (the longer it has to absorb the egg mixture, the fluffier it tends to be)
Baking time: 50 minutes

1 long loaf of French bread - - I prefer to use a challah (a Jewish egg bread, available in many grocery stores and bakeries, more easily found on a Friday, the start of the Jewish Sabbath)
8 large eggs (I use 4 whole eggs and 8 egg whites)
3 cups milk (nonfat is fine)
4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt (Reduce by half)
1 T vanilla
2 T butter, cut into pieces (I omit)

Generously spray or butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Cut bread into 1 inch thick slices. Arrange bread in a single layer over bottom of prepared dish. I fill in all the gaps with small pieces of bread.

Beat eggs, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla in large bowl until mixed. Pour over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover (dot with butter, if you choose) and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, until bread is puffy and golden brown, and knife inserted comes out clean. Serve plain or with your favorite honey or syrup.

This freezes well. I often freeze it by the slice for a quick meal. Just let me know when you will be baking this recipe and I will be happy to join you! I'll bring the syrup.

Celebrate Inauguration Day: Coffee, Doughnuts and a Newspaper

While Election Day had its fair share of freebies, there are more to enjoy on Inauguration Day. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts "Celebrates the Freedom of Choice" with a free doughnut at all stores nationwide.

In support of President Obama's plan to encourage increased community service, Starbucks will provide a free tall brewed coffee to those who pledge at least five hours of service, as part of their "I'm In" campaign. Make your pledge between January 21st and January 25th. Free coffee for a great cause!

As I suggested the day after the election, now is the time to plan ahead and save newspapers from this historic day! Remember, they sell out early in the day, so don't be disappointed (right, Robin?). Grab your newspaper before the coffee and doughnut!

Freebie Friday: High End Cosmetics Free on January 20th

A class action settlement against department stores (Nordstrom's, Macy's, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman's, and more) and cosmetic designer brands (L'Oreal, Estee Lauder, Chanel, to name a few) claiming violation of antitrust laws requires major department stores throughout the country to provide free cosmetics beginning on January 20, 2009. For specific information on brands, locations, and other restrictions, check the Cosmetic Cases Information Website and an article in The Boston Globe.

Today Only: Free Shampoo and More

While today is not "Freebie Friday", it is the only day that Suave.com (then click on SUAVENOMICS) is offering a coupon for a free "bottle of Suave Shampoo, Conditioner, Hair Spray, Styling Aid, BodyWash, or Body Lotion". It is easy to stick to your budget when purchasing Suave’s economical products, but free is even better. So take a moment and send for your coupon today, before the offer is no longer available. It may even make you a believer in the Suave line of products. (I almost sound like a commercial, don't I?)

Two Friday Freebies: Cereals to Sample

It is always fun to receive mail, especially when food is involved. How about a free sample of Barbara's Bakery Organic Cereal and Total Cranberry Crunch cereal? Munch away.

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Significant Savings on Textbooks: Students Sell to One Another

Booksoncampus.com, a student run book site, has partnered with Facebook.com to enable students to buy and sell directly to one another on their individual college campuses. The idea: sell your books for more and purchase them for less. Since the books are swapped on campus, shipping costs are avoided. The savings add up quickly.

For more information, check out the description of Booksoncampus
and Rachel Arndt's article in the Brown Daily Herald, BooksonCampus enables student-to-student textbook sales.

Supermarket Chains Are Offering Free Antibiotics

Perfect timing! In the heart of cold and flu season, a number of supermarket chains are offering free select antibiotics with a valid prescription. Check the following sites for specific details and restrictions: Stop & Shop, Giant, United Supermarkets, Publix, and Meijer.

Free Digital Photos from Kodak: Something to Smile About

Your winter break is winding down. Your camera and cell phone are overloaded with pictures of your friends, family and all the accompanying fun. For a limited time only, new members can register online at the Kodak Gallery and receive 75 free prints. Shipping is extra. Check out the website for other discounted purchases, as well. For all those times you said, "Say cheese!", now you really have something to smile about!

Sticker Shock on Textbooks: Consider the Alternatives

The semester is about to begin. You have your list of required textbooks and are stunned by the costs. What about that book that sells for nearly $200 at the college bookstore? There are options to consider. First be certain to get the ISBN number and be aware of the edition required. Email your professor to determine if an earlier edition might suffice.

1: Find someone at school who recently took the class and buy the book used.

2: Purchase the book used from the bookstore.

3: If you and a friend are truly organized, consider sharing a book with a classmate.

4: Check to see if the book is on reserve in the library. You can consider using it in the library all semester or at least until your copy arrives.

5: Consider the book swapping sites mentioned in two of my prior posts (11/25/2008 and 12/17/2008).

6: Search online for a multitude of sites that sell used books, or elicit suggestions from friends. New sites are frequently cropping up.

7: Consider renting. Check out Chegg.com and Bookrenter.com. Read the limitations for renting books. Chegg allows limited highlighting. Many rental sites will not allow writing in the books. If you own the book, you will have more liberty to write notes and highlight the reading.

8: Shop around. Compare book prices and remember to include shipping costs. Check out bookfinder.com, where you can compare the cost of new and used textbooks, rental books, older editions, and international editions.

9: Ask an upperclassman for suggestions. Their experience (mistakes included), wisdom and savvy are to your benefit.

If you have additional suggestions, please make a comment on my blog from which others can benefit. Thanks. Happy hunting.