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Need A Quick Super Bowl Recipe? Buffalo Chicken Dip

recycler — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:57:17 +0000

You're going to a Super Bowl party, but you have no clue what the hell to take? Relax. I'm here to save you from being the loser that brings a crappy bag of chips or just ice and instead turn you into the winner that everyone is asking for the recipe. Go to the grocery store and pick up a six-pack and whatever of the following ingredients you don't already have at home: - 8 oz package Neufchatel cheese - Ranch dressing - shredded cheese (mozz, ched, Mexican blend...whatever you prefer) - Frank's hot sauce or buffalo wing sauce - 2 cans (12.5 oz) chunk chicken breast - bag of Tostitos Scoops This recipe is so easy. It literally is preheat, stir, mix, stir and bake. The prep takes 10 minutes at the most and it bakes in just 20 minutes. Quick, easy, and absolutely scrumptious! Ok...here's what you do: - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 9 x 11 pan or Pyrex dish, stir the cream cheese until it is smooth. (Softening the cream cheese either by leaving it out or microwaving it a little big will make this easier.) - Mix in the salad dressing, hot sauce and shredded cheese. The original recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of each. However, that makes a thick dip that can be hard to scoop with chips, especially if you aren’t eating it right away and have to reheat it (tailgate, potluck, second half, etc.). To make it a little thinner, I usually add extra hot sauce and salad dressing (an extra 1/3 to ½ cup) and then bake it an extra 5 minutes. - Drain chicken and stir in. I usually shred the canned chicken with my hands as I'm throwing it into the mix. I prefer small chicken shreds rather than the larger chunks. It's up to you though. You can also make it with rotisserie chicken that you shred yourself, but I’m lazy and that takes longer. This is a quick recipe. - After adding the chicken, I usually throw an extra thin layer of shredded cheese on the top of the mixture before throwing it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. It should be bubbling when it comes out of the oven. BAM! It comes out of the oven and you have this intoxicating buffalo smell. Take it to the party with the bag of Tostitos Scoops (or a bag of celery and carrots for the health conscious), explain what it is (people get confused when presented by such deliciousness that they haven't had before), and watch it be devoured. If somehow there is any left over (if it's a large potluck or tailgate), make sure you pack it up and take it home. It can be an awesome spread for hamburgers, omelets, tacos, etc. I highly recommend the buffalo chicken dip omelet. So tasty! If you decide that you want to add some more volume to make it last longer or feed a couple more mouths, follow the normal directions on a package of Knorr Buffalo Chicken Rice Sides and then add the cooked product in with the chicken before baking the dip. Tastes exactly the same and adds a little bit different texture while providing more food. Good luck and have a great time being Mr. or Mrs. Awesome at the party.

How to Throw the Best Super Bowl Party

recycler — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:13:51 +0000

This Sunday is the big game! The end of the football season and the greatest collection of commercials we'll see all year. It might as well be a national holiday. No matter whether your team is playing or if you don't even care about football, the Super Bowl Bash is a must. That's why you need to invite your friends over, stock the fridge, cook up some grub and have a great time. But what do you need to host an ultimate Super Bowl shindig? Due to the nature of classified ads, links may not work correctly if the item has sold. Theme Yes, it is a Super Bowl party. But that doesn't mean you can't make your party unique by having a theme. Look at the teams that are playing. What are their team colors? If Green Bay is playing, have a green theme (or a cheese theme). What cities are the teams from? This year, with the Giants and the Patriots, you could have a Boston vs New York theme. The two cities are constantly trying to outdo the other, especially in sports. Split the room with the two teams team colors. You could even use tape as a line to divide the room. Where is the game is being played? If it is in Miami, you could have a Cuban or Caribbean theme. If it is in Phoenix, go with a desert/southwestern theme. Or you could always go outside of the box. I'll be attending a Christmas Super Bowl Bash this year. The host wanted to have the first holiday party of 2012. Hey...why not? Guest List This is one of the toughest decisions. You have to decide what kind of crowd you want at your home. Do you want the mild, family crowd and the potential of kids running in front of the TV or spilling drinks all over the kitchen? Do you want a rowdy, party crowd and the potential of drunks standing in front of the TV or spilling food on your carpets? Maybe something in between is a safer option. Mix it up. Invite a few people from each of your different social circles. If you know fans from both of the participating teams, make sure to have them at your party. A little friendly trash talk livens up every party. Atmosphere This partly goes hand-in-hand with the theme. You want an inviting and playful atmosphere. Decorate the main viewing room and kitchen/dining room. These can be either theme- or football-related. While you can go big with neon signs or a foosball/air hockey table, you don't have to spend much money to have an awesome atmosphere. Start with a theme/football tablecloth for the table where the majority of the food will be served. Even better, if you can find some Astroturf or take a green tablecloth and turn it into a field with white tape or paint. Add some goalposts if you really want it to stand out. You can print out team logos or pictures of paper and make a linked streamer that includes the pictures. Be creative! Guests love when their hosts think outside of the box and do something different. No party goer ever thinks, "I really wish they wouldn't have come up with those cool decorations. They really ruined the party." Food Any Super Bowl party without food is a Super Bowl funeral. I don't think I could even watch the game without something to nibble on throughout. Food and the Super Bowl just go together. But what do you serve? Chips and dip, appetizers such as hot wings and potato skins, and pretty much anything that fits in a bowl that can be eaten by hand are traditional Super Bowl staples. (Pull out the Crock Pot and melt down some Velveeta and jalapenos for nachos!) Your Super Bowl foods shouldn't be health conscious (besides the fruit & vegetable tray). This isn't a time for diets, cutting back or any of that hogwash. The Super Bowl, like the Independence Day and Thanksgiving Day, are holidays where food splurging isn't an option, but a requirement. Make sure your main course is greasy and that there is plenty to go around. Barbecue in a slow cooker. Chicken tenders. Or maybe just grab some $5 pizzas from Little Caesar or a chicken nugget platter from Chik-Fil-A. Maybe even go for the ultimate with the Bacon Explosion. If you want to try to save some money, grab party platters from a wholesale store, such as Costco. Just remember that pizza chains, grocery stores, etc. are going to be swamped just before the game starts, so get your order in early, possibly even the day before...especially if you are going to try to get a delivery. If you are having a group larger than 5-10, don't feel like you have to provide food for everyone. Just let everyone know the theme and ask them to try to contribute something. Most people enjoy the challenge of making something that fits into the theme and other cooks like to show off a special recipe. Either way, as long as about half your guests bring something small, you'll still have way more food than you need and you won't have to slave in the kitchen from Thursday-Sunday. Drinks Your guest list will help determine what type of drinks you will need, but the one must have for every Super Bowl party (except maybe a group of friends that met in AA) is beer. Again, you don't want to necessarily have to provide everything for everyone, but provide a base that can be built on when people arrive with their own contributions to the party. Depending on the size of the crew coming over that could mean grabbing a keg or just a couple 12-packs. Punches can also be great additions. You still get to create something and it doesn't have to be alcoholic, so that you are able to provide something for everyone. A great way to build on your party theme is by making a punch. For example, for the Christmas Super Bowl Bash I'll be at, there will be an alcoholic green and a non-alcoholic red punch. The punch bowls could also potentially highlight the theme. ***Don't forget plates, cups, utensils for the food and drink. That would be a major disaster. And make sure you have ice! Television No matter how amazing your decorations, how tasty the drinks are or how Wolfgang Puck your food is, the television will be the star of the party. Everyone will be focused on the TV to watch the game. It'd be great if you had a giant flat-screen plasma with theater-quality surround sound, but that's not always the case. If not, quantity can replace the drop off in quality. Most households in America have multiple TVs. Drag a smaller television out of the bedroom and set it up in the dining room as a supplement for your largest TV in the main viewing room. This will give people a chance to still enjoy food and drink without missing any of the game or the great Super Bowl commercials. Worried about the size of your unit? Some electronics stores allow TV rentals. Another option is renting a projector that you can hook up to the TV. There is also the option of buying a new TV. Stores try to lure you with "Super Bowl Deals," but the best deals are Black Friday, After Christmas sales, or about a month after the big game (when stores try to rid themselves of older models as the new models come out in the spring). If you move a TV to the dining room or if you have to move your main unit to a larger viewing area, take the time to make sure the picture and sound are working long before anyone is to arrive. Nothing is more frustrating then messed up video or audio. Seating While people may spend the entire party standing and chatting with others, at least give the option of sitting. If this year's game ends up being anything like last year, some people will wander around chatting each other up throughout the game, but every single person will be glued around the TV for the final five minutes or so. Make sure everyone will be able to see a TV and that they can do so comfortably. People are coming to your party for comfort and friends. If they wanted to stand and have a blocked view, they would have went to a crowded bar. Besides the obvious couch, loveseat, recliner options that you already have in your living room, bring in the kitchen chairs, the bar stools, and any ottomans or foot stools you have around the house. If you have to, clean off the outdoor patio furniture. Not everyone has to be in a seat, though. Bean bag chairsand couch/sitting pillows work great because they create different viewing heights and therefore creating better sight lines. Betting What happens if the game turns into an early 90s Cowboys Super Bowl (really Buffalo? 52-17? Ouch!)? How do you keep people interested in the game? Put people's money on the line. The classic 10X10 grid pool is the simplest form of a Super Bowl pool and the classic continues to be an awesome way to keep everyone into the game, hoping their numbers come up. If you don't think you can get people to pony up enough money for 100 squares, give everyone a certain amount of squares and give away small gifts at the end of the quarters, halves or game rather than money. You can also have side bets. Who wins the coin toss? How many times they show a player's wife? What the coach wears? Whatever. You can find a list of prop bets on any betting web site. While we can't promise the game will be any good, if you take care of all these things, your party is promised to be a great experience. Have fun and best of luck this Super Bowl Sunday!

What’s New At recycler.com

recycler — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:18:00 +0000

With a new year comes new changes and things are no different here at recycler.com. Over the course of the last month, we've made some changes in design and functionality to try to make things better for both our buyers and our sellers. To highlight some of the changes, we have put together a short video featuring our Product Manager, Peter. He's here to show point out a couple of the features that are going to help you sell your items! Changes featured in the video:

New ad detail page buttons - These new icons are more visible and will make it more likely that people will share your ad with their friends, either through a social networking site or email.
Paragraph breaks for ad descriptions - Though it is a relatively small change, paragraph breaks will help make your ad more easily readable.
"Manage My Ads" user interface - We have streamlined the "Manage My Ads" interface so that sellers can quickly manage several ads.
"Modify Ads" adjustments - We've made the ad modification page to more closely resemble the ad placement page and added the ability to check the publishing package you have purchased.

The Indoor vs Outdoor Debate for Cats

recycler — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:49:22 +0000

It's a debate that rages on and has raged on for decades. Should cats be allowed outdoors? The numbers are quite staggering. In her book, "The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know," author Tracie Hotchner writes that "a well-looked-after indoor cat can live to the age of 20, but if that same cat is allowed outdoors, the average life span is 7 years." That means if you keep your cats pent up inside and never let them go outside, they can live almost three times as long as the normal life expectancy. But some people say that never letting their pet experience the outdoors isn't worth the extended life. Let's break this debate down in the three main areas that are thrown around in this debate: PHYSICAL HEALTH & SAFETY The top reason why outdoor life expectancy is so much lower is health and safety concerns. Among other dangers, traffic, predators, poisons, and disease are all potential concerns for a cat that is allowed outdoors. These factors greatly depend on the home setting. Traffic is much more prevalent in urban settings while predators such as wolves, possums, or snakes are more likely to be a threat in rural areas. If allowed outdoors, cats could potentially get into a variety of materials that are poisonous in either setting. Rural areas are more likely to have pesticides. Cats could get into poisonous cleaners or wastes such as motor oil in urban areas. Winner: INDOOR MENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY If you were to given a giant, celebrity/royal palace to roam around in with a movie theater, bowling alley, indoor pools and roller coasters and whatever other indoor activities your heart desires, on the condition that you were never allowed to go outside, would you take it? Can you imagine never again being able to bathe in the warmth of the sun or to smell the fresh air? That's essentially what you are forcing your cats into (likely minus the bowling alley and roller coasters), if you never let them go outside. Is that fair? It is probably best for the mental well-being of all creatures that have traditionally been outside to feel the warm sunlight. There's a reason they even let prisoners outside for a certain amount of time. Winner: OUTDOOR EXERCISE One of the primary reasons given for allowing a cat outdoors is for it to get more exercise. Many indoor cats get lazy and then add extra weight because they no longer have predators or prey to hunt. But this is the responsibility of the cat owners. Just as parents of young children are responsible for their kids health and well-being, it is indoor cat owners' duty to make sure their furbabies are healthy. Owners should schedule play times filled with exercise, games, etc. Outdoor cats will naturally get more exercise than indoor cats if left on their own. However, a wise and caring owner easily evens the playing field in this case. Winner: PUSH VERDICT: This is a complicated debate. If you are staunchly on one side or the other, it is highly unlikely that you will be crossing over to the opposing side anytime soon. But for those in the middle, which way should you lean? Do extra years or extra experiences equate to more happiness? Are you more concerned about how your cat makes you feel or how your cat feels? If you are selfish, then you will definitely want your cat to live a longer life at the cost of experiencing the potential joy of playing in a natural setting outdoors. If you want your cat to have the most enjoyment, then you will potentially put him/her at a greater risk for sickness, disease and possibly even death, but let him/her enjoy stalking and pouncing on everything that moves in a cat's natural environment. In the end, it's probably best to have a compromise and take your indoor cats out in a controlled environment, allowing them to roam free on occasion -- the best of both worlds.

Still Need That Old ______? Sell It!!

recycler — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:13:54 +0000

Every year, we accumulate more and more stuff. Things get put away in the closet or attic or garage and we forget about them. It isn't until we have a giant spring cleaning or have to pack everything up to move that we realize just how much stuff we have....and just how much of it we don't actually use any more. The bad thing is half the stuff we've forgotten about is still useful to someone out there. Why not try to dwindle away some of the massive clutter that is filling your corners, cabinets, and under your bed? Create some space in your house or apartment for a whole new batch of stuff you can build up throughout the year. Clean out those areas where you inevitably end up stowing all the stuff that is neat or cool or interesting but you never end up using or displaying. Take those items that other people would find cool or could really use that is just collecting dust in your place. Instead of letting those items bring you nothing but dust bunnies, why not let them accumulate something else for you? What else can they bring to you? Money, of course! Instead of wasting the valuable space in your home or apartment that most of us probably have a better usage for (wouldn't a treadmill fit nicely?), why don't you take the items you never use and list them on recycler.com. We are your community marketplace. We're here to help facilitate you getting rid of all those things you're never going to use. And don't wait until March or April to do this "Spring Cleaning." Get a jump start on everyone else and start listing your items today. Then by the time March or April come around, you can be worrying about perfecting your beach body (told you that treadmill would come in handy) rather than trying to get rid of some of the clutter in your household.

Ford Recalls More Than 450K Minivans & SUVS

recycler — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:07:41 +0000

The Ford Motor Company announced yesterday it is making a massive recall of Ford Freestar, Mercury Monterey and Ford Escape models. America's No. 2 automaker is recalling at least 450,000, and possibly as many as 539,000, minivans and SUVs. The most troubling aspect of the needed, precautionary repairs is that they are long overdue. The Escapes being recalled are 2001 and 2002 models. That means the SUVs may have been on the road for more than 10 years with a potential defect. The Escapes are being recalled because of a flaw in the antilock brake system. It is possible the 2001-2002 Escapes could leak brake fluid from the brake master cylinder reservoir cap. The leaking fluid could then corrode electrical elements in the braking system and possibly lead to a fire. Ford had a similar recall in 2007 but says all the vehicles may not have been fully inspected and fixed. However, there have been no reported injuries attributed to this issue. Escape owners may still have longer to wait for repair on the issue. The factory that made the defective part from 1999 to 2002 is now closed. There could be parts shortages that will keep people from getting the necessary repairs immediately. The 2004 and 2005 models of the Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey are also being recalled by the Ford Motor Company. The minivans have been found to potentially have a defective torque converter. If the torque converter were to fail, the vehicle would have a sudden loss of power. While the vehicle would still have steering and stopping ability because the engine continues to run, a malfunction of the torque converter increases the risk of an accident.

Happy Holidays from recycler.com!!!

recycler — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:36:09 +0000

Thank you for using recycler.com to buy and sell your used cars, pets, electronics, musical instruments, sporting goods, furniture and everything else that can be found in our classifieds. Without you and your desire to find a bargain or make a little money, we would not exist. It is only because of you and your efforts that recycler.com is the best place on the web to find new and used merchandise and services. For almost 40 years, we have counted on you to supply our classifieds newspapers with interesting and compelling listings, and it is because of you that we are now going strong in both print and online. We plan to continue that success in 2012 with your help. From all of us at recycler.com, we hope you are able to spend time with the people that are near and dear to you and that you have a wonderful time this holiday season. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Kristy Williams: The Face of the Honda Airbag Recalls

recycler — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 00:26:34 +0000

Kristy Williams wanted to be a police officer. She was working toward a degree in Psychology from Clayton State University in Georgia. It was April 2010. Williams had a little more than a month remaining before she was set to graduate. She was returning home in her red 2001 Honda Civic after a day of classes. She stopped at a red light at Reynolds Road in Morrow, Georgia when her whole life changed. As Williams waited at the traffic light, both driver and passenger frontal airbags suddenly deployed. When the driver's side airbag inflated, pieces of metal sliced through the airbag. The airbag inflator had exploded and ruptured sending razor sharp pieces of metal knifing throughout the car. A piece of the shrapnel hit Williams on the left side of her neck, cutting her carotid artery. Blood began pouring from her neck. Blood that was meant to supply her brain. Witnesses told police the Civic was not in an accident -- no hit, no bump, not even a nudge. There was no impact or anything else that would have triggered the event. It had happened completely spontaneously. Williams left arm was broken during the initial airbag deployment. Luckily for Williams, she was able to remain fairly calm. She saved her own life by plugging the wound with two fingers. It kept her from losing too much blood before emergency services arrived and took her to the hospital. She spent two weeks in intensive care. She had seizures. Doctors performed surgery to remove the razor sharp metal from her neck. After a second surgery, Williams suffered a stroke and had to have a third major surgery. "The Honda air bag that was supposed to protect Ms. Williams caused her injuries," Leigh May, Williams' lawyer, said after the incident. "It is important for the public to know about the seriousness of this defect and its potential for causing catastrophic injuries and deaths." Honda had previously issued a recall for driver's side airbags in 2009. However, it didn't include the 2001 Civic. It wasn't until earlier this month that Williams' 2001 Civic was included. On December 2, the Japanese automaker made its fourth airbag-related recall. There were 304,000 affected vehicles in the December recall, including Civics from 2001-2003. Honda said that there had been 20 reported cases of this malfunction causing injuries, including a pair of deaths in 2009. Williams was lucky not to become a third death. After recovering, she filed a lawsuit against Honda and the two parties reached an out-of-court settlement. However, Williams has been left with more than just a payday. She also has a six- to seven-inch scar diving down the left side of her neck and shattered dreams. Since the accident, she graduated with honors and now works as a fitness instructor and assistant manager of a gym. But due to the neck injury, she cannot pursue her dream of becoming a police officer. She said if she were an officer, the damage done to her neck could potentially make her susceptible to a deadly attack so she had to let go of her dream...all because her Honda spontaneously let go of her airbags.

Don’t Stand in Line…Do Your Holiday Shopping Online

recycler — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:58:15 +0000

There are items strewn all over the place. Nothing is in the right place. You find a hunter's reflective vest in the toiletries section. Someone has placed a bag of baker's chocolate perfectly balanced on a hook where packs of socks normally hang. We've all been there. Whether you just wanted to grab a tube of toothpaste or were trying to buy every single item on your holiday shopping list, you've wandered into a department store or a shopping mall only to be overwhelmed by the chaos of everyone doing their holiday shopping. But it doesn't just start there. Oh no...first you have to navigate one of Dante's levels of hell just to get through traffic and then actually find a parking spot in the same zip code. You finally get into the store, but let's hope you don't have a question or need assistance with anything. If so, you might as well drop to a knee and start Tebowing and hope to drag enough attention to yourself that a worker comes over to check on you. Workers are spread so thin trying to take care of the influx of customers and attempting to straighten up around the store that getting quick service is more of a dream than a reality. If you are able to wade through the deluge of messy aisles and scattered merchandise, then comes the wait... No one likes waiting in line. There's a reason why no matter where a Kindergarten class is going, the kids all race to line up. When we were kids, we realized how bad lines are and tried to figure out a way to guarantee we would be near the front or some way to slip in unnoticed (though no one likes a line cut-sy). Standing in line after doing holiday shopping seems like it always takes an eternity. In reality, depending on what store and what time of day you shop, you will probably have to wait 15-45 minutes. That doesn't sound too egregious until you have been waiting 10 minutes and you can't figure out why only one person has actually been checked out. Just think of what you could do with that extra time? You could begin baking cookies, decorate a Christmas tree or sing dozens of carols. If you're like me, you could even wrap like three of those presents you're buying. (I'm a notably bad gift wrapper, by the way.) Instead of all that time wasted in the store, why not save the time and just hit up the world wide web? You can instantly compare prices. You can check for different colors or designs. You can AVOID any and all lines!!! That should be enough in and of itself. And on recycler.com, you can find almost everything you want and you can often find some incredible deals. So this year...skip the lines. Just shop online.

Give the Ultimate Gift This Holiday Season

recycler — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:36:07 +0000

Giving is what the holidays are all about...well that and food. We look forward to seeing the reaction our gift recipients have when they rip through the bows and wrapping paper, digging into the boxes we've filled with the latest and greatest. We give gifts to people we care about and some we may not (if you have one of those crazy cousins/uncles -- no one actually wants to claim him). Some people even donate gifts to 'Secret Santa' groups, toy drives and other events that help those less fortunate this holiday season. But the ultimate gift you can give this holiday season could potentially help those you love, those you don't and those you don't even know. So what could this ultimate gift be? The ultimate gift you could give during the holidays....is your own time. Spending your time volunteering is the ultimate sacrifice of yourself, which is what the holidays are predicated on. Volunteer to help with these services (or any of the plentiful others that could use your help and support) and you'll feel great about yourself and about helping doing something useful with a great cause: Animal Shelter - Shelters and rescues could always use a helping hand to exercise the animals, bathe them and help clean up around the building. Bell Ringer/Donation Collector - Non-profit organizations and volunteer service providers across the country have to raise money every year to support the services they provide. If you can't afford to give a large donation to help them out, you can always donate your time helping them collect donation. This could be as a Salvation Army bell ringer or helping St. Jude's Children Hospital stuff envelopes. Meal Delivery - In every major city, there are meal delivery services for people that are incapable of getting out their homes and/or can't afford meals. Not only will you get to put a smile on their faces, you'll also likely get a lesson in humility when you see how some less fortunate people live on a daily basis. Retirement Home - Many senior citizens don't have anyone to visit them during the holidays. Why not pop into to see four or five rooms at the retirement home and spend 15 or 20 minutes talking with each? You never know what they might actually be able to teach you. Tutoring - Whether it is elementary school, high school or adults trying to get their GED, there is a group of students that could use your help learning and knowledge is a gift that keeps on giving.