Leftover Ideas: Mac And Cheese Muffins

We eat pasta a lot. Sometimes, there'll be a little bit of pasta left over, but not enough for another full meal. When that happens, I turn the pasta into mac and cheese muffins. I got the idea when I came across this recipe for mini French onion mac and cheese. I can't do justice to those pictures, but I can tell you what I did.

This particular recipe is very simple. You just need to keep in mind the 1:1 ratio for the roux, and stir while you're adding in the milk. It's actually one of the least complicated recipes I've made for mac and cheese. If you're using leftover pasta, you need at least one cup's worth of pasta.

Once you've mastered it, you can experiment with the flavors. At first I just kept the French onion theme - using onions and Gruyere, because that's what I had. Once I ran out of those, I changed up the type of pasta - from macaroni to rotini, and yesterday I made them with cheddar cheese and frozen peas. (I cooked up the peas first.)

It's simple and a total crowd-pleaser. If you're serving it to your kids, you might want to consider feeding them their vegetables first.

Public Service Announcement: 9-1-1 Service No Longer A Requirement For California

Yesterday, while trying to figure out how to eliminate some bills to cut down on costs, I had the bright idea of turning off my landline. I called AT&T and asked them to cancel my service. "By the way, will I still be able to dial 9-1-1 even without service?" "No, if we disconnect your line, it's totally disconnected. You can call 9-1-1 from your cell phone if you have one."

That didn't sound right to me, so I tried to Google it, and found California Public Utilities Code Section 2883, which does list the requirement for carriers to provide a "soft" dial tone so that non-subscribers can call 9-1-1 in case of emergency. I called AT&T back with this information, but for my pains, was told that the requirement was no longer in place as of 2012.

In conclusion, if you are worried about access to 9-1-1 service in the event that your cell phone service is disabled in an emergency, you might want to retain a landline.

Cooking Failure: Brussels Sprouts Chips

Today I had brussels sprouts from the farmers' market. Usually I roast them in the oven, and that's plenty good for me, but I wanted to check out some alternative recipes. I found this brussels sprouts chips recipe, which promises to convert brussels sprouts haters. It was also attractive because it was simple.

I actually did roast my brussels sprouts, but since I had to remove a lot of the outer leaves anyway, I decided to test out the recipe with those discarded leaves. After dinner, I salted and peppered them, and added olive oil. I stuck them in the oven and waited 10 minutes, as instructed on the recipe. That was my mistake. 

By the time I checked on them, most of the leaves were burnt. I tasted an unburnt one, and was unimpressed. I had added too much salt, and the leaf didn't taste much different than a regular brussels sprout. It wasn't crispy like a chip, and if you were a brussels sprouts hater already, well, you would still be a brussels sprouts hater. Still, I think I will try this recipe again, with a few changes.

Lessons learned:

1. Easy on the salt.
2. If it's the first time with the recipe, check the oven frequently.

What To Get For The First Year Of Parenthood

My friends are at the age where they are all starting to have kids, and occasionally, someone will ask me the most useful things I've come across.

Below, I am recommending necessities, and not just things you need to add to your registry.

If you are planning to breastfeed:

• Get a pump. If you are planning on returning to work, a double breastpump will probably be more convenient. Pumping isn't fun, but it's cheaper than formula. 
• Invest in bottles and breastmilk bags so you can freeze your milk for later use. Milk can remain in the freezer for several months, and if you have a lot of milk, you'll want to pump out the milk rather than deal with the discomfort of remaining engorged. Also, you should get your baby used to drinking from a bottle after the first few weeks, so that if you want to, you can hand off the baby to someone else to get fed. 
• Breastfeeding covers are nice, but not a necessity. Generally you can just cover up with a jacket, or just go into a different room to breastfeed. As your child gets older, they won't tolerate the cover as well.
• Get washable nursing pads because your boobs will leak milk. And that would be pretty embarrassing if you're presenting something at a meeting, wouldn't it?
• Lanolin is a godsend for chafing nipples. All that sucking will dry your skin out. 

Oh, and if breastfeeding doesn't end up working out? Don't worry about it. Seriously...your kid's not going to remember whether or not you breastfed them, they are not going to suffer ill health effects from the formula you give them, and you don't get a prize for breastfeeding the longest. It's just a method of feeding your kid. Your sanity, and your baby actually getting fed, is more important than the act of breastfeeding.

Medical:


Note: Whenever you can, just buy the generic brand of medicine. You'll save money, and the products all have the same active ingredients anyway.

• Bulb syringe aspirator - We got multiples of these, because the ones we purchased that weren't this specific one were terrible. They split, and didn't work, and wasted my money. This is the same as the one we got from the hospital, which worked like a charm. Warning: it takes a few times to get this right, and your baby isn't going to like it. One of our friends preferred the Nosefrida, but we drew the line at sucking snot out of our baby.
• Infant acetaminophen - Although you cannot use this the first few months, it will come in handy whenever the baby gets miserable with fever or a cold.
• Children's Benadryl - This is used to treat allergic reactions. Honestly, it's been more used than the acetaminophen, mostly because our baby seems to be really sensitive to some food products.
• Boogie wipes - Ok, so they are a bit overpriced, but they're basically saline wipes that gently wipe your baby's nose. Better than plain tissue, which can get stuck on a baby's face.
• Saline solution - For loosening up the boogies inside a child's nostrils.
• Hydrocortisone cream - Useful for eczema patches that just won't go away, or heat rashes.
• Eczema cream - Eczema is common in babies. I like the Aveeno brand one.
• Sunscreen - Technically, you aren't supposed to put sunscreen on a baby unless it's at least six months. But if you live in an area like Los Angeles, like I do, it's kind of hard not to just go ahead and do it. Sunscreens come in different forms - stick, lotion, spray, etc. I've found the stick to be pretty convenient, but the sprays seem to provide the most coverage. Don't forget to cover the neck area, especially in the back.
• Diaper rash cream - You may have to try a few different brands before you settle on something you like. I have tried Aquaphor (also useful for dry skin), Triple Paste, and Desitin (the purple one, which has fewer ingredients). They all work equally well. 
• Humidifier - The first cold your child gets, your pediatrician will recommend a humidifier to make it easier for your child to breathe. We use it every night these days; it comes in handy especially in the winter. 

Nice but not necessary:

• A white noise machine - This may end up being a necessity. Only you can tell for sure. If a house is too quiet, the baby will be awakened by any noise. The first few months are a very confusing time for the baby, and the white noise will remind the baby of being in the uterus. 
• Itzbeen Pocket Nanny - This one was a lifesaver for us in the first few months. You can use this to track the last time your child has eaten, slept, or been changed. 
• Combine Amazon Mom with Amazon Prime with Subscribe & Save. You'll get Amazon Prime for free for the first three months of your Amazon Mom membership, along with a 20% discount on diapers and wipes subscriptions, and other discounts as well. Amazon Prime gives you free two-day shipping, access to instant streaming via Amazon Instant Video, and access to the Kindle Lending Library with no due dates. You can use the Subscribe and Save option to buy necessities like diapers and wipes at a discounted rate. Then you can spend less time in the Babies R Us store.
• Rewards"R"Us - This is the rewards card for Toys R Us/Babies R Us. You're likely to get a lot of Babies R Us gift cards, so this is a useful place to spend those gift cards. You might as well reap the rewards, too. You'll get discounts in the mail and in your inbox, and occasionally, a few dollars discount off major purchases. 

Punchcard App No Longer Pays Out (As Well)

Recently, I noticed an update from Punchcard's Facebook page. They were now offering $50 Restaurant.com gift certificates for any punchcards completed between the video and the end of the year. Okay, I thought, but not really necessary.

But then I started reading the comments on that post. Apparently the cash rewards have been replaced entirely with Restaurant.com gift certificates as of November 22, 2012, and it doesn't look like anyone was notified. 

According to the Punchcard FAQ, "After November 22, 2012, you will earn restaurant vouchers as a reward for completing open or new cards. You will receive a voucher code via email at the email you provided."

To say that I am less than thrilled would be an understatement. I really loved being able to earn back a slight bit of cash that I spent on groceries. I bragged about the app to everyone I knew. I am trying to eat out LESS, not more, so restaurant vouchers are not inherently a good thing. I might be a little less upset if the vouchers were more specific to the stores, like I could get a Target gift certificate or something after I finished completing a punchcard. A quick review of the restaurants that accept restaurant.com gift certificates in my area shows that the selection is pretty limited, and most of them get middling reviews at best. 

Well, it was nice knowing you, Punchcard. I wish you had been more forthcoming about your changes. Please try to do better if you want to regain my loyalty. 

Tikki Tikki Tembo Isn't Accurate? Stop The Presses!

I picked up Tikki Tikki Tembo from the library after being overcome with a wave of nostalgia. I brought it home, and read it to my daughter, and found myself laughing at the ridiculous so-called "Chinese folktale" being retold by Arlene Mosel.

There are a number of things wrong with this version of the folktale, starting with the fact that the origins of the folktale appear to be Japanese, not Chinese. "Tikki Tikki Tembo" aren't Chinese sounds, "Chang" is a surname, and doesn't mean "little or nothing", the characters all seem to be wearing Japanese sandals, and in one scene, Chang bows backwards, which just looks weird, and which no one ever does.

I was expecting Tikki Tikki Tembo to die, given how long he'd been in the well. But he is miraculously saved. I think there are some versions where he dies.

As to whether there's any damage done, or whether I'll do any to my daughter, I don't think so. I tried to follow this tedious discussion on a Children's Lit listserv, but it only served to frustrate me.

Favorite Videos Of The Week

This week I've got some pretty random things, but they're all well worth watching. In this first one, Alicia Keys gives a soulful rendition of the Gummi Bears theme song on the Jimmy Fallon show. It's amazing how long it takes before she cracks. It took a while before I even realized she wasn't singing another R&B song. 

An oldie but goodie - Christopher Walken in Pennies From Heaven, an old-school burlesque musical. The sequence is called "Let's Misbehave", and features a really young Christopher Walken as tempter. I've never seen this movie, but I think I should!

So I didn't really care about the AMAs other than PSY's performance with MC Hammer. But that was kind of underwhelming compared to P!nk's performance, which was incredible. This first video is the original music video for her song "Try", and the second one is the AMA performance. It's a really unusual video, in that the focus is on the dance, and the dance actually tells a story. It's also visually disturbing, and turbulent. Amazing.

Favorite Videos Of The Week

"The Heat" is a female buddy cop movie, starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy of "Bridesmaids" fame. It's nice to see women getting in on the Judd Apatow-style comedy action. 

David Chang and Anthony Bourdain just never stop working, do they? "Mind of a Chef" is a 12-part PBS series that focuses on a particular food for each episode. The first one is about ramen. It seems to be very complementary to Chang's magazine Lucky Peach.

GoldieBlox is a Kickstarter-funded toy that teaches engineering concepts, and is designed to appeal to girls. I'm not crazy about the pastels or the blond white girl (maybe future iterations will have a more diverse cast) that seems to be the protagonist of the story, but I really like the idea. I wish the video had shown more about the actual toy. 

In Shanghai, there's a real-life "marriage market" in which anxious parents bring out profiles of their single sons and daughters to hopefully find a good match for them so that they can get married and provide them with grandchildren. Actually, their daughters and sons might already be in relationships. Their kids might not even know that they're being set up. I wonder how many successful matches there are. 

Marriage Corner from A Year To Think on Vimeo.

Ever wanted to make your own Sriracha? Try this one out!

JoJo's Sriracha: Bringing More Hot Pepper Flavor To The Party from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo.

Favorite Videos...U.S. Election Edition

With the U.S. presidential election happening tomorrow, there have been a lot of great videos popping up all over the place. I've collected a bunch of my favorites here:

If you, especially those of you who live in swing states, could use a breather from political ads, Quinley & Kubat's got a solution for you:

This little girl is sick of the election, too. 

Jay-Z's getting in on the act, saying that he's got "99 problems, but Mitt ain't one":

If you don't vote for Obama, these old folks will watch you while you have sex. This video is from Michael Moore and MoveOn:

Joss Whedon endorses Romney for the zombie apocalypse:

Friday: Videos I Love

Fun videos for Friday!

Steve Martin, Home Crafts Expert, Endorses Bob Kerrey

It's the Law... Ladyparts Justice - Brought to you by Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead

The Other Son trailer

Sesame Street: Birdwalk Empire

Checkpoints Bugs & More Ways To Earn Points

(Go read this post for the latest info on how to earn points at Checkpoints to trade in for gift cards and other goodies.)

While I still like using the Checkpoints app, there are some irritating bugs. I'm not sure if it has to do with the fact that I have an ancient version of Android (2.5 or something like that), or if they have issues on their end.

Checkpoints Bugs:

• When I first load up the app, I am always asked to log in. A few months ago, before I uninstalled and then reinstalled it, I never had to log in except for the very first time I used it. Now I can't use it without being prompted for a login. This makes me wish I had chosen a shorter user name. I shortened my password to deal. 
• Almost every time I load the app, the app freezes when I click on the sign-in button. Then when I start the app again, it works fine. It is really annoying. 
• In some stores, Checkpoints only works with my wireless turned off. A side benefit of having to log in every time means that I can instantly tell when I need to turn the wireless off. If I don't get the screen that says "Thanks for reinstalling your app", then it means I need to turn the wireless off.
• When I scan an item, I am usually prompted to answer whether I would be more likely to buy an item if I had a coupon for it. When I first started getting these, I got annoyed at how long it took me to get to the question, and also how long it took for it to finish processing the answer. On those occasions, I would back out of the screen and essentially skip the question and continue scanning. The result was lost coins and lost points. Once I figured it out, I no longer skip answering the questions. 
• I haven't tested this in a while, but when I tried to download a game via the Try Apps section, I got logged out of Checkpoints, and the coins appear when I am not logged in. This is not a big deal, because I found downloading and trying apps the most cumbersome method of obtaining coins anyway. 

Other Ways To Earn Points And Coins On Checkpoints: 

• Go to BonusCoins - unfortunately, this is only supported by iPhones, iPods, and iPads using the Safari browser, so I can't tell you much about it.
• Go to earn.checkpoints.com and log in. You can earn points by applying for credit cards, taking surveys, buying stuff from the deal sites like Tippr and Groupon, and buying magazines. You only earn the points once the transactions are completed - surveys must be finished, deals must be paid for, etc. You probably won't qualify for all the surveys, and the surveys may ask for a lot of information before it rejects you for the actual survey. So if you have some time to kill, this might be interesting, but otherwise, I think it's easier to just get points and coins the regular way.

Extra! Extra! Coupons & Deals App Saves You Money Everywhere

From InMarket, the makers of the Checkpoints app, comes another great free app. Extra! Extra! Coupons & Deals is available on both Android and the iPhone stores. It used to be the local deals section on Checkpoints. What I love about it is the simplicity in execution, and the fact that it works so quickly and seamlessly. (Doesn't seem to be a battery hog, either.)

When you open the app, you see a list of stores, each with a summary of the coupons available at that store. I used it yesterday at a Carter's outlet store, to purchase some clothes for my daughter. On the right-hand side, you'll see a number - which indicates the number of coupons available for the store. I realized, when I pulled up the store, that there were actually several coupons for Carter's - one for $10 off $50, one for $5 off $40, and a general 25% off coupon. After some quick calculations, I realized that the 25% off coupon would give me the biggest discount.

At first, I tried to print out the coupon. You can share coupons on Facebook or email it to yourself. But I had issues with my printer, and I couldn't print. I just took my phone with me to the store anyway, and brought up the coupon, and showed it to the cashier. Because there was a code on the coupon for the retailer, she was able to give me the discount.

What I really like about this, besides the simplicity, is that I have access to coupons that I would actually use. I've checked out Groupon, and Amazon Local, and Google Offers. I think I've bought a total of two things on Google Offers. And everything else I've seen on the other social discount sites has just been too much hassle, or things I'm not entirely interested in - no, I'm not going to slog to the other side of Los Angeles just to get a haircut. I'm not a spa person. Extra! Extra! has coupons from stores and restaurants like Jamba Juice and Carl's Jr.

You can favorite coupons, and search nearby for local coupons.

Extra! Extra! on Facebook

Now all I need is for InMarket to finish ListBliss for Android.

Space Shuttle Endeavor Photos

Unfortunately, now that I live in the "Valley", as people like to refer to it, I missed out on the awesome craziness that was the Endeavor flyover. On the other hand, plenty of people took great pictures, so I thought I would collect a bunch of them here.

• Getty Image of space shuttle Endeavor arriving at LAX
• LA Curbed collection of Endeavor flying over things
• Photos shared on Reddit
• Endeavor flying past the Hollywood sign
• Photos of the flight deck of Endeavor
• Hatcher Studio's Flickr set
• LAist collection of Endeavor photos
• Another LAist collection of Endeavor at LAX

Gourmet Magazine Mashed Potatoes With Six Variations

I made this very basic version of mashed potatoes yesterday, and was very pleased at the way it came out. I like it because I can just use what's in my fridge. It's very simple - just russet potatoes, butter, milk, salt and pepper.

I was able to make it in half an hour. The majority of prep time came from peeling and boiling the potatoes. Next time, I think I will try the roasted garlic variation.

My "Gangnam Style" Obsession

First, the actual video:

There seems to be no end of things to say and do about PSY's viral hit "Gangnam Style". I have been re-playing it over and over for weeks on end. I've also collected a ton of links and parodies and reaction videos, so I thought I'd share.

• Global Voices collects South Korean reactions to its popularity. 
• PSY himself teaches TMZ how to do Gangnam Style. 
• 8Asians worries about whether the satirical message of Gangnam Style is lost on American fans. I think they are thinking too much about it.
• Second MetaFilter post. Lots of good stuff here. 
• First MetaFilter post. Even more goodies.
• PSY's official YouTube channel. 
• Female version of "Gangnam Style" by Hyuna. This may be bad, but I cannot stand Hyuna's singing voice. 
• How to do the "Gangnam Style" dances. Various tutorials from different people. 
• Lifeguards get fired for filming a video spoof. 
• Gangnam Style with Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

PSY dances to Lady Gaga and Beyonce. He's really, really good. 

PSY teaches Britney Spears.

Deadpool vs Gangnam Style.

"Happiness is wanting what you get." - Dale Carnegie

I thought I'd share some things I saw on the Internet that made me happy lately:

K-pop viral sensation Gangnam Style

The Muppets: Ode to Joy

Flight of the Conchords: Feel Inside and Stuff Like That 

Avengers Deleted Scenes

I loved the Avengers, so finding out that there were deleted scenes made me really happy. Here are the ones I was able to find:

A potential opening to Avengers 2? It includes a version of Maria Hill which I don't think is actually consistent with the character in the original movie.


Opening by Vivianbianchi

Extended planning scene with Loki and Clint Barton.


Loki and Barton (extended scene) by Vivianbianchi

Nick Fury talks to the Council?


Nick by Vivianbianchi

What happened after the Hulk fell from the sky and turned back into Bruce Banner.


Bruce Banner Deleted Scene from the "Avengers"... by Flixgr

Oh Tumblr. Where the eff is your permalink??? Anyway, if you scroll down this page, you can see the deleted scene where Steve Rogers/Captain America finds out that Peggy is still alive, and he makes the decision to go see her.

Also, Buzzfeed has the Avengers' gag reel, along with a bunch of GIFs.

How To Watch Chinese/Cantonese Media Online

The day before yesterday, I came across a site that provided me with lots of Cantonese gossip, and then I got sucked into watching movie trailer after movie trailer. It made me feel a little homesick, to be honest. When I lived at home, my family had a membership at a Chinese rental store, and we would rent movies and TV shows to watch. I credit our consumption of Cantonese media with my absorption of the Cantonese language.

So of course I complained on Facebook about it, and promptly received several suggestions about where I could consume media online. Here are the suggestions:

• PPS.TV - Requires registration (which I think is free), and the entire site is in Chinese. I can read a little Chinese, but it takes a lot of effort, so I'm not sure I can use this one.
• MapleStage - Recommended for dramas. Site is also in Chinese, and subtitles are in Chinese. Dramas are from mainland China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. 
• Hulu - Supposedly has some, but a cursory search was unhelpful to me. 
• AzDrama.Net - MONEY - Site is written in English, and contains Hong Kong dramas and shows. You can sort by shows with English subtitles, although many of the shows have Chinese subtitles. There are also Taiwanese shows and Chinese shows. Note: Their search sucks, and is one of the worst in-site search engines I've ever seen. I did a search for "condor heroes" to see if they had "Legend of the Condor Heroes", and every single search result took me to the HK Drama page. 
• Crunchyroll - Was not mentioned, but was one of the sites I originally used to watch Cantonese shows. The focus seems to have shifted to Japanese and Korean dramas, but they still have Cantonese shows from Tai Seng Entertainment on. The selection is limited, though, because I think Tai Seng has an ongoing dispute with Crunchyroll, and they took a bunch of popular shows offline. 

The Updated Punchcard App Is Way Easier To Use

Ok, is it just me, or does Punchcard kind of suck at social media?

Evidence:

• Google+ - Last update was from May 25, 2012
• Twitter - 474 followers, but following over 1k people
• Facebook - Only 297 likes
• Punchcard Blog - Last update, from April 24, 2012

I only saw cursory references to the new features on the updated Punchcard app, and no detailed explanations in the official blog. It seems like basic common sense to tell your users what your new features are, across all your social media channels. 

Well, in case you're wondering, here's what's new in the Punchcard app:

• You no longer have to be at your location in order to scan your receipt. If you're out of range of the store where you have a receipt, then you can just do a search for the zip code and the name, and snap a picture of the receipt that way.
• Did I mention you can search for locations?
• Each individual punch now shows you exactly how much you spent each time, down to the penny. 
• You now have an "inbox" in which you are informed if your punch has been approved or not. If it hasn't been approved, you'll be shown a reason why.

An interesting item of note:

I actually made a lot of purchases over the past two weeks at different stores, and scanned those receipts in with no problem. However, I also returned items from those scanned receipts to the stores as well. Logistically, I don't think there's any way for, say, Target to coordinate with Punchcard to dock me the money I've saved by returning an item. It doesn't matter anyway, though, because I still end up spending that money at the same store. Punching away!

Why I Deleted My Quora Account

Quora is a social question and answer site in which many of its participants are from the world of tech startups, which makes it a better place to get information than, say, Yahoo! Answers. When you ask a question on Quora, no matter how silly or misguided or honestly, stupid, you'll get at least one serious answer that has been carefully thought out, and the writer will take pains to provide evidence to back up his or her point of view.

So why would I want to leave? 

Because they decided to make lurking a thing of the past. Now, when you log on, other people on the site can see which questions and answers you've read, and also how you came to the post, whether via email, search or a public stream. Of course, if you don't like it, you can turn it off yourself. However, when something's on by default, most people don't bother to change it.

I like lurking. Although I find comment threads interesting, I rarely participate in discussions because I find doing so exhausting, even when it's enjoyable. I like being able to read freely without having someone know what I am doing, so I don't have other people in my head while consuming. I don't want to have even someone I know come up to me and ask me what I thought of that article that I may have read and forgotten about two weeks ago.

Frankly, do most people even care that much about what their friends are consuming? I know Facebook introduced the whole concept of "frictionless sharing", and people like Robert Scoble are invested in this idea that it somehow makes the Internet better when the entire Internet knows what you had for breakfast, what you read on the toilet, and what you sing in the shower. But honestly? I don't want to know all of that! If I was interested in what you thought about X, I'd have a direct conversation with you about it, whether online or off.

This trend that Facebook started is disturbing, and if it weren't for the fact that I keep in touch with my closest friends via Facebook, I'd have shut it down the day they introduced frictionless sharing. In the meantime, though, I'd rather cut through my social network clutter and eliminate the inessential sites that don't bother to respect the user.

It's too bad, because I have enjoyed my time on Quora. But life is short, and I can live without it.

What You Should Know About Deleting Your Quora Account: 

There is no option to delete your Quora account within your account options. In the account options, you have the ability to "deactivate your account", which just means that your account goes silent, but your questions, answers, and anything else you've contributed remain up on the site. However, no one else can actually interact with you.

If you want to actually delete your account, and delete all the content you've contributed, you have to contact privacy@quora.com and provide them with a direct link to your Quora account. My request was processed quite easily, although there was a minor glitch. When I clicked on my link to verify deletion, I found that my account was still up. I replied to the support staff, and they took care of the issue in a timely manner and deleted my account without further delay or questioning.