Do you have a Super Bowl tradition or another reason why you love one of the biggest football days of the year? What are your plans for Sunday?
My husband and I will get together with our friends and tease fans of teams who didn’t make it to the Super Bowl, laugh at the sure-to-be-hilarious commercials and enjoy each other’s cooking. (If you need a tasty recipe to try, check out this story that ran in Monday’s WichiTalk about a local woman who throws a big Super Bowl party every year.)
Teens say too-slow e-mail is their least favorite way to communicate, according to a Cox News Service story that ran in WichiTalk today.
Which is your favorite way to communicate?
I don’t use social networks, but I’m on blogs a lot. And I use all of these other forms of communication daily, except for snail mail, which I reserve for “special occasion” communication (thank-you notes, invitations, birthday greetings, etc.). What about you?
We’re looking for your perfect pancake pointers for a WichiTalk story in the works.
I’m much more of a waffle fan, but I’ve had a lot of fun sampling a variety of recipes from the cookbook “Pancakes A to Z” by Marie Simmons and David Lazarus. Two of my favorites from the book: Apple Cottage Cheese Pancakes and Banana Sour Cream Pancakes with Cinnamon.
My favorite pancake house pancakes are multigrain and pumpkin. Mmm!
Share you pancake tips here or e-mail them to jstumpe@wichitaeagle.com.
Girls’ nights out have been popular for years, but now guys-only gatherings (think poker nights and “mancations”) are in vogue again, according to a Seattle Times story.
Does the guy in your life host or attend guys-only gatherings? What do you do in the meantime?
I’m lucky enough to have a couple of girlfriends whose husbands are friends with my husbands. That’s fortunate because we can see a chick flick while our husbands head out to the golf course for a little male bonding.
My husband and I don’t have children, which makes it easier for us to hang out with our friends who don’t have kids. But hanging out with friends who have kids can be more difficult.
For starters, our house isn’t baby-proofed. We have two big dogs. And we prefer to eat dinner late (when most toddlers are in bed). That doesn’t mean, of course, that we can’t make plans (to allow them ample time to find a sitter) and meet up at a family-friendly event or restaurant.
That said, we’re often not invited to birthday parties, picnics and other social gatherings that our friends who have kids may invite us to if we were parents. No question that having — or not having — kids plays a big part in your social life.
Are you a young adult who feels isolated because all of your closest friends have kids? Or maybe you’re on the other side of the fence — the only one in your social circle who has a child.
Do you have any tips for dealing with your situation?
Tea consumption is on the rise as more people learn of its health values. It’s also attracting popularity among students and young adults nationwide and here in Wichita.
Do you know of a Wichita-area coffee shop, restaurant, store, etc. that serves up a a great cup of tea? Tell us about it by clicking “comments” at left.
We’ll tell you about several places worth checking out in Thursday’s WichiTalk, but we want to know about places you love, too.
Did you know that January is National Oatmeal Month? One of my favorite uses for oatmeal is homemade granola. Mmm! I also eat instant oatmeal on occasion in the morning. And few cookie recipes can top my mom’s chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, a staple of my childhood.
Oatmeal has been shown to lower cholesterol and provides B vitamins and fiber, to keep you feeling full all morning long.
What’s your favorite oatmeal recipe or instant oatmeal?
And as a little Oatmeal Month gift to you, here’s a recipe that we ran in WichiTalk a couple of years ago. It also includes healthy blueberries, which help prevent cancer and slow the aging process.
Blueberry Crisp with Oatmeal Almond Topping
1 1/2 pints fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse blueberries. Drain, allowing some water to cling to berries. Place berries in 9-inch glass pie dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cinnamon; stir to blend. Let stand until sugar dissolves and coats berries. Stir together oats, flour, salt and remaining brown sugar. Add butter and rub in with fingertips or fork until moist clumps form. Stir in almonds. Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over blueberries. Bake until berries are bubbling and topping is golden, about 35 minutes.
Serves 6.
Source: Bon Appetit
My recent gamer addictions have included Sims and Dance Dance Revolution.
But now, as you may know, the recent buzz in game systems includes “Rock Band†and “Guitar Hero.â€
Are you an adult who’s been logging in plenty of hours reliving the good ol’ days when you thought you were going to tour the nation with your own band?
We know you’re out there.
Click on “comments” at left and fess up. Or tell us about your current gaming addiction.
The “always a bridesmaid” pop culture phenomenon comes to the big screen in “27 Dresses†starring Katherine Heigl of “Grey’s Anatomy” fame. If you can’t wait until next week, when it opens nationally, check out the sneak preview at 2:25 p.m. Sunday at Warren Theatre (west).
In the meantime, check out Uglydress.com for a good laugh.
And dig out your bridesmaid’s photo archive. We’re collecting photos of local women in their favorite — or most hated — bridesmaid’s dress. If it’s a dress you detest and think we need to see to believe, send it in. If it’s a beautiful gown that you truly could wear to other non-wedding events again and again, we want to hear about it. Please e-mail a photo of you wearing the dress, a description of the dress and your name, hometown and daytime phone number to wichitalk@wichitaeagle.com.
We also want to know how many times you’ve been a bridesmaid.
Can you top Jane in “27 Dresses� We’re curious to know which woman in Wichita has been a bridesmaid the most number of times.
A LiveScience news story attracting a lot of attention on the Internet today says that naps may boost memory.
I confess that I’m not a big napper. Once I’m asleep, I’m asleep. I even hated naps as a child.
But, as an adult, I realize that there’s nothing more indulgent than an afternoon nap curled up with a feather pillow and your favorite quilt.
Are you a napper? When do you find time to nap? Can’t remember the last time you had a nap? Therein may lie the problem.