'Cause I'm Always Cooking Up Something! : )
Posts by Kerri Elders
New Toy from Amazon in Beta Testing: Amazon Collections
April 29, 2013
Here’s a new twist from Amazon: Amazon Collections.
Pinterest, meet Twitter Feed on an Amazonian scale. The Amazon Collections River flows on this page (you’ll be prompted to sign in to your Amazon account to see it):
Screenshot of Amazon Collections River
Like a graphical Twitter feed, it posts and flows as Amazon customers add items of all styles, sizes, descriptions, and categories to their own self-created personal Collections.
Another view of the Amazon Collections River
In the River, you’ll find a fascinating flow of interests. Clothing, classic movies, MP3s, books (of course), sporting goods, instant video, jewelry, and more.
If Amazon sells it, it can be Collected and shared with the Amazon community. And the flow’s in realtime. Add an item to any personal Collection & you’ll find it in the River in a microsecond, mixing and mingling with other Collector’s Favorite Things.
Like this one, found here.
Main Page for This User's Amazon Collections
So far, this user has 17 collections, like these on Gardening, Dumb Comedy, and Workout Gear.
Well, EXCUSE ME I Love Dumb Comedy
Describe your item if you want. Don’t if you don’t.
Click on Add to My Collection & you’re done! Your item’s saved to your own Collection AND it’s joined the River, which is constantly flowing and growing.
Give it a try; if you’re familiar with Amazon’s older “extra” features, Amazon Collections is like Listmania on Steroids. Only EASIER, because you can collect any item just by clicking a “Collect” button from your browser menubar.
- Navigating Amazon Collections is SIMPLE; use the NavBar
Fun, addictive, and endlessly fascinating to writers, these self-painted portraits of people and time speak volumes about our Digital Age, our interests, and ourselves.
Join in here. Once you log in to your Amazon account (or create one), just click on the “Learn More” link & you’ll be able to join the Beta.
And if you need help, just Tweet me & I’ll post a mini-tutorial. But I don’t think you’ll need it; Amazon’s done a great job explaining how this works : )
And best of all, new features are being added all the time, like the ability to FOLLOW other Collectors. Give it a try today!
I’m Baaaack!
April 23, 2013
by Kerri Elders
in Writing
Close call this week; I really didn’t know I could MISS my blog so MUCH!
Had an access outage due to circumstances beyond everyone’s control (unknown spammer on shared server).
My hosting company has gone the extra mile & fixed everything, so I’ll be back blogging in no time.
Back to blogging here VERY SOON!!!!
A Microthought Poem, A Direct Consequence of Becoming a Twit(terer)
December 29, 2012
by Kerri Elders
in Writing
Awaiting a perfect cup of green tea
Sitting at my computer,
Drinking a cup of tea,
Asking myself this morning,
Do I own my computer or does it own me?
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Kerri Elders
Follow Kerri on Twitter @kerriskitchen
Is Exercise Brain-Protective? Evidence Mounts as Apparent Correlation Between Cognition and Gait Emerges
December 24, 2012
Merry Christmas Eve to all!
As we’re gathering together with friends and relatives, it’s always interesting (at least to nerds like me) to see how much–or how little–we’ve all changed in a year’s time. Some are blossoming as others fade. Children grow like weeds, voices lower, voices richen, some fall silent.
As a child, I was always fascinated by the adults in my circle. I had an extremely elderly, matriarchal and imposing great-grandmother whose light faded noticeably from year to year, to the point that once I had graduated from bibs she was relegated to them. Although I was quite small, I remember seeing her fed at the table one year and in her sickbed the next and then she disappeared altogether.
Remembering her this year, I thought about how apparent the decline had been, how no one was surprised as she made her transition from ruler to ruled one.
And I wondered if any of us has the ability to see this decline in ourselves, so we can actually DO SOMETHING before it overtakes us.
In my opinion, yes we can. And it’s the same old answer: STAY PHYSICALLY ACTIVE.
Here is a terrific analysis of the issue from a July 2012 New York Times article by Pam Belluck: Footprints to Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer’s are Seen in Gait.
Pam Belluck (@PamBelluck) does a masterful job detailing some studies performed in Basel, Switzerland that yielded some surprisingly simple diagnostic tools that can help reveal impending cognitive decline. In my own opinion, I think this also reveals an opportunity to some to “reinforce their wiring.”
Read the article and you’ll see what I mean. Be sure to watch the attached short video clip that shows a woman walking, then walking while counting backward by two’s; a picture is worth a thousand words.
Enjoy the holidays (and especially that vital after-dinner walk)!
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Book Review: Follow Me! Creating a Personal Brand with Twitter
December 20, 2012
by Kerri Elders
in Book Reviews
- Follow Me! Creating a Personal Brand with Twitter by Sarah-Jayne Gratton
I honestly did not like this book very much when I first read it.
I got frustrated, trying to separate the author’s self-promotional marketing from her “using Twitter” advice and I found the graphics and photos just too “out there” for me. To be fair, this indiscriminate mixing of self-promotion and useful material is a common problem I see with many contemporary books about trending technologies, so this issue is really nothing new.
THEN, I read a couple of other books about Twitter & I got it. I really did.
I re-scanned Sarah-Jayne’s book with new eyes and it clicked. THIS is a book about maximizing Twitter for PERSONAL branding and I was expecting it to be a business guide to Twitter. My bad. Once it clicked, it really clicked. Once I “got it,” I saw that @grattongirl was sharing strategies for evading pitfalls and maximizing outcomes in something that really is a Brave New World. Not only is Twitter more IMMEDIATE than the web or print media, it’s also much more diaphanous and intangible. And quickly expended. You’re not really “selling” info. You’re “selling” a feeling. And yourself. Aha! NOW the book made perfect sense to me.
@grattongirl‘s book can save you a LOT of newbie mistakes in the Twitterverse. You’ll learn things just by reading the book that would take you months of frustration to learn on your own. Not only that, you can learn how to maximize the value of your Profile, how NOT to offend your followers BEFORE you lose them, how to distinguish “real” followers from bots, and how to effectively maximize the value of your Twitter Feed for your followers AND yourself. And if you’re an intermediate user, you STILL have a lot to learn. Etiquette and acknowledgements; timing posts; managing followers effectively; autopost: should you or shouldn’t you?
It’s a tricky job, walking the tightrope between two worlds (print media and Twitter). Modern editors don’t have a CLUE about what Twitter is or how to use it effectively, while too many TwitterStars don’t really know how to write more than 140 coherent characters at a time. I have to say that Sarah Jayne Gratton actually struck the right balance here, which I did not appreciate on my first read-through for a very simple reason: I didn’t know enough about Twitter to understand just how valuable the advice in this book actually is, so I discounted it.
Until you’ve tweeted and generated something of a following, the self-promotional necessities of Twitter (and its exceptional value as a “connector”) aren’t apparent. So @grattongirl‘s got it right–you’ve GOT to learn to sell yourself. And this book can teach you how; I thank her for teaching me how much I DIDN’T know. A recommended foundational read, if you want to quickly learn to Tweet with the best of them.
Just FYI, if you’re on the business (i.e. corporate) end of the Twitter spectrum, here is a trio of other books to try: The Tao of Twitter: Changing Your Life and Business 140 Characters at a Time
or (though dated 2010): Twitter Marketing For Dummies
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Follow Kerri on Twitter: @kerriskitchen
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Reviewer Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes via Amazon Vine.
Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
If You’re a Writer and You Don’t Have a Title on Kindle, Are You Really Still a Writer?
December 9, 2012
The advent of Amazon’s Kindle has changed publishing FOREVER. Ask the publishing houses. Ask the Agents. Ask the book printers. And ask the Indie bookstores.
Personally, I’m an avid Kindle
I’ve been thinking and thinking and THINKING for years about converting our 1996 print cookbook, The American Gourmet Collection Cookbook
My hesitation? It’s simple. As a reader, I just don’t like cookbooks in ebook form. Dumb? Probably. There may be a HUGE market for e-cookbooks. But I don’t really see it. 480 recipes in a “jump to” format? Cooking with your TABLET?
I didn’t think so. Then, I started thinking a little differently. How about a short title? A Kindle Single
So I’ve started exploring the ins and outs of Kindle publishing. I’ll blog more about it later. But for now, allow me to direct you to the Mecca of Kindle kindling, Kindle Direct Publishing. Here you will find resources and forums for bringing your masterpieces to the masses.
I still have to say without hesitation that Jeff Bezos has performed a miraculous service in freeing the writer from his natural overlords (agents and publishers). But now, the trick is to be HEARD. Especially since thousands of less-than-professional writers are publishing to the Kindle, and some of these writers have discovered the value (?) of holding a multiplicity of pen names to effectively subvert the reader’s (and reviewer’s) ability to avoid junk titles. More about that later, too (I think in many ways, this actually helps re-iterate the true value of professional Editors, Agents, and Publishing Houses).
And, BTW, I’m not downing self-publishing. There are many thousands of wonderful ebooks available that would NOT be available had the Standard Publishing Model been in force. As writers, we’re extremely fortunate to have a direct pipeline to our readers.
I leave you with a question: If you’re a professional writer and you haven’t published any of your works to e-book format (whether it’s laziness on your own part or because of contractual restrictions): are you really still a writer?
(Of course you are). But it’s probably well past time to overcome your own inertia and get on the Kindle train. I’m doing it and I’m going to blog about my journey, one happy mistake at a time : )
More to come…
Venture an opinion, anyone? What’s been your Kindle experience?
[HINT: Plug your book! We'd like to know what you've written and where we can get a copy.]
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Is Ikaria the Anti-Aging Island?
October 26, 2012
As my regular readers know, one of my abiding interests is health enhancement.
In my personal experience, the key to good health is a successful combination of very tiny improvements to DAILY HABITS: mental habits, eating habits, exercise habits, and spiritual habits.
So I was particularly interested by this FASCINATING story from the New York Times about Ikaria, an island in the Aegean Sea, that has the world’s highest concentration of long-lived people.
It contains an engaging story about a native Ikarian who lived in the US and returned to his homeland after being diagnosed with lung cancer. But only a New York Times writer can tell that story as it needs to be told, so I’ll let you read it yourself.
Here are just a couple of quick quotes from the piece:
Over the span of the next three days, I met some of Leriadis’s patients. In the area known as Raches, I met 20 people over 90 and one who claimed to be 104. I spoke to a 95-year-old man who still played the violin and a 98-year-old woman who ran a small hotel and played poker for money on the weekend.
So, how do the natives themselves explain their unusual longevity?
Ask the very old on Ikaria how they managed to live past 90, and they’ll usually talk about the clean air and the wine. Or, as one 101-year-old woman put it to me with a shrug, “We just forget to die.”
In Samos, they care about money. Here, we don’t. For the many religious and cultural holidays, people pool their money and buy food and wine. If there is money left over, they give it to the poor. It’s not a ‘me’ place. It’s an ‘us’ place.”
You really owe it to yourself to set aside a relaxed ten minutes to read this great story:
The Island Where People Forget to Die by Dan Buettner.
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Surprise! Calorie Restriction Study Results Shock Researchers: IT DOESN’T MATTER
August 29, 2012
Researchers, some of whom were restricting calories in their own diets to reap the expected results of this study, were SHOCKED to find that severe calorie restriction doesn’t actually lengthen life span as anticipated.
To quote Texas Governor Rick Perry: “Oops.”
The study, begun in 1987, involved rhesus monkeys.
You can read more here at the NY Times while I celebrate with another dunk of my biscotti. Cheers!
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Amazon Review: L-Theanine Amino Acid for Calm Alertness–Helps My ADD
August 20, 2012
Here’s a review of Jarrow’s 200 mg L-Theanine, a supplement I’ve found helpful for my mild case of inattentive-type Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), yielding a relaxed, calmly alert state of mind:
WHAT IT IS: L-Theanine is an amino acid (a constituent of protein) found in green tea. “Suntheanine” is a brand name of L-Theanine produced by a Japanese company, Taiyo International, esteemed for its purity.
WHAT IT DOES: So, what does L-Theanine do, exactly? Well, like all supplements, its effects on your individual biochemistry may vary slightly, so I’ll tell you what it does for me.
I drink quite a bit of green tea on a daily basis (averaging a minimum of 4 cups a day), so I’m getting a bit of L-theanine throughout the day, every day. I’m a writer and I find that l-theanine gives me a mental edge: a relaxed concentration that makes it much easier for me to do my job (which involves a lot of research and editing).
HELP FOR ADD: I have very mild Attention Deficit Disorder and I find it noticeably easier to concentrate when I take L-theanine, hence my green tea habit. If I find myself getting impatient or frustrated with a project, it’s L-theanine to the rescue–it takes the “edge” off in about 10 minutes. I also feel more relaxed, but with a significant amount of calm, focused energy. It doesn’t make me sleepy, but I have experimented with it at bedtime & found that my dreams were more intense. I, however, prefer to take it during the day. Your mileage may vary.
OTHER BENEFITS: The research I initially did on this supplement (before I started taking it years ago) stated that l-theanine works to improve concentration by actually altering brain waves, enhancing the alpha wave phase. It also raises dopamine and serotonin levels (both are feel-good neurotransmitters). Personally, I don’t take the supplement daily (remember, I drink TONS of green tea). I take it on an “as needed basis”–if I feel my mind drifting too far afield of a mounting “To Do” List or find myself daydreaming, I supplement with an L-theanine capsule and regain my focus within about 20 minutes.
I’ve read on several health forums that many people take l-theanine as an anti-anxiety treatment and to help with panic attacks. Many others use it for enhancing sleep (but as I mentioned, I like it better during the day, myself). Many women swear it helps alleviate PMS symptoms.
COUNTERING MSG REACTIONS: My husband has an allergic reaction to MSG (monosodium glutamate), a “flavor enhancer” that’s often added to restaurant food. He gets terrible headaches, dizziness, & dry mouth if exposed. Much to my amazement, an L-theanine capsule after exposure has prevented his headache/dizziness reaction, which is astounding in itself. If you’re MSG-sensitive, try L-theanine and see if it helps. Even Jarrow’s label clearly states that l-theanine helps mitigate glutamate toxicity (very unusual labeling).
HOW TO TAKE IT: As with any amino acid, you want to take this either an hour before or 2 hours after eating and only with water or a protein-free fruit juice. Take it with any protein-containing meal or drink & you’re blunting its effect & more or less wasting your money. Start with 1 capsule mid-morning, on an EMPTY stomach. You can also take one mid-afternoon, and, as I mentioned, some people take one before bedtime. See how you react; if it makes you sleepy, you’ll do best using it as a sleep-enhancing supplement. If you’re like me, it will give you more mental energy.
QUICKEST ACTION: If you need REAL help real fast, open the capsule & pour the contents under your tongue. Let it completely dissolve. This method is quicker because the L-theanine gets absorbed directly into the bloodstream, bypassing a metabolic step in the liver. I never have to do this, but if I were someone who suffered from panic attacks, I’d certainly do so without hesitation.
200 MG DOSAGE COMMENT: I’ve been taking another company’s 100 mg Suntheanine capsule off and on for a couple of years and I was wondering if this 200 mg dosage would be too high for me. I’m happy to say it isn’t and I actually find it is more effective for me than the lower dosage I’ve been taking.
I highly recommend l-theanine, especially for anyone like myself who’s fought against attention deficit disorder since childhood. It won’t cure you, but it certainly makes it easier to calmly concentrate on any project. Good luck to all!
CAUTIONARY P.S. As with any amino acid, those on pharmaceutical antidepressants should talk to their doctor before supplementing with any substance that alters dopamine/serotonin levels. Just an FYI.
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Generation Y Becomes Generation Why Bother?
March 11, 2012
Here’s a TERRIFIC opinion piece from this morning’s New York Times, exploring the counter-intuitive Demographic Twist of our time: kids aren’t moving out, moving on, and getting on with life. And it’s NOT just about the economy.
For example, this piece cites the fact that in 1980, 80% of teens proudly had their Drivers Licenses in hand. In 2008, that number is a paltry 65%.
I blogged a little about this phenomena (“Failure to Fledge”) last year–check out Todd and Victoria Buchholtz’s fascinating piece in the NY Times right here.
Let me know what you think!
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Oodles of Noodles Chicken Noodle Soup
January 26, 2012
by Kerri Elders
in Soups & Stews
Homemade Hurry Up Chicken Corn Noodle Soup
Here’s ANOTHER super-easy recipe that you can quickly make with items from your pantry.
My hubby loves his soup overflowing with noodles. Try the recipe this way first, then decrease noodles to just 4 cups if you find that you’re “noodled out.”
Bet you’ll love it!
Homemade Hurry-Up Chicken Corn Noodle Soup
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
3 Carrots, minced (cut to pieces about 1/2 the size of a kernel of corn)
2 Medium Onions, chopped
1 teaspoon Garlic
4 Celery Ribs, chopped
3-32 oz. containers of Chicken Broth (I use Aldi’s Fit&Active Fat-Free Chicken Broth)
2 teaspoons Chicken Bouillon Granules (Omit or reduce this if you use a high-sodium chicken broth. Aldi’s Fit n Active has 570 mg/cup.)
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb Seasoning
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 teaspoons Basil
4 teaspoons Parsley
1 Bay Leaf
2 cans Corn, drained
2 cans Chicken Breast, drained and chopped
5 cups dry Wide Egg Noodles
1. Using your favorite Soup Pan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Saute carrots, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
3. Add onions, garlic, and celery, and saute 6-7 minutes, until onion is almost transparent.
4. Add chicken broth, bouillon, Mrs. Dash seasonings, pepper, basil, parsley, and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add drained corn and chopped chicken. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil.
6. Add the egg noodles, stir, and reduce heat to its lowest setting.
7. Simmer soup very gently for approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
8. Check noodles for tenderness. Allow the soup to sit for 3-10 minutes, or until noodles are cooked to the al dente stage (don’t overcook!). Serve and enjoy.
The next day, after you refrigerate the leftovers, you’ll find the noodles have absorbed even more of the broth and will be tender and delicious.
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Surprising News: Yoga Can HURT You
January 6, 2012
It’s the time of the year everyone gets re-inspired to get back in shape. If you’re into Yoga, Pilates, or Fusion Workouts, you owe it to yourself to read this article in the New York Times (How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body).
The article details quite a few instances of serious injuries (strokes, cerebral hemorrhages, cartilage and muscle tears, spinal stenosis, etc.) that are much more common than I ever realized.
Yoga aficionados, you owe it to yourselves to learn what poses are particularly risky. Here’s the link again.
You’d never think that by working to insure your health, you could risk it completely. Stay healthy, stay informed!
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Merry Christmas Cookies
December 22, 2011
by Kerri Elders
in Baking
Here’s a link to a great Christmas Cookie recipe, Butter Crumbles, from our cookbook, The American Gourmet Collection Cookbook.
These are ALWAYS a big hit, any time of year: Butter Crumbles Cookie Recipe.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
Pantry Potato Soup
November 26, 2011
by Kerri Elders
in Soups & Stews
Here’s a quick and easy version of potato soup I just created, using some simple items from the pantry. This version’s a lot quicker and easier than others I’ve made, but just the ticket on a cold day when you’ve got to get something simple and yummy on the table, FAST:
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Large Onion, chopped
5 cans Whole Potatoes, drained, rinsed, and cut in bite-sized pieces (sixths or eighths)
2 cans Evaporated Milk (NOT condensed milk)
3 cups Water
2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
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1/4 cup Flour for thickening (see instructions)
2 teaspoons dried Parsley
OPTIONAL: 1 package Canadian Bacon, chopped (my favorite) or 1-1/2 cups cubed Ham
[You can also substitute 6 cups of regular store-bought milk for the 2 cans evaporated milk PLUS 3 cups water. ]
1. In your favorite soup pot, saute chopped onion in butter over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, until onion is transparent.
2. Remove from heat, gently stir in potatoes.
3. Add evaporated milk, water, salt, and pepper. Return to heat.
4. Simmer soup over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Slightly tricky step: working QUICKLY, place 1/4 cup flour in a medium sized bowl. QUICKLY add about 3-4 cups of the hot soup mixture to the flour, stirring very fast with a heat-resistant spatula. Make sure all lumps are removed, then QUICKLY add back to the soup, stirring constantly to incorporate this thickener into the soup. [If you don't do this step very quickly, you'll end up with lumpy soup : ( ].
6. Add Canadian Bacon or Ham, if desired. Continue simmering on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 10-15 minutes, until you’re pleased with the consistency and taste of the soup. Sprinkle with Parsley the last 5 minutes of cooking.
NOTE: I try to keep sodium to a relatively low level in my cooking; if desired, add more salt to your taste or allow guests to do so at table. Enjoy!
This is a great, basic potato soup recipe.
Try this recipe “as is” at least once, then work on variations on a theme. You can add canned clams instead of Canadian bacon; add a teaspoon or two of Worcestershire Sauce, & you’ve got clam chowder.
Other variations include adding chopped green onions, grated cheese, bacon bits, and/or sour cream. Use your imagination!
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen
1 in 3 Americans “Near Poor”
November 19, 2011
This is shocking at first, then, not so much when you think about friends, neighbors, and others in your circle.
Times are, indeed, hard.
Here’s an article about the reality of living paycheck to paycheck and just what that means, demographically, for the United States of America. Census data tell the tale.
“Nuff said. I’ll let you read it for yourself here at the New York Times.
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Update 11/20/11: Just came across a related article at CBS news.
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Kerri Elders @kerriskitchen