When Jell-O is Salad

Maybe it’s because the best part about showing up at Grandma’s every summer was the orange jello, loaded with grapes, apples and bananas, topped with marshmallows and served on iceberg lettuce as “salad.”  Or maybe its because at my Grandpa’s funeral there were at least five multi-colored wibbly masses on rickety card tables in the church basement.  Whatever the reason, I want every single thing in this article on Mormon food.  Right now.

(Also, what does it say about the Atlantic’s readership that they have to explain jell-o salads, potato casseroles and extra-meat burgers?  Have these people never been off the coasts?)

- Willa

Ridiculous Infomercials Part Deux

“Made in America, used everywhere!”

Oh, just what America needs – a tray/trough to carry all of our fast food delights.  What I really enjoy about the “Freedom Tray” (other than the fact that it obviously promotes various types of freedom with it’s Americana design) is the part of the infomercial where the mom spills the drinks all over her minivan/ridiculous SUV.  I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been through a drive-through where my drinks are handed to me without lids.  Sure, I’ve spilt a soda or two in my car before, but never have I just tossed the entire soda carrier over with lidless cups.  Also, when I see these at stadiums, I will mock the people who have them.  Sports events are about getting dirty and messy and accidentally spilling your beer all over yourself when you jump up in outrage at a ridiculous call made by an official.  And if your family is mean enough to not join you at the concession stand to help you carry things back, they don’t deserve that hot dog and those nachos.

Video after jump.

Cookie Craze

Apparently everyone now has to weigh in on Chocolate Chip Cookies, ever since the NY Times published the “definitive” recipe.

I love a good chocolate chip cookie as much as the next person (and probably more than many – I have a cookbook entirely devoted to chocolate chip recipes, most of which are for various ways of making the cookie), but it does start to get old after a while, when everyone insists upon voicing up. Kind of like the cupcake and frozen yogurt fads – I love both, but tire of all the hype after a while.

So, people should really lay off the cookie recipes unless they have something genuinely new and awesome to add to the equation. For example, the crew over at Cakespy can continue their brilliant contributions. I’m only bummed I didn’t think of these first.

The French Spy

Turns out Julia Child was part of the OSS during WWII. How awesome is that? I suddenly have images of her stuffing chickens with secret messages for the Allies and taking down Nazis with cleavers.

“Here’s a nifty dinner for four that’s served on a chaffing dish right on the table…just add the poison before bringing it to the table so your guests don’t suspect you’re a spy.”

Mark Smash!!!

Mark Bittman, The Minimalist, amuses me. As does his pink KitchenAid mixer. And these no-bake blueberry cheesecake bars look yummy. Mmmmm…Kaks like!