Jenny's Noodle

MICHIGAN: lower peninsula = cereal makers; upper peninsula = serial killers.

What's your state know for?

(via PaulPJury)

Michelin-star Chef Michael White gives the Wall Street Journal a handful of secrets on how to cook great pasta. For example, many people believe in adding olive oil to the boiling water to keep the pasta from sticking — bad idea, says Chef White. While the olive oil will keep the pasta from sticking to itself, it will also keep the noodles from sticking to the sauce. The most important pasta cooking tip, according to Chef White, is to heavily salt the pasta water.

(via WSJ)

An ad agency in the Netherlands has devised a clever way to sell billboard ad space.

It all began like this...

And then took a turn for the worse... and worse yet...

It could've gone totally wrong, if Radio2 hadn't come along just in time...

(via Ads of the World)

After 25 years and 4,561 episodes, The Oprah Winfrey Show ended on Wednesday afternoon.

Excuse me while I grab another box of tissues.

"Until we meet again..."

I thought this was pretty awesome, until I saw this...

Photo credit: darkstar107/Reddit

"Find a penny, pick it up, and all day long, you'll have good luck!"

May 23 is Lucky Penny Day!

Why are pennies considered lucky? According to legend, metals, including copper, were seen as a gift for gods and other deities many centuries ago. They were believed to ward off evil, so anyone who had possession of such metal was considered protected, and therefore lucky. Makes cents, huh?

Heads or tails? Many people believe it's best to find pennies heads up — so leave the tails up pennies where you find them. Or else!

Here's the solution to last week's NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 15):

Answer: 

NPR Sunday Puzzle for May 22: Think of two five-letter words that are exact opposites, in which the first two letters of each word are the same as the first two letters of the other, only reversed. Hint: The fourth letter of each word is A. What two words are these?

Submit your answer to NPR for a chance to be on next week's broadcast and be sure to visit Jenny's Noodle next Sunday to see the correct answer!

Forty years after my favorite movie, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, was released in theaters, the cast reunited on TODAY (is anyone else bothered by their incorrect spelling of "Willie" in the caption?).

Spoiler Alert: The wallpaper tasted like wallpaper (not snozberries).

FOX has just released the first trailer for Napoleon Dynamite, the animated series. A must watch for the season's fashion? Or pretty much the worst video ever made?


(via Doobybrain)

A crafty gal was inspired to create this clever bookmark while reading Wicked: The Life and Times of The Wicked Witch of the West. So creative!

(via Oops, I Craft My Pants)

Breakfast — it's the most important meal of the day. You don't always make time for it. But sometimes it's presented in a most "beautiful and unusual way..."



(via BSS)

Image via Photobucket/ribby47

May 16 is National Sea Monkey Day!

Sea Monkeys are a unique species of brine shrimp (scientific name Artemia salina) that start out as dry powder "eggs" and grow once water is added. Originally marketed as Instant Life by inventor Harold von Braunhut in 1957, these tiny, almost invisible to the naked eye, creatures have been sold to children as novelty aquarium pets since 1960.

I didn't raise Sea Monkeys as a kid, in fact, I've never seen them in person, but this South Park clip is really all the exposure anyone needs...(you guys)...



> Become the King of your own Sea Monkey Kingdom

Image credit: Nestle Cafe

Image credit: www.whitman-ma.gov

May 15 is National Chocolate Chip Day!

Did you know? Chocolate chips were an accidental invention...

The story dates back to the 1930s, when Kenneth and Ruth Graves Wakefield purchased the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts. In keeping with tradition, Mrs. Wakefield often baked for guests at her inn.

One day in 1937, while experimenting with the Butter Drop Do, a favorite Colonial cookie, Mrs. Wakefield cut a bar of Nestlé® chocolate into tiny bits and added them to her cookie dough. She expected them to melt, but instead, the "chocolate chips" held their shape. The ooey, gooey discovery was eventually dubbed the Toll House® Cookie.

Celebrate this delicious food holiday with a homemade batch...

Original Nestle® Toll House® Chocolate Chip Cookies (yields 5 dozen)

Ingredients
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg
1 (12 ounce) package NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

(Thanks Allrecipes!)

Here's the solution to last week's NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 8):

Answer: Natalie, Natasha (—NATA) → Sheila

NPR Sunday Puzzle for May 15: Create a 4-by-4 crossword square with four four-letter words reading across and four different four-letter words reading down. Use the word "nags" at 1 across and the word "newt" at 1 down. All eight words must be common, uncapitalized words, and all 16 letters must be different.

Submit your answer to NPR for a chance to be on next week's broadcast and be sure to visit Jenny's Noodle next Sunday to see the correct answer!

Image credit: Old World

Cluck, cluck! If you can do the Chicken Dance, you're in luck!

May 14 is National Chicken Dance Day!

So how did this most annoying song and dance routine become the tradition at every wedding and Bar/Bat Mitzvah?

The Chicken Dance was originally titled "Der Ententanz" (The Duck Dance). It was created by accordion player Werner Thomas of Davos, Switzerland in the 1950's. Eventually, he began performing the song at his local restaurant and the rest is history.

Here's a little instructional clip from The Lawrence Welk show. Go on, stand up at home and join in...

You'll never look at a milk carton the same way. Watch this cute story of star-crossed lovers:



(via Friends of the Earth)

Pretty sure I've never seen this option printed on the side of the ice cream truck.

FoxNews reports:

For those who can still afford it, the Marquis Los Cabos resort in Baja California Sur, Mexico is offering a $1,000 popsicle made from 24 ct. gold flakes and Tequilas Premium Clase Azul Ultra, which goes for $1,500 a bottle.

Personally, I'd rather have a $2.50 Good Humor Toasted Almond bar. Maybe that's just me?

Apparently a whole bunch of crazies are running around trying to convince us all that Judgment Day is coming — next Saturday, May 21, 2011. As ridiculous as that seems, here's a pretty compelling sign that next weekend may just bring the end of the world as we know it...

No more Sunday nights with the Walker family. ABC has officially cancelled Brothers & Sisters. Other ABC shows were also confirmed as cancelled today — V, No Ordinary Family, Detroit 1-8-7 — understandably, because nobody watches them! But why B&S!?

In related news, NBC has cancelled Law & Order: Los Angeles. While not as good as the original, it was beginning to grow on me this season.

At least I still have my 4,052 reality series on Bravo.

Little Miss Sunshine Google Doodle

Long before Harry Potter, The Babysitters Club series and all of the Ramona books, there was Mr. Men and Little Miss. In fact, I remember being particularly fond of Little Miss Sunshine (the book, not the movie, not that the movie was bad).

Today's Google Doodle celebrates the author and illustrator of the Mr. Men and Little Miss books, Charles Roger Hargreaves (May 9, 1935 – September 11, 1988), who would have been 76 years old today.

The first of the Mr. Men characters is said have been created when his Hargreaves' son Adam asked him what a tickle looked like. And thus Mr. Tickle was born.

So if you're feeling nostalgic, visit Google today, and be sure to refresh your browser to see all 16 Mr. Men and Little Miss Google Doodles.

> Illustrated chart of all Mr. Men and Little Miss characters

(via The Forward)

Happy 125th Anniversary Coca-Cola!

On May 8, 1886, Dr. John S. Pemberton, a pharmacist and inventor of patent medicines, sold the first Coca-Cola at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia. Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, coined the name and it is his handwriting we recognize as the Coca-Cola trademark.

Here's a look at the 125 year history of Coca-Cola:



Check out one of many ways Coca-Cola is celebrating this momentous occasion:



> The very best of Coca-Cola: A virtual walk through 125 years of happiness
> Coca-Cola: 125 years of history booklet

Here's the solution to last week's NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 1):

Answer: Drake → Duke

NPR Sunday Puzzle for May 8: Think of two common girls' names that are seven letters long and that start with the same four letters in the same order. Drop these four letters in each name, and mix the last three letters in each name to come up with another common girls' name in six letters. What names are these?

Submit your answer to NPR for a chance to be on next week's broadcast and be sure to visit Jenny's Noodle next Sunday to see the correct answer!

You know those forwards your mom fills your inbox with week after week, year after year? Well, this Mother's Day, you can return the favor by using Mom Spam. A site that features all the best forwards we thought were just too good NOT to pass along.

I love how each forward is formatted with various font types and sizes in neon colors — just like the real thing! Here's how it works:

Thank you Animal Humane Society. How refreshing to see that you nixed Sarah McLachlan's Angel and the crying puppies. Your thoughtful PSA has allowed us all to continue enjoying this weekend without being compelled to jump out any windows. Happy Caturday indeed.

Photo credit: Coldwell Banker

Kevin McCallister's house could be yours for just $2.4 million!

"The 4,250-square-foot, 14-room home sits on a half-acre lot and features four bedrooms, 3.2 baths, a large screened-in porch with a chandelier and, of course, the staircase sledded down by [Macaulay] Culkin in John Hughes’ 1990 film [Home Alone]."

Here's a bit more on the history of this famous Winnetka, Illinois residence:



In my opinion, the new buyers should offer $2.5 million, then turn to the current owner and exclaim: "Keep the change, ya filthy animal!"

(via Chicago Tribune)

> Own the 'Beverly Hills 90210' Beach House

The City Limits was filmed by Dominic Boudreault, whose "goal was to show the duality between city and nature."

Featured locations: Montreal and Quebec city, Quebec; Toronto, Ontario; Manhattan, New York; Chicago, Illinois.

(via PetaPixel)

Here's my fantastic, awesome, exciting news...

Jenny's Noodle has received an Alltop listing!!

You can now find Jenny's Noodle in the FUN category of Alltop. Yep. There I am. Right there next to a bunch of other beloved websites. Oh, you know, little sites like I Can Has Cheezburger, Laughing Squid and Funny or Die. Maybe you've heard of those? In other words, Jenny's Noodle is now listed amongst the most popular sites on the interwebs!

Perhaps you don't get out much and are asking yourself, "What is Alltop?" Please allow me to elucidate.

Created by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki, Alltop's purpose is to help answer the question, “What’s happening?” in “all the topics” that interest you. It's sort of like an online magazine rack for the web. And most importantly — not everyone gets accepted! In fact, the process is highly selective, collecting the latest headlines from only the best sites and blogs (ahem, Jenny's Noodle!). Topic categories range from art to politics to sports. And don't forget fun!

Check me out at http://fun.alltop.com. 

Thank you to Alltop for recognizing the genius that is Jenny's Noodle!

And there we have it. My confirmation...

Image credit: Wordplay/Busted Tees

Cinco de May Tee Shirt ($20) | Buy it here

The White House Situation Room photo taken during Operation Geronimo has gone viral over the past few days. And you know what that means — MEME TIME!

Here's one with "The Situation" in the Situation Room...

Photo credit: The Atlantic

My only question is — where's Wolf Blitzer?

> More funny White House Situation Room photos

And now, LIVE from the local Sizzler, we join Will Ferrell President George W. Bush for his reaction to the assassination...

Photo credit: Rita/Food.com

Who doesn't love a warm, cheesy lasagna? Or is it lasagne? However you spell it, lasagna is an amazing dish. And if you're looking to add a new layer of flavor (see what I did there) to your traditional recipe, check out 12 Strangest Lasagna Recipes on Earth over at Foodie Blog. The list even includes a recipe for Dishwasher Lasagna Florentine. Why anyone would ever want to make that, I don't have a clue. But one dish I'd actually like to attempt is this — Lasagna Cupcakes! Here's the recipe (and if you try it, post a comment to let us know how it turns out)...

Lasagna Cupcakes (serves 8)

Ingredients
favorite pasta sauce
1 lb hamburger meat
8 wonton wrappers
8 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
3 oz parmesan cheese, grated (YES!)
4 oz ricotta cheese (half reserved for frosting if desired)
8 cherry tomatoes, for garnish
8 small basil leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. To start the lasagnas: Cook hamburger meat, season to taste, drain.
3. Reserve 8 tablespoons of Parmesan and 8 tablespoons of mozzarella — this will be the topping. The remaining cheese will be used in the lasagnas.
4. Start assembling the lasagnas. Line each cupcake mold with a round wonton wrapper. Put a little Parmesan, a little mozzarella, and a little ricotta into each mold. Top with a little meat and a spoonful of sauce. Repeat layers of wonton wrappers, cheeses, meat and sauce, creating 6 layers in all, and ending with sauce. Sprinkle each lasagna with reserved Parmesan and mozzarella.
5. Bake until the lasagnas are nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Serve warm garnished with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves.

(Thanks Food.com!)

> Mama Mia! Hundred-Layer Lasagne
> LAS-andwich: Introducing the Lasagna Sandwich

Here's the solution to last week's NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 24):

Answer: Room and board → boardroom

NPR Sunday Puzzle for May 1: Take the name of a well-known U.S. university. One of the letters in it is a chemical symbol. Change this to a two-letter chemical symbol to name another well-known U.S. university. What universities are these?

Submit your answer to NPR for a chance to be on next week's broadcast and be sure to visit Jenny's Noodle next Sunday to see the correct answer!