Thanksgiving FAILS – A Day You’ll Be Most Thankful For Insurance!
By Jennifer Outcelt, Creative Content Architect
We like to think of Thanksgiving as a wholesome day with family and friends enjoying each other’s company and extolling the many blessings we have had throughout the year. But in reality, it is often a day of great stress. Aren’t you thankful for having to clean your entire home, cook a ginormous meal that needs to all be done at the same time, do a ton of dishes, and make happy conversation with all your family (even though great Aunt Gladys is a bit of a wrench)? All while trying not to let on that you are one “So, when are you having more kids?” question away from a complete breakdown. Yeah, there may be a ton to be thankful for at Thanksgiving, but some things… not so much.
But if you are trying to out-do your brother-in-law’s brined and herbed turkey spectacular from last year by trying your hand at that whole fried turkey thing (how hard could it be?), then there’s one thing that you will definitely be thankful for; Insurance. Apparently, “firefighters responded to 1,630 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving in 2018 (the latest data available)—250% above the year’s daily average of 470.” That’s a ton of not-so-well-done birds!
Check out these interesting stats about holiday cooking fires and the home owner’s insurance that could save your rump!
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/homeowners-insurance/thanksgiving-fires/
- Published in Blog
Hot, Mushy, Root Tuber Soup
By Jennifer Outcelt, Creative Content Architect
Are you bad at going to the grocery store? I don’t mean like you have trouble physically walking through the doors and keep bumping into the outer façade, because that would be ridiculous and a cause for true concern about your depth perception… also, maybe don’t drive to the store (or at all) if this is happening to you. But that is NOT the question I’m asking here.
What I’m asking is: Do you have trouble recalling all the things in your kitchen at any given time and mentally comparing that to the food items you would like to cook for the week and then translating the delta items on to a grocery list and then successfully sticking to that list with no more or no less coming back home with you to perfectly execute your weekly recipe goals? Yeah, me too.
Recently I told my husband that we needed more carrots while he was on his way to Costco. Spoiler alert, we did not need more carrots. In fact, we already had a greater than normal amount of carrots in the fridge because the week prior, when my husband went to Costco, he had bought carrots. So when he returned I found myself in possession of 8 pounds of carrots. Which is somewhat inconvenient since no one in my family has a Bugs Bunny level obsession with carrots.
So what do you do when life gives you carrots? Do you make carrotaide? No. You make carrot soup. Why? Because it’s fall and hot, mushy, root tuber soup sounds nice. Here is the recipe I followed to get rid of 2 pounds of my carrots. I found it exceptionally and surprisingly delicious. Don’t skimp on the Greek yogurt or za’atar seasoning at the end either!
https://www.mykitchenlove.com/roasted-carrot-soup/
Also, I can not help you with avoiding these grocery shopping mistakes. I apologize if I misled. I really just wanted to create some validation for you and show that you are not alone. Or at least I hope I’m not alone.
- Published in Blog
Make Me a Sandwich!
By Jennifer Outcelt, Creative Content Architect
The old “Make me a sandwich!” demand is often associated with a ne’er-do-well man demanding immediate sustenance from their submissive partner from the comfort of their couch. Normally I wouldn’t have a syllables worth of agreement with the ideals of these entitled individuals… but I have to admit, there just might be something to this whole sandwich thing.
Hear me out. What was the best sandwich you ever tasted? Did you make it? I think not! Unless you are some master Chef with the hoity-toitiest of sandwich recipes, I highly doubt a bread-meat-bread combo of your own design was responsible for your most memorable taste bud explosion.
Why is this? We want to be self-sufficient adults, able to make our own meals, but why does it taste so much darn better when someone else makes you that sandwich? Well don’t feel bad.
It’s science, baby!
In the last few years there has been research done to figure out why food is more delicious when others make it for you (apparently there was nothing more important to study). It has to do with the phycological concept of “pre-consumption”.
When making a sandwich, you are seeing all the ingredients, smelling the savory ham and tangy Dijon, and touching the spongy sourdough texture. All this stimulus constructs a sort of “mental sandwich” that you have already started to consume, telling your brain that you’ve been eating this sandwich the whole time you were making it. So, when you sit down to actually engage your teeth for mastication, it’s less satisfying because you’ve ruined your apatite on that darn “mental sandwich”!
When SOMEONE ELSE makes that sandwich for you, they are the ones eating that “mental sandwich”, not you. So when the sandwich conveniently appears before you, it’s a fresh, new, vibrant, and satisfying experience.
Just extrapolate the whole sandwich concept to the entirety of know cuisine. All things being equal, anything made for you will somehow taste better. And which the holidays right around the corner, aren’t you excited to eat all that food you didn’t make?
Check out this cool article that explores these concepts and offers tips to enhance your own cooking, just in case you don’t have a personal chef at your beck and call.
https://betterfood.co/why-does-food-taste-better-when-someone-else-makes-it/
- Published in Blog
Another Serving of YUM, Anyone?
By Bailey Penrose, Employer Services Account Manager
It’s that time of year again, Alaska’s small window of Fall as we gear up for the snowy winter months. As hot drinks become appealing, sweaters are lovingly taken out of storage, and the season’s chill starts to bite, the kitchen calls with its siren song as we all head inside.
For some delicious recipe inspiration, please consider some of the online resources below:
If a cook-book is more your speed, have you tried Chrissy Teigan? These recipes may not be what one might call “health conscious” but they are more than worth it in flavor!
Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat by Chrissy Teigan 2016
Cravings: Hungry for More by Chrissy Teigan 2018
And lastly, while Alaska may not yet have access to a full meal-prep service like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh, eMeals is an online service that offers meal planning (recipe options for each day of the week) and is available wherever you’re located.
- Published in Blog
