14Jan / 2011

40 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

The best way to beat the cold winter blues is by mixing things up and getting out of your rut. Here are 40 fun ways to do just that:

Find a new recipe and get in the kitchen cooking or baking.
Plan a tropical-theme party.
Call an old friend.
Get in the car and take a road trip (somewhere warm, if possible).
Open your windows and let the sunshine in.
Get a rainbow maker.
Go out for spicy food.
Change your scenery and drive a different route to work.
Paint a room.
Get your car washed.
Have a movie marathon of summer blockbusters.
Buy a bottle of self-tanning lotion and give yourself some color.
Go sledding.
Shake up your exercise routine with a Zumba class.
Get a new haircut or color.
Host an Oscar party.
Treat yourself to some new tunes.
Take a ski trip.
Take a class and learn something new.
Teach a class.
Get outside and take a brisk walk.
Adopt a shelter dog or cat.
Start or join a book club.
Wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual for some quiet, quality alone time.
Take a long luxurious bubble bath.
Shake up your wardrobe by putting away some of your “regulars” for a few weeks.
Reserve a bird guide from the library and do some bird watching.
Bring the outdoors in by building a small terrarium.
Take control of your health and make any neglected doctor and dentist appointments.
Finger paint.
Start a blog.
Go swimming at an indoor pool.
Make a plan and start saving for your dream vacation.
Carry your camera with you and focus on capturing the beauty in the everyday.
Build a snowman.
Make a weekday lunch date with your spouse or significant other.
Eat a piece of fruit every day.
Take a plate of cookies to your neighbors.
Rearrange your furniture.
Do something you’ve been putting off.

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13Jan / 2011

Trivia Thursday – January 13th 2011

Here’s your chance again to win another amazing gift of FREE cookies from Mrs. Fields

You can enter the contest one of two ways:

1. Leave your answer on our Facebook page along with your email address.

2. Leave a comment on our blog where your email address is private.

We will draw 1 name from the correct answers given and that person will receive a FREE Mrs. Fields Embossed Sliver Tin ($38.00 Value, with shipping). Answers will be accepted until midnight (Jan. 13^th, 2011). Limited to one win per month per entrant. Winner will be notified via email.

Prize Details:

The prize is the Embossed Silver 48 Nibblers® Tin – item #9EV317, a $38.00 value, including shipping. It contains 48 Nibblers® bite-sized cookies. Perfection!

Question: Fill in the blank…

“Mrs. Fields has nearly _____ locations in the U.S., and over ___ locations internationally.”

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12Jan / 2011

Recipe: Perfect Waffles

MF Perfect Waffles
There’s nothing like a school snow day to inspire a delicious hot breakfast, and waffles are just the thing. Crispy on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside, these waffles soak up the butter and syrup for bite after bite of perfection. It’s exactly what you need to warm your belly before an entire day of sledding and snowball fights. Trust me, you can throw out your previous waffle recipe. This one is the ultimate. Try it out on your next snow day or slow weekend morning.

Perfect Waffles

1 cup milk
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
In a small bowl, stir vinegar into milk and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, stir all dry ingredients together. Mix in the remaining wet ingredients and stir until there are no large lumps. Allow batter to sit for 15-20 minutes while the waffle iron heats. Pour batter onto the hot iron and cook until crispy golden brown. Serve with your favorite toppings.

HINT: This recipe works great for regular and Belgian waffle irons.

HINT: These waffles freeze beautifully. Double the recipe and store some for later, then reheat in the toaster.

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11Jan / 2011

Trivia Tuesday – January 11th 2011

Here’s your chance again to win another amazing gift of FREE cookies from Mrs. Fields

You can enter the contest one of two ways:

1. Leave your answer on our Facebook page along with your email address.

2. Leave a comment on our blog where your email address is private.

We will draw 1 name from the correct answers given and that person will receive a FREE Mrs. Fields Embossed Sliver Tin ($38.00 Value, with shipping). Answers will be accepted until midnight (Jan. 11^th, 2011). Limited to one win per month per entrant. Winner will be notified via email.

Prize Details:

The prize is the Embossed Silver 48 Nibblers® Tin – item #9EV317, a $38.00 value, including shipping. It contains 48 Nibblers® bite-sized cookies. Perfection!

Question: Fill in the blank…

The Mrs. Fields Gifting Facility baked ___________ chocolate chip cookies in 2007.

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10Jan / 2011

How To: Take Down Christmas Decor Without Going Crazy

It’s January 10, folks, and it’s time to get those Christmas decorations taken down and put away for the next 10 or 11 months. If the task seems overwhelming, use these simple steps for pain-free put-aways. It’s easier than you think and you’ll be sitting in your clean January home in no time! Ready to get started?

1. Work in one area at a time. Instead of pulling down stuff all over the house at once, focus on only one area and then label your storage container as such. For example, take down all of the decorations on the fireplace mantle and then label the container “Fireplace Mantle.” This will make decorating next season simpler too, because everything you need to decorate that area is all in one place. Additionally, this is a great tip if you work outside your home and need to break down the process over several days. You’ll have the satisfaction of seeing an entire area cleared and put away, which is great motivation for the next day.

2. Touch things only once. This tiny tip is an enormous time saver. Make it a goal as you’re taking things down that you will only handle or touch things one time, meaning that each item goes directly from your hand into its storage place. Without realizing it, you may be moving items two or three times—to the table, then to the counter, then to the box. Touch it only once and you’ll save yourself a lot of time.

3. Roll Christmas lights in a ball. Keep tangles away and increase the life of your lights by rolling them in a ball, like a skein of yarn. It really works!

4. Write yourself notes for next year. No need to reinvent the wheel. Leave yourself notes in each box of things you want to remember, such as, “String this garland with the plug starting at the bottom of the stairs near the outlet.” You’ll want to hug your old self for these thoughtful tips. Remember to place the notes at the top of the box.

5. Use an old sheet or drop cloth to transport your tree to the curb. Spare your home a pesky trail of pine needles and your back an unnecessary ache by using an old sheet or painting drop cloth (available at hardware stores for a dollar or two) for Christmas tree take-down. Spread the sheet out immediately next to your tree. Lift and tip the tree onto the sheet, then tuck up the corners to hold it all in while you easily drag it to the curb. So simple!

Have any more tips? Share them in the comments section. I’d love to read them.

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07Jan / 2011

How To: Clean Out Your Closet

It starts with the kitchen cupboards, but the January cleaning spree soon draws me to my bedroom closet. After all, January is the month of introspection as we set new goals and get real with ourselves. If you want to join me, here are some simple tips for purging your closet and starting the new year with your best foot forward. (Most of these tips I got from a great Oprah episode years ago.)

Everything comes out. To truly purge your closet, everything must come out and under review. It doesn’t work to skim over and randomly choose items. Absolutely everything gets taken out and only items you truly love get to go back in.

Be choosey. Every item gets sorted into one of three categories: yes, no, and maybe. In order for an item to earn a spot in the “yes” category, it must pass this test with flying colors: Do I love it? Does it flatter my body? Does it present the image that I want? If you have to answer no to any of the questions, it goes into the “no” or “maybe” pile.

Be smart about the maybes. The “maybe” pile requires your most honest eye. It’s okay to keep items that you love for sentimental reasons even if they don’t fit, but store them somewhere besides your closet. Your closet is for your wardrobe. I like to limit the items I save from each closet cleaning to one or two maximum. Everything else gets moved into the “no” category. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to let something go once you decide to do so.

Treat yourself to uniform hangers. Before the “yes” pile moves back into the closet, get rid of old wire hangers and buy a few sets of uniform hangers to create a neat, clean look. It’s a small, inexpensive tip that makes a big difference.

Organize by color. Think of your closet as your own personal boutique and arrange it as such. Arranging by color is a great way to keep items organized and easy to access. It will also make you feel happy every time you open your closet door.

Donate the “no” pile to charity. Find a local charity and donate your discarded clothes. If this is hard for you to do, especially if you’re giving away items that you truly loved, try this simple exercise: imagine them being found by someone who truly needs and loves them. It makes it easier, I promise.

Be more thoughtful in your shopping. Now that you’ve cleaned out your closet, be more thoughtful about when you let back in. Make sure any item you purchase passes the yes test again.

Do you have any other tips? Be sure to share them in the comments section!

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06Jan / 2011

Trivia Thursday – January 6th 2011

Here’s your chance again to win another amazing gift of FREE cookies from Mrs. Fields

You can enter the contest one of two ways:

1. Leave your answer on our Facebook page along with your email address.

2. Leave a comment on our blog where your email address is private.

We will draw 1 name from the correct answers given and that person will receive a FREE Mrs. Fields Embossed Sliver Tin ($38.00 Value, with shipping). Answers will be accepted until midnight (Jan. ^6th, 2011). Limited to one win per month per entrant. Winner will be notified via email.

Prize Details:

The prize is the Embossed Silver 48 Nibblers® Tin – item #9EV317, a $38.00 value, including shipping. It contains 48 Nibblers® bite-sized cookies. Perfection!

Question: Fill in the blank…

Mrs. Fields Gifts hand-tied over ___________ bows in 2007.

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05Jan / 2011

Recipe: Everything Cookies

MF Everything Cookies
If you’re like me, the holidays have left your cupboards with a hodge-podge of snacks and goodies that have been grazing material for the past weeks. I always get the urge to clean out all the cupboards in January, and there’s no better way than with this recipe. The genius part of this recipe is that you don’t have to use what’s in my cupboards, you use whatever is in yours! My favorite secret ingredient, however, is a package of hot cocoa mix. It gives your cookies a subtle chocolate undertone that works as a great backdrop for whatever you pair with it. I can’t wait for you to try them out.

Everything Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 package hot cocoa (1.25 ounces)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup oats
1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1 cup crushed pretzels (optional)
1 cup crushed Oreo cookies (optional)
1 cup peanut butter chips (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter completely. In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking soda, and oats together. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix melted butter with sugars and hot cocoa until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, and milk together, then add to the butter/sugar mixture. Slowly add in flour mixture, followed by all of the remaining ingredients. Place rounded tablespoons of dough on a prepared cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Remove to a cooling rack.

HINT: Play around with the optional ingredients, using whatever you have on hand in the same quantities.

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04Jan / 2011

Trivia Tuesday – January 4th 2011

Here’s your chance again to win another amazing gift of FREE cookies from Mrs. Fields

You can enter the contest one of two ways:

1. Leave your answer on our Facebook page along with your email address.

2. Leave a comment on our blog where your email address is private.

We will draw 1 name from the correct answers given and that person will receive a FREE Mrs. Fields Embossed Sliver Tin ($38.00 Value, with shipping). Answers will be accepted until midnight (Jan. 4^th, 2011). Limited to one win per month per entrant. Winner will be notified via email.

Prize Details:

The prize is the Embossed Silver 48 Nibblers® Tin – item #9EV317, a $38.00 value, including shipping. It contains 48 Nibblers® bite-sized cookies. Perfection!

Question: Fill in the blank…

Mrs. Fields Gifts can produce up to ___________ tins per hour.

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03Jan / 2011

Do You Make Resolutions?

Happy New Year, dear readers, and welcome to the first Monday of the new calendar! Did you find it as daunting as I did to start today and leave the holidays behind? However, the momentum is building and now I’m looking forward to a great week, month, and year. My momentum started when I looked at my new calendar hanging on the wall. It’s so full of possibilities, it inspired me to spend some time thinking seriously about how and what I want to fill it. I’ve been scribbling my thoughts down all morning.

Which brings me to the topic of New Year’s Resolutions. Do you make them? I find that people are pretty passionate on the subject, so today I’d like to hear your thoughts.

Do you create a list or focus on one thing only?

Do you think lofty or practical?

Do you create a plan to go with your resolutions, some way to track your progress?

What’s worked (or not worked) for you in the past?

Join the conversation and share your ideas in the comments section. I can’t wait to hear from you!

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Monthly Archives: January 2011