Barber Bunch Products

http://www.cafepress.com/TheBarberBunch

To celebrate the launch of The Barber Bunch Products........

I'm having a Giveaway!!

To enter:
Visit my Cafe Press Store:
http://www.cafepress.com/TheBarberBunch
Then come back here and tell me what product you would like to win.

Write a blog post about my giveaway and I will give you a second entry. Just be sure to add a comment with the link to your post.

Those without a blog can enter too. Just be sure to leave a way for me to contact you in your comment.

Dates:
You can enter to win from November 12 thru November 26

I will announce the Winner on Saturday November 29

Thank you and Good Luck

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See all The Barber Bunch Products at:
http://www.cafepress.com/TheBarberBunch

Dorothy Lane Markets

The Dorothy Lane Market Story

"Dorothy Lane Market, like many American food stores, began as a fruit stand. In 1948 founder Calvin Mayne began selling quality fruits and vegetables in the south Dayton, Ohio area at the corner of Far Hills Avenue and Dorothy Lane (hence the name of the market, or DLM for short). Calvin loved good food, and wanted his customers to enjoy the same.

Fast forward to today, and Dorothy Lane Market is a company of three well-known gourmet supermarkets, recognized for great food and service in national publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Gourmet Retailer. More importantly, our customers know they will have a great food experience every time they come to our stores! For over fifty years, the passion for eating well has not only remained a constant at Dorothy Lane Market, it continues to grow.

We believe there are few things in life as pleasurable as enjoying good food, be it tearing off a piece of aromatic crusty bread, drizzling a peppery olive oil over fresh greens, or sinking your teeth into a piece of flavorful cheese. If you have ever visited us, or shop in our stores now, you know what good things await you at Dorothy Lane Market. How do we do it? For one thing, we’ve been living it for over 50 years. We’ve also traveled to Europe, Asia, Australia, and all over the United States, eating and finding ways to bring you some of the same great eating experiences we’ve had. We partner with and learn from food artisans and others passionate about food. Simply put, at DLM, we love good food; and we want to share the experience with you."

Dorothy Lane Markets are famous in the area for supporting local agriculture and farming. They were selling fresh local fruits, vegetables and meats before it was the "In" thing to do.

3 Area Locations
Oakwood
2710 Far Hills Ave.
Dayton, Ohio 45419

Washington Square
6177 Far Hills Ave.
Dayton, Ohio 45459

Springboro
740 N. Main Street
Springboro, Ohio 45066

Visit their website at : www.dorothylane.com/

Visit their new Blog at: www.dorothylane.com/blog/

CDC: Emergency Preparedness and Response

CDC: Emergency Preparedness and Response

This site is intended to increase the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/

Lots of great information......check it out!

Rohm and Haas' Fall Tips

Rohm and Haas is a specialty materials company that manufacturers the water-based acrylic technology found in common household supplies like paint, adhesives, caulk, roofing and much more. Recently, Rohm and Haas offered consumers the following tips:

* After a long summer in the sun, your deck probably needs a facelift. Deck paints and stains come in a variety of colors and finishes. An added bonus – acrylic paints offer UV protection and emit little to no VOCs (volatile organic compounds), extending the look and lifetime of the deck, while reducing impact on the environment.

*Caulk entryways like windows and doors to keep cold air out this winter. Securely weatherizing your home with weather stripping and acrylic caulk pays off -- according to the Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR ® program, homeowners who thoroughly seal and insulate their homes can expect up to a 20 percent reduction in heating and cooling costs.

*Walk around the exterior of the home to check for cracks in the foundation and examine walls and attics to ensure you have ample insulation. Using acrylic insulation in the walls and ceilings of your home can save as much as $245 per year, according to http://www.stopglobalwarming.com/.

*Replace your old light bulbs with eco-efficient halogen bulbs. Even if you only replace 25 percent of the bulbs in your house, you could cut your electric bill roughly in half.

The Department of Energy estimates that in total, Americans spend more than $160 billion a year to heat and cool their homes – using 21 percent of total national energy. If we all made energy efficient improvements, like sealing entry ways, installing new windows and adding proper insulation, the country could save roughly $32 to $48 billion dollars annually in heating and cooling costs.

Project Laundry List: Will there be a clothesline in the White House?

Project Laundry List: Will there be a clothesline in the White House?

Fall Checklist

Does the smoke alarm work? Are downspouts and gutters clean? And doesn't the chimney need some attention?

Do these questions sound familiar? To help you get back into the spirit of winterizing your home, here is a checklist of some of the most important to-do's.

Remember to:
• Install carbon monoxide detectors near all combustion appliances. The American Lung Association® (ALA) recommends detectors with digital displays because they are easy to read.

• Change the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Most of these safety devices require a fresh pair of batteries at least once a year. But it pays to do your homework, so consult the manuals.

• Replace the furnace filter. A clean filter will improve the flow of air, which will make your home more temperate and help to lower utility bills.

• Check the dryer vent to ensure that the plastic housing is tight and that the flap swings freely.

• Arrange for a professional to inspect all fuel-burning appliances, such as your furnace, hot water heater, fireplace and gas range. Annual inspections of all fuel-burning appliances help to safeguard against carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Don't forget to replace the screen windows with glass! And while you're out there, remember to inspect storm windows for cracks, holes or signs of wear and tear.

• Consider hiring a professional if storm windows look like they are in need of serious repair.

• You may want to consider covering windows with plastic to help keep the heat in.

• Repair damaged or worn caulking on windows and doors to lock heat in and keep cold air out.

• Remove obstructions that might clog gutters and downspouts.

• Make sure that downspouts are sufficiently sloped to carry water away from your home's foundation.

By following these easy steps, you can ensure that your home is ready for the change of season. It's time to welcome fall!

What's for Dinner? Turtle Pumpkin Pie

www.kraftfoods.com

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Prep Time:15 min
Total Time:1 hr 15 min
Makes:10 servings

What You Need
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 Graham Pie Crust
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. Pecan Pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

Make It
POUR 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans.

BEAT milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP. Spread into crust.

REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Top with remaining COOL WHIP, caramel topping and pecans just before serving.

Brand Name vs. Generic: Part 4

Part 4: Brand Name vs. Generic

article by www.walletpop.com



Brand Name Cold & Allergy Elixir
Brand: Dimetapp Children's Grape
Price: $8.24
Size: 8 oz. bottle
Review: Great grape taste with a nice after effect of a good night's rest.

Generic Cold & Allergy Elixir
Brand: Wal-Mart's Equate Children's Cold & Allergy Grape
Price: $2.84
Size: 8 oz. bottle
Review: The Wal-Mart version was great tasting and also helped me sleep.
Verdict: Equate is the clear winner giving me a savings of $5.40. Other than the cost and the packaging the products seemed identical.

Brand Name Weight Loss Shake
Brand: Slim-Fast Optima French Vanilla
Price: $6.97
Size: Six 11 oz. cans
Review: The Slim-Fast Optima tasted like a thin vanilla milkshake without the "mmm" factor. It also had a granular feel to the liquid. I drank the shake at 1 p.m. after breakfast at 9:30 a.m. (three eggs with green peppers and a yogurt). I was hungry three hours later.

Generic Weight Loss Shake
Brand: Equate Ultra French Vanilla
Price: $4.59
Size: Six 11 oz. cans
Review: The Wal-Mart version tasted nearly identical to Slim Fast but with a touch more sweetness and no grainy feeling. As with the Slim-Fast, I was hungry three hours later.
Verdict: Both drinks are fine to the taste, although the texture of the Slim-Fast was bothersome. However, Slim-Fast has 2.5 grams of saturated fat whereas the Equate has no saturated fat and ten less calories. The Equate kept me full for the same time, had no "grain" in it and saved me $2.39.

Brand Name Peanut Butter Cups
Brand: Reese's
Price: $2.69
Size: 12 oz. bag
Review: The peanut butter was very nutty and the chocolate covering had a nice crisp bite to it.

Generic Peanut Butter Cups
Brand: Target's Market Pantry
Price: $1.49
Size: 6 oz. bag
Review: The peanut butter was very smooth, moist and very fresh tasting.
Verdict: I thought the Target cup was better, but I had an additional 15 people test the cups. Out of 16 taste tests nine people preferred the Market Pantry cups -- which cost more per ounce. After looking at the saturated fat levels. though, I will stay with Reese's because they have 1.5g less saturated fat per serving and they cost less.


Brand Name Fiber Chewy Bars
Brand: Fiber One
Price: $2.34
Size: 5 bars
Review: These fiber bars are delicious and I've been an addict to their great taste for some time. They are sweet, chewy, and nutty. They taste like a healthy candy bar. Each bar is 150 calories and has only two grams of saturated fat (the bad fat) per bar. Cost wise it works out to about 47 cents a bar.

Generic Fiber Chewy Bars
Brand: Target's Market Pantry
Price: $1.84
Size: 5 bars
Review: These fiber bars don't look as appetizing, but they have a powerful nutty punch and they satisfy my taste buds. The bars work out to be 37 cents each.
Verdict: They have a subtle taste difference that I think comes down to more of the amount of rice vs. oats mixed into the bars, Target having more rice. Since I'm a fan of the fiber bar and will buy a lot of these, my vote falls with the Target brand which is cheaper.

Brand Name Cola
Brand: Coca Cola Classic
Price: $1.89
Size: 2 liter
Review: Good, sweet taste, a good level of carbonation and a pleasant aftertaste.

Generic Cola
Brand: Safeway Go 2 Cola
Price: $0.81
Size: 2 liters
Review: Though it has more sugar than Coke, it's not as sweet. I just opened the bottle and the soda seems a little flat.
Verdict: Coke is definitely better, but if I wasn't tasting them back to back I don't think I'd notice any of the shortcomings of the generic brand. I don't buy soda very often so since the actual difference in price is pretty small I'd probably just buy the Coke. If I bought it more often I'd definitely buy the generic since it's less than half the cost.

Brand Name Applesauce
Brand: Mott's Cinnamon
Price: $2.19
Size: 24 oz.
Review: Mott's was light in color, sweet and a bit liquidy. It tasted good.

Generic Applesauce
Brand: Giant Cinnamon
Price: $1.79
Size: 25 oz.
Review: The Giant brand was a little darker in color and had a much stronger cinnamon taste (too strong for me). But overall, the taste was decent.
Verdict: They both tasted good. I would give a slight edge to Mott's on taste alone, but with the cost difference it becomes a tie.

Brand Name Canned Corn
Brand: Green Giant Whole Kernel
Price: $1.69
Size: 15.25 oz. can
Review: Large yellow crisp kernels, good chewy skin texture.

Generic Canned Corn
Brand: Shoppers Food Whole Kernel
Price: $0.75
Size: 15.25 oz. can
Review: Kernels were inconsistent in size and color. Flavor was good. The overall color was not as yellow.
Verdict: They both tasted similar. The consistency of Green Giant was better, but for the cost difference would probably buy Shopper's again.

Brand Name Vanilla Wafers
Brand: Nabisco Nilla Wafers
Price: $3.79
Size: 11 oz. box
Review: Nilla Wafers were crisp with a nice taste. All the wafers I tested had a consistent quality.

Generic Vanilla Wafers
Brand: Giant Vanilla Wafers
Price: $1.99
Size: 12 oz. box
Review: The generic brand wafers were not as crisp and didn't really taste like vanilla. They were bland, harder and had an after-taste. They almost tasted stale even though it was a brand new box.
Verdict: I was surprised the generic was half the cost, but the taste was considerably different between the two. This is one case where I would definitely spend more to get the name brand over this generic brand.

Brand Name Root Beer
Brand: A&W Root Beer
Price: $1.18
Size: 2 liter
Review: A&W had a rich, creamy, and malty taste with a nice presentation of foam. This root beer kept well in the fridge until it was all gone.

Generic Root Beer
Brand: Wal-Mart Root Beer
Price: $0.67
Size: 2 liter
Review: This root beer tasted very spunky; it had "zing." It is sort of a sweet and tangy root beer. However, after the sixth day it had gone flat. I really liked the taste at first, so I'd only buy it again if I knew it would be consumed fast.
Verdict: I personally liked the Wal-Mart root beer better, especially in a root beer float. But since the generic brand went flat so fast, I would only buy again if I knew other people would be over to help me finish it off quickly. A&W wins because its fizz lasts longer.
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As we have seen you can save a lot of money by buying the Generic Brands. We have also learned that just because it is a name brand does not mean it's better. I hope you have found the article informative and have given a Generic Brand a try.

Contest

To help consumers make energy-efficient, yet budget-conscious home improvements, specialty materials company Rohm and Haas is hosting the $pruce Up Your Home contest, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation.

Until February 1, 2009, consumers can enter their home by visiting The Spruce Up Your Home Site for a chance to win one of eight home exterior paint jobs or the Grand Prize improvement package worth $20,000. The contest was created to help consumers realize that home improvements don’t need to be expensive in order to add value and style, and to celebrate Rohm and Haas’s acrylic technology recently being awarded landmark status by the American Chemical Society.

What's for Dinner- Lentil Stew

Lentil Stew

1 1/2 cups lentils
1 1/2 quarts of tap water (6 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
15 oz can tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon basil (optional)

Put the clean lentils in a stew pot (4-quart size) and add the tap water. Bring the lentils to a boil and simmer them on the back of the stove for about an hour.

Near the end of the Hour, Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Quickly sauté the onions and garlic until they become tender and translucent. Then add the tomatoes and basil. Bring to a slow boil, and simmer for a few minutes.

Add the salt and pepper to the lentils. When the tomatoes and onions are hot, add them to the pot of lentils.

Stir and serve.