Daily Woman's Day Blog

Dinner Diary: Southwestern Chicken and Rice Casserole

2009-11-20T16:00:00-05:00

I'm not going to share the recipe for this casserole, which we had for dinner last night, with you. Despite cooking an additional 30 minutes (tacked on to the original 45) at a higher temperature, a lot of the rice never cooked. Plus, the rice on the bottom of the casserole overcooked into a mushy mess.

However, the flavors were so good that we managed to devour most of the meal, anyway. I don't know how to solve the problem of the rice cooking unevenly. Maybe a shallower casserole dish? A higher temperature throughout? My solution is to cook the other ingredients together on the stove top and serve them over prepared rice. The rice doesn't get a chance to soak up all the flavors, but you shouldn't have to contend with gritty or mushy rice, either.

This is what I would do: Cook the rice according to the directions on the package. While that's working, saute some minced onion and garlic in a large skillet. Add a can of diced tomatoes and their juices along with 1 teaspoon mild chile powder and 1/2 teaspoon each cumin, paprika and salt. Add drained, rinsed beans, cut-up cooked chicken and thawed frozen corn. Simmer to combine flavors; serve over rice.

Or try one of these. They're WD test-kitchen tested:

Cajun Chicken and Rice

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Easy Paella

— Kim Walker

Daily Buzz: Oprah Fades to Black?

2009-11-20T15:36:24-05:00

     For almost as long as I’ve been living, Oprah Winfrey has been on air. And for as long as I can remember, I’ve looked up to Oprah as a role model. So imagine my shock last night when I found out she would be ending her syndicated show on September 9, 2011? I’ll admit I knew that this day would eventually come. However I think I secretly wished she would stay on television forever. C’mon, who needs retirement when you’re Oprah?
    OK maybe I’m being a bit selfish here but we’re talking about Oprah Winfrey, no-last-name-needed Oprah, the OPRAH. You know that same woman whose daytime talk show was voted as one of Time’s 100 Best TV shows, the same one who started her own magazine, satellite radio show and soon-to-launch television network, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, the same one who opened a boarding school for young girls in Africa, and the same one who stood not too far away from President Obama on election night at Grant Park in Chicago and at his inauguration in the nation’s capitol. (I think you know who I’m talking about now.)
    As I’m writing this, I began to take a stroll down memory lane in my mind of her shows that I’ll never forget: Tom Cruise jumping on her couch to profess his love for his now-wife Katie Holmes, David Letterman stopping by for the first time on her show after a long-term feud, Michael Jackson’s appearance on her show in 1993 (the highest-rated single episode), and the premiere of this season when 21,000 people gathered on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile and surprised Oprah with a synchronized dance to Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling.” And then there was my favorite show—the episode where Oprah gave away a free Pontiac G6 to everyone. Remember the infamous “You get a car! You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!” (No wait, actually that was the show I wished I was in the audience for.)
    Wherever Oprah’s media empire takes her next, I’m sure this won’t be the last we’ll see—or hear from her. She will surely go on to do even greater things, and she will forever leave behind a legacy and big impression on me— and surely countless others.

Cutest Kid of the Day: Rocco

2009-11-20T14:00:00-05:00

Each day we will post an adorable picture or video of one of our readers' cute kids.

Rocco, 19 months, looks nice and warm in the great outdoors. Thanks to Violeta for submitting.

We want to see more of your adorable kid pictures and videos. Submit them to: WDcutekids@gmail.com and you might just see them on the site.

Divorce Chronicles: Please Pass the Bubblebath

2009-11-20T13:30:00-05:00

From what I can tell, the main reasons couples in the U.S. cite for splitting up are disagreements about money and infidelity. Just to the north of us, in Canada, 36 percent of divorces are due to alcohol abuse or wife-beating. And, I recently read, in a country far, far away (which I’ve decided not to name at the risk of sounding derisive), couples aren’t calling it quits over boring old cheating, or financial problems, or even garden-variety incompatibility. Nope, according to an official in this particular country, a significant number of marriages end because one partner thinks the other stinks or has crappy taste in nightclothes. Here’s what an official of that country-that-shall-not-be-named-by-me said recently about this phenomenon:

“Couples who had been married for less than five years and were on the verge of separation had told counsellors that routine sex and body odour were the main reasons for them to want to break up.” In addition, he said he “was bewildered that some of these couples said their spouses’ old-fashioned pyjamas – sarong and t-shirt – and bad smell during intimate moments made their sex life monotonous or turned them off completely. ‘I know of one case where a separation was triggered just because the spouse smelled of fish crackers.’”

Um… I’m pretty sure the scent of fish crackers would turn me off too, although I would hardly consider it grounds for divorce. Fortunately, the concerned government of this anonymous country is stepping in to help its struggling citizens work things out by:

1) Recommending that married couples bathe together “to make their relationship more exciting.” (And less pungent, I presume.)

2) Inviting cosmetics companies to develop “exotic and sensuous fragrances that can arouse sexual desire.”

3) Hiring consultants to provide grooming workshops.

4) Offering free (as in worth the equivalent of $440!) three-day “honeymoons,” along with some counseling, to couples on the verge of divorce, in hopes of rekindling the romance.

I dunno, that last one sounds pretty sweet, but I’m fairly sure that a $440 vacation isn’t going to save my marriage. I’ll stick with my sessions with Dr. K, the support of good friends, and the occasional glass of Merlot.

If you were in my shoes, what would it take to get you through a break-up?

Momfidence: Do My Kids Ever Sass Back?

2009-11-20T13:17:15-05:00

Dear Paula: With four kids, I'm wondering if you ever lose your temper and what you do about it? --a.k.l.

Hmmm, do siblings argue? Do moms not get enough sleep? Do packages without any food left in them get returned to the cupboard? Are we running late again?! Of course I lose my temper -- a better way to phrase the question might be, How often does it happen?

And the answer to that is, more often than I'd like but not as often as I deserve!

Fact is, it's okay for moms to blow their stacks every once in awhile. It's not okay to take your frustration out physically on a child, or to holler and grouse day after day. (Both of those scenarios indicate a seriously unhappy person for whom a little self-examination and stress relief might be in order.) But it is okay to snap, and to not beat yourself up for it.

What do I do when I snap? Sometimes I apologize, if I'm clearly in the wrong and my behavior is way out of proportion to the misdemeanor at hand: "Hey, sorry I yelled at you. I was just worried about x and I took it out on you when it wasn't your fault."

But I should add that sometimes a little high drama gets people's attention. They stop fighting, clean theit room, dispose of empty containers neatly next time, speed up when you're running late. Overuse the privilege and soon your shouts will fall on deaf ears (a la the mom who cried wolf). But snap every once in awhile, and they see that you're only human -- and that's a good thing. -- Paula Spencer, WD "Momfidence" columnist

Daily Dose: Hope for Depression

2009-11-20T13:15:43-05:00

Monday I was honored to attend the Hope for Depression annual seminar where Brooke Shields accepted the first “HOPE” Award for Depression Advocacy for her efforts to help lift the stigma that surrounds depression. She wrote a book, “Down Came The Rain,” about her struggle with postpartum depression after the birth of her first child, Rowan, who’s now 6 years old. (You might remember the little tiff she had with Tom Cruise when he suggested that there’s no such thing as a ‘chemical imbalance’ and that you can just take vitamins and exercise to feel better!)

Brooke spoke emotionally and emphatically about her struggle, from how she had tried rounds and rounds of in-vitro fertilization to get pregnant, and then when Rowan was born, her body being “hijacked” by such terrible depression that she couldn’t bear to look at her new baby. One day, she said, things got so bad that she barely resisted the urge to drive her car (with the baby in the back seat) off the freeway into a wall. “My friend stayed on the phone with me until I got home safely,” she said.

Brooke admitted that she resisted the idea of taking medication at first. “I was a survivor and I felt like I just failed,” she said. But it was medication and therapy that did finally help her get through the postpartum depression.

“It wasn’t about being strong enough to ‘get over’ the depression, but being strong enough to get help,” she said.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

-Amy Brightifield, Health Director

Daily Buzz: Holiday Airline Fees

2009-11-20T13:00:00-05:00

Just as we were getting used to forking over cash for extra baggage at the airport or snacks on board, we’re slapped with a new fee. Get ready to pay a $20 surcharge if you plan to travel around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.

Believe it or not, these charges won’t disappear after the holidays. Travelers who are flying on March 14, 20, 21 and 28 as well as April 5 and 11 will have to pay an extra $30. Why? These days are apparently special (March 14 is the start of daylight savings time. Do we get a day off of work for this “special” time? I think not.)

And football fans had better be prepared to pull out their wallets: Delta/Northwest introduced a $50 (!) fee for travel in certain South Florida airports the day after the Super Bowl in Miami (February 8th).

Outrageous? Yes. But what can we do? Throw a fit at the check-in counter, leave in a huff, yelling “We’re taking the train!” over our shoulder? That satisfaction may just wear thin somewhere around hour 10 on the Lake Shore Limited line.

Until the airlines resolve their money problems, all we can do is buckle up and enjoy the flight. And maybe pack a lunch.

—Amanda Greene

Reality Redux: Survivor Samoa—What in the World is Going On?

2009-11-20T12:00:00-05:00

Am I the only one who’s starting to smell a rat here? All season long CBS has been promo’ing the heck out of Bulldog Russell, calling him the biggest villain ever, giving him all the attention in every commercial. And while I admitted last week that I’ve gained a begrudging respect for his game play, last night’s episode had the cynic in me on high alert.

Here’s what happened: The reward challenge called for everyone to be broken up into two teams and Russell was on the winning side. Part of the prize (aside from food, of course) was a clue to the re-hidden immunity idol (apparently it was under a moss-covered rock). Once back at camp Russell shared the clue with Mick and Jaison, and they and the others began searching for the idol. Russell was confident he’d find it, clue or no clue, and what do you know, he did. At that moment I just stared at my TV and thought What is going on? He finds the hidden immunity idol three times in a row! Call me skeptical. I can’t prove something fishy is going on, but it’s all a bit too convenient for me.

Anyway, prior to all that, while the winners were at their picnic, Jaison and Mick had a little sit-down with Monica and basically let her know that someone on her side had flipped. They wanted her to flip too. Monica’s gut told her the turncoat was Shambo, and later she told Laura that they couldn’t trust two people from their former Galu tribe: Shambo and John.

At immunity challenge—a two-round event—Laura was out of the running in the first round. (Shambo laughed out loud at her. Way to keep it classy, Sham.) Mick went on to win it.

Later at camp, there was lots of back and forth about who should be voted out. The former Foa Foa people were gunning for Laura. Dave and Laura wanted to go after Russell. And John thought Natalie was the smart target. Then Monica (who wanted to save her ally Laura) told Dave and Brett that she should tell Foa Foa that she was voting for John (so they would too, leaving Shambo as the only vote for Laura), but she’d really vote for Natalie in order to avoid a five-five tie. Next thing I know, she’s trying to convince Russell of this crackpot plan. He wasn’t buying it. Oh, and one minor problem Monica, you guys never bothered to run the plan by John first. When they did clue him in he wasn’t happy about being the pawn, and rightfully so. You know what often happens to pawns in this game.

At tribal, the votes played out as first expected: Five for Laura and five for Natalie. Then Jeff told everyone that they’d vote again (except Laura and Natalie) and if there was another tie, everyone except those with votes would choose rocks, one of which would be a different color. Whoever pulled the odd rock would be out of the game. Apparently John didn’t want to take the risk, so during the second vote he flipped and Laura was sent packing. Dave and Monica sat there wide-eyed in disbelief. Another blindside. Classic! —Angela Ebron

Cutest Pet of the Day: Alfie

2009-11-20T10:00:00-05:00

Each day we will post an adorable picture or video of some of the world's cutest pets. Click here to vote for your favorites using our new Cute Pet Face-Off tool.

This is a typical pose for Alfie when he is begging for a treat. Thanks to Lauren for submitting!

We want to see more of your adorable pet pictures and videos. Submit them to: WDcutepets@gmail.com and you might just see them on the site.

Daily Buzz: California Bans Inefficient Big Screen TVs

2009-11-20T10:00:00-05:00

The Golden State may be the entertainment capital of America, but come January 1, 2011 residents shopping for a new television may have to enjoy their favorite shows on smaller sets. This week the California Energy Commission approved regulations that will require new TVs of up to 58” to meet energy efficiency standards aimed at cutting the amount of electricity they use by 33 percent. The benefit? Lower electric bills for consumers, less strain on the state’s electric grid and greater protection for the environment, according to the commission. Don’t worry, Californians. You won’t have to trade in your current set. The new rules don’t apply to the TVs people already have or might buy next year.

Given the amount of juice big screen TVs use—about 10 percent of a home’s total energy consumption, according to some experts—it makes sense. We have energy efficient kitchen appliances, air conditioners and cars. Why not TVs? To read more about California’s trail-blazing new rules, click here. —Angela Ebron

Money Talks: Mission Accomplished

2009-11-19T17:00:00-05:00

Hard to believe, but this week’s the week!! I’ve passed the $5,000 mark that I set for myself last March. Whew. At the beginning of the week I put $115 in savings that I saved on grocery shopping left over from October—remember, I’m skipping one trip the grocery store every month and trying use up what I’ve got in my kitchen. Something I’ve been trying the past few days: Not going to the grocery at all, which has prompted me to be super-creative with our meals and I’ve also finally cleaned out the freezer (Goodbye frozen pizza crust that I always forgot about, goodbye turkey burgers and frozen peas that were stuck in the back.) Using up my stuff has actually been cathartic, and I figure I’ve saved about $50 in groceries and take-out this week.

If you’re going to try the Save $5,000 Experiment, here’s what I’ve learned:

Sometimes you fall off the wagon, which is okay. Some things are hard to stick to—for me it was bringing breakfast and lunch to work. I also just can’t use coupons for groceries. My local store doesn’t take them, and traveling to another town to grocery shop is impossible. I allowed myself to forego these things, but tried to save in other ways—I now always go online to find coupons before I go clothes shopping, book vacations, and entertainment. I think before I purchase anything, and I always make my tea at work rather than buy it.
Open a savings account now. This is the first thing you should do. I waited a while, which was dumb. Opening the account gives you a total boost when you watch the numbers climb. I swear it’s the most empowering thing. And having money automatically deducted from your paycheck and put into your savings is truly the easiest way to save.
Change your attitude toward money. I never really got into this in the blog, but along the way toward my goal, I decided to heed the advice I’d heard from our money columnist Mary Hunt, who talks a lot about being grateful for what you already have. For so many of us, money is how we measure our success and what we think we need to be happy. But once you start appreciating your life and the people in it, the material stuff matters so much less.
Scrutinize your bills. Over the past several months, I’ve lowered our grocery bills, entertainment expenses, our car insurance and our cable bill. A few things I never got to but would surely save me more: getting rid of some of the bells and whistles on our home phone (do we really need call waiting—or a landline at all?), renegotiating our homeowners and life insurance, and rethinking some of our doctors (many of whom aren’t in network and end up costing us a lot of cash.)

That’s it. I’ve had a blast saving, and I‘m going to keep it up. Once you start you’ll be hooked too! Happy saving!

How much I’ve saved on the way to $5,000: $5,051.17, and that’s not even adding in the $50 or so I’ve saved in the last couple of days! Look at me, I’m actually a saver! Who would have thought.

Dinner Diary: Stovetop Mac and Cheese with Chicken

2009-11-19T16:00:00-05:00

Right off the bat I want to admit that my nearly-5-year-old wept when I set this homemade mac and cheese in front of him. He used to love mac and cheese made from scratch, but now only that powdered cheese sauce will do. Then he gagged when I insisted he try a "no thank you" bite. Then he complained he was hungry for the rest of the afternoon. My daughter, who is too young to understand how refusing to eat something gives you the upper hand at mealtime, gobbled up her homemade mac and cheese. These piccolini wheels are easy for the little ones to pick up.

I was skeptical that this technique would work; it's too easy. If it were actually that easy to make from-scratch mac and cheese, wouldn't we all do it more often? I used about half the cheese this recipe, from The Big Book of Chicken, and it worked well. I don't know how it would turn out if you used a full 8 ounces of shredded Cheddar cheese.This wasn't over-the-top decadent, just a good weeknight mac and cheese.

I cooked 2 cups of wheels according to the package directions, then drained. Then I stirred in a tablespoon of flour, then 1/2 cup milk. Added 1 cup cooked chicken (left over from a roast chicken), 4 ounces shredded Cheddar and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan. You need something green, like a salad or some broccoli, on the side.

More mac and cheese recipes:

Beefy Mac

Baked Mac and Cheese

Three-Cheese Macaroni with Spinach

— Kim Walker

Daily Buzz: Unfriend, Indeed

2009-11-19T15:00:00-05:00

Every year the New Oxford Dictionary chooses a word of the year—which means that a bunch of word-heads get together, think about the new words that suddenly seemed to be everywhere in 2009 and choose the one they think is the most significant. This year it’s unfriend.

Those of you who spent way too much time on Facebook this year (stop blushing, you can’t get that time back anyway) know what friending is: giving someone access to your Facebook page. If, for some reason, you decide that this person doesn’t deserve the right to know about your latest obsessions, minute by minute, you can unfriend him or her just as easily. A couple of mouse clicks—done.

It occurs to me that being able to un- something that easily would be pretty useful in real, nonvirtual life. Did you burn the chicken? Unroast it! Hate the way your hair came out? Unhaircut it! What could be better than getting a do-over? Point me to that button!

(Sigh.) As usual, if you think it through, there’s a problem: You’d use it way too often. I hate to think of how many times I would have unparented, unspoused, undaughtered and unemployed myself by now (and then wanted a do-over of the do-over). So, in 2010, think before you unfriend. Especially if you’re tempted to do it for real.

Cutest Kid of the Day: Kyra

2009-11-19T14:00:00-05:00

Each day we will post an adorable picture or video of one of our readers' cute kids.

Kyra, 2, enjoying some fall fun at a pumpkin patch. Thanks to Melanie for submitting.

We want to see more of your adorable kid pictures and videos. Submit them to: WDcutekids@gmail.com and you might just see them on the site.

Divorce Chronicles: The Other Epidemic

2009-11-19T13:30:00-05:00

I only know a handful of people who have succumbed to H1N1 (at least so far), but I have a ton of friends who’ve been bitten by the break-up bug in the last year or two—people who are separated or divorced, are getting separated or divorced, have seriously contemplated separating or getting divorce, have come within a hair’s breath of splitting up, or who actually split and then worked things out. (And by worked, I mean they worked.) I even have a gay friend who no longer resides with her long-time partner.

Given that close to half of all marriages won’t make it, if prevailing stats are to be believed, I can’t say that I’m surprised to see so many unions around me in a state of collapse (or near-collapse or recent repair). And in purely selfish terms, it’s kind of comforting: I don’t feel so alone, although I wouldn’t wish a divorce on my worst enemy—especially if kids are involved.

At the same time, it’s a little disheartening: Some of the couples whose marriages have bitten the dust, or seem destined to, are couples whose relationships seemed so solid to me. Rock solid. I remember the moment when every single one of these friends, almost all of whom are women, but a couple who are men, told me what was going on with their spouses, and how shocked I was. You’d think that after two or three of these revelations—usually over lunch or coffee—I wouldn’t be so surprised, especially given my own situation, but the news that a marriage is on the rocks is just never, ever expected.

So I wonder: Is no marriage (or long-term commitment) ever really immune to immolation? Is no couple truly safe? And if so, what’s the secret? I know all the stock answers: Commitment. Communication. Hard work. Humor. Love. Sex. Mutual respect. Common interests. Etc. But I feel like there’s got to be something else, something to bind all those things together. And if it could be turned into a divorce vaccine, I would gladly stand in line, roll up my sleeve, and take my shot like a grown woman.